Horse Tracks 6/2/09
The Mile High Report — ... Rams | Bernie’s 5 Minutes | STLtoday Bernie Miklasz thinks Stan Kroenke would be the potential new owner who'd keep the Rams in St. Loo, if he can get around the cross-ownership rules. Williams' revamped defense might be Saints' return ticket to postseason Bucky Brooks thinks new Saints DC Gregg Williams could help New Orleans make the playoffs. The National Football Post | Time To Give Stafford The Ball Matt Bowen thinks Matt Stafford should be the Lions' starting QB Week 1. The ...

Wednesday Notes: Lions Sign Marquand Manuel
Pride Of Detroit — ... The million dollar question -- or in this case, the $72 million question -- is about when Matthew Stafford will see the field for the first time in his NFL career.  Jim Schwartz ...

Poll: When Will Matthew Stafford Start for the Lions?
Pride Of Detroit — ... The great debate this summer and until it actually happens will be when No. 1 overall pick Matthew Stafford should step into the role of starting quarterback for the ...

Valentine's Views: Twitter is changing the world
Big Blue View — ... experience in the newly-formed UFL goes well. I also think I have doubts that it will. I think Jeremy Shockey's comments the other day about attending OTAs with the New Orleans Saints are kind of sad. Included in his remarks, Shockey said "I can mature a long way." Unfortunately, as Shockey showed by apparently drinking himself into the hospital a few weeks ago, he's more talk than action. It sounds more and more like first overall pick Matthew Stafford is going to end up as the Detroit Lions' starting ...

Monday Notes: Jim Schwartz Throws Out First Pitch at Tigers Game
Pride Of Detroit — ... Spoiler alert: New coach Jim Schwartz need only look south to Atlanta to see what a first-year head coach and rookie quarterback can do together. Winning doesn't come easy in the NFL, but it can come quickly. The Lions can't expect Matthew Stafford to mimic Matt Ryan or Flacco (Stafford has to beat out ...

Tuesday Notes: Lions to Add Sponsor to Practice Jersey?
Pride Of Detroit — ... uniforms, but don't worry.  If they get a deal, the company's logo can't be larger than 3.5" by 4.5".  Plus, it'll really only be visible in pictures or videos from practices. Even during open practices it would be tough to spot the logo since the stands are a pretty good distance away from the actual practice. Louis Delmas has the right attitude when it comes to proving himself to his coaches and teammates. Here are a pair of videos about Matthew Stafford from Yahoo! Sports: ...

Floor, Ceiling Set for One Chiefs Rookie Contract
Arrowhead Pride — ... (Upon further investigation, it appears nearly every late round pick that has signed has these base salaries.  Even Matthew Stafford has identical base salaries for the first two years of his deal.  What really counts here is the signing bonus money so keep that in mind.) ...

Contract of Chiefs First Round Draft Pick Taking Shape
Arrowhead Pride — ... whether Tyson Jackson and his agent have opened negotiations with the Chiefs, we're beginning to see the contracts around him taking shape. I've already tried to predict Jackson's rookie contract with the Chiefs.  I predicted what the floor and ceiling would be for the third pick in the 2009 NFL Draft, using the previous year's numbers at that slot and a percentage increase.  Now we know (albeit roughly) the contract numbers for the first (Matthew Stafford) and fifth (Mark Sanchez) picks.  This is ...

Thursday Notes: Former Lions Drinking the Honolulu Blue Kool-Aid
Pride Of Detroit — Some former Lions players made predictions about how many games the team will win next year. Greg Landry: 8 Charlie Sanders: 9 Lem Barney: 10 The Kool-Aid is being served everywhere it seems like. Dominic Raiola said this on the radio about how Matthew Stafford and Joey Harrington are much different: "And even Matt ... Matt came in and – it's totally different than our past first-round quarterback that we've drafted, y'know, in the past. You can tell that this ...

Monday Notes: Jim Schwartz Hangs Out with Kid Rock at MIS
Pride Of Detroit — ... description.  Their latest gesture to get former season-ticket holders back in the Lions' good graces was an invitation to attend the team's final minicamp session on June 24.  The invitation was sent in an e-mail that declared the Lions "WANT YOU BACK."  The session will be opened only to former season-ticket holders, and as of Friday, 300-400 people accepted the invitation (6,000 people were extended the opportunity to go). Brandon Pettigrew and Matthew Stafford appear to be forming a great connection on the ...

Tuesday Notes: Matt Millen Talks the Lions
Pride Of Detroit — ... just like he would with any other team, even though he is still owed money by them for the part of his contract he didn't finish.  In fact, Millen went out of his way to praise both the city of Detroit and the team.  He basically approved of Martin Mayhew, the hiring of Jim Schwartz, and the drafting of Matthew Stafford and ...

Friday Notes: Matthew Stafford Discusses QB Situation
Pride Of Detroit — ... Matthew Stafford has recently been making appearances in the media to promote Axe Hair (one of his endorsement deals), and in a radio interview in his hometown of Dallas, ...

Why No Minor League Football?
Gang Green Nation — ... This venture probably would not be a money-maker, but it also would not bankrupt the league. Once the economy gets better, many sponsors would jump at the chance to become associated with something involving the NFL. People are so desperate to see football that ESPN has contracted minor college conferences like the MAC to play weeknight games. Surely Matthew Stafford's debut with the Grand Rapids ...

Monday Notes: Lions Get Ready for Final Minicamp
Pride Of Detroit — ... Remember how there was some concern over Matthew Stafford's marketability when he was first drafted?  Well, it doesn't seem like he's having a problem with endorsements, as he ...

Wednesday Notes: Lions' Final Minicamp Is Underway
Pride Of Detroit — ... broke his silence on the battle that is shaping up between him and Matthew Stafford for the starting QB job, but nothing he said was really all that groundbreaking.  The only really notable comment Culpepper made was ...

Character Dynamics and Dynamic Characters
Pride Of Detroit — ... and Matthew Stafford that give credence to the hope that our future will not be filled with that of the past.  Even the depth has character.  Look at players like ...

Lions Extend Dominic Raiola, Sign Rookie Dan Gronkowski
Pride Of Detroit — ... Aside from extending Raiola, the Lions also signed their first draft pick not named Matthew Stafford, inking seventh-round pick ...

Thursday Notes: Ricky Sandoval Passes Away
Pride Of Detroit — ... director of security Ricky Sandoval passed away today at the age of 49 after a three-year battle with pancreatic cancer.  My condolences go out to the Sandoval family. I chimed in with my thoughts on when Matthew Stafford should play on the Washington Post's website. Dennis Northcutt is "excited" about playing for Detroit, so much so that he is coming in with the attitude that the Lions won the Super Bowl last season. Matthew Stafford and Mark Sanchez have remained good friends and hung ...

Where does David Carr rank?
Big Blue View — ... Houston. Rex Grossman, Houston. Another third-stringer who needs a mention. Troy Smith, Baltimore. Vince Young, Tennessee. Sorry, but this guy is a terrible NFL quarterback. I don't care what he thinks. Kyle Boller, St. Louis. Todd Bouman, Jacksonville. Daunte Culpepper, Detroit. Putting him here becase I think he ends up watching Matthew Stafford quarterack the Lions. Kellen Clemens, ...

2009 Roster Overview
Pride Of Detroit — ... This Year Last Year QB - Matthew Stafford QB - Kitna/Orlovsky/Culpepper RB1 - Kevin Smith RB 1 - Kevin Smith ...

Friday Notes: Matt Millen Now Ruining Football for Lions Fans Three Days a Week
Pride Of Detroit — The Lions' official site has a great write-up of what to expect from the team's new coaches this coming season.  It's a very interesting read. On top of haunting Lions fans on Monday Night Countdown and NFL Network games, Matt Millen will also be ruining Saturday afternoon college football games on ABC. Georgia reported a secondary violation to the NCAA because Matthew Stafford received four free tickets from Jay Cutler to a Falcons-Broncos game last November.  Secondary ...

Chiefs Rookie Contract Talks Should be Heating Up Soon
Arrowhead Pride — ... Parker also represents Alex Magee so getting him wrapped up should be the icing on the commencement of the Jackson contract talks. After the jump we'll take a look at the remaining draft picks that have yet to sign and which (if any) players have signed before and after them since that's the best predictor of when a deal could get done. Contract information courtesy of Mac's Football Blog 1st round pick Tyson Jackson 1. Detroit - QB, Matthew Stafford, Georgia - Signed (6-years, $72 million; $41.7 million ...

Weekend Roundup: Talking Ronnie Brown, draft picks & more
The Phinsider — ... While we're all excited to know that training camp will begin in less than two weeks, that also means the Dolphins have some serious work to do.  They still have four draft picks unsigned - including their top three picks from day one.  But the Dolphins are not alone.  Only two first round draft picks have been signed - Matthew Stafford and ...

Monday Notes: Training Camp Countdown Nearing Single Digits
Pride Of Detroit — ... safety at USC but moved to linebacker with the Raiders.  Early in his career with the Raiders he suffered a neck injury that proved to be a big obstacle.  Since then, he has moved around to a few different teams, with the Lions being his latest one.  Only now is he fully adjusted to being a linebacker, which gives him hope that he can make the team this coming season. The FanHouse's Chris Burke wrote an excellent article about why comparing Matthew Stafford to former Georgia quarterback David Greene as a ...

Lions Sign Zack Follett
Pride Of Detroit — The Lions signed their fourth draft pick today, inking seventh-rounder Zack Follett to a deal.  Matthew Stafford, Aaron Brown, and Dan Gronkowski are already signed as well, leaving only six draft picks in the unsigned category.  With more than a week left until training camp begins, the outlook on getting all rookies into practice on time is looking positive.  Obviously there could always be a hang-up that keeps a player or two out, but it seems like things are progressing nicely right now.  Hopefully there will ...

