SOL: Lions promote voting for Stafford for the Pro Bowl
My oh my...the Lions are SO disconnected from reality.
Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford hasn’t put up big numbers this season. Through 13 games, Stafford is on pace to post his lowest yardage total, touchdown output, quarterback rating and QBR in years.
Despite that, the Lions sent out a tweet advocating for Stafford to make the Pro Bowl. It didn’t go over well.
Not sure how to embed the tweets, but here ya go with a link:
https://twitter.com/Lions/status/1072893357276438528
My favorite reply:
December 13th, 2018 at 3:28 PM ^
I'm sorry to differ with you, Mrs. Ford, but Stafford is butt.
Stafford's always been butt.
December 13th, 2018 at 3:40 PM ^
I don't agree with that. He's not an elite QB (like Brady, Rivers, Brees, Rodgers, etc.), but he's been in the top half of the league, IMO. He wouldn't have been a starting QB in this league so long if he was "butt," which I would reserve for the bottom chunk of the league (a.k.a. anyone generally starting for the Bills, Jets, 49ers, Titans, Browns, Cardinals, etc. over the last several years).
December 13th, 2018 at 3:42 PM ^
Rivers is not elite
December 13th, 2018 at 3:44 PM ^
Disagreed.
December 14th, 2018 at 5:02 AM ^
Rivers is the 8th best QB, and 19th best NFL player of all time according to cumulative career approximate value at Pro Football Reference.
QBs ahead of him: Manning, Brady, Favre, Brees, Tarkenton, Marino, Elway.
https://www.pro-football-reference.com/leaders/av_career.htm
December 14th, 2018 at 11:56 AM ^
I've worked with quarterback numbers extensively, and what Rivers has done over his career is remarkable. The center of my work attempts to handle era differences (we are certainly in a passing offense era that shows no signs of retreating), so the numbers are adding up and I wouldn't say 8th all time. But not all that far from 8th.
The question is whether accumulated "great but not elite" and no playoff success can get you to the Hall of Fame (it does in baseball, because the numbers in baseball are infinitely easier to recognize and there's less focus on team).
The best comparison I can make to Rivers is Kenny Anderson in Cincinnati. Anderson not being in the Hall seems a huge oversight. I don't think Rivers will make it, either, because he's coming in with a group of superstars - Brady, Manning and Brees, with Rodgers and Roethlisberger not that far behind.
The opposite of Rivers is Eli Manning. Two rather inspiring Super Bowl runs and MVPs, but the numbers aren't there. He just wins games. I think the really poor seasons at the tail end of his career will cost him a place in Canton. If he had just accumulated average the last few years, he'd be considered.
December 13th, 2018 at 3:46 PM ^
I get why people say that, but he's on the lower end of that group, IMO. He's another guy who hasn't had a ton of help at the wide receiver position over the years. He had Antonio Gates (when he was good), and he has Keenan Allen. If he were Aaron Rodgers or Tom Brady, he would make those pedestrian receivers look good, so that's why he's not one of the top few in my mind. But he's in that second tier of top QBs, I think.
December 13th, 2018 at 5:07 PM ^
Calvin Johnson says WUT???
December 13th, 2018 at 3:32 PM ^
Well he has been a MVP quality quarterback for opposing teams.
December 13th, 2018 at 3:36 PM ^
The Fords are the worst owners in professional sports. They all need to go away. Stafford has quit on this organization and needs to be traded. Unfortunately, with that contract, he isn't going any where
December 13th, 2018 at 3:42 PM ^
Stafford has NOTHING to work with right now. Golden Tate is gone, and Marvin Jones is injured. He's got an up-and-comer in Golladay, but nobody else even halfway decent to catch the ball. Meanwhile, Kerryon Johnson looks like a decent back, but he's been hurt the second half of the year when they needed someone to step up in the absence of the aforementioned receivers.
December 13th, 2018 at 3:58 PM ^
There are always excuses made for Stafford.
No O-Line.
No Receivers.
