| 24 December 2009
The Lions have officially become Drew Stanton's team for the remainder of the season. But the reason why isn't good news.
Matthew Stafford has been placed on IR.
Per Jim Schwartz, via Lions' PR:
“After a physical examination which has ruled him out for Chicago’s game, we’ve decided to put Matthew Stafford on the injured reserve,” said Schwartz. “He’ll be operated on Tuesday (December 29) for a minor knee operation that we knew we were going to have to do at the end of the season. It’s just a little clean up, but we’re going to get a week jump on that since we’re going to declare him out for Chicago. That’ll be Tuesday in Birmingham. We anticipate a minor surgery just to clean out some irritants and debris. Since he’s had it, he’s had on and off swelling. It’s been stuff he’s been able to play through, but it’s also something we knew we needed to address after the season. His shoulder is on course, there’s no procedure for the shoulder. That’s where we are with him.”
Damn. At the very least we can be happy it's nothing too serious.
Unfortunately, any time Stafford misses delays his development that much more. The Lions are walking a fine line, between Stafford learning on the job, while trying to keep him healthy while playing on a bad team. So I can't blame the Lions for shutting down their quarterback for the year.
In a season where Stafford progressed from taking his first baby steps as an NFL signal caller:
To being a rambunctious, wild, sometimes out of control youngster:
To being the unquestioned team leader:
Even after taking massive amounts of punishment:
And still able to lead the Lions to one of their most stirring victories in years despite a painful shoulder separation:
Stafford proved he has the talent, the arm and more importantly, the intangibles, to be the Lions best quarterback since the legendary Bobby Layne.
Stafford is not where he needs to be yet, and doesn't have the players around him which will truly allow his talent to blossom. We did see enough flashes of his immense talent to think the Lions are set at quarterback for the next decade.
With his season over, it seems like a good time to re-post what I wrote about Stafford in the final Lions Congregation of 2009.
Round 1/1: Matthew Stafford (QB): The Lions have nailed a 1st round QB selection for the first time in decades. Stafford is an elite talent with the biggest arm I've ever seen on a Detroit Lions QB. He still needs to learn the finer parts of NFL quarterbacking, but has almost limitless potential. Stafford has the talent to be one of the NFL elite. Amazingly, the Lions have already become the rookie's team, their unquestioned leader. I just hope the Lions have the coaching staff, and enough talent ultimately surrounding Stafford, to bring out his best. I'd hate to see Stafford go down as another Archie Manning, a great QB who never lived up to his potential thanks to playing on a series of a God awful teams.
Career Projection: The Lions' starter for the next decade and more, makes multiple pro bowls. It took 52 years,and drafting a kid who went to the same high school, but the Lions finally replaced Bobby Layne.
Stafford is both the struggling present, and hopefully the bright future, of the Detroit Lions franchise.
Yes, I'm actually hopeful for the future, mostly due to Detroit finally having a quarterback who has a legitimate shot at being something special...which we haven't been able to say about any Lions signal caller for decades.
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