Rudock is now QB2 for the Lions
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
February 16th, 2017 at 9:50 AM ^
Is a fucking wizard. I'm so happy for Jake, what an opportunity.
February 16th, 2017 at 10:06 AM ^
...the next Brady, the guy I'm laughing at is Kirk Ferentz.
February 16th, 2017 at 12:33 PM ^
I'm laughing at Ferentz either way.
February 16th, 2017 at 1:00 PM ^
Oh snap!
February 16th, 2017 at 1:56 PM ^
His agent must be Beelzebub himself and that contract is sanctioned stealing. Still rooting for Rudock to be the next TB though.
February 16th, 2017 at 2:51 PM ^
Kirk has a very good contract, not Charlie Weis good, but good nonetheless.
February 16th, 2017 at 11:24 PM ^
while I'd love for Rudock to morph into Brady also, I remain fully aware of the organization he plays for and this limits my optimism some.
February 16th, 2017 at 4:58 PM ^
Why would you laugh at Kirk Ferentz. Iowa in 2015 went 12-2 and won the Big Ten West. He clearly isn't a QB guru like Harbaugh, so I don't think he would have gotten the mileage out of Rudock as we did.
February 16th, 2017 at 9:25 PM ^
And they are back to square one with their QB next year. No top 20 start to next season.
But I would never laugh at your Fire Hydrant! For what it's worth.
February 16th, 2017 at 9:53 AM ^
He should be QB1, Stafford is awful.
February 16th, 2017 at 9:55 AM ^
Matt Stafford is one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL. Mentally put him on another team -- not even a great one -- imagine if Houston had Stafford instead of Osweiler.
February 16th, 2017 at 9:57 AM ^
He hasn't won a playoff game and took a dookie at the end of the season.
He's got nice stats. But he hasn't won anything.
February 16th, 2017 at 10:00 AM ^
It's the Lions.
February 16th, 2017 at 10:01 AM ^
an passing rate of 87.8 in his three playoff appearances. Not like he has completely crapped the bed.....
February 16th, 2017 at 10:50 AM ^
That is an fact I can't argue with.
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.
February 16th, 2017 at 10:09 AM ^
Is winning ONE playoff game too much to ask for?
I'm not asking for a Super Bowl. Just some kind of competence. Blew the division title again this year.
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.
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.
February 16th, 2017 at 10:38 AM ^
Yeah, the guy who set the record for most 4th quarter comeback victories in a single season has a problem putting the team on his back. Sure.
February 16th, 2017 at 10:57 AM ^
Stat. You do realize that comebacks aren't a good thing in the spirit of athletics? It shows that he had trouble getting them out front and maintaining leads.
February 16th, 2017 at 11:40 AM ^
You do realize that he has practically nothing to do with how many points his team gives up. "Maintaining leads" is the job of the defense.
February 16th, 2017 at 11:50 AM ^
But he is largely credited with moving the offense.
It's impossible to tell, unless you do some wicked data mining, if these comebacks were the product of the defense giving up 30, or the defense giving up 14 without a lot of points.
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.
February 16th, 2017 at 11:27 PM ^
win in the past 60 years. Damnit Stafford!!!!!!!!!!
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.
February 16th, 2017 at 10:58 AM ^
But I expect more from the overall #1 pick.
There are times when you ask your star to pick up others and drive them past hights they've never seen. It happens all the time. And he just really hasn't shown the requisite ability to overachieve.
February 16th, 2017 at 11:20 AM ^
wasn't at UGA and won't be in the NFL.
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.
February 17th, 2017 at 8:08 AM ^
After 50 years of not winning a championship, you have to realize it's the ownership.
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.
February 16th, 2017 at 11:16 AM ^
Lions fan here. I don't want to get rid of Stafford. I still remember Jeff Komlo, Eric Hipple, Rodney Peete, Chuck Long, Andre Ware, Scott Mitchell, fucking Orlovsky, and on and on. Yeah, he's not Brady, but he doesn't suck, so that's a big step up from normal for the Lions.
February 16th, 2017 at 12:46 PM ^
Heck, i give Stafford a pass just because I see passes completed in stride and further downfield than 10 years consistently. It's a low standard, but have these people watched the last 40 years of the Lions?
It's pretty damn shame when your second favorite QB in memory is Erik Kramer.
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.
February 16th, 2017 at 12:46 PM ^
The only list worse comes by way of Cleveland.
February 16th, 2017 at 2:10 PM ^
since Marino...pretty bad too.
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.
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.
February 16th, 2017 at 10:17 AM ^
have never had a decent O-line and one good RB in the last 20 years
February 16th, 2017 at 1:06 PM ^
Barry Sanders started his career 28 years ago. Roll that around in your head for a minute. Does that make you as sad as I am right now?
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'.
February 16th, 2017 at 10:24 AM ^
There are 52 other players each season that contribute to the Lions having not won a playoff game since 1991.
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.
February 16th, 2017 at 5:17 PM ^
No one else was doing these things either, that's the issue.
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!
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...
February 16th, 2017 at 2:31 PM ^
a quarterback. An above average qb wins or loses games.
February 16th, 2017 at 3:43 PM ^
The Giants won the Super Bowl with Phil Simms, Jeff Hostetler, and Eli Manning twice. Would you take any of those guys over Stafford? Of course not.