No Defense.
He had Golladay, Jones, and Tate to begin the year and was Butt.
He now looks like a guy who has quit on his team. Never was really much of a leader, and is even less so now.
December 13th, 2018 at 5:10 PM ^
Exactly, every now and then good qbs, not elite ones, will carry a team on their back and win, not ms. His record against teams with a .500 record is something like 11-90, WTF! He gets paid like a top 3 qb in his career, but lions/stafford fans have all the excuses as to why he is good, but everyone around him is bad.
December 13th, 2018 at 4:06 PM ^
He literally had everything he needed to start the year. oline, running game, and 3 good wide receivers, and what does he do? Throws 5 interceptions against the Jets and basically lost the game against the 49ers... 2 of the worst teams in the league. I cant even blame Quinn for trading Tate, in fact i thought he made a solid trade.
Stafford has the pocket awareness of a college freshman QB and when the pocket collapses he stands in there like a statue. I used to be a huge supporter of Stafford, but this year completely changed the tide. We are not winning a playoff game with this guy. I wouldn't even mind wasting a pick this year on a qb in the 3rd round like Will Grier if he's available.
December 13th, 2018 at 4:17 PM ^
Stafford is fried. He's been Lionized. It's over. He needs to be released or traded. He's a good quarterback who did a pretty good job here and desperately needs a fresh start. Same with the Detroit fans - they need a new scapegoat.
December 13th, 2018 at 4:24 PM ^
He also had Eric Ebron, who since arriving in Indy has looked like one of the best GD Tight Ends in the NFL thanks to Andrew Luck.
Pro Bowl? SOL...OLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL
December 13th, 2018 at 5:19 PM ^
Ebron also dropped roughly half the passes thrown his way as a Lion. I’m exaggerating but he did himself absolutely no favors here.
December 13th, 2018 at 5:39 PM ^
Yep. Ebron Lionized himself.
December 13th, 2018 at 8:30 PM ^
Lionized is happening. If it isn't trending it should. Except that it's so goddamn depressing and tired. Even memes related to the Lions have been lionized.
December 13th, 2018 at 4:22 PM ^
I forget Stafford and the Lions were undefeated up till that point.
December 13th, 2018 at 5:20 PM ^
Then maybe he should take a paycut.
December 13th, 2018 at 6:59 PM ^
Yeah, but Stafford's skills have declined noticeably. I don't know what the issue is, but he has looked terrible since week one.
December 13th, 2018 at 8:02 PM ^
He’s got cement cleats.
thats also welded on the turf with crazy glue.
December 13th, 2018 at 3:36 PM ^
#FireTheLions
December 14th, 2018 at 12:38 AM ^
Move on from Stafford.
December 13th, 2018 at 3:37 PM ^
When OSU posted to silence the white noise, at least some of their fans were dumb enough to defend what a horrible idea it was. Not a single lions fan is willing to die on that hill. Brutal.
December 13th, 2018 at 3:46 PM ^
Let's actually vote our conscience and not follow the party line. If you really think Stafford deserves to be in the pro-bowl, vote away. I'm tired of all the politics in this world!
December 13th, 2018 at 6:49 PM ^
Hey, no politics!
December 13th, 2018 at 3:48 PM ^
Have they not seen the Lions play offense this year? Even Harbaugh's like "hey guys its 2018."
December 13th, 2018 at 4:08 PM ^
this is JBC's playbook.
Run up the middle, running back screen, WR bubble screen.
December 13th, 2018 at 5:14 PM ^
stafford wants jbc around!!!
December 14th, 2018 at 12:42 AM ^
When fans blamed Linehan, Stafford let him fry in the media. CYA in my opinion. Then later he said he liked him. No balls.
Lombardi was another.
Need another WR other CJ. Got one. Nothing changed.
These excuses are so tiring.
December 14th, 2018 at 12:40 AM ^
Blame ANOTHER Offensive Coordinator!
So tired of excuses for Stafford.
