ALLEN PARK, Mich. � There have been times in his two NFL seasons when Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford has shown the promise one might expect from the first player chosen in the 2009 draft.
By Carlos Osorio, AP
Back from injury, quarterback Matthew Stafford is ready to lead the revamped Detroit Lions.
By Carlos Osorio, AP
Back from injury, quarterback Matthew Stafford is ready to lead the revamped Detroit Lions.
But injuries have forced Stafford to miss more than half (19) of his games. Lions fans are hopeful his often-injured shoulders can remain healthy enough to carry the expectations of a franchise finally getting another shot at respectability after going 0-16 three years ago.
Stafford was 11 when Detroit last made the playoffs in 1999, and he grasps what a postseason berth would mean to a city whose economy was hit hard by the recession and that is hungry for NFL relevancy.
-
PHOTOS: Lions training camp
"My goal, obviously, is to be healthy," said Stafford, whose first two seasons have included injuries to both shoulders, including surgery last fall on the right (throwing) one. "If I'm healthy and out there, I feel like I can execute at a high level. We have enough weapons at this point in our offense where we can attack all over the field and really be successful."
USA TODAY Sports on Twitter!
To get the latest sports news from USA TODAY, including game results, columns and features, follow us on Twitter at @USATODAYSports.
For the first time in a long time, the Lions appear to have momentum, courtesy of a season-ending four-game winning streak behind backup quarterbacks Shaun Hill and Drew Stanton. Their 6-10 finish seemed unlikely when Stafford went down against the New York Jets in November.
Third-year coach Jim Schwartz is feeling positive, based on early returns.
Stafford, fully healed, has looked crisp on his throws and established an especially good rapport with wide receiver Calvin Johnson, coming off his first Pro Bowl and second 1,100-plus-yard season, and tight end Brandon Pettigrew.
That carried over to the preseason opener against the Cincinnati Bengals on Aug. 12, when the University of Georgia product completed six of seven passes for 71 yards and two touchdowns in two possessions.
"Matt just has great command," Schwartz said. "(He) did a good job of getting the ball where he needed to go."
That 34-3 victory also showcased Detroit's improving defense, led by tackle Ndamukong Suh. He's coming off a rookie season highlighted by 10 sacks and defensive rookie of the year honors along with Pro Bowl and all-pro selections. That helped the Lions jump from the league's worst defense in 2009 to 21st last season.
They foresee brighter prospects when former Auburn tackle Nick Fairley, taken 13th overall in this year's draft, returns early in the regular season after foot surgery.
His injury, along with rookie running back Mikel Leshoure's season-ending Achilles tear, have helped temper Lions fans' optimism.
Standing in the Lions' path in the tough NFC North are the Super Bowl champion Green Bay Packers, the reigning division champ Chicago Bears and the Minnesota Vikings, who replaced retired quarterback Brett Favre with Donovan McNabb.
The Lions' fate might be determined by their ability to close out close games. They dropped seven games by eight points or fewer last season, including a controversial 19-14 season-opening loss at Chicago in which Johnson's apparent game-winning touchdown catch was nullified despite replays showing he had both feet down in the end zone. They lost close games to the Philadelphia Eagles, the Packers and the Jets, all playoff teams.
NFL Network analyst Solomon Wilcots says the jury is out on which way the team will go this season.
"The Lions won't be an instant W on the calendar for teams," Wilcots said after watching a recent practice. "I'd like to tell you (playoff contention) will be this year or next, but the honest answer is you just don't know."
Wilcots also says concerns about Stafford's health are offset by his mastery of the offense and growing knowledge of opposing defenses. Having offensive coordinator Scott Linehan around for all three years has helped, not to mention having teammates respond when he's in there.
That was clear during Stafford's return last week.
"It felt good," said Stafford, whose clean uniform wasn't that surprising considering his offensive line tied for the sixth-fewest sacks allowed (27) one season after he was dropped 24 times as a rookie. While pass protection is critical to his chances of playing a full season, other factors led to his injuries.
Sitting stokes fire
Stafford's first separation, suffered on a blindside hit by Bears defensive end Julius Peppers in the season opener, might have resulted from him standing too long in the pocket. He missed five games but was back by Week 9 trying to lead the Lions past the Jets when, after escaping a rush in the end zone, he was brought down on the same shoulder by linebacker Bryan Thomas.
