Lions make changes at top, dismiss coach, GM

Detroit fired general manager Bob Quinn and coach Matt Patricia on Saturday, ending the franchise’s attempt to replicate the success the men helped Bill Belichick achieve in New England.

The Lions (4-7) have lost consecutive games for the third time this season, falling 41-25 to Houston at home Thursday after getting shut out for the first time in 11 years in its previous game at Carolina.

The setbacks dropped the 46-year-old Patricia to 13-29

1 in two-plus seasons, and

Quinn’s mark fell 12 games under .500 over five seasons.

Quinn, 44, part of the Patriots’ personnel department for 16 years, was given his first shot to run an NFL front office in January 2016.

He retained coach Jim Caldwell, and Detroit reached the playoffs but then fired him the next season after another 9-7 record wasn’t enough to earn a postseason berth.

When Quinn let Caldwell go with a 36-28 record over four seasons and an 0-2 playoff mark, he said the move was made to find a coach to take the team to the next level.

Patricia did that, but it wasn’t the level he or Quinn needed to keep their jobs.

Detroit was 6-10 under Patricia in 2018, won three games last season and barely was better this year.

Patricia was on Belichick’s staff for 14 seasons, including six years as defensive coordinator, before Quinn gave him his first shot to be a head coach at any level.

■ Broncos: The two quarterbacks on the team’s active roster, Drew Lock and Brett Rypien, and practice squad QB Blake Bortles were sent home from Saturday’s practice over COVID-19 contact tracing concerns. All were ruled ineligible to play Sunday. The concerns arose after the team put QB Jeff Driskel on the reserve/COVID-19 list Thursday after a positive test. Denver won’t forfeit Sunday’s game, ESPN reported. Running back Royce Freeman is listed as the team’s emergency QB.

■ Steelers: A day after placing three players on the reserve/COVID-19 list, the team had more positive tests, including one from running back James Conner and another

Matt Patricia