Up front: you should all know that I’ve always been a Stafford supporter. Damn near unabashedly.
But Stafford hasn’t answered to ANYONE in his 11 professional years. He was always going to survive the HC changes, the GM switches, the FO hirings and firings. That’s what a semi-succesful former #1OA pick gets.
Honestly, though? Every loss, his answers are always the same. It’s always like pulling a string on an old toy. Cliche and tired. But hey – it worked.
But speaking personally, I’m tired of it. What does he & Kelly think they’re entitled to? He hasn’t won anything. Again, as one of his biggest supporters – he hasn’t won anything. So what is he looking for here? Joe Flacco has been given a pretty long leash in Baltimore – but he’s got a ring. Eli should’ve been ushered out a while ago – but he’s got rings.
What does the city of Detroit and the fans of this franchise “owe” Matthew Stafford? Because it seems like he’s trying to make another withdrawal.
An excerpt:
“Stafford said he doesn’t hear most of the slights directed his way and doesn’t know why he’s become a lightning rod for criticism by former quarterbacks.”
He doesn’t, yet his wife seems to be there the moment they drop? Sounds like Matthew & Erik Karlsson have some wives that need to meet eachother.
Sorry … but again, even as one of his biggest supporters … this is getting old.
Personally I think the Lions media don’t ask him the right questions (they are probably fearful they will get their press credentials pulled if they do). So he gives them stock answers. I think he doesn’t want to become a meme or sound byte. Sure, he probably acts differently in the locker room. And it always leaves me to wonder has any current or former player ever thrown him under the bus, if he sucks so much like Gannon says, why have we not heard this from players he played with??? All we hear it from is retired gunslingers who made WAY less money than Stafford…reeks a little of jealousy to me.
I guess in the end, all I want is him to do is help the team win games. When he doesn’t he gets bashed and rightfully so, but I don’t really care what he says in press conferences to the media.
Just what we need, reporters who are fearful they’ll get their credentials pulled. They don’t pull them for plagiarism, outright lies or personal attacks on the families of the people they cover. Why would they pull them over a question? Just cover the news. Report the news. And, when there is no news, just STFU and stop drumming up news and making controversy where there is none.
I think it’s clear from changes to his body that Stafford has worked harder than he did in his early years.
I don’t think it’s work ethic or IQ that puts the cap on his ceiling. I think it’s the “it” factor. Part of it is leadership, but more than anything I think Staff lacks the elite instincts that the great one’s have. I don’t think that can be learned. As a result, Stafford at his best is always going to be a top 8-12 QB in the NFL. At his worst he’s more like 20. But he’s absolutely not someone you part with unless you have a fantastic replacement in the wings. Do we start looking for that guy in an upcoming draft? Maybe.
I think this is absolutely correct. He doesn’t have that killer instinct or the desire to be the absolute best. It’s a rare trait that most elite talents don’t possess. The absolute best of the best QBs were all downplayed at some point in their careers. Brady, Brees, Rodgers, Montana… All were drafted later, sat on the bench, had to fight for their chance. MS has literally never had to do that, his personality is a product of his immense talent… It’s always been good enough that he shows up and lets his natural ability showcase itself.
Sounds like he felt bad about being overtly critical of Stafford. Which I think is an unwritten rule in the NFL that players don’t criticize one another to the media
Unless of course your name rhymes with Tray Fly. Haha
It’s just another porch light being turned on by the aliens on the hill overlooking Maple Street watching us fans trying to figure out why this team fails year in and year out.
As far as being a good locker room guy, leader talent and football mind then he has had a lot of former players and coaches speak positively. The few guys you hear talk negatively never played a down or shared a locker room with him so to me they are no better than arm chair QB’s. It is obvious that he can improve however. I don’t think anyone who has watched him would argue that under Caldwell he became a better QB. My guess is that MP has no clue how to help a QB. Brady was in NE the entire time he was. Brady is one of those rare talents that go way above and beyond to be the greatest. I think Stafford needs nudging and Caldwell did that for him. To me it is just one of the disturbing trends I see with MP.
I wonder if part of the “issues” with Stafford is the (attempted) change to a more run-heavy offense. For example, is it possible he’s being coached to not take chances with his arm, based on the idea that we want to be a ball-control offense? Maybe after the Jets game, the staff basically told him not to throw the ball unless he was absolutely sure it wasn’t going to be an INT, and so now he’s not throwing balls that he might have attempted in the past. IDK- I just feel like 2011-2014 Stafford definitely would have taken more chances against the Vikings last week. Probably would have thrown a couple of picks, too, but he wouldn’t have taken 10 sacks.
I think that may be part of it. He is also under center a lot more and his footwork is not consistent. Whatever they did he is not comfortable yet. I hope he gets comfortable quick or they shift back to more of the old and less of the new.
I think the bland same ole comments is a result of the DET media. Our local media has made enemies out of coaches and players. As a result they never give the media anything. I would blame the local media for that.
On the criticism… every QB get it… there are a lot of former NFL players and QB’s who have praised him. Keep in mind these guys are payed to form an opinion. Sometimes their editor wants them to do a negative piece to.
I recall as a young man how much Criticism QB’s like Farve, Young, Marino and Elway took. Until Man wins a SB he’s going to get criticized. It wasn’t to long ago the media was claiming Matt Ryan sucked. Tom Brady was washed up. Cam Newton was more a RB than a QB.
On Gannon. When he was a player he wasn’t well liked by his teammates. He stated that Jamarcus Russell would be great. When he wasn’t he offered to mentor him and the Raiders said no. Gannon said Carr was good but turned down the opportunity to be his QB coach. He’s been very critical of many successful players and has praised some of the worst QB’s. Personally I do not out much weight into anything Gannon says.
His performance this year, the passing offense as a whole has taken an unexpected step(s) back. Outside of some nice performances in the running game by KJ, the offense has been spotty at best.
It’s been counter intuitive from my perspective. Keeping Cooter meant keeping continuity with the O going into this season with some extra pieces on the O line and in the backfield. A couple new assistants, most notably Jeff Davidson as the offensive line coach and of coarse there is Patricia.
They’re really tough to watch. I don’t get it. I do believe there are issues with execution. but I think it is more on the coaches and the scheme.
We’ll see what they do on Sunday. I’m not expecting much improvement…if any.
Well, to the question of after 10 years are there any ex-Lions throwing him under the bus… I have to say no.
LoJack was critical to a degree, but even if you go to his first quotes he was taking shots at the organization more than Stafford.
Suh is Suh. He’s a narcissistic head-case. Even if he’s not a narcissist that thought he should have been the highest paid rookie in the history of the NFL, his “shot” at Stafford is quite tame.
Now, if CJ, Orlovsky, Hill, Burleson, Tate, Jones, Burleson, Scheffler, Pettigrew or Ebron (mr. chatterbug himself) had derogatory things to say, you’d be more inclined to give it ear. But what do you hear from them?
Think about it. Every aspect of the Lions game has taken a step back accept the run game. Even ST. The Lions had one of the best ST units in the NFL before this season. We’re so bad we fired the ST coach and cut AA.
How is it possible that the entire team is worse and it not be related to coaching?
Kind of with LoJack - His first criticism of Stafford and the organization were intertwined. He basically said Stafford was lazy and not putting in the time and his criticism of the organization was that they let him and treat Stafford with kid gloves
I don’t doubt that is true to an extent. But that’s way in the past. Stafford understands I’m sure that he’s not getting any younger
CJ, when asked what QBs he’d like to play with rattled off a few names. Not one of them even sounded like “Stafford”… CJ also said “it would have been harder to retire if we’d been a contender”.