Wednesday Notes: Rosenhaus Signs Standeford, Talks Him Up on Twitter
Pride Of Detroit — ... SI.com's Don Banks thinks that out of four franchise QBs on new teams, Matthew Stafford ...

Friday Notes: T-Minus Seven Days Until Training Camp
Pride Of Detroit — We're only a week away from training camp! Matthew Stafford seems to be having a fun summer. Drew Stanton put up a couple new posts on his blog about minicamp, his wedding, and his honeymoon. Cliff Avril also put up a new post, with his being about preparation for training camp. John Clayton doesn't seem to think Daunte Culpepper will get beat out by Matthew Stafford, saying the rookie would have to have "an incredible preseason" for that to happen. ...

Report: Maualuga and Coffman could be signed as early as Monday; breaking down possibilities during Andre Smith negotiations
Cincy Jungle — ... As of this posting, only four first-round draft picks have signed with their respective teams. None higher than quarterbacks Matthew Stafford and ...

Tuesday Notes: Lions Sign DeAndre Levy
Pride Of Detroit — ... is sufficiently shell-shocked as well; his Lions look like an expansion team. So he chucks the depth chart, putting every spot up for grabs. "We have a lot of needs," he says, "but probably our biggest one is talent." Schwartz is all about detail, and that is evident in everything he does. The Lions' kickoff luncheon is going to be on September 2 this year. The old Bubbles logo at Ford Field will be gone as of this Saturday. Matthew Stafford was interviewed by FOX Sports. Michael ...

NightLink: What’s Up With The Rest Of The NFC North?
Windy City Gridiron — ... at QB over rookie #1 pick Matthew Stafford.  As a Bears fan, I'd rather see the rookie thrown to the wolves... er, um, Bears for their week 4 trip to Soldier Field.  The veteran Culpepper will give them a better chance at a few upsets.  Rookie TE  ...

No update on Josh Freeman's contract status
Buc 'Em — ... 's contract.  While both sides remain hopeful, it's getting to be crunch time with regards to showing up on time.  The only first rounders that have signed are #1 pick Matthew Stafford of the ...

No end in sight for Maybin holdout in Buffalo
Buffalo Rumblings — ... First and foremost, as signing rookies centers highly around which rookies drafted near a player have already reached deals (or certain landmark parameters in negotiations), Maybin's luck is short at the moment.  Only five first-round picks have signed deals - QB Matthew Stafford (No. 1 overall), QB ...

Andre Smith negotiations: Benchmark is set; could the Bengals look at Aaron Curry's deal for a ceiling?
Cincy Jungle — ... received. Here's the rub. Sanchez is a quarterback. Paid as a franchise-level rookie quarterback. Last year, Matt Ryan received a contract that didn't apply to the existing slotting system. He received $34 million guaranteed for six years. Jake Long, the number one draft pick in 2008, signed a five-year deal with $30 million guaranteed. Why did Ryan get more than the top two draft picks when Ryan was drafted third? It's because Ryan is a quarterback. This year, Matthew Stafford signed a contract with $41.7 million guaranteed. ...

Rams Sign Jason Smith; Ceiling Set for Chiefs' Jackson
Arrowhead Pride — If they weren't already, contract talks between the Kansas City Chiefs and Tyson Jackson's agent Eugene Parker should be heating up.  The St. Louis Rams have officially announced the signing of second overall pick Jason Smith. With this done, three of the top five picks are in place. 1. Matthew Stafford (Lions) - Signed $41.7 million guaranteed 2. Jason Smith (Rams) - Signed terms unavailable 3. Tyson Jackson (Chiefs) - ??? 4. Aaron Curry ( ...

Friday Notes: Lions Sign Hill, Williams; One Unsigned Rookie Left
Pride Of Detroit — ... Jim Schwartz doesn't want his players to be "Twittering during business hours." 97.1 The Ticket interviewed Schwartz yesterday. Tom Kowalski thinks the reason behind Kevin Carter not signing with the Lions is money.  Carter wants too much of it, and right now the Lions are willing to wait and see if his asking price will go down. The anti-Vick list is growing, as it now includes Oakland, Tennessee, and Chicago. Matthew Stafford appears to be quite the ladies man, as evidenced by ...

Sunday Notes: One Day of Practice in the Books
Pride Of Detroit — ... by having some fun at Matthew Stafford's expense.  Schwartz reportedly went through a PowerPoint presentation of what he did during the summer and capped it off by delivering the following line as ...

Monday Notes: Brandon Pettigrew Injures Quadriceps
Pride Of Detroit — ... King and the other involved Damion Cook and Landon Cohen. Aaron Brown, Aveion Cason, and Derrick Williams are currently the Lions' kick returners.  The defensive line seems to be having its way with the offensive line.  Look at that however you want, but either the D-line has suddenly gotten a lot better or the O-line is really struggling. Calvin Johnson likes what he sees in Matthew Stafford.  I'm sure Stafford feels the same way about ...

Wednesday Notes: Injuries Pile up as Practice Opens to Public
Pride Of Detroit — ... each threw a touchdown pass, whereas Matthew Stafford had three incompletions.  In the 7-on-7 that was farther away from the end zone, Stafford ...

Thursday Notes: Inconsistency Highlights 7-on-7 Drill
Pride Of Detroit — ... Jordon Dizon and John Standeford missed the afternoon session of practices yesterday due to injury. Jared DeVries missed the afternoon session on Wednesday as well, though he was out because of personal reasons. After struggling in the 7-on-7 drill yesterday, the Lions' quarterbacks performed better today. Drew Stanton's unit was the only one to score in Wednesday's two-minute drill. Matthew Stafford threw a no-look pass to Calvin Johnson on ...

Lions Uncaged: Looking at the Offense
Pride Of Detroit — ... , the majority of people calling in to 97.1 FM The Ticket after the practice thought Culpepper played better.  I personally didn't see it that way, though.  Neither Culpepper nor Matthew Stafford played that much better than one another.  They were pretty even in my mind, though it's tough to judge them based on a few drills where they couldn't even take a hit.  After all, both players seemed to keep playing when they would have been sacked, such as when Culpepper hit ...

What does Josh Freeman's signing and contract mean for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers?
Buc 'Em — ... tackle the nature of the contract first.  From a fan standpoint, I think the deal Freeman received is pretty team friendly.  He went in the middle of the first round, plays a premier position, and has a contract that stacks up pretty favorably.  One key item to remember when looking at his deal, he is seen by the Bucs as the future at quarterback.  He may or may not perform like that, but as of today, he is the future.  He is in the same ranks (status wise) as Matthew Stafford, ...

Lions Uncaged: Looking at the Defense & Special Teams
Pride Of Detroit — ... .  One DB got burned by Matthew Stafford on a pump fake, leading to a long TD in a 1-on-1 drill, but that was the only critical mistake that stuck out to me.  (I don't really count Culpepper's long TD pass since he was sacked and it seemed like the DB gave up on covering Calvin Johnson.)  Both ...

B.J. Raji signs deal with Green Bay Packers; no updates with Cincinnati's Andre Smith
Cincy Jungle — ... Avg/Yr Guar. Avg/Yr 1 DET Matthew Stafford Six $72 $12 $41.7 ...

Interview with Football Outsiders' Bill Barnwell
Pride Of Detroit — ... 4. You guys weren't fans of the Lions drafting Matthew Stafford with the top pick based on his college numbers.  What do his numbers say that make you think he won't end up being worth the top overall selection, and how good of an indicator of success in the NFL are college statistics? ...

Friday Notes: Daunte Culpepper Named Starter for Preseason Opener
Pride Of Detroit — ... Daunte Culpepper has been named the Lions' starting quarterback for their preseason opener against the Falcons tomorrow afternoon.  Matthew Stafford and Drew Stanton will still get an equal amount of playing time, but Culpepper will get to play first, with Stafford expected to come in during the second quarter and Stanton some time in the second half.  Knowing that, this move really isn't too big of a deal.  It's only the first preseason game, and for me, it was expected that Culpepper would be the ...

Saturday Pre-Game Notes: Tackling The Detroit Lions
Sports Page Atlanta — ... , who will attempt to fend off rookie Matthew Stafford out of Georgia. Stafford has a ton of talent and is this year's best bet to provide value, but the team wisely isn't giving him anything. ...

Falcons and Lions Recap: Impressions After A Close Loss
Sports Page Atlanta — ... The defense was, as a whole, somewhat less than inspiring. Potential third running back Aaron Brown had a field day against us, and rookie Matthew Stafford and perennial backup ...

Stanton, Brown Lead Lions to Comeback Victory Over Falcons
Pride Of Detroit — ... Daunte Culpepper went to the bench, as his day was over at this point in the game, meaning Matthew Stafford got his first shot at leading the Lions' offense.  His first play as a Lion was a play-action that ended up incomplete because of ...

Detroit Lions vs. Atlanta Falcons: Play-by-Play Analysis
Pride Of Detroit — ... (6:31) Det #9-M. Stafford in at QB. 9-M.Stafford pass incomplete deep left to 83-K.Colbert. NFL... meet Matthew Stafford.  C'mon kid take control of that huddle!   Well, okay.  His ball came out like a rocket and he looks comfortable and decisive.  Keary Colbert needs to learn how to anticipate Stafford's ball better than that.  He needs to know it's coming quick.  Should have been an easy reception and a good gain. ...

