Matthew Stafford May or May Not Start Against Baltimore
by Sean Yuille on Dec 8, 2009 8:17 AM EST
in Detroit Lions News
25 comments
Jim Schwartz said on Monday that he has a "pretty good idea" of Matthew Stafford's status for Sunday's game at the Ravens, but in typical Schwartz fashion, he declined to say anything more for competitive reasons.
"I've got a pretty good idea of his status, but I don't feel any need to tell Baltimore that information," Schwartz said. "They play Monday night this week, so they are already facing a short week and the difficulties that brings. I'd rather not help their game-planning process by letting them know which quarterback we expect to play."
Schwartz went on to say that one of the main things that will determine whether or not Stafford starts is if his left shoulder can be further injured by playing.
"If there was something going on where he could make it worse by playing, we would have to think a lot harder about having him on the field," he said. "Right now, though, it is just a matter of pain management. If he can deal with the pain -- and that's a conversation we have on a constant basis -- he's our starting quarterback."
The other main thing that will determine whether or not Stafford plays is if he can be effective in spite of the pain he is in.
"I think the other thing that we look at when guys are injured is whether they're able to be effective as a player. There are a lot of times that a guy can go and play, but he's not 100 percent and it's better to put somebody else in there. All of those considerations will go into his status for this week and moving forward."
This is really the source of all of the debate over whether or not Stafford should have played as long as he did on Sunday and if he should play this week. It is just part of the situation, obviously, but it is definitely a topic worth discussing.
Stafford has played extremely poorly the last two games, and if that is because of his shoulder, then I would probably opt for him sitting against Baltimore. This basically boils down to if an injured Stafford will give the Lions a chance to win, or at least more of a chance than if Daunte Culpepper is the starting quarterback. To me, as long as Stafford can't do any more damage to his left shoulder, he should play if he can be effective. If he is in too much pain, which is behind his struggles the last couple games, then I would rather see Daunte Culpepper. There is no point to put him out there against a team like the Ravens, who are known for having a hard-hitting defense, if he is going to be in extreme pain after every single hit. At the same time, if he can manage the pain enough to play well, then by all means play him.
I know this topic has already produced quite the debate since Sunday, but leave your thoughts on whether or not Stafford should play this week and vote in the poll below.
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Stanton over Pepp
I would rather see a young player in than our terrible old veteran regardless of NFL experience. Stanton could end up being a long time back up and the more play time he gets the better suited he is for that role. Cpepp is gone at the end of his contract so why bother putting him in, it is essentially the same as saying you plan to lose the next game.
I say let Culpepper play
Even though i am behind Stafford all the way,It looks to me that he needs a little time off for him to be effective and to give the lions their best chance to win or at least compete.As much as I would love to draft the stud from nebraska (Suh),I still would rather see a win for our Lions
Cory Smith
I voted to start Staff but pull him if he struggles.
If his throws continue to be off it should be a tip that the injurie[s] are bothering him more than he is letting on. I am not worried about damaging the guys ego/psyche by taking him out. He has proven that he is a warrior and the QB of the future for the Lions.
Start Stafford, let him play, let him learn
It’s the same thing we’ve been saying all year. The shoulder changes nothing.
If it’s true that the shoulder won’t get any worse by playing, and that it’s just a matter of playing with pain, by all means start Stafford. What he needs most is playing time to continue to learn. It’s also a great character-building experience, and great way to endear himself to the team as a leader. Pass on all that to put in a washed-up Culpepper for a guaranteed lackluster loss? Makes no sense. We gain nothing, and further decrease Pep’s trade value (ok, let’s be honest…..he HAS NO trade value at this point). And from what I saw in the Cleveland game, I still think a wounded Staff gives us a better chance to win than a healthy Pep. The last 2 games were rough, but I think Pep would have done worse. Sorry, I don’t see how a guy who is still 0-for-Detroit gives us a chance to win anything. Culpepper gives us nothing in the short-term, and nothing in the long-term. Why is he even still here??? I’ll drive him out of town myself.
If Stafford pulls himself out of the game, by all means let Stanton play, but let Staff make that call. The shoulder won’t get worse, so let Staff decide if he can play. Trust Schwartz. Trust Stafford. Let’s not push our future to the sidelines.
What? He can’t block a dead gopher? Humph, details.
I also agree here GRLion
The decision was made before the regular season started…..Matt Stafford is our starting QB. If HE feels that he can go, and the doctors clear him to play, I say he plays no matter what. The whole point of him being the starter at all is that he is as good as, if not clearly better than, Daunte Culpepper AND he needs the real game time experience to develop into the guy we need him to be. I argued against him starting from the beginning, standing behind the idea that he would get hurt and he could develop from the sidelines. However, he was named the starter, he has proven to be the right choice, and there is no turning back now. Unless playing will be detrimental to his future playing ability, Stafford must play if he thinks that he can. There will be times when the kid is injured in other ways that do not keep him from playing. Playing injured is a fact of life for many NFL players (if not all), and by playing the kid is showing that he has what it takes to be a true pro.
