Matthew Stafford is the key to Detroit’s postseason success
By Ryan Disdier
It’s been a terrific year for the Detroit Lions. The team qualified for the playoffs for only the second time since 1999, and if the season ended today, I’m sure a lot of Lions fans would chalk up 2014 as a win. However, this is the NFL, and just getting to the playoffs isn’t enough to clench fans’ hunger.
We’ve seen the Lions do something on offense that they haven’t done in a while: succeed without Calvin Johnson. Golden Tate has emerged as the best wide receiver you probably haven’t paid much attention to, and the offense is evolving into more than just Megatron. When Tate was signed by the Lions in the offseason, a lot of people were initially certain Tate would be a free-agent bust. However, the former Super Bowl Champion has definitely exceeded expectations. Tate has 96 receptions for 1,286 yards and four touchdowns.
Joique Bell has continued to establish himself as a reliable, underrated, Detroit-style running back, and Reggie Bush will add another dimension to the offense once he gets healthy, as he’s always a threat to score whenever he touches the ball.
However, let’s not pretend Calvin Johnson doesn’t have a huge impact on this offense. Yes, the Lions can win without him, but there’s no doubt that the offense would much rather have number 81 in the starting lineup.
On the defensive side of the ball, not much needs to be said about the stellar group. Currently ranked second in total defense and first against the run, this defense is about as stifling as they get.
The defensive line consisting of perennial Pro Bowler Ndamukong Suh, Nick Fairly and blossoming star Ezekiel Ansah is a monstrous unit that is capable of wreaking havoc every game day. Although Suh might be leaving Motown after this year, he’s certainly still a presence on that defensive line. Incredibly underrated linebacker DeAndre Levy is having another great season, though he was snubbed from the Pro Bowl.
Glover Quin and James Ihedigbo are the self-proclaimed best safety tandem in the NFL, though it’s hard to argue that statement when you examine their statistics and the level at which they’re playing. Quinn leads the league in interceptions with seven, Ihedigbo isn’t far behind with four and the dyad has combined for 132 tackles, 29 passes defended and two sacks.
Despite all of the good things Detroit has going for it, this team will only go as far as quarterback Matthew Stafford will take them.
In his career-outdoor games following November 15th (cold weather outdoor games), Stafford’s stats are as followed: 2,338 yards (under 300 per game), 12 touchdowns (five in 2011’s season finale against Green Bay), 10 interceptions, a quarterback rating of 72.2 and a completion percentage of 49.5, according to NFL.com.
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Completing under 50% of your passes in outdoor games in January won’t help a team go anywhere in the playoffs. Stafford is not a cold-weather quarterback, which doesn’t bode well for the Lions. Detroit plays at Green Bay on Sunday, and if they lose that game they’ll erase any chance of having a home playoff game.
Any way you look at it, Matthew Stafford is the key to Detroit’s success in the postseason.
Stafford has faced critics his entire career, and while I’m a Matthew Stafford guy, it’s time for him to step up. I think he’s a good quarterback, but I think right now he’s in the same spot Joe Flacco was prior to the 2012 postseason. Flacco was and is a criticized quarterback, but he answered his critics by leading the Baltimore Ravens to a Super Bowl championship.
The brunt of Stafford’s criticism is due to his gun-slinging mentality and his desire to force the ball into places it should never be thrown. He can be erratic at times, and it’s definitely cost the Lions some games in the past.
Stafford has been better with ball security this year, as he’s thrown a career-low 12 interceptions (10-game minimum). However, people still say he commits too many turnovers, he makes bad decisions, he relies too much on Calvin Johnson, yeah, yeah, yeah. With all of the caveats that come with Stafford’s game, there is one major, major positive that can’t be taught: He is a winner.
Stafford has the “clutch” gene, which is something that some top-tier quarterbacks lack. He’s never won MVP, he’s never led the league in passing, but he’s had some signature wins. His first came during his rookie year when he orchestrated a final drive, separated his left shoulder and came in to throw the game-winning touchdown. He did it again last year when he led a late-game drive that was capped by a brilliant fake spike. To this date, Stafford has 15 fourth-quarter comebacks (per Pro Football Reference), behind names like Peyton and Eli Manning, Tom Brady, Drew Brees and Ben Roethlisberger.
However, if Stafford wants to be mentioned in the same breath as those quarterbacks, he needs to elevate his play. I think Stafford can do it, as he obviously has the physical tools. He just needs to be smarter with the football if the Lions want to make it past the first round of the playoffs.
Playoff wins are what’s important in the NFL, and Stafford currently has none. But this could very well be the year the former first-overall pick leads the Lions on a deep postseason run.