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PFT If the Detroit Lions decide to hire Miami Dolphins assistant head coach/secondary coach Todd Bowles as their new head coach after he interviewed for the second time Tuesday, at least he has significant working experience at massive rebuilding projects.
Bowles helped the Dolphins evolve from 1-15 a year ago into an 11-5 AFC East champion this season.
As part of the Lions process with job candidates, Bowles followed the same format that Tennessee Titans defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz did on Monday and met with Detroit reporters. As Booth Newspapers Lions beat writer Tom Killer Kowalski details, Bowles knows what hes getting himself into.
The blueprint we have is to change the culture, Bowles said. The first thing you have to do is condition you have to condition the players mentally. They have to buy into the system. The second part is emotionally, youve got to get them to forget about 1-15 or 0-16. When we were in Miami last year, we were 1-15, but what was brought to the players was were trying to win the AFC East.
When youre 1-15, mentally, youre damaged. I dont care how you slice it. Between the media, you losing every week and your neighbors calling you losers, your damaged mentally. Youve got to get past that mental part and you have to get down to work and you have to give them a goal to shoot for and thats winning the NFC North.
Bowles, who would like to transform the Lions 4-3 defensive scheme into a 3-4, said hes scheduled to interview with the St. Louis Rams later this week. In a room filled with Michigan reporters, of course, Bowles said he prefers the Lions job.