Detroit Jock City
Fansided

Lions: It’s Time to Place Matthew Stafford on Season-Ending IR

By Bob Heyrman

LANDOVER, MD - NOVEMBER 24: Matthew Stafford #9 of the Detroit Lions looks on before the game against the Washington Redskins at FedExField on November 24, 2019 in Landover, Maryland. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images)
LANDOVER, MD - NOVEMBER 24: Matthew Stafford #9 of the Detroit Lions looks on before the game against the Washington Redskins at FedExField on November 24, 2019 in Landover, Maryland. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit

The Detroit Lions are just trying not to ruffle any feathers, or they would have already placed their franchise quarterback on season-ending injury reserve.

I have no idea why Matthew Stafford is still on the Detroit Lions active roster other than the organization wants to continue to lead him on. They are possibly making him think they will actually consider playing him in one of the final four games of the regular season.

The fact is, there is no need to risk further injury or even an additional injury by playing Matt Stafford again in 2019.  He battled through having broken bones in his back last season; the same injury has limited Stafford to just 8 games this year.

Stafford was enjoying a bounce-back season after the stinker he produced last year.  Matt was efficient along with being dangerous peppering defenses with his aerial attack under the direction of his newly appointed offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell.

More from Detroit Jock City

At the time of the injury, Matt was averaging 314 yards per game passing; he recorded 19 touchdowns and only 5 interceptions in the 8 starts he made.  All that with an undetectable rushing attack.

Imagine how good the Lions offense could have been this season if Bo Scarbrough was on this roster week one.  I’m not saying Scarbrough is a future Hall of Fame rusher or anything, but he’s having success even against a stacked box as defenses don’t exactly respect Jeff Driskel or David Blough the same way they do Matt Stafford.

I do believe Scarbrough could play his way into the Lions’ future plans.  He will provide that much-needed power rushing attack that will compliment Kerryon Johnson, and J.D. McKissic.

The Lions were forced to place Driskel on season-ending IR earlier this week oddly enough after being healthy enough to back up rookie David Blough on Thursday’s Thanksgiving match-up with the Chicago Bears.  Driskel is battling a hamstring injury and suddenly isn’t healthy enough to backup Blough for the remainder of the season as the team has signed Kyle Sloter to their active roster.

Yet, Stafford remains on the roster?  I just don’t understand.  I did write a few weeks ago that if Stafford were to be fully 100% healthy again this year, I wouldn’t be opposed to starting him again as he continues to flourish in this new offensive scheme.  Well, now, I am.  That article was a few losses ago.

Now it’s in the franchise’s best interest to shut down Stafford and possibly find themselves with a top-five draft choice for the 2020 NFL Draft.  It also allows the organization to determine if David Blough or maybe even Kyle Sloter can play well enough to be an NFL QB2. Also, placing Matt on IR opens up a roster spot to evaluate another player rather than rostering three QB’s with one in a hoodie every week.

Next. Bo Scarbrough carving out a future. dark

Shut down our franchise QB, we need him completely healthy to start 2020.

Home/Detroit Lions