Welcome to the latest installment of the Detroit Lions Best and Worst All Time series. If you’re interested in following along from the beginning click here to go back to the introduction. If you see something you agree or disagree with or even if you just want to share your feelings on a particular player or moment share your thoughts in the Detroit Lions’ subreddit.
Despite being only 29 years old, Matthew Stafford is unquestionably the most talented quarterback in franchise history. Taken first overall in the 2009 NFL draft, this product of the Lions’ infamous 0-16 season has been a blessing for a team that desperately needed it.
One of the most powerful arms in the NFL, Stafford exploded on to the scene in 2011 after struggling with injuries his first two years. He became just the 5th quarterback ever to throw for 5,000 yards in a season and also tossed 41 touchdowns. When looking at the statistics he’s already 44th all time in passing yardage and 49th in passing touchdowns.
If he can simply continue on with his average yearly performance, Stafford should be in or around the top 10 of both those categories in the next 4-5 seasons. Blazing trails as the youngest QB to reach many season and career milestones there’s no telling where he can get to on the NFL’s all time numbers list.
After several years of being the NFL’s high octane boom or bust arm cannon, Stafford matured and altered his game over the 2015 and 2016 seasons with new offensive coordinator Jim Bob Cooter.
The results have been less high risk, high reward plays, reduced interception numbers, and an almost 10 point boost in his completion percentage. Due to an early exit from Georgia at only 21 years of age, he has the distinction of being both one of the best young arm talents in the game, and a seasoned veteran in his prime entering his 9th year in the league. Truly taking over as the leader of the Detroit Lions now, with a developing young team that can support him going forward, it will be fun to watch what Stafford can do going forward.
The most notable point that will be remembered about Matthew Stafford when he is discussed in the future however will be the comebacks. Stafford has always been known for his countless examples of late game heroics, starting with his rookie year against the Cleveland Browns.
On the second to last play of the game Stafford scrambled and threw a deep ball prayer to the end zone before getting levelled and suffering a major separation in his non throwing shoulder. The rest became history that I will let the great Steve Sabol tell.
In those few minutes Stafford won over the city of Detroit and took one big step toward becoming a legend in the city. Since then he’s contributed to his comeback resume with the fake spike against Dallas, the miracle in London, and of course last year’s record setting most comebacks in a season. While I like the stability that a new regime is providing through talent around the roster and settling down Stafford’s play, here’s hoping we get to ride this Stafford-coaster for years to come.