Pour Some Sugar On Me - Pilot Episode - Matthew Stafford, Pat McAfee, Justin Tryon Stand Out In Week 1 of Preseason
Hogs Haven — ... 26 -This game was about as alluring as watching church on TV. But I simply had to see Matthew Stafford get his reps. I spent a lot of time on fast forward waiting for him to enter the game. I can honestly say of all the Week 1 preseason action, watching Stafford was the most exciting. I am ready to say he will be a huge success. Unlike Freeman in Tampa Bay, his passes seemed ambitious and easy, like Paris Hilton. His throwing motion appeared effortless, and resulted in deliberate, purposeful throws. I simply can't imagine right now that he will bust ...

Shallow Thoughts & Nearsighted Observations
The Mile High Report — ... team can put in a good word for him at Vanderbilt. f.  Ellis Lankster, another CB I really liked in the draft, got 2 interceptions off of Basanez.  Lankster played at West Virginia, and I saw a lot of him last fall, when I was dating a big Mountaineers fan.  He's a guy who plays a lot better than he times, and he looks like a steal as a 7th rounder. The Bills are very deep at CB, but Lankster is going to make the team, as a seventh-rounder. g.  Matthew Stafford looked pretty good for the Lions, except for a ...

Tuesday Notes: Hanson Has Surgery; Lions Make a Few Roster Moves
Pride Of Detroit — ... Dane Looker and offensive guard Terrence Metcalf.  Looker played for the Rams for the last seven years, so he has a connection to Scott Linehan.  Metcalf was on the Bears for the past seven seasons. Jim Schwartz is shutting Brandon Pettigrew down, as his quad injury isn't healing very quickly. A group of local high school football players attended the Lions' practice this morning. Peter King thinks Matthew Stafford has an "A-minus NFL arm." The Lions benefited ...

Thursday Notes: Daniel Bullocks Could Still Be Put on IR
Pride Of Detroit — ... the starting quarterback for the Cleveland game tomorrow.  I expect Matthew Stafford to get the start.  The hope is that the Lions will have a better idea of who should be the permanent starter before the third preseason game, which is usually the closest thing to a simulation of a regular season game. ...

Cleveland Browns Training Camp Report: Day 20 (Leonard Mix-Up)
Dawgs By Nature — ... imagine being exhausting to a big man like that. Leonard seemed to have a cordial attitude about it afterward though, so I don't think we'll see him waived before regular cuts. Update on the Lions: Lions top receiver Calvin Johnson will sit out against the Browns. On top of that, our first-string defense won't know which quarterback they'll be facing until close to game time. It could be Daunte Culpepper, Drew Stanton, or Matthew Stafford. Bring Out the Cart: The third player ...

Falcons And Rams Recap: The Importance Of Depth
Sports Page Atlanta — ... and to a lesser extent Keith Null were able to pass the ball on our backups is a huge indictment of the strength of our second-and-third stringers. Last week I fretted about the way Matthew Stafford was able to pick his way through our secondary, and it's sadder by several degrees when two guys fighting for the third string job on the ...

Detroit Lions vs. Cleveland Browns - Official Preseason Game Thread
Dawgs By Nature — ... For the Lions, QB Matthew Stafford will start. Hopefully our "starting defense" doesn't get schooled by a rookie, even if he was the top pick of the draft. Our second stringers might have problems defending ...

Lions Struggle Mightily in 27-10 Loss to Browns
Pride Of Detroit — ... After the Lions opened the preseason with an exciting comeback win, it was only natural to feel excited about Detroit's prospects for 2009.  Matthew Stafford looked good after an interception, and even ...

Horse Tracks 8/23/09 - Broncos lose to Seahawks 27-13; Orton performs well
The Mile High Report — ... big game from Niners RB Glenn Coffee; nice TD pass from JaMarcus the Hutt to Louis Murphy. NFL - New York Giants 3 at Chicago Bears 17 Excellent performances from JC and Matt Forte lead Bears. NFL - Carolina Panthers 17 at Miami Dolphins 27 Efficient quarterbacking from Pennington and Henne; Delhomme and DeAngelo Williams solid. NFL - Detroit Lions 10 at Cleveland Browns 27 Rough outing for Matthew Stafford; big game from Josh Cribbs; solid start by Derek Anderson. ...

Shallow Thoughts & Nearsighted Observations
The Mile High Report — ... , and I think the Bucs ought to start the season with him under center.  In fact, I would endorse starting Matthew Stafford and ...

Pour Some Sugar On Me - Fantasy Sabotage, Packers Dominance, and Davone Bess
Hogs Haven — ... of course trying to get laid. I can already see Chris Cooley taking his backup punting job a LOT more seriously in pre-game warmups on the road in Dallas. I hope that Jerry Jones and the NFL are able to figure this one out, because "World's Biggest Video Screen" could turn into "World's Biggest Video Screen Disaster" on the front pages quickly.  And now...for your jumping pleasure... Cleveland Browns 27, Detroit Lions 10 - Come on Matthew Stafford...you're killing me. Calvin Johnson is all-world, ...

Starting More Games as a Rookie Will Not Make Stafford Better (Or Worse) in the Future
Pride Of Detroit — ... Second- and Third-year passer rating, I believe, is the best measure to use.  Presumably, by the time a quarterback gets into his fourth, fifth, and sixth years in the league, he's had so much experience that it really doesn't matter what happened way back when he was a rookie, so I'm only using years 2-3, the years Matthew Stafford is expected to really blossom into a good quarterback (please God, let it be so). ...

Pre-season Preview 2009: Indianapolis Colts at Detroit Lions
Stampede Blue — ... This third pre-season game will feature both team's offensive and defensive starters playing into the third quarter. We Colts fans will have a first hand look at #1 overall pick Matthew Stafford and the #2 overall pick in the 2007 draft, ...

Lions Beat Colts 18-17 Thanks to Late TD, 2-Point Conversion
Pride Of Detroit — ... Matthew Stafford came into the game and put together a nice drive of his own.  It would end up taking 7:39 off the clock, and it really got going after Stafford completed a pass to Calvin Johnson for a gain of 37 yards.  A pass to Pettigrew moved the chains again, as did a run by Jerome Felton following another catch by Johnson.  ...

Detroit Lions Final Roster Prediction
Pride Of Detroit — ... a bit with determining how many from each position will make the cut.  Regardless, I went ahead and made my predictions, which can be found after the jump. (One disclaimer: I imagine the Lions' final roster will include a couple players who are on other teams right now.  That happens every year and is tough to predict, so I just went off of who is actually on the team right now.) Quarterback Make the team: Daunte Culpepper, Matthew Stafford, Drew Stanton Cut: None Some teams ...

Pour Some Sugar On Me - Why (and Where) I think Daunte Culpepper and Michael Vick Should Be Traded
Hogs Haven — ... 17 - I remember not too long ago heading into a fantasy draft, and all I could think of was what it would take to get Daunte Culpepper. Despite the fact that he can obviously still play, if I was the front office of the Lions, I would turn the keys over to Matthew Stafford right now. Watching ...

Wednesday Notes: Stafford Expected to Start Tomorrow, No Official Word on Culpepper
Pride Of Detroit — ... of tomorrow's game yet, but the chances of him playing seem slim.  Matthew Stafford is expected to start, but it is unknown just how long he will play. ...

Thursday Notes: Lions Claim Cletis Gordon, Release Keith Smith
Pride Of Detroit — ... albeit not by a very wide margin.  This decision really just came out of left field, especially when news broke a few hours later that Cletis Gordon was claimed by the Lions to fill Smith's spot on the roster.  Gordon is a cornerback who was cut by the Texans after spending only a few days with the team.  Before that he was with the Chargers, where he spent three seasons and was a starter in one game last year. Expect Matthew Stafford to play for around 25 snaps tonight against ...

Bills close pre-season with 17-6 loss to Detroit
Buffalo Rumblings — ... had a sack and a forced fumble on top overall draft pick QB Matthew Stafford in the first quarter.  Two other defensive rookies turned in big nights, as FS Jairus Byrd recorded an interception and LB ...

Lions Close Out Preseason with 17-6 Win Over Bills
Pride Of Detroit — ... 17-6 in a game that was fairly boring.  It did have a few exciting moments, though, including a few Matthew Stafford passes to ...

9/4/09 Horse Tracks - Broncos shut out Cards 19-0; No known injuries, plus 4 Turnovers for the D
The Mile High Report — ... City Chiefs 9 at St. Louis Rams 17 Tyler Thigpen had a night to forget, going 2 for 9 with two picks. NFL - Oakland Raiders 21 at Seattle Seahawks 31 The Sea Chickens got big games from rookies Aaron Curry and QB Mike Teel NFL - Indianapolis Colts 7 at Cincinnati Bengals 38 The Bangles' backups rushed for 296 yards and Carson's little brother had two TD passes. NFL - Detroit Lions 17 at Buffalo Bills 6 Matthew Stafford struggled for the Lions. NFL - Philadelphia ...

Silly NFL Predictions for 2009
Gang Green Nation — ... The 49ers will be this year's team that comes from nowhere to make the Playoffs, riding Shaun Hill's steady play to snag a Wild Card. In early October, callers to WFAN will complain Mark Sanchez is a bust. By the end of the season, the same people will call in and say Sanchez will lead the Jets to a championship in 2010. The Lions will get their first win Week 8 against the Rams. That game will be Matthew Stafford's first start. Dick Jauron will be the first coach ...

Evaluating the Lions' 53-Man Roster
Pride Of Detroit — ... Ravens. DE Ikaika Alama-Francis - He was released when the Lions claimed Copeland Bryan, a former Bills defensive end. CB Cletis Gordon - Just like the two above, he lost his spot to a waiver claim, former Seahawk Kevin Hobbs. The Lions also claimed CB Marcus McCauley, a former Viking. Now that that's out of the way, let's take a look at what the roster looks like after all of these moves. Quarterback: Matthew Stafford, Daunte Culpepper, Drew Stanton ...

