Detroit Lions: If…And…But for 2015

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

If

Quarterback Mathew Stafford continues to get more comfortable with Joe Lombardi’s system. This past season saw the team bring on a new head coach in Jim Caldwell as well as a new offensive coordinator in Lombardi, who spent the seven previous seasons with the New Orleans Saints under Super Bowl champion Sean Payton.

It’s been a very interesting three years since the first overall pick in the 2009 draft put up those impressive numbers in his third NFL season. Back in 2011, Stafford threw for 5,038 yards, 41 scores and just 16 interceptions. In 48 regular-season games since ’12, he’s thrown 71 touchdown passes but been picked off 48 times.

To be fair, injuries played a big part in last season’s numbers in which he completed 60.5 percent of his throws, throwing just 22 touchdown passes and a dozen interceptions. The tight end corps of Brandon Pettigrew, Eric Ebron and Joseph Fauria had problems staying on the field while wide receiver Calvin Johnson had his own health issues. Wide receiver Golden Tate totaled 99 catches for 1,331 yards and four scores in his first season with the team.

But what really stood out about Stafford was his ability to pull out games in the fourth quarter, something he did numerous times in 2014. That bodes well for a Lions’ team that played its share of tight contests this past season.

Next: Grinding It Out a Bit More