When should Stafford become Detroit’s No. 1 model?
With Matt Ryan and Joe Flacco leading their teams to the playoffs as rookies, it’ll be tough for the 0-for-2008 Detroit Lions to justify not starting Matthew Stafford sometime in 2009. But when in 2009?
From Peter King of SI.com: “Matthew Stafford is on his way to winning the starting quarterback job in Detroit by Halloween, not by Thanksgiving.”
Let’s think about that. The only time anybody outside Detroit pays attention to the Lions is on Thanksgiving, when the Lions play their annual Turkey Day game. Would you really want to save Stafford’s first NFL start for the only day this moribund franchise has the nation’s attention? What if he, like, stinks?
Halloween, or thereabouts, sounds better. The Lions will play the almost-as-lousy Rams on Nov. 1 at Ford Field, and Detroit will be coming off a bye. But even that seems a tad slow for someone in whom $41.7 million (of which apparently only $17 million is guaranteed) has been invested. But when, then?
The Lions’ first six games: At New Orleans, Minnesota, Washington, at Chicago, Pittsburgh, at Green Bay. And then it’s late October and the bye is upon them. So maybe Nov. 1 should be targeted after all.
Loading ...Writing for Sporting News Today, Vinnie Iyer suggests Detroit should go with Daunte Culpepper in 2009 and save Stafford for 2010. That’s fine in theory — Iyer: “It might not be a risk worth taking with the franchise’s great hope” — but improbable in practice. Ryan and Flacco did it. Why can’t the guy drafted No. 1 overall?
Because, Iyer argues, the Lions don’t have an offensive line or a running game or a defense. (In sum, the Lions ain’t got much.) But there were questions about the Falcons across the board in 2008, and the rising tide that was Matty Ice lifted all boats.
A guess: This Matt will be starting before September’s out. (That Redskins game in Detroit on the 27th seems inviting.) And one more date to circle: Saturday, Aug. 15, 4 p.m., Ford Field. The Lions open the exhibition season against Matty Ice’s team. Nothing like the ol’ side-by-side comparison, I say.
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106 comments Add your comment
Mike
June 10th, 2009
12:14 pm
Stafford should start when he’s the best quarterback on the field and not until. That being said, I’d bet by the 3d game of pre-season.
Mike
June 10th, 2009
12:19 pm
I will quickly add that being the best quarterback on the Lions is akin to being the most honest politician in Washington (or Atlanta for that matter).
Mark Bradley
June 10th, 2009
12:41 pm
I think Matthew Stafford will be a good NFL quarterback — but not a great one.
Mike
June 10th, 2009
12:47 pm
Mark- agree with you completely (for once!). He isn’t the savior the Lions needed. He has Greg Landry (for you old Lions fans) written all over him. Which, of course is a step up from: Eric Hipple, Eric Kramer, Chuck Long, Charlie Batch, Andre Ware, Joey Harrington…….need I continue?
Mark Bradley
June 10th, 2009
12:55 pm
Greg Landry. Used to hand off to Altie Taylor, as I perhaps misremember.
Mike
June 10th, 2009
12:59 pm
You don’t misremember (unlike a certain once-certain HOF pitcher). But I did forget Scott Mitchell, Jeff Komlow, Rodney Peete, and Rusty Hilger. Yes Mr. Stafford, you have big shoes to fill……or maybe not so big. In Detroit, 8-8, or heaven forbid 9-7, is a miracle season….any year.
GeoffDawg
June 10th, 2009
1:18 pm
Gen Neyland: Matty Ice, Red Rum (Ryan)- I think my keen eye for details is noticing a pattern.
april glaspie
June 10th, 2009
1:35 pm
He’s not fragile. I believe Joey Harrington was talented, but Stafford’s a different sort of cat mentally. Consider his performance vs. Alabama in the second half last year. I figure he’s kinda like Brett without the brain farts, and considerably quicker and more resourceful in the pocket and out of it.. All of that aside, Daunte Culpepper is a very smart NFL QB, and pretty much a perfect guy to school a new guy.. Predicting a launch time is asinine, but Stafford is seriously more talented than Matt Ryan, light years beyond Flacco, and you know what, He knows he got the geld, and he’s pretty sure to do just what he does best. Wing the football.