Canal Street Chronicles: Fleur-de-Links 9.08.09
Canal Street Chronicles — ... Detroit named Matthew Stafford their starting quarterback today. How overwhelming can it be for a rookie to start from day one? ...

Tuesday Notes: Grady Jackson Case "Still Under Review"
Pride Of Detroit — ... 0-16 season. Jason Hanson is almost fully recovered and is going to spend this week shaking off the rust. Jim Schwartz commented on why Shaun Smith was released and said that he "was a good citizen" while playing for the Lions.  It sounds like he was cut simply because the coaches opted to go with younger players like Sammie Hill and Landon Cohen. While Schwartz made sure to say that the Lions are fully behind Matthew Stafford starting, he also praised Daunte Culpepper for ...

Daunte Culpepper Releases Statement
Pride Of Detroit — ... brought in whether via free agency, trade or the draft. When the Lions selected Matthew Stafford first overall I was excited. ...

Interview with New Era Scouting's David Syvertsen About Upcoming Season
Pride Of Detroit — Back in April I talked with New Era Scouting's David Syvertsen about the draft, and now he is back again to talk about the upcoming NFL season.  (You can now follow David on Twitter, where he will be providing scouting notes all season long for both college and pro football.) Pride of Detroit: Matthew Stafford was named the Lions' starting quarterback, getting the nod over Daunte Culpepper.  What has Stafford shown in the preseason to justify this decision? David Syvertsen: If ...

Perfect Situation
Pride Of Detroit — ... Disclaimer:  This is not an attempt to revisit the Stafford-Culpepper feud nor is it to fuel the "is it the right decision" debate.  My goal is to look at Stafford's week one situation as objectively as the president of the Matthew Stafford FanClub can.  Hopefully, you all know I am kidding and that I look at everything objectively (**as he is typing he follows the rest of the lemmings of the cliff**). ...

Canal Street Chronicles: Fleur-de-Links 9.10.09
Canal Street Chronicles — ... Grant? "Really at the end of the day last night was when we officially found out that we were going to play with these guys this weekend. As I said to you Monday, each week we prepare as if they're playing and we stay and communicate with the league and make sure we're doing all the right things as it pertains to those two players. Our focus point now is knowing that they're going to play in this game." What jumps out and impresses you about Matthew Stafford? "He's big, he has a strong arm; he has been a winner wherever he has ...

Thursday Notes: Jason Hanson Expected to Play on Sunday
Pride Of Detroit — ... about how he considers himself 0-0 in his career rather than 0-16.  He also talked about how the team is supportive of all three quarterbacks, especially Matthew Stafford now that we know he is starting. ...

NFL Game Picks: Week One
Battle Red Blog — ... Detroit @ New Orleans - Usually people get worried about the seemingly one-sided affairs, but this one is as close to a lock as you can get.  Matthew Stafford will have to deal with the New Orleans crowd and knows that he has to keep pace with ...

Detroit Lions' Week 1 Depth Chart
Pride Of Detroit — ... Pos. First String Second String Third String QB 9 Matthew Stafford 11 Daunte Culpepper 5 Drew Stanton ...

Texans 5 On 5: Week One
Battle Red Blog — ... 3.  Frank Bush vs. Mark Sanchez - No one is giving Matthew Stafford a snowball's chance because he is a rookie starting his first game on the road, but I have heard the same for Mark Sanchez who has the exact same circumstance.  Frank Bush wanted to be more aggressive this year and he gets a golden opportunity to show that so start things off.  I almost used ...

Drew Brees Torches Lions, Leads Saints to 45-27 Win in Season Opener
Pride Of Detroit — ... fumble return), the Lions' offense did not play well at all save a few plays.  More than anything, they squandered numerous opportunities and had a tough time moving the ball both through the air and on the ground.  Matthew Stafford especially struggled, as he threw three interceptions and went 16-37 on the day.  He did throw for 205 yards and scored a touchdown on a QB sneak, but the story of the day for him was the interceptions. ...

Drive-By-Drive Breakdown of Saints' 45-27 Win Over Lions
Pride Of Detroit — ... deep into Lions territory.  A couple players later it was 3rd and 5, and Brees found Marques Colston for a 9-yard touchdown. The Lions quickly went three and out, and the Saints hit the end zone just as fast.  Already having good field position, the Saints moved into Lions territory with a couple of plays that went for 7 yards, and on the next play Brees found a wide open Meachem for a 39-yard touchdown.  Just like that, the Saints led 14-0. Matthew Stafford got the ball moving for the Lions by starting their next ...

Detroit Lions 27 @ New Orleans Saints 45: Who Dat Say!?
Canal Street Chronicles — ... "We knew with our offense that and the way that they put up point that we were going to have a chance. We knew that (Matthew Stafford) was going to be force to throw up the football and that was going to give us a lot of opportunities in the secondary. I showed today that I can catch the ball and that is what I have been doing in my career. Hopefully, I can continue to bring that to the team." ...

Detroit Lions 27 @ New Orleans Saints 45: Prediction Results and Voting
Canal Street Chronicles — ... 1. Every player on the Saint’s offense will score a touchdown, even Carney. 2. Matthew Stafford will have his head knocked off by Scott Fujita  3. Jonathan Vilma will scoop up the head and run it back for a touchdown. ...

Tuesday Notes: Free Agent DE Paul Spicer Visits Lions
Pride Of Detroit — ... up, whatever, stop him from making a touchdown. That's an easy solution.' " The other penalty was for running into a referee, which I had never heard of before Sunday. One of the reasons Brandon Pettigrew didn't see much action on Sunday was because the Lions were playing from behind.  Pettigrew and the other tight ends were getting open underneath, but the Lions needed to move the ball down the field and overlooked him apparently. Matthew Stafford is a big fan of Brett Favre. Jay Leno's ...

Rumblings Draft Scouting: College Football Recap, Week 2
Buffalo Rumblings — ... #2 - Georgia WR A.J. Green.  I really like this kid.  The 21-year-old sophomore emerged as a deep threat for Matthew Stafford in 2008, and he's still producing despite being the focal point of the Bulldogs' passing attack, led by a new quarterback.  He's 6'4" with great speed, and is therefore one of the nation's elite deep threats.  He can play, and his six-catch, 86-yard, one-touchdown performance in a close victory over South Carolina proved his playmaking ability.  He has the look of a high-round draft pick with elite ...

Philadelphia Eagles opponents preview - New Orleans Saints
Bleeding Green Nation — ... The big opportunity for the Eagles this Sunday will be going against a very porous Saint’s defense. Behind a rookie QB, Matthew Stafford and very little else, the Lions were able to score 27 points against this team. Granted, it appears that Donovan McNabb will be on the shelf for this one with a cracked rib the Birds should still be able to move the ball against an overmatched New Orleans defensive line. One player that QB ...

Can Anything Good Happen After (Week) 2 for the Vikings?
Daily Norseman — ... Do I have statistical or analytical proof that would suggest such a game? Of course not. I just have a weird feeling. The Vikings are the superior team in nearly every aspect. Rookie Lions QB Matthew Stafford has promise, but he's making his only second career start while ...

Friday Notes: Former Lions Coach Monte Clark, Former Player Bob Kowalkowski Pass Away
Pride Of Detroit — ... to the Saints game. Apparently the most popular jersey in the state of Michigan is Jay Cutler's.  I was shocked at that, but then I saw that Brett Favre's jersey is the most popular in the state of Wisconsin.  There are many weird combinations of popular jerseys and states out there. As Jason Hanson's knee continues to heal, he is hoping to improve his hang time on kickoffs. Brad Childress thinks Matthew Stafford is a "young Brett Favre." When asked about ...

Can the Vikings Prolong the Misery in Motown?
Daily Norseman — ... Well, ladies and gentlemen, it's nearly time for the game that the Lions have probably had circled since the day the schedules were announced.  This is the home opener for Detroit, and the first home game for their heralded rookie quarterback, Matthew Stafford.  The rookie had a bit of a rough debut last weekend in New Orleans, and hopefully the Vikings' front four will make things just as rough for him this afternoon as well.  So what are the major keys for the Beloved Purple this afternoon? ...

Lions Fold in Second Half, Lose to Vikings 27-10
Pride Of Detroit — ... This was a tale of two halves for sure.  In the first half the Lions were playing extremely well.  Aside from a Matthew Stafford interception, the offense was controlling the ball and taking time off the clock.  Thanks to a couple Vikings penalties, the Lions moved down inside the 10 and Stafford threw his first touchdown pass in the NFL to ...

Drive-By-Drive Breakdown of Vikings' 27-13 Win Over Lions
Pride Of Detroit — ... , and Matthew Stafford faked the handoff to Felton and pitched it out to C.J. for the first down.  Smith was then stuffed for no gain and an end-around to ...

Interview with a Detroit Lions' Fan About Redskins Game this Sunday
Hogs Haven — ... , but the secondary has given up a league-leading EIGHT touchdowns in the first two games alone.  That doesn't exactly earn you a spot in the Pro Bowl if you're a cornerback.  However, the second-most hyped rookie on the team (after Matthew Stafford) according to preseason reports was strong safety ...

New Orleans Saints @ Buffalo Bills: Scouting Report
Canal Street Chronicles — ... I do feel like he is, like you said, a pressure-style defense coach. He likes attacking young quarterbacks like myself, and I think what he did to Matthew Stafford in their first game is probably what we're going to get on Sunday. He's going to come after you, he's going to give you different looks, he's going to drop into coverage when you think he's going to come after you, so we have to be ready to go. ...

