Rudock is now QB2 for the Lions

Submitted by Wolverine Devotee on

One Stafford injury away from starting...............and going the Tom Brady route when Bledsoe got injured.

That all went down in Brady's second season as a pro................2017 is Rudock's second.

 

"Lions let me know they're going in a different direction w/ Jake Rudock as back-up to Matthew." FA QB @danorlovsky7 on @SiriusXMNFL.

— Ross Tucker (@RossTuckerNFL) February 16, 2017

Magnus

February 16th, 2017 at 10:01 AM ^

Yeah, with a dislocated finger on his throwing hand, he didn't play very well.

It reminds me of the time when Chad Henne was a pretty good QB and then played like a noodle-armed QB against Ohio State as a senior. Surely, it had nothing to do with his separated shoulder...

Anyway, the Lions haven't "won anything," like, ever. It's an organizational problem. WTF is anyone supposed to do with that team when DeAndre Levy won't play and when Zach Zenner is your starting running back and when you waste 1st round draft picks on mediocre offensive guards and Eric Ebron? Stafford isn't the problem.

Magnus

February 16th, 2017 at 10:13 AM ^

Yes.

It's the Lions. 

They haven't won a playoff game since 1991. That was before you were born. The previous two sentences should tell you that there's more to it than Stafford.

This goes back to the old theory that QBs get too much credit when they win, and they get too much criticism when they lose.

uncle leo

February 16th, 2017 at 10:27 AM ^

But please stop clearing him of all wrongdoing. Lions had a historically good run defense in 2013, and he completely imploded in the last 4 games (Philadelphia, Baltimore, NY, Minnesota) to put that team into the playoffs. 

And I know everyone just remembers the PI call in 2014 against Dallas in the playoffs. What everyone fails to remember is that Stafford did NOTHING in the entire 2nd half of that game. Lions didn't even crack 150 yards when it mattered. 

You know, it's OKAY to ask your star QB to put the team on his back on occasion. He's great at doing that in games that don't bear out great significance. 

He's not THE problem. But damnit, I've never seen free passes handed out more in my life for a Detroit athlete. The whole weapons, he's young, all that excuse stuff has to stop. 

Go win something. Tired of the talk. Win something.

ahw1982

February 16th, 2017 at 7:11 PM ^

Only point I'm making is that ability to put the team on his back is not a concern with Stafford.  He's competent in unfavorable scenarios, and the team appears to be behind him.

If you're talking about "carrying the team" like a Lebron James type superstar carrying a team of otherwise mediocre players, then I would agree, with the caveat that football has too many positions to fill for 1 out of 22 (+ST) to carry the entire team, even the QB.  Even Tom Brady has help.

A reasonable argument could be made that Stafford is a top 10 QB.  I don't think it's reasonable to argue that he's below average (bottom 16).  IMO, QB possibly ranks dead last in terms of positions the Lions need to address in the Draft/FA.

Magnus

February 16th, 2017 at 10:41 AM ^

I'm not "clearing him of all wrongdoing." He clearly has flaws. That doesn't mean he's terrible, and it doesn't mean he's singularly responsible for the fate of the team.

As an organization, the Lions are a laughingstock. People feel sorry for you if you say you're a Lions fan. The only other team who gets so much pity is the Browns. When I talk about the Lions, people always try to make me feel better, even if I'm not being negative.

I see you didn't mention the 2011 playoff game vs. the Saints when he completed 65% of his passes for 380 yards and had an 88.3 QBR and a PER of 97.0. He had a pretty good day. But it didn't matter, because the defense gave up 466 passing yards to Drew Brees, 167 rushing yards,  and produced 0 turnovers. Oh, and the leading rusher for the Lions was Kevin Smith with 6 carries for 21 yards.

It's a team game.

Clarence Boddicker

February 16th, 2017 at 3:39 PM ^

"As an organization, the Lions are a laughingstock. People feel sorry for you if you say you're a Lions fan. The only other team who gets so much pity is the Browns. When I talk about the Lions, people always try to make me feel better, even if I'm not being negative."

