Lions Select Stafford As Starter
Will the Rookie Quarterback Guide the Lions to the Playoffs?
Sep 7, 2009
On Monday, Lions head coach Jim Schwartz announced that Stafford won the starting quarterback job and Culpepper did not lose it. He said he’s had many tough decisions in the last couple of days getting the roster down to 53 players, but none more difficult than choosing the starting quarterback.
According to ESPN.com, one of the main reasons for Schwartz’s decision was Stafford’s chemistry with wide receiver Calvin Johnson.
“I think he had 15 snaps in the preseason with Calvin, and you could already see what was possible there," Schwartz said. "The big plays were always there.”
Culpepper outperformed Stafford during the preseason by throwing one touchdown and no interceptions. Stafford also threw one touchdown, but threw one interception in each of the four preseason games.
Despite the performance on the field, Schwartz went with the #1 overall draft pick in the 2009 draft. Will he regret this decision, or come January will Schwartz be a hero to everybody in Detroit?
Stafford Is the Face of the Franchise
While it’s very unlikely the Lions will have a winning record this year, they have definitely made a step in the right direction. They selected Stafford #1 in the draft, and they plan to use him right away.
Stafford may not have performed exceptional in the preseason, but he did show some promise. There were many instances where Stafford appeared comfortable in the pocket as he scanned the field for his receivers. That’s not something Detroit quarterbacks are good at doing.
Stafford is young and he will make mistakes, but he will not be “Joey Harrington 2.0.” According to Lions center Dominic Raiola, Stafford has progressed tremendously through training camp and the preseason. Raiola, who also started when Harrington began his career, does not see any similarities between Harrington and Stafford.
Lions 2009 Record 6-10
Don’t expect the Lions to make a 180 degree turnaround and be contending for the Super Bowl this year. They have upgraded their team tremendously from last year, but this is still a transition period for the team.
They have a tough schedule this year. They have two games against the Minnesota Vikings, now with Brett Favre leading the way. They play not only the defending Super Bowl Champion Pittsburgh Steelers, but the team they beat in that Super Bowl, the Arizona Cardinals. To top it off, they also play the Baltimore Ravens, a team that has prided themselves on their outstanding defense.
However, they also play the Seattle Seahawks, St. Louis Rams and Cleveland Browns, three teams that suffered last season and are also in re-building phases. They should be able to get wins from these three games, and most likely win three of their division games.
It will be hard for Detroit fans to suffer thorough yet another losing season and miss yet another playoff spot. However, in 2-3 years, the Detroit Lions will be a force to be reckoned with.
