Detroit Lions: 3 Bold predictions for Week 7 vs. Falcons
By Tayyib Abu
3. Stafford throws for over 350 yards
Matthew Stafford is still an elite quarterback. The former Georgia man is criminally underrated around the league, but he still has all the skills and intangibles to play at a very high level. Through five games, Stafford has been okay.
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He’s been nothing more than a game manager as the Lions have tried to establish the run and he had his top target, Kenny Golladay, missing for the early weeks of the season. The truncated offseason and lack of reps and pre-season games have hindered Stafford. He has looked tentative at times as he continues his comeback from another season-ending back injury.
Last week though, there were flashes that Stafford is slowly getting back to his usual form. A handful of lasers he threw on intermediate routes helped Detroit flip field position, and the deep ball made its appearance as he found Golladay deep a few times. He even showed he can still move as he scrambled on a 17-yard run to get a first down.
As the Detroit Lions take on a team that ranks in the top 10 per ESPN’s run stop win rate statistic, they will need the veteran signal-caller to announce that he is back with a bang. Stafford has all the talent to make any throw; there was two ridiculous sidearm passes against Jacksonville, and he has the best receiver and tight end group he has had in his Detroit career.
Facing a defense that ranks 31st in pass yardage allowed, this talented group should allow Stafford to have a day out in Georgia. If the big-armed quarterback starts well, he could get hot in a hurry and put up big numbers. The Detroit Lions will need him to and Stafford has never gone missing when his team needs him the most.