He didn’ t fix his hair before his moment on the big stage, which was pretty much all anybody needed to know about Sanchez-Leinart. No matter when he sarts or what sort of adversity he faces, Stafford’s going to be very good. Smart coach, brilliant tutor, willing and talented student of the game. Lions made a smart pick and they’re going places.
Mike
June 10th, 2009
1:44 pm
Wow April. As a Lions fan, that excites me. Except, as a Lions fan, I know how they ruin the talent they choose. The only way Stafford goes places is if he’s traded. God knows I hope I’m wrong, but I’ve been down this road for almost 40 years now.
gdawginkalamazoo
June 10th, 2009
1:48 pm
Maddog, Culpepper last played “lights out” in 2004. But it was only for one play, and it was blown dead due to the power outage int the MetroDome.
I liked your post April.
Calvin fan
June 10th, 2009
2:02 pm
Choosing Matthew Stafford as their first pick was a bad choice for the Lions…. Anyone can throw to Calvin… what they needed was a defensive player… Stafford will do nothing for them this year… hopefully they will learn from this…
Dr. Warren
June 10th, 2009
2:04 pm
He’s got Kim McQuilken written all over him, if you ask me. Good ‘ole #11.
gdawginkalamazoo
June 10th, 2009
2:07 pm
Landry also threw more INT’s than TD’s for his career. Over a 100 of them. He hung around looking to reach that 100 TD career mark and missed it. Doh!
Glenn
June 10th, 2009
2:09 pm
Detroit won’t be competitive next year . Let him start the second half of the season to get his feet wet . The Lions run a different O than the Falcons . Lots of deep passes . They need to get a line before they throw Stafford to the wolves . Atleast the Falcons drafted a tackle in the first round last year to help protect Matt Ryan . Detroit drafted a receiving TE with their second first round choice . The NFC north also has more brutal D’s as compared to the NFC south . As far as Flacco , he had Jonathon Ogden . The Ravens have a stellar O line & defense . I know it is tempting to throw Stafford out there but it wouldn’t be wise .
jjoe
June 10th, 2009
2:17 pm
As a UGA alumni and fan. I want to see Matthew Stafford and all other former players succeed at the NFL level. However, Matthew Stafford is a Detroit Lion now. I don’t really care about what is going on outside the UGA program.
Let’s have discussion only what is going on at UGA.
Just sayin'
June 10th, 2009
2:21 pm
Ideally you’d sit Stafford until the Lions can upgrade the talent (especially the O line) around him (2010). However, with Daunte “the paper lion” Culpepper playing ahead of him he may be called into duty much quicker then expected. The Lions don’t have a veteran 3rd stringer, meaning Stafford would get the call. It may be difficult handling the failures of being a rookie QB and playing on a losing team but Stafford seems to have the right mind set going into this. Joey Harrington had a lot of talent but the guy was just mentally weak. If Stafford can turn the Lions into a Super Bowl winner he’ll join the ranks of the greatest and most beloved athletes in the history of the Motor City. As bleak as the situation with Lions seems it has been done before in Detroit with an ailing franchise(Yzerman with the Red Wings and Isiah Thomas with the Pistons). Good luck Matt!
D-Nice
June 10th, 2009
2:26 pm
He will fail He will fail. He cant even complete passes on time to AJ Green who will have the same if not better career than CJ. For all the hype Stafford has some rather pedestrian numbers and dont blame receivers. I hate when people blame receivers for dropping a ball but dont see when the QB hang them out to dry, they make a great catch on uncatchable balls, bullets coming in at last minute 3 feet in front of you, etc… Look at the numbers because they dont lie. His numbers are not that great and every great QB numbers dwarf his but he got the hype. THe great arm, even though I was not impressed on some of his throws, doesnt equate to wins (go ask Jeff George). I hate to be the bearer of bad news but I am here to tell you that this was another bad pick and their only hope is that Daunte suddenly remembers that he had the 3rd greatest season by a QB in the history of the league (Manning same year and later bested by Brady).
lions fan
June 10th, 2009
2:29 pm
um i agree he needs to get in there this year .but comparing him to flacco and ryan isnt fair. flacco had one of the best defense in the league with out there defense nobody would be talkin about flacco.ryan also had a respectful d and a 1600 yard rusher with turner ryan does no were near as well as he did.
