Question about Stafford

[broncosmitty]

This year, Stafford is still going through pains with his offensive unit....again....yet he's found a way to play at a high level. You can call getting the ball to Bush a check-down if you want, but that's an extension of the run game and I'll take it. I bet the defenses don't want to see that happen. He has absolutely given his players a chance to make plays and they've failed on numerous accounts, even CJ. I'd even go as far as to say Staff should have at least 17 td's instead of 12 and his completion percentage should be a bit higher. Nate was probably on pace to catch at least 90 balls and it looks like Fuaria will end up with at least 10. How is Stafford not being affective, especially when teams are taking away his best asset every game?. I think of Bush as our #2 receiver. Better than most teams option. So I don't look at his targets as check downs really. Pretty sure I've never commented on Bush getting check down looks. Most of his receptions seem planned, to me.

 

[broncosmitty]

And CJs three dropped TDs do bother me a lot. Enough that I made mention of them on the game thread. I expect more out of first round picks than I do UDFAs, camp cuts, and guys the Bucs don't want anymore. CJ hasn't helped Staff near as much this year as he should. He dropped far too many last year also. It was very disappointing to me yesterday that he couldn't hold on to several very catchable balls.

 

[gvsulaker82]

This is the thing. Being critical of the fifth year, former number 1, insanely high paid QB, means you're ripping on him around here. When it's usually not, it's just being rational and realistic. I agree on your points of decisions being made pre-snap btw. It's one of the refinements that I want to see the most.

Qb development wise its his third year, yeah it sucks that he missed his first two yrs but you cant really hold that against him.

 

[lionstop1]

Unfortunately, Qbs are judged by how many rings they have but that's a little unfair for Staff at this point. We haven't even seen his full potential yet due to the lack of help he's been given. Its easy to criticize a guy who's gone through what he has so far.

 

[jdwills126]

He is a franchise QB. The Lions have a great WR in CJ and a great option out of the backfield in Bush. But outside some decent complementary pieces the offense does not offer Stafford a lot of alternatives. But yet Stafford still is able to throw for 5,000 yards. And be on the plus side of TDs to INTs. No way around it he has skills and is a top 10 NFL QB.

I look around the league and I have to say I am happy with the Lions QB. Wheeden, Pryor, Smith, Manuel, RG3, Dalton, Schaub, Locker, Palmer, Bradford, Glennon to mention a few that I would take Stafford over. So many teams that have huge questions about their QB. Yet Detroit has a QB that can put up video game like numbers and the biggest bitch is about his throwing mechanics?

Put a legit deep threat on the field with CJ like Hilton, Givens, or Moore and the Lions offense has a dimension that makes it damn near impossible to scheme against. And I the guys I mentioned are not superstars they are guys the Lions should be looking for.

As Stafford keeps maturing I think he will be recognized as a top 5 QB.

 

[broncosmitty]

Qb development wise its his third year, yeah it sucks that he missed his first two yrs but you cant really hold that against him.

Really? You can't? I read a whole lot of bullshit on this board about how awful of a pick Ryan Broyles was. How he can't get open, how he won't ever help this franchise. I don't write those posts, I don't comment on those posts, but I read plenty of them. He's missed a few games and was a second round pick. Haley Joe missed thirteen in one season (after missing 6 or 7 the year before, while making more than the defensive secondary as a whole) and he gets a pass? I can't even be objective about Stafford without people getting worked up. It's kinda strange.

 

[broncosmitty]

Unfortunately, Qbs are judged by how many rings they have but that's a little unfair for Staff at this point. We haven't even seen his full potential yet due to the lack of help he's been given. Its easy to criticize a guy who's gone through what he has so far.

It's not unfair at all. Call him a young quarterback with incredible amounts of potential. Call him one of the best arms in the game. Call him the most experienced QB 25years old or younger in te NFL. Call him a Pimp. (God I hate that stupid nickname GnP slapped on him 5 years ago. Dudes engaged to his girlfriend from high school. Thats not pimp. But Im happy for him)I won't disagree. He could be great. But don't put the cart before the horse. He's not the best QB in franchise history. He's not elite in the game today. And he hasn't proven anything as far as big scheme of things goes. He's young, with talent and potential coming out of his ears. But he hasn't even got close to getting where he was intended to go when he was drafted. And that's fine. He can get there. But there is a lot to do in order to accomplish that,and he's going to need help from the people around him. (I think it's easier to have hyped up homeristic opinions on him myself. It's not really that easy to criticize him. I've put a lot if effort in with my thumbs already today.).

 

[broncosmitty]

As Stafford keeps maturing I think he will be recognized as a top 5 QB.

. I wouldn't argue that one bit. You don't harvest corn in June.....

 

[jdwills126]

Really? You can't? I read a whole lot of bullshit on this board about how awful of a pick Ryan Broyles was. How he can't get open, how he won't ever help this franchise. I don't write those posts, I don't comment on those posts, but I read plenty of them. He's missed a few games and was a second round pick. Haley Joe missed thirteen in one season (after missing 6 or 7 the year before, while making more than the defensive secondary as a whole) and he gets a pass? I can't even be objective about Stafford without people getting worked up. It's kinda strange.

I believe the Broyles pick was bad and I will stand by that. He was taken to high for a guy with a knee injury and has not produced according to the slot he was taken. But that is my opinion but I will stick with it. And for the record I thought Pettigrew was a solid pick.....can't say I was right about that one though. Just in the mood for disclosure.

