Top 10 Lions of 2013, No. 2: Matthew Stafford

Pride Of Detroit is counting down the top 10 Detroit Lions players of 2013, as voted on by readers of the site. 1,051 ballots were submitted, and next up is a look at the No. 2 player on the list.

No. 2 - QB Matthew Stafford - 9,378 points (343 first-place votes)

Just like last year, quarterback Matthew Stafford is second on our list of the top 10 Lions. This year, Stafford appeared on 1,047 of the 1,051 ballots and received a total of 9,378 points. Stafford had a comfortable margin over Ndamukong Suh, who came in third, thanks mainly to the quarterback's 343 first-place votes. That wasn't enough to push Stafford into first place, though.

Stafford, who just recently received a big-time contract extension, is entering his fifth season as the Lions' starting quarterback. He's thrown for more than 10,000 yards over the last two seasons, and he's more than shown an ability to sling the ball around.

The one thing Stafford needs to improve in 2013 is his overall consistency. Last year, Stafford threw for 20 touchdowns and 17 interceptions, and his accuracy was less than stellar. By comparison, he threw for 41 touchdowns and 16 interceptions in 2011, the year the Lions went to the playoffs.

For the Lions to return to the playoffs this season, Stafford needs to take his game to another level. Their overall success will greatly depend on how Stafford plays, as evidenced by him coming in at No. 2 on this list.

Previously: No. 10 Ryan Broyles, No. 9 Stephen Tulloch, No. 8 Riley Reiff, No. 7 Chris Houston, No. 6 Glover Quin, No. 5 Nick Fairley, No. 4 Reggie Bush, No. 3 Ndamukong Suh