Well Said...
I voted to start him and play him no matter what, but there needs to be another option.
Start him and keep him in as long as he can take the pain/discomfort.
by j16941 on Dec 8, 2009 8:29 PM EST via mobile up reply actions
Take him out
The season is over, and there are only a couple games left. You do not want this kid to get seriously injured this early in his career. The O-line has shown that it cannot stop him from getting pummeled on every play, so take him out and let him heal up.
We should start him (if healthy enough to go) and pull him if he's injured...
not if he struggles. His rookie season is about growing pains and although we know what we have with him (at least a solid player) I don’t think added reps can hurt. In years past, I would say pull him against the ravens but this year’s ravens don’t have the same caliber of defense. Don’t get me wrong, they’re gonna get pressure and he’ll get hit, but that will be as much a product of our protection as the raven’s pass rush. Put the kid on the field if he’s healthy enough to go or hold him out if he’s injured but pulling him because of performance to get daunte some reps is a waste of everyone’s time.
Sit the Staff infection
Let him heal. Getting beaten up by a good Ravens defense isn’t doing him any good anyway. IMO let CPep play and if he’s ineffective put Stanton in.
I’m not sure, at 2 – 10, what good it would be to play Staff. Besides, some QB’s (like Aaron Rodgers and Steve McNair) swear they learn about the game on the sidelines just as much as game action. I say let him sit and heal, maybe see things from a different perspective then start him against AZ at home.
I spray paint my dog Honolulu Blue and Silver
Pic - me vs. Bears fans
Really?
Is that what McNair said this week? RIP
When he was sitting in Houston as on Oiler
I spray paint my dog Honolulu Blue and Silver
Pic - me vs. Bears fans
New mentaility
This is what I like about Stafford and Schwartz though — their winning mentality that they instill in the rest of the team. Previous Lions would be sitting, broken, on the sidelines, showing their teammates that they’ve given up. Even though the season’s over, Staff is proving that he still wants to win, regardless if he goes through pain to do so. And I feel like he’s earning a tremendous amount of respect from his teammates in the process. This is what the team needs to learn. I’m sick of this losing attitude. Winners play, loser sit the bench. It’s been that way forever. Stafford is proving that he will do anything necessary to win. And as long as there’s no further damage that can be done to his shoulder, I say let me keep at it. Because there’s definitely no one else on the team that would be willing to do what he’s doing. And hopefully future Lions will join the team and realize what type of attitude is needed to win. Then we can start ridding the city of the garbage mentality Millen has left behind.
but Giggy he's playing horribly
I agree about his attitude but he’s playing awful right now. If he was on fire I say get him out there even injured but he’s not – he’s doing nothing that would warrant me to put him back out there whatsoever.
I spray paint my dog Honolulu Blue and Silver
Pic - me vs. Bears fans
But what does he have to play for?
The season’s over. Get him the experience. Let him learn what he can and can’t do. What his limitations are. The Lions aren’t playing for anything except a high draft pick. What’s the use of putting Stanton or Culpepper in just so they can play and we lose anyway? If no further harm can be done to his shoulder, let him play. Give him the experience, because the Lions definitely don’t have a better option at QB sitting on the bench.
I'm still saying sit Staff
I can see both sides of the argument though. It is a tough call.
I spray paint my dog Honolulu Blue and Silver
Pic - me vs. Bears fans
I <3 John Stafford
Let him learn what he can and can’t do. What his limitations are.
Bingo.
I said it about the entire year once we drafted him – get him in and play him as much as possible. This year wasn’t going to be a great year anyways, so this year he spent learning (not on the bench) is DAMAGE CONTROL for next year. Trust me, the things he’s learning on the field are going to pay dividends for the future. If he hadn’t thrown all those picks this year, he would still be wondering where he can and can’t put the football in the NFL.
THERE IS NO SUBSTITUTE FOR EXPERIENCE, IN ANY SITUATION.
As long as Staff, Schwartz and the doctors think he can play effectively
I’m all for it. Stafford needs to play to get back into form. If he does not play though, it might not be a bad thing, Ravens are a tough side.
2009 = The start of the Lions Golden Age (We hope).
Zack Follett: he will hurt your mind.
Stafford will most likly be in pain for the rest of the season, rest or not.
The big unknown is will he due more damage than is worth keeping him in there. If the docs say he can go, I don’t think its even a question. He is the Lions starter.
I think the bigger question is if he doesn’t play. I say play Stanton. If Schwartz wants to keep Baltimore guessing, Stanton is perfect. I think he did enough in pre-season to earn the playing time. Not to mention, if he is going to be our backup, he could use the time as well. Culpepper is gone at seasons end anyway. IMO, Stanton gives us as much a chance to win as Culpepper.
From a Ravens point of view
As a frustrated Baltimore fan, our pass rush has been virtually non-existent, so playing Stafford probably won’t be a health risk, in terms of sacks or pressure!
aka 'Rexx'
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