 

[Quackerjacked]

You sound stupid right now Smitty. He's playing great football. Even his inaccurate throws are usually putting the ball in a place that the defenders have no chance to get it. He has one maybe two interceptions that were his fault. His team had the highest drop rate in the league. As a leader, what sparked the turnaround? Stafford scramble abs then lighting a fire under their asses. Him implementing gassers for personal fouls. You have a great quarterback that has shown an ability to improve, so quit bitching.

 

[lionstop1]

I wouldn't consider the offense dumbed down either. I see some new things that fit what our players can do. I see a offense that's called according to what the D is doing. Tell me exactly how you would defend the Lions? You would play deep safeties and force them to take things underneath.

 

[Microwahevo]

Stafford scramble abs

Is that a new breakfast item or a workout routine?

 

[Microwahevo]

Tell me exactly how you would defend the Lions? You would play deep safeties
and force them to take things underneath.

Exactly. And that's what defenses are giving us. A few times yesterday I saw single coverage on CJ(presnap) and got really excited. Then as the ball was about to be hiked, I saw a safety slowly roll over in his direction giving Haden or whatever CB was on him at the time. Defenses are being more clever about how they are rolling coverage over to CJ. Can't say I blame them.

But you're spot on Yao. We are taking what the defenses are giving us. And for the most part we are having success.

 

[Microwahevo]

He's playing great football. Even his inaccurate throws are usually putting
the ball in a place that the defenders have no chance to get it. He has one
maybe two interceptions that were his fault. His team had the highest drop rate
in the league

There were 5 drops in the fist half yesterday. One, by CJ in the endzone, ended up not hurting too much as Fauria ended up with the TD grab the next play. But the other 4 hurt as they would've set up another first down and not stopped offense.

In the 2nd half, we all saw that get cleaned up and voila, Stafford and the O suddenly looks magical again. Without those drops, our offense probably looks much better and things roll more.

I am not calling Stafford elite. He has a ways to go to earn that. Flacco isn't either, regardless of the monster contract he was given, and I wouldn't take his ass over Stafford in a million years. However, Stafford is growing as a player. There have been some growing pains along the way, and there will continue to be. But I love the direction he is headed and the direction our team is heading.

 

[broncosmitty]

You sound stupid right now Smitty. He's playing great football. Even his inaccurate throws are usually putting the ball in a place that the defenders have no chance to get it. He has one maybe two interceptions that were his fault. His team had the highest drop rate in the league. As a leader, what sparked the turnaround? Stafford scramble abs then lighting a fire under their asses. Him implementing gassers for personal fouls. You have a great quarterback that has shown an ability to improve, so quit bitching.

K

 

[broncosmitty]

I wouldn't consider the offense dumbed down either. I see some new things that fit what our players can do. I see a offense that's called according to what the D is doing. Tell me exactly how you would defend the Lions? You would play deep safeties and force them to take things underneath.

I'd blitz the ever loving piss out of em while doubling CJ. (Id be in Nickel as a base defense with a corner eyeing Reggie) If Linehan beats me by running draws all day, so be it. If BP gets wide open Ill just have to hope a DE can run him down. You guys love assuming how everybody should think. And it bothers me. But hey, have fun. I'm done with this thread. Ill let you guys enjoy Staff and all his glorious accomplishments.

 

[Dr. Evil-er]

I'm waiting for certain people to answer these questions

Well, I for one made a very specific post saying that I don't believe that he reads through the progressions very well and I stand by that. I didn't say I think he's a bad QB, nor have I read when Smitty said that. I watch the same games as everybody else to form my opinion.

I don't really care if he throws to the first option, I care if he throws to the best option and the open receiver for a completion. The comparison I made was actually to Peyton Manning, who I watched go through the reads on all three receivers before he dumped it off. Perhaps that's unfair, probably is, but I still think he needs to get better at seeing other options before checking down.

I am also going to agree that many of Stafford's yards were easy picking yards last year. The argument of having lost so many close games is extremely weak. We beat the Bears by 8 pts but that game wasn't anywhere near as close as that score indicated. And Cutler padded what were otherwise weak stats that game.

All that being said I'm thrilled to have Stafford as our QB and wouldn't trade him for any other QB in this league, including Manning. The Peyton Manning who we see now wasn't the same one we saw in his 5th year where Stafford is now. I think he is getting better as a QB and that's what I hope keeps happening. I just happen to think that reading the field and his progressions better is one of the ways he can do that.

 

[lionstop1]

Not sure if I can get behind the progression thing. I would assume that if Stafford wasn't any good at this, he would really struggle. Today's defenses will not allow a "first read" and pass every down in this league. You MUST go through progressions to be effective.

 

[Cleaves2000]

Holy crap.....7 pages????

Who doesnt think matty is a pimp?

Imagine his stats if his WR's didnt suck so bad....even megatron has looked shitty at times this year.

 

[Quackerjacked]

Apparently my tongue in cheek hostility was lost a bit. Sorry for being so dickish. Even though you do seem a bit ranty about Stafford Smitty. I think he's playing great. You obviously think he's playing, actually I don't know. Do you think he's average? By your rants, I mean posts, I would assume you think he's a below average quarterback. Could be that you are just wanting him to be the best QB in the league.