Before going down, Stafford showed a second-season improvement from 13 touchdown passes and 20 interceptions to six TD throws and one pickoff. Watching the Lions' season-ending surge as a bystander helped to movitate him.
"He went through something that was very difficult for a young player," Schwartz said, "and he came out the other end better for it. He's a little more mentally tough and been through situations and dealt with that kind of adversity."
Perhaps, but having had the franchise quarterback around for less than one full season is why Stafford's physical condition is drawing more attention. Unlike last summer, when he said he didn't feel great after having arthroscopic knee surgery, he thinks he's stronger this time.
Stafford's main goal was letting the injury heal before undertaking an extensive rehabilitation program in which the 6-2, 232-pounder learned new ways to strengthen his back, chest and shoulders. At the risk of making Lions fans more skittish, he says he's at a point of being eager to see whether he's physically up to the challenge.
"It is frustrating, but it is part of the game of football," Stafford said of the injuries. "I've got great teammates and great coaches (who) kept pushing me along and helped me get through this, and they're over now. I can just go out there this year and play all 16 games and feel good."
That pursuit begins at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sept.11, when Stafford aims to show his progression as a quarterback. Missing more games than he has started doesn't obscure the fact that because he is a third-year player his development must start yielding tangible results.
Stafford's arm has been on full display in practices, including one pass he rifled past two defenders to Pettigrew during a seven-on-seven drill. That might be a benefit of the two player-organized workouts the Lions held during the lockout. There Stafford sought to re-establish chemistry with his receivers while rebooting his rhythm.
"When we had our veteran workouts during the lockout and people were asking me how he was looking," wide receiver Nate Burleson said, "I told them he looked like a veteran quarterback. He (was) zipping the ball around, making good decisions and going out there and playing like he did (vs. the Bengals). I think it was a confirmation of what we saw in the offseason. It's good everyone gets to see what we already know."
Stafford plans to use the remaining preseason games to hone his game-management skills. As good as Stafford's arm is, Schwartz wants him to understand it's OK to throw the ball away sometimes.
Certainly, the potential is there. After he missed five games last season with the first shoulder injury, his brief return included a four-touchdown effort against the Washington Redskins. As a rookie he threw for 422 yards and five TDs in a win against the Cleveland Browns, throwing the game-winner one play after being drilled.
Before the play that ended his 2010 season, Stafford showed field awareness in a goal-line situation when he rolled right in play action before running it in for a 1-yard score, the sixth sense he's working on to make sure he's not a stationary target for defenders.
"Every situation has a different goal," Stafford said, "and it's making sure you're in the right run play and checking out of one play to get into a better one. I feel like we've done a good job of executing those plays as a team.
"I just want to get this offense rolling, get guys in the right position to make plays, because we have playmakers all over the field. It's my job to get the ball in their hands."
Burden not small
Stafford isn't the only health concern for Lions fans. The injuries to Fairley and Leshoure raised concerns about Detroit's roster depth.
But while the whole roster will determine whether the franchise ends its postseason drought, the spotlight's squarely on Stafford.
"I don't think it's a whole different than what other quarterbacks drafted that high have to put up with," Lions radio play-by-play announcer Dan Miller said. "It's the most important position in all of sports, and everybody's dying to get an elite one. You see what happens when you have a (Peyton) Manning or a (Tom) Brady and how they can turn a game or the fortunes of a franchise around.
"Matthew understands that that's part of the job, especially when you're drafted that high, and he's never shied away from that."
Stafford says the pain felt watching from the sideline nearly matched the soreness he felt in his shoulder. He aims to put those memories to rest, along with a team's history of losing.
"I feel like I've seen a lot and been through a lot, but at the same time I'm younger than some of the rookies," the 23-year-old said. "I feel really healthy right now.
"I know I wasn't in there for a lot of snaps the past two years, but I've done a good job of staying in the game mentally, observing some of the other guys. And I think I've learned a lot."
Posted
NFL Players Association Mike Tomlin Super Bowl Green Bay Packers Packers
No comments:
Post a Comment