It would have been easy for this Detroit Lions team to lose faith in itself after blowing a big 4th quarter lead against the lowly Arizona Cardinals. The Week 1 tie was a challenge for coach Matt Patricia and his team.
Three weeks later, Patricia passed the test. So has his team, persevering through the early (self-inflicted) adversity and proving a resilient and adaptable group. Patricia is proud of how his Lions have handled the first quarter of the season.
“I think we have a tough team. I think we have a mentally tough team,” Patricia said. “I think they push through any situation. I don’t think our team blinks. I think they kind of keep going forward and that’s great to see.”
Jamal Agnew is a great example. After early struggles, it would have been easy to throw in the towel on the return man. But the Lions don’t win in Philadelphia without his heroics. Patricia, QB Matthew Stafford and LB Devon Kennard showed great leadership and mental toughness in picking Agnew up and letting the young player know they still believed in and needed him.
Fighting through injuries and interesting officiating, the Lions have quickly proven a mentally tough bunch in 2019.