Calvin fan
June 10th, 2009
2:43 pm
I agree D-Nice… however, Manning can never be bested…. (Peyton that is…)
The Lions need a defense… you can’t win games without a good defense… I just don’t understand why everyone thinks Stafford is so great… (remember that time when Georgia Tech beat UGA…. yeah… that was good times!!) If the Lions can’t win with Daunte then they won’t win with Stafford….
also- when did Stafford become a great quarterback?? i must have slept throught the season to have missed that…..
Gen Neyland
June 10th, 2009
2:51 pm
What worries me about Culpepper is when he does the arm roll thing he’ll pull or tear something. Fortunately, it won’t happen as often in DTW as it did in MSP, but…
Cuz
June 10th, 2009
3:05 pm
Culpeper starts the first game and the Lions lose by 42 points. The Monday headline reads, “Daunte’s Inferno!” Stafford starts week two.
bamahoundstoothhomo
June 10th, 2009
3:10 pm
Start him now! Why pay him the money to let him sit and stew all year, if he’s a winner, studying the clipboard does nothing for him. Just don’t let Harrington near him, he’ll wisper bad things to him and mess up his mojo?1@
Roy
June 10th, 2009
3:27 pm
Start him ASAP !
Mark Bradley
June 10th, 2009
3:48 pm
And when Culpepper gets benched, the headline will be: “Daunte’s Down the Hatch.”
(Old Atlanta restaurant/nightclub name, for all you kids in the audience.)
Cuz
June 10th, 2009
4:01 pm
Yeah this kid remembers it. Feel free to use the former, you know where to send the check.
BUZZ
June 10th, 2009
4:09 pm
ai thinks da shu rish hm like tha di me in dawus
Qunicy Carter (without his mouth piece in)
Spartyfi
June 10th, 2009
4:10 pm
Hey Bradley…do some research: But even that seems a tad slow for someone in whom $41.7 million (of which apparently only $17 million is guaranteed) has been invested….
It doesn’t hurt them to sit him this year because his 2009 cap number is tiny…well, if $3M is tiny! And stop being lazy. If you’re going to give numbers, give the details behind them. We all know that the devil is in the details:
The Lions guaranteed Stafford’s base salaries in 2009 ($3.1 million), 2010 ($395,000) and 2011 ($9 million). Also, $2.7 million of his 2012 base salary ($10.5 million) is guaranteed. Total here: $15.195 million guaranteed.
this next sentence is going to sound funny: The lions were BRILLIANT in setting up this contract. IF he doesn’t perform early and they cut their losses the “experiment” won’t cost as much as some believe!
BUZZ
June 10th, 2009
4:12 pm
Whichever one he starts I hope they win it by a score of 45-42. It’s magic. It’s made me a mello dude these past 7 months.
jarvis
June 10th, 2009
4:18 pm
No ripping on how stupid Quincy is from Tech fans. He got into both schools, remember?
Gary
June 10th, 2009
4:19 pm
How much will Stafford learn from a hospital bed after that horrible line can’t give him time to throw or create a hole for the running game to take some pressure off? What happens to your $41 million investment after a season-ending injury so he can’t even practice, much less start? I’d love to watch him play, and hope he get’s to start soon, but gee, I wouldn’t wish that team on anyone.
BUZZ
June 10th, 2009
4:44 pm
jarvis,
Pretty sure Quincy never took a class at Tech. Once he learned he had to take Calculus to graduate (regardless of major), it made his decision to go to Georgia yet another “easy way out” for him.
Voice of Reason
June 10th, 2009
4:51 pm
Glenn- Flacco did not have Ogden. Ogden retired in June of last year, before Flacco ever had a chance to play a game in the NFL and therefore LT was a first year starter for the Ravens last year. Just a little correction.
jarvis
June 10th, 2009
4:57 pm
I’m not sure he ever took a class at UGA either
.
BUZZ
June 10th, 2009
4:57 pm
Voice of Reason,
Correct 45-42!
BUZZ
June 10th, 2009
4:58 pm
jarvis,
last I heard he was 2 semi’s away from another useless degree.
