By Logan Miller, staff reporter.
Matthew Stafford has vastly improved in the 2016-17 NFL season. The maturity of his game has jumped with the retirement of legendary receiver Calvin Johnson. At 28, he’s in his physical and mental prime.
Last years NFL MVP, Cam Newton, set the tone for future quarterbacks, such as college prospects Lamar Jackson and Deshaun Watson. Coming into the 2016 season, Stafford has notably changed his body type. He’s slimmer and more mobile, weighing in at 226 pounds this season. He’s able to wiggle around in the pocket and evade defensive backs. He’s not as willing to simply fall on the ground and take a sack.
A statistically great fourth quarter player, Lions frequently win or lose games based solely on Stafford’s ability to carry them. Since the 2011 season, there isn’t any quarterback responsible for both more 4th quarter comebacks, 19, or game-winning drives, 23.
However, the MVP award is typically given to a player on a championship contending team. Despite it having nothing to do with his own individual abilities, Stafford is held back from mainstream recognition because of the Lions awful secondary defense and injury-prone frontline.
If Aaron Rodgers was replaced by an average quarterback, the Packers would still be a very good team with great defense and a productive running back. Without Stafford, the Lions wouldn’t have nearly as many fortunate late-game comebacks, as the stats back up. They just wouldn’t win.
In the 2016 season, every single Lions game has been decided by seven points or fewer. NFL announcers frequently call the Lions a “traumatic” team to watch, all of their games playing out as intense nail-biters determined by the final five minutes. But at the same time, the Lions have never had such a steady hand behind their team as Stafford. He fits the definition of most valuable player to a tee. Without him, the Lions wouldn’t have won, or been close, in any of their five wins.
Stafford’s first eight outings in the 2016 season have yielded him a 67.7 completion percentage. He’s thrown 18 touchdowns and only five interceptions. Although Stafford is renowned for his strong arm, able to throw long bombs down the field with relative ease, he has stuck mostly to simple, practical passes this season.
With Jim Bob Cooter as the offensive coordinator for the Lions, Stafford is leading a refreshingly creative brand of offense. He utilizes the entire field, throwing to multiple receivers, as well as to running back Theo Riddick, who is great when lining up as a receiver and catching balls off short curl routes.
Stafford has had issues connecting with Golden Tate, the presumed no. 1 guy after Johnson’s retirement, but the two have gained more momentum in the last three weeks. Marvin Jones Jr. has been a consistent target for Stafford, as well as their new free agent receiver, thirty-six year old Anquan Boldin.
In week eight against the Houston Texans, the Lions tight end, Eric Ebron, returned from a knee/ankle injury. Tight ends are often reliable targets for QB’s because of their size and height.
Despite these things Stafford has still been able to win three straight games. He has proven that his success isn’t dependent on any one player. Not Ebron, Calvin Johnson, or Golden Tate. He’s an adaptable, underrated decision maker in his 8th season in the league.
Stafford has the most passing yards ever through 100 games. He’s got a rocket for an arm, and his passing style has been adjusted and improved coinciding with the rotating door of new Detroit Coaches. But he’s not all blunt, brawn, and power.
Stafford has adjusted his game into a hybrid of high-level Quarterbacks: the feet-sliding, perpetually calm evasiveness of Tom Brady, the long arm of Roethlisberger, and the newfound, precise pocket passing of Peyton. He’s not yet proven himself to be as good as any of these all-time QBs, but he’s integrated pieces of their skills into his own style. And it makes for a well-rounded, MVP-worthy Quarterback at 28 years old.