They didn't implode. So there is that. And if we're grading on a sliding scale, well, that's progress.
What kind? That hardly matters now.
Teams that start the season 0-2 almost never make the playoffs.
Now, what's the end game here? A full rebuild? Because that's not what Bob Quinn said he wanted last winter, when he fired Jim Caldwell hired Matt Patricia.
The general manager had higher goals than that. He wasn't shy about them.
Those are all but gone. At this point, it's about week-to-week improvement.
On that note, he needs to see if Patricia knows what he's doing.
The Lions didn't quit Sunday at Levi's Stadium, though they lost, 30-27.
They should have won. San Francisco is not a good team and it tried to give the game away at the end.
But the Lions didn't want it. At least if we are judging by all the self-inflicted mistakes.
Penalties _ especially personal fouls _ and conservative play calling early.
They were also dropping passes, and had more special teams issues.
The most painful moment came near the end, when an interception by Lions safety Tracy Walker was nullified on a holding call.
It was brutal.
And can't keep happening.
This loss means the goals are more modest. Cleaning up the sloppy play is a good place to start.
Too little, too late
This isn't just about Patricia. It's about Jim Bob Cooter, too.
While the 49ers used a variety of motion and misdirection sets to help Jimmy Garoppolo, Cooter couldn't figure out how to do the same for Stafford.
Until it was too late.
About the only thing that works is when a play breaks down, and Stafford manages to escape and use that big arm to find a receiver who's broken free.
That happened early in the fourth quarter. Stafford hit Golden Tate for a 67-yard gain, which set up a 5-yard touchdown to Marvin Jones.
Stafford is often best in a free-for-all, or in a hurry-up offense. As he showed in the fourth quarter Sunday.
It's fair to wonder why Cooter doesn't simulate this more often.
Because while Cooter's designs are meant to achieve balance, all they really do is handcuff the Lions best playmaker.
Fool me once ...
The 49ers snuck in a last-minute substitution and it fooled the Lions defense.
On second-and-goal early in the second quarter, Kendrick Bourne started in motion from right to left.
When the ball was snapped, he cut over the line of scrimmage. No one was within 10 yards of him.
Garoppolo flipped him the ball and he scored easily.
It was the kind of miscommunication we saw often in the Lions' opener. They cleaned up some of those mistakes.
So... if you're looking for some kind of sign? Forget it.
The 49ers are not a great offense. They are missing their best receiver, Marquise Goodwin.
And when the Lions trailed by a touchdown late in the third quarter, and had pinned the 49ers on their own 4-yard line, it was still a game.
The Lions defense couldn't fill their gaps, couldn't tackle, couldn't shed blocks, and gave up a 66-yard touchdown run to Matt Breida.
Let me repeat that:
Matt Breida.
It was ugly.
Again.
