Patriot Way Isn't Working

Quandre Diggs' recent comments are latest example of why "Patriot Way" isn't working in Motown

Tim Fuller-USA TODAY Sports

Another day, another unhappy Lions player. 

The latest disgruntled individual is an ex-Detroit employee at this point: former Lions starting safety Quandre Diggs.

 

The former Detroit defensive captain had some choice words for the organization in an interview with Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press on Thursday.   

Via Birkett, Diggs said that his tendency to be outspoken got him shipped to the Seattle Seahawks leading up to this year's trade deadline.

“I think it was more of just a control thing,” he told Birkett. “Them wanting to control the locker room. Control the locker room, control voices in the locker room.” 

Diggs doesn't seem to be wrong here. 

After he was traded, many fans and pundits alike speculated that he was dealt due to his proneness to express himself with candor. 

Diggs' brother Quentin Jammer, a former NFL cornerback, shared the sentiment.

🗣 https://t.co/XEDSXQiwhK

— Nino (@qdiggs6) October 23, 2019

Time and time again, it's been proven that Matt Patricia & Co. are not advocates of players freely speaking their minds inside the locker room. 

They want players that are the complete opposite of Diggs -- players that give canned answers and go along with the status quo, regardless of how things are going on and off the field. 

All in an attempt to establish the "Patriot Way" in Motown. 

Yet, it continues to backfire. 

There are players that clearly believe the organization doesn't have their best interests in mind, such as the team's defensive leader Darius Slay.

Slay was very critical of the organization and its lack of loyalty after Diggs was shipped out of town.

"We have been playing together five years. A team captain. That was crazy," Slay expressed. "No matter how much you put in, at the end of the day, it is a business. Nobody is safe."

Most importantly, though, instilling the Patriot Way hasn't come close to consistently leading to wins. 

Since Patricia came on board a season ago, the Lions have won a combined nine games in 24 tries.   

And guess what, the Lions -- standing at 3-4-1 going into today's matchup with the Bears -- aren't any closer to making the playoffs than they were last year. 

It's been a completely disappointing two years with Patricia. 

From players like Diggs coming out and speaking negatively of the atmosphere in the locker room to all the losing, Patricia hasn't even come close to living up to the lofty expectations that were placed upon him when he was hired. 

The Patriot Way clearly isn't working on or off the field, and Patricia -- not the players -- is the biggest reason why.

He's not cut out to be a head coach, and the sooner the Lions realize it, the better off they'll be.

More: What Are Chances Matthew Stafford Sits Out against Bears?