Detroit Lions: Can Matthew Stafford up his game?

By Clayton Martino | Jun 26, 2015

The term “elite” is thrown around way too frequently in today’s 24/7 news cycle. Too often it is used to stir up an unnecessary debate, usually during the off-season when people are bored and looking to create conversation that typically ends in controversy. Still, it cannot be denied that there are different tiers of quarterbacks in the NFL.

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It could be argued that last year’s final four showcased the best four quarterbacks in the league as of today: Tom Brady, Russell Wilson, Aaron Rodgers, and Andrew Luck. Currently, those four are in the upper echelon of the position, with Peyton Manning, Drew Brees, and Ben Roethlisberger not far behind. While all of these quarterbacks have put up prolific passing seasons and have won numerous awards, they all have one thing in common: they win.

Since 2004, six of those seven quarterbacks (sorry, Andrew Luck) have combined to win eight Super Bowls. On top of that, those same quarterbacks have also lost six Super Bowls in the same time frame. When it comes to winning, which at the end of the day is the most important thing, these guys do it better than everyone else in the league. For fans of teams who do not have one of these signal callers, the question remains – can our quarterback take the next step and join the upper-tier?

“You’re always trying to find new ways to get better. But there’s no question we’ve taken strides forward this spring.”

Giants and Ravens fans may feel comfortable with that question, with both Eli Manning and Joe Flacco having proven that they can win and play well when it matters. For Lions fans, however, there is still some doubt surrounding Matthew Stafford. Stafford has played well in his two playoff appearances (2011 and 2014), throwing for 703 yards and totaling five touchdowns (four passing, one rushing), but he is still looking for his first playoff victory.

With the conservative Jim Caldwell at the helm in 2014, Stafford’s yards and touchdowns dropped significantly, which no doubt frustrated thousands of fantasy football owners. Stafford’s completion percentage rose to 60.3 percent, however, his highest since 2011, and he threw only 12 interceptions, his lowest total since he became a starter, both of which show signs of a maturing quarterback.

Dec 21, 2014; Chicago, IL, USA; Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford (9) looks to pass against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field. The Lions defeated the Bears 20-14. Mandatory Credit: Andrew Weber-USA TODAY Sports

In an effort to protect the football and avoid throwing interceptions, Stafford was sacked 45 times, the most in his career, but he also kept the Lions in more games. This allowed him to lead Detroit to five 4th quarter comeback wins, by far the most in his career. Still, with the game on the line against the Dallas Cowboys in the Wild Card Playoffs, Stafford was unable to deliver when it mattered most.

In order to take the next step, Stafford needs to improve his decision-making and accuracy, something he has been working on during the Lions’ offseason program. Despite a shaky final day, Stafford felt like he made a lot of progress.

“I mean, it’s obviously always a work in progress,” the quarterback told Kyle Meinke of MLive.com, “You’re always trying to find new ways to get better. But there’s no question we’ve taken strides forward this spring.”

May 27, 2015; Detroit, MI, USA; Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford (9) during OTA at Detroit Lions Training Facility. Mandatory Credit: Andrew Weber-USA TODAY Sports

Caldwell and the Lions’ organization want Stafford to continue to improve his accuracy and they are giving him the tools to do so. Already loaded with Calvin Johnson (71 catches, 1,077 yards, 8 touchdowns) and Golden Tate (99 catches, 1,331 yards, 4 touchdowns), the Lions added slot specialist Lance Moore.

Moore struggled last season with the Pittsburgh Steelers and fell behind youngsters Martavis Bryant and Markus Wheaton on the depth chart, but he’s only two years removed from a 65 catch, 1,041 yard season with the New Orleans Saints. Moore will have to compete for playing time with Jeremy Ross, Corey Fuller, and Ryan Broyles, but the opportunity is there for the taking.

At the end of the day, however, it is up to Stafford to take the next step. Nobody can do it for him. He needs to continue to improve his decision making, fine tune his accuracy, and protect the football. He also needs to prove he can win in the playoffs. A Super Bowl win isn’t necessary nor is it likely, but Stafford needs to win at least a round, or the city that hasn’t seen a playoff victory since 1991 may run him out of town.

Next: Expectations for Eric Ebron in 2015

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