2009 Statistical Rankings: 49er Players Through Week 2
Niners Nation — ... on their roster, at least that's what I think. The kicker is that, even if you consider Alex Smith to be an average backup, Hill's DYAR suggests an improvement of only 20 yards were Smith to be elevated to the starting lineup. And one more thing about Hill's DYAR just to drive the point home: The only starting QBs that are less valuable (i.e., have a lower DYAR) than Hill so far this year are Brady Quinn (aka "1 TD guy"), Jake Delhomme (aka "6 turnovers guy), and Matt Stafford (aka "8 days on the job" guy). That's quite impressive company, ...

Lions Hang on for 19-14 Win over Redskins, Snap 19-Game Losing Streak
Pride Of Detroit — ... by a score of 19-14.  Matthew Stafford showed how good he can be, and the defense, though it struggled at times, stepped up when it had to on the Redskins' final drive of the game.  Washington got the ball back with 1:05 left and quickly moved down the field, but the Lions started making some plays and the clock ran out for the 'Skins well short of the end zone.  Immediately the celebration began, complete with tears, excitement, and in general a sigh of relief from everyone involved with the Lions. ...

Drive-By-Drive Breakdown of Lions' 19-14 Win Over Redskins
Pride Of Detroit — ... Matthew Stafford gave himself some breathing room by drawing a Washington defender offside, moving the ball to the 6.  He then let his backs increase that breathing room, as ...

Shallow Thoughts & Nearsighted Observations
The Mile High Report — ... are on the right track, and it's clear how much better coached they are, than they have been, maybe ever in my lifetime.  Matthew Stafford, ...

The Fight For First Place: Round One
Acme Packing Company — ... line's issues have disrupted the timing so much that the receivers' routes need to be recalibrated, and only the eldest member (Driver) has figured out how to do it.  Still, Green Bay's passing game remains a highly potent group that hasn't performed to capacity yet. Minnesota's pass defense has been outstanding, allowing only 167.7 yards per game (4th in the NFL).  That stat needs to be tempered with the list of quarterbacks Minnesota has faced: Brady Quinn, Matthew Stafford, and Shaun Hill.  Additionally, they have ...

Bonehead of the Week: Week 4
Cat Scratch Reader — ... at the one yard line, giving a free drive to the Lions. After the turnover, Matthew Stafford drove his team right back down the field for a touchdown, turning three points for the Skins into 7 points for the Lions while in the process chewing up the rest of the 1st quarter. ...

Lions Can't Overcome Awful Special Teams Play, Turnovers in 48-24 Loss to Bears
Pride Of Detroit — ... On that aforementioned drive that led to a field goal, Matthew Stafford was sacked on third down and injured his right knee.  He went down awkwardly and immediately grabbed the back of his right knee, showing that something was wrong.  On the sideline he had a wrap on the knee, and when he tried to walk around it was too sore for him to come back into the game.  That led to the first ...

Matthew Stafford Twists Knee; Severity of Injury Unknown
Pride Of Detroit — ... ' only scoring drive of the second half, Matthew Stafford injured his right knee on a sack.  He was brought down pretty awkwardly, with his entire body being spun around.  As a result, he twisted his right knee and went down in pain.  He grabbed the back of his injured knee and limped off the field, where he was treated by the trainers and given the OK to go back in the game initially.  After walking around to test it out, however, Stafford was ...

Drive-By-Drive Breakdown of Bears' 48-24 Win Over Lions
Pride Of Detroit — ... on the first play.  Matthew Stafford simply threw the ball downfield to an open C.J., who made the catch for the big gain.  ...

Waiting for Favre: Packers on MNF
Acme Packing Company — ... . It was tied at halftime, 21-21, and rookie QB Matthew Stafford was good for the 2nd week in a row. But the 2nd half was a disaster for the ...

The Monday Morning Microscope: Week 4
Pride Of Detroit — ... Speaking of Linehan... I think he regressed in his playcalling yesterday. He came out aggressive, but as soon as we got behind, I felt him begin to protect his quarterback too much. He scaled back, started to dink and dunk and just plain got conservative. What gives? Matthew Stafford does not need to be protected. I would rather him go down slinging it than to dial him back to keep him from throwing picks. Yeah, the defense was really getting to him, so I understand the need to run the football. But two things there... first, the running game was not ...

Matthew Stafford, Kevin Smith, and Calvin Johnson Day-to-Day with Injuries
Pride Of Detroit — ... Jim Schwartz didn't get into Matthew Stafford's knee injury too much at today's press conference, but he did say that the ...

Okay, That's Over. . .So Now What?
Daily Norseman — ... Aaron Rodgers GB 77 127 60.6 1,098 6 1 20 101.1 Matthew Stafford DET 79 139 ...

Comcast Red Zone Recap: Week 4
Pride Of Detroit — ... The Lions ended up in the red zone on both of their first two drives of the game.  The first time they entered the red zone was thanks to a penalty on Chicago, which put the Lions on the 12-yard line.  Matthew Stafford found ...

Thursday Notes: Stafford Misses Practice; Sellout Likely for Steelers Game
Pride Of Detroit — ... Matthew Stafford sat out practice on Wednesday.  If he misses practice again today, chances are he will not play against the Steelers on Sunday.  Usually a player needs to get a couple days of practice in to play when he is injured, and although anything could happen, I doubt Stafford would play after missing a couple days of practice toward the end of the week. Stafford wasn't the only player to miss practice on Wednesday, as Calvin Johnson, Gosder Cherilus, Dewayne White, Sammie ...

Lions Sell Out Steelers Game; Stafford Misses Practice Again
Pride Of Detroit — ... Even though the game will not be blacked out, it doesn't look like fans will get to watch Matthew Stafford on Sunday.  ...

Preview: Bears (3-1) BYE WEEK
Windy City Gridiron — ... . It was a tale of two halves. The Lions came into Soldier Field on a high note, after winning for the first time in their last 20 games, and picked up were they left off in the first half. Rookie QB Matthew Stafford looked pretty sharp picking away at the Bears soft secondary, but ...

Friday Notes: Schwartz to Name Starting QB Before Game on Sunday
Pride Of Detroit — Jim Schwartz is going to wait to name a starting quarterback until right before the game on Sunday. Matthew Stafford did practice today, but if I were to bet on it, I'd put my money on Daunte Culpepper getting the start. Expect to see DeAndre Levy in the starting lineup on Sunday.  We don't know who he will be replacing, but speculation suggests Julian Peterson will move to defensive end, opening up a spot for Levy. Larry Foote has been in the ear of his former ...

The Vikings Red Zone Review, Sponsored by Comcast
Daily Norseman — ... to Visanthe Shiancoe and pulled the Vikings to within 10-7 at halftime.  However, much like they did against the Browns, the Vikings came to life in the second half, but only needed to hit the red zone twice to secure a victory.  The first came as they drove to the Detroit 8-yard line but couldn't punch the ball into the end zone.  Ryan Longwell then came on and hit on a 26-yard field goal to tie the game. The final red zone trip for Minnesota came after Matthew Stafford was intercepted by Chad Greenway, and the ...

Week 5 Injury Report
Pride Of Detroit — ... Pos. Player Injury Status QB Matthew Stafford Knee Questionable RB Kevin ...

Steelers Sack Lions' Comeback Attempt, Hang On for 28-20 Win
Pride Of Detroit — ... next week.  I really hope Matthew Stafford gets healthy and is ready to play, because although Culpepper showed some promise at times, overall he didn't impress me very much.  Plus, I want Stafford to get back out there and continue to gain experience and improve.  Lambeau Field is a tough place to play, especially for a rookie quarterback, but the experience will only make him better.  If Stafford is unable to play next Sunday, we will have to wait until November 1 at the earliest when the Lions face the ...

Drive-By-Drive Breakdown of Steelers' 28-20 Win Over Lions
Pride Of Detroit — ... as the Lions were in position to send that game to overtime with him as the quarterback.  Of course, he made a few crucial mistakes over the course of the game that possibly prevented the Lions from winning, but he wasn't completely awful like many expected him to be.  Yes, that interception was one of the worst plays I have ever seen, but he was moving the ball down the field effectively on those last couple of drives until the entire offense had a complete meltdown.  Matthew Stafford is obviously this team's quarterback and I welcome his ...

Eric King Out for Season; Calvin Johnson's Injury Not "Significant"
Pride Of Detroit — ... Wednesday." By now we all know that Schwartz loves to use the word "significant" when describing injuries, which doesn't really provide us with a ton of information.  I imagine that's intentional and something he gets from Bill Belichick, but it makes it tough to get a good read on injuries.  Although we do know that Calvin Johnson has a short-term injury, who knows if he will be back this week or not until after the bye. The same can be said for Matthew Stafford, whose status for the Packers game on Sunday is ...

Ending The Bye Week Blues
Acme Packing Company — ... Behind center, Detroit went all-in on Matthew Stafford, which I thought was a terrible decision back in April.  Stafford hasn't looked awful, but he certainly hasn't outplayed fellow rookie ...

Matthew Stafford, Calvin Johnson Miss Practice Today
Pride Of Detroit — ... Although he practiced on a limited basis yesterday, Matthew Stafford did not practice at all today.  Stafford is still recovering from the knee injury he suffered against the Bears, and as it stands right now, it doesn't look like he will play on Sunday against the Packers.  The same goes for Calvin Johnson, who missed practice both today and yesterday.  The chances of him playing at this point seem unlikely, though I suppose he could miraculously recover between now and Sunday. There are a few ...

Final Ramblings About Pittsburgh Steelers 28-20 Victory Over Detroit
Behind the Steel Curtain — ... needs to start the rest of the season for Detroit. He's healthy again - healthier than he's been in years. We saw that when he scampered for 32 yards against the Steelers defense in the 1st quarter. Pundits would like you to believe that Matthew Stafford is the future and should play now. True, he is the future. But here's the deal. The Detroit Lions are in a little bit different situation than most teams that have a young quarterback waiting in the wings and little chance at making a playoff run in the immediate future. How are they different? They're ...

