Chiefs face an unfamiliar team but a familiar coach in Lions’ Matt Patricia

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A couple of undefeated teams face off when the Chiefs (3-0) visit the Detroit Lions (2-0-1) at Ford Field on Sunday. Second-year coach Matt Patricia appears to have Detroit on the right track.

The Lions’ scheme

Head coach

Matt Patricia arrived in Detroit last year after spending six seasons (2012-17) as the Patriots’ defensive coordinator. He had been part of the staff since 2004 and was part of three Super Bowl championship teams. Those New England teams were often among the NFL leaders in takeaways. After losing his first two games in 2018 with the Lions, Patricia handled the Patriots 26-10 for his first career victory as head coach. The Lions went on to a 6-10 record but are off to an encouraging start this year.

Offense

Quarterback Matt Stafford is bidding to become the seventh quarterback to pass for 3,500 yards and 20 touchdowns in nine consecutive seasons. NFL quarterbacks have passed for 5,000 yards in one season 11 times. Stafford owns one of those seasons. He’s off to a nice start this year with 277 yards per game and six touchdowns. Marvin Jones and Kenny Golladay have been his favorite targets with 29 combined receptions. Running back Kerryon Johnson had a great start to his rookie season in 2018, on pace to become a 1,000-yard back until a knee injury in the 10th game. Johnson, who is averaging 2.6 yards per attempt this season, looks to get going against a Chiefs run defense that ranks 27th and allows 6.2 yards per attempt.

Defense

One yard separates the defensive ranking between the Lions (23rd, 394 yards allowed per game) and the Chiefs (24th, 395). But the Lions have five takeaways this season, the mark of a Patricia-coached team. He knows he has a tall order ahead, in preparing for Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce and company. But Patricia has experience here. He was the Patriots’ defensive coordinator when they defeated the Chiefs in the 2015 playoffs. Reid-coached teams had success against Patricia-coached Patriots, scoring 41 in 2014 and 42 in 2017. Winning at Philadelphia last week was impressive, but Chiefs fans likely will have more appreciation for the Lions’ effort in holding the Los Angeles Chargers to 10 points the previous week. The Lions’ pitched a second-half shutout.

This story was originally published September 27, 2019 at 5:00 AM.