WTF?
June 10th, 2009
5:01 pm
OK BUZZ. You win. You own us and every AJC blog. Now please leave us alone.
jarvis
June 10th, 2009
5:02 pm
You’d have to ask both of our State Senators and the Governor how worthless our degrees are. My two are paying off well, but that’s just me.
BUZZ
June 10th, 2009
5:16 pm
jarvis, lol. whatever. Glad you are now Assistant manager at the tire store in Soperton.
Mark Bradley
June 10th, 2009
6:08 pm
The state of the O-line, you should know, was pretty much the final determinant in the Falcons’ decision to start Matt Ryan in Week 1. The only way they wouldn’t have started him was if they believed they couldn’t protect him, and Paul Boudreau’s inspired instruction allayed that fear.
Oh, and if you’re so inclined, here’s a little something I’ve written about that famous quarterback Chipper Jones.
Noodle Arm Stafford
June 10th, 2009
6:30 pm
keep playing the same broken record Mark..The kid is over rated..he done nothing at UGA..Anothing thing Stafford will die on the bench just like that other over rated QB from UGA….DAVID GREENE !
Hillbilly Deluxe
June 10th, 2009
6:34 pm
It’s true you learn by playing but you can’t learn much if you’re on injured reserve because you don’t have an offensive line.
reagan
June 10th, 2009
6:49 pm
I don’t care, lets see a story about Joe Cox.
UGA_has_the worst_FANS
June 10th, 2009
7:34 pm
Stafford needs to ride the pine for atleast 3 maybe 4 years… no where close to being ready… but if they do start’m he’ll lead the NFL in int’s…
Matty ICE played 5 years in college and then started his 6th year in the NFL… Stafford is overrated and still is… Oh well… UGA is already making excuses about strength of schedule this year…
JimC
June 10th, 2009
8:31 pm
Answer: Never. He’s not good enough to start, and I doubt he ever will be. Take that to the bank.
RK
June 10th, 2009
9:42 pm
Detroit is a hockey town anyway – this reminds me of when Bo Jackson was drafted by Tampa and ended up playing baseball. Unless Stafford and CJ have some magic, Detroit will continue to be an unfortunate first stop for both.
Mark Bradley
June 10th, 2009
9:47 pm
Come on. How good do you have to be to start for the Lions? (And Stafford’s pretty stinking good, as Mark Richt would say.)
Zeb
June 10th, 2009
9:47 pm
Well gee JimC…..you must be a GT fan cause you are waaaaaaayyyy too smart for us dumb ole GA fans….let me see if I have this right…..You played QB in little league, middle school, high school and then college……is that right???? You probably went on to have a successful NFL career too……didn’t you???
I acquiesce to your superior intellect…..you are the f’ckn man Jim…. I wish you could date my sister so you could be part of the family…..
Keep blogging JimC………your insight and vast knowledge of college football is far superior to that of us plain trolls.
I, for one, am waiting on baited breath for your next epiphany. Please, Please, Please let us know what you’re thinking!!! Inquiring minds want to know.
I’m going to cash in my 401K and sell everything I own on whatever tip you give to us. Please respond soon as we are all waiting.
ShutUpMutt
June 10th, 2009
10:21 pm
wouldn’t matter if tom brady started. the lions have poor protection and even worse defense. stafford will spend most of his days with his butt in the grass.
Mike In Valdosta
June 10th, 2009
11:41 pm
If I were Stafford, I beleive I would pull a hammy. Take my 17 and by Obama debt, which is now paying over 4% (ofcourse, it is in Obama money) and sit for the next 4 years.
Lion
June 10th, 2009
11:59 pm
I don’t think the Lions offense will be that bad next year. They’ve got some good pieces at o-line with former Norcross Blue Devil Jeff Baccus at one tackle and former Dawg George Foster competing at the other tackle with the Lions’ 2008 first round draft pick. Stafford’s quick release and decision making will make them look better. Kevin Smith is an up and coming running back. Everyone knows what kind of threat Calvin Johnson is and Brandon Pettigrew will give Stafford an excellent outlet as the top tight end in the draft. The Lions won’t make the playoffs by any means but they’ll play much better in 2010 en route to 5-7 winds.