Preview: Lions at Packers
Acme Packing Company — ... While their offense has shown some signs of life moving the ball, they are having a hard time hanging on to it. Rookie QB Matthew Stafford has dropped back to pass 150 times this season, and has 10 sacks, 6 INTs and 2 fumbles. So something bad happens to him about once a quarter. With Stafford's injury, QB ...

On Paper: Lions vs. Packers
Pride Of Detroit — ... 76.7 rating B. Favre 24-31, 271 yards, 3 TDs, 0 INT, 135.3 rating The Packers have done a decent job in holding opposing quarterbacks in check.  The one exception is, of course, Favre, who just happened to have an outstanding week against his former team.  They rank decently in opponent's QB rating at 13th, but only have managed five sacks this season (T-26th).   The key to this matchup is the Lions' injuries.  Their two best offensive players, Matthew Stafford and Calvin Johnson, did not practice on Thursday ...

Week 6 preview: Bears (3-1) @ Atlanta (3-1)
Windy City Gridiron — ... : #1 pick, Matthew Stafford, is still nursing a knee injury (suffered vs the Bears), and will likely sit out Sunday's game at Green Bay. It's tough for Stafford, as he was really showing great signs of improvement with the Lions big win over Washington, and a 296 yard performance vs the Bears in Soldier Field. ...

Friday Injury Report: Lions at Green Bay Packers
Acme Packing Company — ... Johnson will come off the inactive list for his first action and RB Brandon Jackson is back from injury for the first time this season. Recently resigned RT Mark Tauscher is out, but that's expected since he's practicing himself back into football shape. Although both centers (Jason Spitz and Scott Wells) are listed, Mike McCarthy expects them both to play. The injuries have hit hard in Detroit. Obviously WR Calvin Johnson and QB Matthew Stafford are the two big names. At this point in their careers, QB ...

Week 6 Injury Report
Pride Of Detroit — ... Pos. Player Injury Status QB Matthew Stafford Knee Questionable RB Maurice ...

Matthew Stafford, Calvin Johnson Out (Full Inactive List Here)
Pride Of Detroit — Both Calvin Johnson and Matthew Stafford are officially out for today's game. At one point it looked like Calvin Johnson was active and ready to play, but NFL.com's inactive list was not correct.  It was just updated to show that Megatron will sit, and he is not the only big-name player who will miss today's game. Matthew Stafford is also inactive today, and tomorrow Dr. James Andrews will take a look at a new MRI and "determine whether or not surgery is needed" to fix his injury.  Anytime I hear that name I ...

Packers Embarrass Lions, Win 26-0
Pride Of Detroit — ... with all of their weapons intact.  Losing to the winless Rams would just suck, and I honestly don't know if the Lions can win if they are without Matthew Stafford and ...

A Somewhat Depressing Blowout
Acme Packing Company — Green Bay had several things going for it this week.  In no particular order, they were: Coming off the bye week Getting Chad Clifton and Atari Bigby back from injury Playing Detroit at home Playing against a team missing it's best QB (Matthew Stafford) and WR (Calvin Johnson) All together, these things pointed to a dominant Green Bay victory.  And, in the end, it was, if you consider only the final score (26-0).  So then why did this feel like a letdown?  Short ...

Dolphins vs Saints: Three Key Matchups
The Phinsider — ... .  He has been absolutely outstanding for New Orleans and could very well be the front runner for Defensive Player of the Year.  He already has five interceptions and has returned two of them for touchdowns - each returns of at least 97 yards, by the way.  And he's been a young quarterback's nightmare.  All five of his interceptions have come against inexperienced quarterbacks - two against Matthew Stafford, one against ...

Week 7 Preview: Bears (3-2) @ Bengals (4-2)
Windy City Gridiron — ... :  Poor Detroit has found the injury bug at QB. #1 pick, Matthew Stafford, is still nursing a knee injury (suffered vs the Bears), and to make matter worse, ...

Time to Get Back to Business
Pride Of Detroit — ... I break down the final ten weeks of the season into five different parts.  The first part is the Rams game on Sunday, which, like I said, is one of the most winnable games on the schedule.  I won't have as much faith in the Lions winning if Matthew Stafford and ...

Matthew Stafford Returns to Practice; Jon Jansen Elevated to Starting LG?
Pride Of Detroit — ... The Lions returned to practice on Tuesday after having the weekend off, and a few injured players who sat out on Friday were back on the field, joining their teammates for what probably was the practice with the most participation in at least the last few weeks. The most notable player to return to practice was Matthew Stafford, who took approximately half of the reps on Tuesday.  He seemed to be happy with how his knee held up, though he didn't feel comfortable giving a percentage on how healthy he is.  Even if he had ...

Identity Crisis?
Pride Of Detroit — ... A team that is improved but still not a winner usually has no identity other than being a loser of various levels.  Yet I feel that something about the perception of the Lions has changed.  It's not necessarily that we have improved dramatically on either offense or defense, because they both still have countless problems, but it's more of a media image makeover thing.  The team as a whole has been consumed by the personality of one individual.  And no, it's not Matthew Stafford. ...

Friday Notes: Calvin Johnson Returns to Practice
Pride Of Detroit — ... has changed quite a bit this week.  On Monday, with there still being no word on the status of Matthew Stafford and ...

Vikings/Packers: What a Difference One Loss Makes
Daily Norseman — ... by a combined score of 57-3.  Remember back in Week 3 or so when the experts out there said that everybody shouldn't get too excited about the Vikings "only" beating the Browns and Lions to open the season?  Also, one needs to keep in mind that the Packers faced the Lions at home without Matthew Stafford and ...

Week 8 Injury Report
Pride Of Detroit — ... Pos. Player Injury Status QB Matthew Stafford Knee Questionable FB Jerome ...

Matthew Stafford In, Calvin Johnson Out
Pride Of Detroit — ... , and there is both good and bad news stemming from it.  The good news is that there is no Matthew Stafford on the list, meaning he will start today.  The bad news is that ...

Rams Beat Lions 17-10 Thanks to Late Steven Jackson Touchdown
Pride Of Detroit — ... by a score of 17-10.  St. Louis led for much of the game until the Lions' offense finally scored some points in the fourth quarter.  Before a 4-yard Matthew Stafford touchdown run and a successful 2-point conversion, the Lions' only points were from a safety that happened after an interception.  A Stafford pass went right through Aaron Brown's hands and was intercepted in the end zone.  The defender ran out of the end zone, went backwards, and was tackled by Kevin Smith for a safety.  That cut the Rams' lead down to 1 point, but ...

Random Ramsdom: Nov. 2nd, 2009 - Rams Win Edition!
Turf Show Times — ... STATS OF THE DAY: (1) 6.8 ypc- Steven Jackson (2) 42.4% completion percentage- Matthew Stafford Enjoy this glorious Monday everyone.

BTSC Weekly NFL Musings - Week 8 Edition
Behind the Steel Curtain — ... . Matthew Stafford isn't ready to lead a team right now. And that's okay. My rationale has been that Detroit is in desperate need of wins now in order to keep the team focused and committed to what new coach Jim Schwartz is trying to do in Motown. That's awful hard to do when you're losing to the lowly ...

Drive-By-Drive Breakdown of Rams' 17-10 Win Over Lions
Pride Of Detroit — ... was flagged for holding.  This was the beginning of the end and when the drive started to stall.  Smith picked up 12 yards on a pass from Matthew Stafford on the very next play, but he was dropped for a loss of 1 on second down.  A ...

Pour Some Sugar On Me - Now With 33% Less Negativity!
Hogs Haven — ... is hurt, but you simply HAVE to let Matthew Stafford go deep more often if you're calling plays in Detroit. That guy has a cannon for an arm and he actually has great touch on his deep balls. I predict that next year, the combination of Stafford, Johnson, and ...

Winning with Seneca Wallace Part 2: Idiot Proofing
Field Gulls — ... , but maybe they can't. Campbell is a restricted free agent in an uncapped season. If the NFL hashes out that problem and Campbell becomes an unrestricted free agent, there's still no certainty he signs with Seattle or Seattle signs him. Seattle could draft a quarterback, but developing a quarterback is a lengthy process. One reason Detroit selected Matthew Stafford is that should Stafford develop, he will be entering his prime just as the ...

Comcast Red Zone Recap: Week 8
Pride Of Detroit — ... .  Since a turnover happened before the first points were scored, though, I'm not going to count that as a successful trip inside the 20.  Though it did produce points, a successful trip inside the red zone is when a touchdown or a field goal is scored, not when Matthew Stafford throws an interception and it turns into a safety because the defender decides to run back into the end zone and gets tackled. ...

Seattle Seahawks 81% of Winning
Field Gulls — ... . Seattle hosts the younger bust brother, Field Gulls favorite Matthew Stafford. Stafford turned 21 about three months before the draft. Using ...

Week 9 Injury Report
Pride Of Detroit — ... Pos. Player Injury Status QB Matthew Stafford Knee Probable RB Kevin ...

Lions Blow 17-0 Lead, Lose to Seahawks 32-20
Pride Of Detroit — ... slowly scored points with field goals and a couple touchdowns and just chipped away at the Lions' lead.  Detroit couldn't get anything going offensively, as every decent drive seemingly ended with an interception.  That trend continued in the second half, and Seattle took the lead late in the third quarter.  The Lions made it a 5-point game with a field goal in the fourth quarter and had a chance to win the game on multiple occasions.  Matthew Stafford didn't have any fourth-quarter magic, though, and instead he just kept throwing ...

