DETROIT, MI - AUGUST 25: Chris Hogan #15 of the New England Patriots scores a first quarter touchdown past the tackle of Jarrad Davis #40 of the Detroit Lions during a preseason game at Ford Field on August 25, 2017 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)

The Detroit Lions can learn a lot from the NFL’s most successful franchise, but they’re overdoing the whole “Patriot Way” concept in Detroit right now.

Nobody likes a copycat (other than toddlers). Nobody likes the New England Patriots (other than New Englanders). So how is one supposed to feel about a copycat of the Patriots?

As the 2018 season slowly approaches, what began as a few common threads has quickly turned into pretty clear plagiarism on the part of the Detroit Lions.

The Patriot Way

Hiring Bob Quinn as general manager, after 15 years working for the Patriots.

Hiring Matt Patricia as head coach, after 14 years working for the Patriots.

Signing Matt Cassel to be the backup QB, in case disaster strikes and the franchise player gets sidelined.

Running more wind sprints at mini camp than they used to (which I covered last week).

And now… taking the Patriots’ (literally) trademarked “Do your job” slogan and using it as their own.

What’s next?

Can we expect pictures of Matthew Stafford strutting through the locker room with a ‘Humble Pie’ t-shirt? Will Darius Slay get benched for the biggest game of the season, just because? Will the pigskins at Ford Field have a few PSIs taken out of them for the really big games?

Detroit isn’t just trying to win like the Patriots. They’re trying to be the Patriots, and I’m not a big fan of that at the moment.

Don’t “Do Your Job”

The Lions seriously can’t come up with their own slogan? I’m fine with the overall idea; but really, the most blue collar city in the country can’t improve on the work-related theme and get a motto of its own?

For the most part, I have no problem with the whole “Patriots blueprint” idea that Detroit management is trying out. It’s not like they’re going to win less playoff games as a result. There are certainly lessons to be learned from what has been a wildly successful winning culture out east. But make it your own.

There’s a difference between being inspired by something successful and straight up copycatting it and expecting the same result. The Lions are getting dangerously close to the latter, and that’s not a good thing.

During elementary school, my friend Taylor once refused to talk to me for three straight days. This was just because I came back from the orthodontist with the same colors on my braces as he had. He hated being copied. Imagine if I tried to adopt his pets, pack the same lunch as him, tell all his jokes, and even sign his ex-backup quarterback …

Lions team president Ron Wood has claimed that he isn’t trying to copy the Patriots. However, the fact remains that the Lions have came back from about five straight visits to the orthodontist with Patriots-colored braces. Only time will tell if that’s going to fix their crooked smile, but in the meantime, forgive me for grinding my teeth over it a little bit.

Copycatting is irritating at just about any age, you don’t really ever outgrow that.

Be yourself, but better.

Around Detroit, the Lions are often affectionately known as the Motor City Kitties. In 2016, they were the Cardiac Cats. Right now, they’re pretty much just the Copy Cats. Or more accurately, the Copy Pats.

I’m all for trying to reverse engineer the formula for success from the greatest team of the 2000s so far. But pure imitation is only going to work up to a certain point. In building a winning culture in Detroit, the Honolulu Blues need to forge their own identity too.