Detroit Lions: Don’t Just Blame Matthew Stafford
By Joe Chapp
In Detroit, there are two positions that come with intense scrutiny for the Detroit Red Wings, it’s goaltender; for the Detroit Lions it’s quarterback.
Quarterback Matthew Stafford has his critics and fan boys, usually one is so attached to one side they often don’t present the full facts to warrant a healthy discussion.
Matthew Stafford deserves a share of the blame, but not all.
In Matthew Stafford‘s time with the Lions since 2009, he’s seen a franchise completely re-make itself. Starting over from the 0-16 season in 2008 that locked the #1 overall pick, and eventually Matthew Stafford.
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The Lions after the 0-16 season can be compared to an expansion team, they had to completely build from the ground up to be relevant. Stafford was in the middle of it all.
In his first two seasons, Stafford was plagued by injuries and that was a result of bad offensive lines. In 13 games through 2009-2010 seasons, Stafford was sacked 28 times.
In 2011, Lions played the role of pretender – Matthew Stafford and the Lions offense drove that team to a 10-6 record, despite the defense being one of the worst defensive units in football. Stafford had his best season that year, throwing for 5,000 yards, 41 touchdowns and 16 interceptions.
Stafford showed complete promise, if the Lions could just get a defense that could propel him to elite, right? No.
Stafford struggled the following season, and so did the Lions, going 4-12. The Lions once again proved they were not ready to contend after a magical 10-6 season.
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In 2013, Detroit and Stafford started hot, going 5-3 into the bye week. That season, Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers and Bears quarterback Jay Cutler both went down due to injury. The Lions were given a chance to win the North, but that wouldn’t go as planned.
After the bye, the Lions showed their true colors, pretenders once again. Going 2-6 in the last eight games slipped Detroit to 7-9. Detroit blew a huge chance to take reign over the NFC North.
There was one problem – they were average. Even with the NFC North being given to them, they couldn’t take the division because they weren’t good enough.
Middle of the pack offense and middle of the pack defense isn’t the recipe for success in the NFL, and that’s what did the Lions in.
In 2014, Stafford saw a complete re-make of the offense, and for some it was a blessing in disguise. Changing coaches was the best thing for Stafford at that time, because he needed guidance something he didn’t get from Jim Schwartz.
Jim Caldwell coming from Baltimore to coach a Lions team that is on the edge of something great is what Matthew Stafford needed. The Lions actually had a good team, it was easily Stafford’s best team and that was the problem.
They had a top ranked defense, but the offense sputtered. The Lions ranked 22nd in points scored, and most were quick to point blame at Matt Stafford for the offensive struggles.
It’s not that easy.
Despite having a team Stafford has never had before, it still wasn’t good enough and with the injuries it had (especially on offense) the Lions were carried by their defense.
The Lions offensive line was one of the worst units in football last year. They didn’t give Stafford time, they didn’t help the run game and with that Lions were one dimensional and that never works well.
Blame Management.
Martin Mayhew is the focus of my blame. Like Stafford, I think they both face a make or break it season. Mayhew hasn’t been a great General Manager he completely blew two consecutive draft classes 2010 and 2011; aside from Nick Fairley and Ndamukong Suh he missed on every pick.
Aug 15, 2014; Oakland, CA, USA; Detroit Lions general manager Martin Mayhew duirng the game against the Oakland Raiders at O.co Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
I believe Stafford, like the ESPN article, is a Tier two quarterback which needs help to win. Mayhew hasn’t done enough to warrant security in his job. Sure, Mayhew has had two winning seasons, but those teams were very flawed and weren’t built to win it all.
The goal should, and always be, to win a Super Bowl.
The Lions have been a work in progress, but can we honestly give them more time?
While the Packers continue to rule the NFC North, and the Vikings show promise, Detroit needs to build on the 2014 success of going to the playoffs, by going back and winning a game – or two.
Otherwise, It’s the same ol’ story and people should lose jobs.
I’m not calling for which hunt, but it’s clear as day the blame needs to be shouldered on the General Manager. It’s his job to surround a “Tier-Two” QB with talent.
He hasn’t, but clings to life as new season approaches.
FORWARD DOWN THE FIELD.
The Lions should be feeling some pressure heading in to the 2015-16 season. It’s not “Will get em next year” if it fails. It’s this is your last chance to impress.
Do I see Stafford and the Lions offense being a lot better? I do.
I loved the Lions draft this year as I thought they re-focused their philosophy from “flash” to “need” and that should yield better results. If the Lions stay healthy, I believe Stafford will have his best year as a pro.
I think Stafford is a good quarterback. He’ll never be elite, however you can win with good quarterbacks.
The only way I give a pass on the season if it goes bad is, If a major injury occurs, and even then I won’t give a full pass.
I view Matthew Stafford like I view Tony Romo, If you give him the tools to succeed. He can succeed.
Now when you read the headline you thought it’d be apologetic article from a Stafford fan boy – It’s not.
It’s simply been implying the idea I’ve thought all along.
Does Stafford deserve part of the blame? Yes.
However, he doesn’t deserve the full blame. I believe you can win with a lot of quarterbacks, problem is most general managers don’t think like the elite general managers do, and that causes quarterbacks to shoulder the blame and that’s not right.
For example Jay Cutler wasn’t terrible last year, he was actually quite good.
The problem?
The GM didn’t complete the pieces to the puzzle and it resulted in a terrible season.
The same result could look the Lions in the face, but it’s a season to prove they weren’t frauds last year.
Mayhew and Stafford will go down together, or up together, in Detroit history.
The choice is up to them.
Next: Lions heading back to the playoffs? Harvard says so.