December 13th, 2018 at 3:50 PM ^
Right now, 27th in average yards per pass attempt and the same number of picks as Goff and Mahomes, who have done other things. I'm not feeling it, and at some point it's not just the supporting cast.
He's not a bad quarterback and there's no reason to dump him, but I feel like we're always looking at his potential and not what he's done with it.
Surely there's a better all-pro candidate from this 5-8 squad that's still fighting for a playoff spot.
December 13th, 2018 at 4:37 PM ^
I think there is every reason to dump him. What have we accomplished with him at the helm? This season is a pretty typical Stafford and Lions season. Lose a bunch to begin the year then start winning meaningless games when you're out of contention. Not good enough to go anywhere and not bad enough to acquire high draft picks.
Basically the defense for Stafford is that there are worse QB's out there. Which is true. They're also predominately on bad teams. A lot of them also happen to be young with potential. Stafford is who he is at this point and that isn't getting the Lions anywhere.
Quinn has been trying to build this team around a running game since he got here. Time to hope Kerryon can get/stay healthy and lets go in a different direction.
December 13th, 2018 at 3:58 PM ^
Lions gonna Lion.
December 13th, 2018 at 4:18 PM ^
They did this for all the Lions players on the ballot. Let's not give them hell for something probably every other NFL team is doing.
December 13th, 2018 at 4:19 PM ^
Dude. It's the NFL Pro Bowl fan vote. Don't blow this off like it's insignificant.
December 13th, 2018 at 4:23 PM ^
Stafford blows donkey nuts.......draft a QB please
December 14th, 2018 at 12:45 AM ^
Hate to say it, but even Haskins.
December 13th, 2018 at 4:26 PM ^
You serious, Clark?
December 13th, 2018 at 5:08 PM ^
He is a good QB. Is he great? No. But you can win with him if you build a team around him.
He carries this team to 9-7 seasons in ‘16 and ‘17 with terrible defenses and subpar OL and running game.
People ignore that when bitching about him.
December 13th, 2018 at 5:21 PM ^
They ignore it because his contract is always too goddamn big. He's paid elite money, yet he has never been elite.
December 13th, 2018 at 11:58 PM ^
Tom 'GOAT' Brady takes less money so that NE can build a team around him, cause he wants his team to win.
matt stafford takes max money so that lie-downs can't build a team around him, cause he wants his wallet to win.
December 14th, 2018 at 11:43 AM ^
That kind of statement may have been true before the last CBA, when rookie contract money was making it very difficult for teams to stay under the cap. But now there are teams that don't even pay bonus money because contracts haven't caught up to fill all that cap room.
That's not to say Brady isn't exceptional in this arena, though his $22 million cap cost isn't that far below Stafford's $26.5 million this year. Stafford's getting what franchise quarterbacks get these days. Can't blame him for that any more than we can blame Sam Bradford for the career he has put together compared to the money he has received.
The Lions' issues are more that they have an older team (like the Patriots), but haven't invested as wisely in older players. The Lions aren't in cap hell - hardly anyone gets there these days. Having Ansah, Lang and Marvin Jones out for extended periods is bad luck, though. Trading Tate may have been a bad look, but I think it was a wise decision given his age and contract status. Someone will overpay for him next year.
December 13th, 2018 at 5:24 PM ^
This year, he’s been bad. The rest of his career? He’s be mostly fine. Top 12-15 Qb. He’s the best Lions Qb since Bobby Layne. Not that hard to do but we’ve seen much much worse as Lions fans. He’s overpaid but so are a lot of QBs. I would be fine with drafting someone to push him but he’s on this team for at least two more years until his contract can be moved.
December 13th, 2018 at 6:30 PM ^
Trying to justify his over-inflated salary.
December 13th, 2018 at 6:40 PM ^
Hey, why not have him play in the pro bowl? All the good , deserving qbs will be busy in the playoffs .
December 13th, 2018 at 7:24 PM ^
the franchise that keeps on giving. the lions are in large part responsible for my preference of college sports to pro