Patricia, Wilks enduring tough 1st years

GLENDALE, ARIZ. >> Two first-year head coaches will be on the sidelines when the Detroit Lions meet the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday, and both have had a rough season.

“Yeah, your first year you’re going to have struggles,” Detroit defensive tackle Ricky Jean Francois said. “If you don’t, you lucked up.”

Most of the luck for these teams has been bad.

Matt Patricia’s Lions (4-8) have lost five out of six. Steve Wilks’ Cardinals (3-9), though, are coming off the best performance of what’s been a miserable season, a surprising 20-17 victory over the Packers in Green Bay.

But the Cardinals have been decimated by injuries. When left tackle D.J. Humphries and wide receiver Christian Kirk went down this week, that left 14 Arizona players on injured reserve, six of them offensive linemen.

“We’ve got guys who weren’t on the team a week ago that are out

there starting and playing,” said receiver Larry Fitzgerald, in his 15th season with the Cardinals. “We’re not making excuses. We’re paid to do a job. Whoever is lined up, doesn’t matter where they’re from, what their number is, whoever those 11 are on the field, we’re going to do our best.”

The Lions, who also don’t have a lot to play for as far as the standings go, echoed that theme.

“It’s all about confidence,” defensive tackle Damon “Snacks” Harrison said. “If a guy can gain some confidence from some wins, it’s hard to gain confidence when you’re losing. Just stay in it and be able to go into the offseason on a good note.”