Seattle Seahawks Agonizing in Victory; Win on Stafford's Five Interceptions
Field Gulls — ... That might take a while. Seahawks fan must be brave, because the tables will be flipped soon enough. Matthew Stafford is a 21-year old rookie playing for a team that finished 0-16 last season. If he pulls it together someday, these trials will make his fans love him. Seattle will get its Stafford soon enough. ...

BTSC Weekly NFL Musings - Week 9 Edition
Behind the Steel Curtain — ... got the stand they needed to keep it a one possession game late in the 4th quarter. Then with just about 2 minutes remaining, Rivers atoned for his previous mistakes and led San Diego down the field on the game winning scoring drive to defeat New York by a single point, 21-20. San Diego improved to 5-3 and could find themselves within a single game of Denver by the end of Monday night. That division's going to be real fun to watch down the stretch.  * I still don't think Matthew Stafford should be playing for the Lions with a healthy ...

Stafford's performance in his first six games nearly MIRRORS Peyton Manning's
Pride Of Detroit — ... games: Game 1: 1 TD, 3 INT, 8.16 ypa, 56.8% comp Game 2: 1 TD, 3 INT, 5.70 ypa, 63.6% comp Game 3: 0 TD, 2 INT, 4.39 ypa, 45.5% comp Game 4: 1 TD, 3 INT, 9.66 ypa, 59.4% comp Game 5: 1 TD, 1 INT, 5.96 ypa, 52.2% comp Game 6: 2 TD, 2 INT, 5.73 ypa, 48.8% comp Total:     6 TD, 14 INT = .428 TD/INT ratio     113 comp / 210 att = 53.8% comp     1364 yards / 210 att = 6.50 ypa -- Matthew Stafford, rookie year, first 6 games: Game 1: 0 TD, 3 INT, ...

Drive-By-Drive Breakdown of Seahawks' 32-20 Win Over Lions
Pride Of Detroit — ... It looked like the Lions were going to find a way to screw this up.  On 1st and goal, Kevin Smith was hit as soon as he got the ball and fumbled.  Luckily Brandon Pettigrew was flagged for a false start, meaning the play never happened.  It was probably the best false start ever, especially since Pettigrew made a catch in the back of the end zone for a touchdown on the very next play.  Matthew Stafford threw a bullet over the defense and Pettigrew made the catch to give the Lions a 7-0 lead. ...

Introduction to the Last Weekend of the Regular Season
Field Gulls — ... Seattle did not win convincingly against Detroit. It profited from an exceptionally bad showing from Matthew Stafford. As I mentioned in my post game, Stafford's picks alone account for at least ...

From Zero to Seven
Field Gulls — ... had perfectly timed a delayed blitz and broke down to sack Matthew Stafford for ten. Seattle then went soft. It dropped a loose zone and rushed four. Seahawks defended the first down marker and opened the underneath. ...

Pour Some Sugar On Me - One More Year For Zorn Edition
Hogs Haven — ... 10) If Matthew Stafford would have thrown only 2 or 3 interceptions, they might have won. But FIVE? I have Stafford on my fantasy team and I had to play him because mark Sanchez was on a bye (yeah, my team sucks). Every time the ...

Calvin Johnson Says He Has No Issues with Matthew Stafford
Pride Of Detroit — ... Much was made of how few times Matthew Stafford threw the ball in the direction of Calvin Johnson during Sunday's game, especially once cameras caught the two having a conversation on the bench.  Actually, it wasn't really a conversation.  Stafford was talking, and Calvin walked away after seemingly not wanting to listen to what the rookie had to say.  The announcers commented on the exchange, and many people assumed that there was a beef between the two.  I personally thought it was just a heat of the moment type of thing, ...

Comcast Red Zone Recap: Week 9
Pride Of Detroit — ... Lions' only two trips to the red zone this past Sunday came at the very start of the game.  The first trip was on the game's opening drive, when the Lions moved the ball down the field only to have Jason Hanson kick a field goal off the right upright.  The promising drive ended in disappointing fashion, but the Lions got the ball back on the very next play when Louis Delmas picked off a pass and returned it down to the 2-yard line.  After a false start, Matthew Stafford found Brandon Pettigrew in the end zone for a ...

Week 10 Preview: Bears (4-4) @ 49ers (3-5)
Windy City Gridiron — ... : Minnesota hosts Detroit after a bye week this Sunday. There's no easier match-up on paper than this one. QB Matthew Stafford finally returned to the field last week for the Lions and threw 5 INTs in Seattle. ...

Can Seattle Game Plan Around a Mortal Weakness?
Field Gulls — ... . Seattle rallied around Matthew Stafford's interceptions to win. But when it needed offense, the three yard swing pass was the offense it could muster. If not universally effective, the short passing game was relatively effective. It accomplished what Seattle needed then to win the game. ...

Week 10 NFL Picks
Behind the Steel Curtain — ... I still refuse to believe that Matthew Stafford should be playing this  year for Detroit, but whatever, not that it would really matter this week at Minnesota. Adrian Peterson should have a field day in this one and get right back in the rushing title picture. Minnesota. ...

Week 10 Injury Report
Pride Of Detroit — ... Pos. Player Injury Status QB Matthew Stafford Knee Probable FB Jerome ...

Buc'em Predictions NFL week 10
Buc 'Em — ... offers a dynamic returner and receiver.  Detroit is improving, but can't close out games.  Matthew Stafford is returning from a knee injury and Detroit's defense is terrible.  ...

Any Given Sunday; Week 10 NFL Preview
Niners Nation — ... If the Lions are going to keep up with Minnesota it will have to happen through the air. Matthew Stafford is only completing 53% of his passes, but he and wide out ...

The Second Half of the Year Starts Today!
Daily Norseman — ... 2) Get after Matthew Stafford - The rookie out of Georgia got his first career touchdown pass in the first meeting this year between these two teams.  Unfortunately for him, he also threw two interceptions (both to LB ...

Lions Get Beat Up by Vikings, Lose 27-10
Pride Of Detroit — ... Matthew Stafford dropped back to pass around 54 times today, and he was hurried, hit, or sacked on about 70% of those plays.  That stat alone sums up how today's game against the ...

Moral Victories and Ugly Wins: Week 10 in the NFL
Niners Nation — ... really have to feel bad for the football fans in Detriot.  With the loss, the Lions became the second team in NFL history to lose 31 of 33 games.  That's the equivalent of back to back 1 win seasons.  The Vikings even played horribly in the game.  Two times they fumbled in the red zone, and for the game they committed 13 penalties.  But all it accomplished was to allow the Lions to hang around in the game for longer than they realistically should have.  Matthew Stafford threw the ball an incredible 51 times, completing 29 for ...

Periera: Edwards Hit Not a Penalty
Daily Norseman — ... that led directly to the lone Detroit touchdown of the afternoon, particularly considering that it didn't appear that Edwards hit Lions' quarterback Matthew Stafford's helmet at all. ...

Drive-By-Drive Breakdown of Vikings' 27-10 Win Over Lions
Pride Of Detroit — ... and 7 inside the Lions' 10-yard line, and the defense came up with a big stop, bringing Adrian Peterson down at the 4-yard line.  Ryan Longwell connected on a 22-yard field goal to give the Vikings a 3-0 lead. For the second straight game, the Lions moved the ball well on their first drive of the game and had it end on a missed field goal.  After picking up one third-down conversion thanks to a 7-yard pass to Calvin Johnson, the offense stalled.  Matthew Stafford found Derrick Williams for a gain of 6 on 3rd and ...

GOT NUMBERS? Analyzing the Detroit Lions vs. the Cleveland Browns
Dawgs By Nature — ... Detroit is pretty awful on offense, their offensive efficiency is 30th in the league, with a DVOA of -29.0%.  They are really bad in the passing game (-36.2%, 30th in the league).  Matthew Stafford and his 6 TDs and 12 INTs is struggling through his rookie year (-33.1 DVOA, 36th among the 40 QBs with over 75 attempts.  In case you wondering ...

Browns Get Leveled by Ravens in Pitiful 16-0 Monday Night Game
Dawgs By Nature — ... Up next, the Browns will face the lowly Detroit Lions. I have no faith in the Browns offense, but the defense could very well deliver a performance similar to the Buffalo game for a win. Rookie QB Matthew Stafford has been prone to mistakes, and if our defense creates turnovers, a 6-3 type of game might be enough to win again. ...

Week 11 Injury Report
Pride Of Detroit — ... Pos. Player Injury Status QB Matthew Stafford Knee Probable FB Jerome ...

Any Given Sunday, Week 11 NFL Preview
Niners Nation — ... This game is a regular clash of the Titans, and somebody is going to get their second win of the season. Since their Week 3 victory against Washington, the Lions have not been able to replicate the feat. Rookie quarterback Matthew Stafford has struggled with his accuracy, and consequently he has thrown twice as many interceptions as touchdowns. But Stafford still has plenty of upside, and he and wide receiver ...

Can the Vikings Continue Rolling at Home?
Daily Norseman — ... , and they've gone 1-2 since he was placed on injured reserve, with Hasselbeck taking eight sacks in those games (including four last week against Arizona).  This should bode well for the (insert cute nickname for Minnesota's defensive line here), as they really appear to be hitting their stride after their very rude treatment of Detroit's Matthew Stafford last weekend.  Look for ...

Cleveland Browns vs. Detroit Lions - Official Game Thread
Dawgs By Nature — ... Besides Buffalo, this might be the only team we can be labeled as "even" at the quarterback position. QB Matthew Stafford hasn't had a good season, but a rookie gets time to take his lumps with a bad ...

Post-Game Thread: Lions Win 38-37 Shootout
Dawgs By Nature — ... had no timeouts left but moved the ball down the field to attempt a Hail Mary with eight seconds left. After scrambling around forever, Lions rookie quarterback Matthew Stafford launched the ball as he took a shot from ...

