Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford is always going to be a divisive figure. Ever since Stafford entered the league, he's been a polarizing player. Some insist that he's one of the league's better quarterbacks, while others maintain that he is overrated and can't deliver in big moments.
Matthew Stafford has put up big counting stats, but hasn't ever led the Lions to any postseason success. When speaking to executives and coaches around the league, Mike Sando of The Athletic got a similarly split reaction.
“He can do everything you want, but you are always waiting for everyone around him to get better, and usually what happens with the top guys, they make those guys better, and you just do not see that happening with him,” one defensive coordinator told Sando. “I’m not saying it’s his fault. I do not know whose fault it is. But the good quarterbacks make the team better.”
That's a fair point. Matthew Stafford doesn't ever seem to elevate talent around him to the level necessary to make a playoff run. On the other hand, one general manager said the blame doesn't lie with Stafford, and that his team still views Stafford as a top passer.
“He hasn’t won as much as they had hoped, but I think they haven’t helped him a lot, either. Last year, they traded his best receiver. I just think he’s talented, I think he’s a competitor. He scares us.”
Stafford is entering a pivotal year, as the Lions head into the second season of the Matt Patricia era. Patricia's seat will start to get warm if he doesn't deliver, and there will be a lot of pressure on Stafford to succeed. It'll be interesting to see how he responds.
Follow Us
Subscribe