Detroit Lions: A look at Matthew Stafford’s First 100 Games
By Erik Schlitt
2012
16 games, 4-12 record, 4,967 passing yards, 20 TD, 17 INT, 126 rush yards, 4 TD
Despite a terrible season for the Lions, Stafford still racked up the passing stats this season. Stafford would go on to set records for:
- Most yards thrown in a single game without a touchdown pass: 443
- Highest number of passing attempts in a season: 727
- Most games with 40+ pass attempts in a season: 13
While Linehan’s offense was still good at putting up yards, as you can see from the stats above, there was a significant drop in touchdown efficiency. This was the first cracks in the Linehan offensive game plan.
2013
16 games, 7-9 record, 4,650 passing yards, 29 TD, 19 INT, 69 rush yards, 2 TD
The stats would pour in again and when the touchdown efficiency improved so did the teams winning percentage. Stafford would go on to set several franchise and NFL records through his first 50 games, including most yards and completions.
But the highlight of the 2013 season was a game in late October vs the Dallas Cowboys, where Stafford decided to show the world the type of quarterback he could become. This drive is one of my favorite moments in Lions history:
Despite Stafford’s impressive statistical output, Jim Schwartz imploded by the end of the season, and he and his staff were fired after its conclusion.