Giant fan here--I can confirm this as truth. The Lions fan has my utmost sympathy, and I wouldn't say this of any other fan group in the NFL. I will say that the idea that Stafford is holding your team back is laughable. I mean, does Sanders suck because he never won anything? No. The Lions didn't win with him because they stuck the best running back in NFL history in an offense completely unsuited to making his strengths team strengths. The Lions are cursed, man.

Whole Milk

February 16th, 2017 at 10:54 AM ^

As a Bears fan, I don't have the emotional involvement in this scenario as so many of you, but one thing is clear: you do not get rid of better than competent quarterbacks. There just aren't enough quarterbacks out there where you can afford to run one out of town. All I hear from Lions fans is how they want to get rid of Stafford, well, if you got your way, I'm sure there would be 13+ teams knocking on his door for him to become their franchise quarterback. Your situation at QB is better than most. 

youn2948

February 16th, 2017 at 5:16 PM ^

That dude couldn't hit a barn from 10 feet away with greater than 75% accuracy.

He had the 2 best receivers in franchise history prior to CJ but couldn't manage to throw the ball near them generally.

Imagine had Moore and Morton actually had a competant QB throwing that direction.

Or maybe it was Barry trying to evade 9 man fronts that got them open, either way growing up with that tire fire of a broken slingshot, Stafford is not the issue.  It's more of a "who else", issue and generally bad management.

MadMatt

February 16th, 2017 at 11:14 AM ^

I have. Philip Rivers.  During his career people have talked about him like he's on par with Brady, P. Manning, Breese, or Rogers, and clearly superior to Roethlisberger, E. Manning, Flacco or Wilson.  Yet, the Chargers disappear anytime they are in a meaningful game late in the season.

lilpenny1316

February 16th, 2017 at 11:39 AM ^

What about Brandon Inge?  That guy lasted in Detroit about 2-3 years too long.

Also, the OL imploaded in the second half of the Dallas playoff game.  Stafford's arm was the only thing moving the chains because the running game sucked.

If Stafford doesn't put the team on his back in "insignificant" games this year, the Lions don't make the playoffs.  In a 16-game season, every game is significant.

BuckNekked

February 16th, 2017 at 7:58 PM ^

They had the makings of a great OLine in the early 90s anchored by Lomas Brown. But Mike Utley was paralyzed in a game and during the offseason Eric Andolsek was hit and killed by a garbage truck in his front yard. Only the Lions.

Think about this one: Ive been watching the Lions for 40+ years and I look to the Wayne Fontes years as the 'glory years'.

Sam1863

February 16th, 2017 at 11:56 AM ^

Exactly. The last time I checked, Stafford wasn't catching the passes, throwing the blocks, carrying the ball, tackling ball carriers, covering receivers, kicking field goals, or coaching the team. He's one player on the team - yes, the player at the most important position, but still only one. Putting the entire responsibility of the Lions' futility on his shoulders is ridiculous.

And while Stafford isn't the second coming of Brady or Manning, I think it's fair to say this: If those other 52 players did their jobs as well as Stafford did his, that playoff futility streak would be over.

Honk if Ufer M…

February 16th, 2017 at 8:30 PM ^

You just listed all his shortcomings and used them as excuses for why nothing is his fault!

I mean if he was any good he would be playing all those positions and coaching if that's what it takes to win! Has he ever even tried to drive the bus or do the team laundry? That's just effort! Come on man!

ahw1982

February 16th, 2017 at 10:36 AM ^

If playoff success was a legitimate measure of individual competence in the NFL, you must think Barry Sanders sucks too, huh?  Pretty sure the Lions missed the playoffs about half the time he played, and went 1-5 the times they did make the playoffs.  Ndamakong Suh has never won in the playoffs either--guess he's terrible too.  Adrian Peterson has won maybe one playoff game, guess he sucks too (but sucks slightly less than Stafford).

But I'm sure this new fangled "has he won a playoff game?" statistic for individual merit will be WIDELY adopted by sabremetric fans across the country as the new gold standard for evaluating individual players...