How Lions Plan to Close Out Games in 2020

Lions head coach Matt Patricia explains how he plans to get his team to more effectively close out games in 2020

One of the biggest weaknesses for the Lions a season ago was being able to close out opponents. 

Time and time again -- especially early on in the season -- it cost them a chance to win games. 

All you have to do is look at three games to figure out what I'm talking about: Week 1 against the Arizona Cardinals, Week 4 against the Kansas City Chiefs and Week 6 against the Green Bay Packers. 

In all three games, the Lions had a chance to win, and failed to do so because they couldn't "finish." 

It's something Detroit head man Matt Patricia would certainly like to rectify heading into the 2020 campaign. 

"No. 1, certainly, the situations we were in last year, I think we can all look at those, and say collectively, 'How could we have closed those out better? How could we have maybe done something different, or handled situations differently to be able to be on the plus-side of the win column in those situations?'" Patricia said Sunday during a video conference with Detroit media. "We also know that on the flip side of that, that last year is last year. And this year's team is different, and will be different on the field. And the opponents that we play will be different. And that's the NFL ... it changes every year. But, I think from a mindset, that's a good standpoint for us to try to say, 'Okay, hey, when we get in these situations, how do we really do certain things to allow us to be in a position to win more of those games and capitalize on those scenarios?'" 

The team's "situational football" play -- moments in the game which are dictated by down-and-distance and other specific game situations -- will need to be revamped in order for strides to be made late in games, according to Patricia. 

"Certainly, in the fourth quarter, there's different things that come up from situational football to time of possession to the opponent that you're playing. So, we certainly look at all those," Patricia commented. "But, just overall right now, we want to just play better all the way through the game for 60 minutes, and hopefully, in the end of those, we'll close them out." 

Patricia believes in the motto that "the last inch is always the hardest," and in order to close out opponents more effectively, the Lions will need to be better in those situational moments, but also in all three facets of the game: offense, defense and special teams. 

"It's really all three phases working together. That's how it is," Patricia said. "It's one of the biggest things in the game of football that as a team, when you really get to that concept of all three phases, it's not one phase. It's not the offense or the defense or special teams. You know, all three phases affect the game, and it affects how one of the other phases has to respond to those situations. So, certainly, there's games where maybe one or two phases are going to step up and have better days than maybe another phase, and that's how it goes, you know, in those aspects. And we've seen that in the past. But, certainly for the most part, you've got to at least win two of the three phases to try to be in a successful position at the end of the game."

The hope for Patricia & Co. is that the returning players also learn from their late-game mistakes from a year ago and improve upon them in 2020. 

After finishing near the very bottom of the league in every major defensive statistical category last season, the only way to go is up for the defense.

And the only way in which the Lions can turn it around after a dismal 3-12-1 campaign in 2019 is through just that: the defense making significant strides, especially late in games when it's trying to close out opponents.