Stafford Leads Lions to Touchdown on Final Play to Beat Cleveland 38-37
Pride Of Detroit — ... The roller coaster ride for the Lions started out with a terrible first quarter.  The Browns stormed ahead to a 24-3 lead, and the Lions really made them look like the best team in the league despite the fact that Cleveland's offense has been virtually nonexistent for the better part of a year now.  A Matthew Stafford interception actually led to the Browns' last touchdown, but he shook it off and the Lions started to get it going.  Stafford threw a touchdown pass on three consecutive drives to bring the Lions back and tie the game at 24, ...

New England Patriots Links 11/23/09 - Pats Give Jets Something To Cry About
Pats Pulpit — ... NATIONAL NEWS NFL Game Center New York Jets at New England Patriots.  Recap, stats, analysis and that nifty highlight video. Tim Graham (ESPN) Welker's day one for the books. Tim Graham (ESPN) Sanchise putting Jets in default. Tim Graham (ESPN) Despite TD, Revis win rematch with Moss.  Pats had the last laugh. Peter King (SI) MMQB: Matthew Stafford, Matt Cassel lead way in Week 11. Alan ...

Drive-By-Drive Breakdown of Lions' 38-37 Win Over Browns
Pride Of Detroit — ... game -- that the Lions' defense would make the dismal Browns' offense look competent.  It was really only a sign of things to come.  Cleveland torched Detroit and moved the ball down the field quickly and ended up with a 44-yard Phil Dawson field goal.  That was the best result of a Browns drive in the first quarter for the Lions, sadly, as things were about to get even worse defensively. On the Lions' first offensive play of the game, Matthew Stafford faked a handoff to Kevin Smith and then threw it ...

Lions Will Likely Be Without Matthew Stafford on Thanksgiving; Calvin Johnson Also Out?
Pride Of Detroit — Do you want the good news or the bad news first? Let's go with the good news: Matthew Stafford's shoulder injury does not appear to be of the long-term variety.  Jim Schwartz called the injury an AC joint separation, which can either be a rather minor injury or one that requires surgery.  It all depends on the severity of it, and considering Schwartz didn't seem too worried about the long-term effects, my guess is that it isn't very serious. The bad news is that Stafford probably won't be able to play on Thursday.  ...

Arrowheadlines: Chiefs News 11/24
Arrowhead Pride — ... — faced off in a wildly enjoyable 38-37 shootout that wound up being a record-breaking game for Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford. The rookie threw the pass of the day, a game-winner with no time on the clock. ...

Shallow Thoughts & Nearsighted Observations
The Mile High Report — ... a New England team that knows how to confuse a QB.  Sanchez is a classic example of what happens when teams get some film on you, and know what you're going to do.  I don't think it's time to bench him, like the average Peter King is calling for, but it would definitely behoove the Jets to figure out what Sanchez is comfortable doing, and sticking to only that stuff. o.  I can tell you right now, the Lions had a fantastic draft in 2009.  Matthew Stafford, Brandon Pettigrew, and Louis Delmas all look ...

Bernard Scott nominated for Pepsi NFL Rookie of the Week
Cincy Jungle — ... rushing and receiving), which was capped by a 96-yard touchdown return that proved to be the only touchdown during the Bengals 18-12 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers. Scott was also named AFC Special Teams Player of the Week last week. Against the Oakland Raiders, Scott recorded 166 total yards on offense and special teams, but no touchdowns. Other nominations include: Malcolm Jenkins - Seven tackles, interception Matthew Stafford - 422 yards passing and five touchdown passes ...

Matthew Stafford, Calvin Johnson Miss Practice
Pride Of Detroit — ... Both Matthew Stafford and Calvin Johnson missed practice on Tuesday, and it looks like the chances of either playing against the Packers on Thanksgiving are slim.  Stafford's shoulder, though it is feeling a bit better, doesn't seem to be very close to returning to full strength, or at least healing enough to the point where he could play on Thursday.  As for Calvin Johnson, he has a knee and hand issue, and it doesn't look like he will play unless both injuries suddenly heal in the next day or so. Also missing ...

Vote for Matthew Stafford, Lions on NFL.com Polls
Pride Of Detroit — ... Thanks to Matthew Stafford's amazing performance on Sunday, he is up for a couple awards that are voted on by the fans.  The first is the ...

Preview: Green Bay Packers at Lions
Acme Packing Company — ... The big news in Green Bay this week have been the injuries, and the big news in Detroit have been the injuries. My opinion is that while the injuries to LB Aaron Kampman and CB Al Harris are significant, they still have a good defensive unit in place. For the Lions, it seems like their offense can't function without QB Matthew Stafford and WR Calvin Johnson. Based on the fact that the Lions only had 149 yards of total offense when the teams met last month, and that ...

Stafford Named NFC Offensive Player of the Week, Has Jersey Shipped to Hall of Fame
Pride Of Detroit — ... For setting the single-game passing yards record for rookies and for becoming only the second rookie ever to throw for 5 touchdowns in one game, Matthew Stafford was named the NFC Offensive Player of the Week.  Stafford is the first Lion to win a player of the week award ...

Comcast Red Zone Recap: Week 11
Pride Of Detroit — ... Lions didn't get beyond the 12, but Jason Hanson made a field goal. The next two red zone opportunities didn't come until the second half, which was mainly because the Lions were busy scoring touchdowns from outside of the 20.  That obviously was fine by me, but I also like it when great jobs result in a trip to the red zone and a touchdown, which is what happened in the third quarter.  Calvin Johnson caught a pass to move the Lions down to the 1, and Matthew Stafford found a wide-open Will Heller in the end zone on ...

NFL Films + Matthew Stafford = Awesome
Pride Of Detroit — The person at NFL Films who decided to mic up Matthew Stafford for the Browns game deserves a big raise and a huge pat on the back, because the resulting video that was posted earlier today on NFL.com is just pure awesomeness.  We get to hear Stafford lead the offense, have some fun at Shaun Rogers' expense, pump up teammates on the sideline, and best of all, listen to what happened during the final drive of the game, including the moment when Stafford got up off the field and ran away from the trainers. This whole ...

Week 12 Injury Report
Pride Of Detroit — ... Pos. Player Injury Status QB Matthew Stafford Left Shoulder Doubtful RB Kevin ...

Wednesday Injury Report: Packers at Lions
Acme Packing Company — ... practice on Wednesday because they are both recovering from injuries suffered last week in practice. While it would be nice to have them both available, I don't think anyone expects either to play a significant role in the offense. The only other major concern was C Scott Wells, who had his knee swell up bad on Monday and Tuesday, but apparently nothing is torn and he should play. For the Lions: Their injury list is long and a problem. Neither QB Matthew Stafford or WR Calvin Johnson has practiced this week. ...

Breaking News: Matthew Stafford, Calvin Johnson to Start for Lions
Pride Of Detroit — ... The legend of Matthew Stafford has just been taken to a whole new level.  Despite being listed as doubtful on the injury report, multiple outlets are reporting that Stafford will start for the ...

Thanksgiving NFL Game Day Thread - Browns Fans
Dawgs By Nature — ... on FOX. The Lions beat the Browns just four days ago, and despite his injury, Matthew Stafford got the start at quarterback and is off to a good start. ...

Packers Shut Down Lions on Thanksgiving, Win 34-12
Pride Of Detroit — ... Thanksgiving got off to a great start when news broke that Matthew Stafford and Calvin Johnson were going to start against the Packers.  The day got even better on the opening kickoff of today's game, because the Packers fumbled and Detroit capitalized by getting into the end zone on a touchdown pass to Calvin.  Things continued to get better when the Packers capped off an 8-minute-long drive by missing a field goal, and it just seemed like everything was going the Lions' way. The good fortune finally ran out on ...

Brief Recap: Green Bay Packers Defeat Lions 34-12
Acme Packing Company — ... The game started out rocky: WR Jordy Nelson fumbled the opening kickoff, and QB Matthew Stafford threw a TD pass to WR Charles Johnson for a quick 7-0 lead. The rest of the game belonged to the Packers. Stafford attempted 39 passes after his TD pass, but he didn't throw another one (to his own team). He did throw 4 INTs, including a late pick 6 to CB Charles Woodson. Johnson was targeted on 10 more pass attempts, but only had 1 more receptions. Overall, Stafford finished with a 30.5 QB rating and a terrible 4.6 ...

Denver Neckbeards Open Thread
Field Gulls — ... (McCoy is short and does not have a strong arm. I do not think McCoy has poor arm strength and imagine he's slightly shorter than Matthew Stafford. However, short quarterbacks with average arms are rarely chosen early in the draft. ...

Drive-By-Drive Breakdown of Packers' 34-12 Win Over Lions
Pride Of Detroit — ... moved the Lions down to the 6, and a penalty for roughing the passer moved Detroit down to the 3.  (Pettigrew was injured on the roughing the passer play and didn't return, by the way.)  Smith picked up a couple yards on the next play, setting up a 1-yard touchdown pass from Matthew Stafford to ...

Week 12 Preview: Bears (4-6) at Vikings (9-1)
Windy City Gridiron — ... : Matthew Stafford is proving to one tough SOB, and has the makings of a leader. This division is going to boast a nice group of QBs.  ...

The Packers Straightforward Defense
Acme Packing Company — ... (23.4 percent) even as the Lions threw heavily in the fourth quarter. Slot blitzes were especially rare with CB Jarrett Bush taking Woodson’s usual spot in the nickel. The secondary did most of its damage out of basic zones, with FS Nick Collins exploding from Cover-2 to record the first of four interceptions and CBs Tramon Williams and Woodson each getting one in quarters coverage. As good as QB Matthew Stafford looked against the Browns, Capers must have watched the ...