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Matthew Stafford barely makes Pete Prisco’s list of top 100 players

Matthew Stafford clearly still has some skeptics among us.

NFL: International Series-Detroit Lions Practice Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Detroit Lions fans rejoiced when Matthew Stafford recently ranked 31st on NFL Network’s Top 100 Players of 2017 list, as voted on by the players. “He’s finally getting the respect he deserves,” they claimed. “It’s about time someone recognized Stafford’s brilliance.

“Maybe now people will start paying attention to the Lions.”

Well, hold the phone there. Stafford isn’t quite over the “disrespkt” hill yet. On Thursday, CBS’s Pete Prisco made a top 100 players list of his own, and if you’re looking for Matthew Stafford, get your scrolling finger ready.

96. Matthew Stafford

He didn't have Calvin Johnson for the first time in his career and he still played at a high level. He's averaged 28 touchdown passes a season the past six years and has thrown for over 4,200 in each of those seasons.

Now before you go grabbing your pitchfork, keep in mind that Stafford did still place 10th among NFL quarterbacks on Prisco’s list. Here are the nine quarterbacks listed ahead of Stafford, along with their rankings:

  • No. 1 - Aaron Rodgers
  • No. 2 - Tom Brady
  • No. 8 - Matt Ryan
  • No. 13 - Drew Brees
  • No. 35 - Ben Roethlisberger
  • No. 40 - Philip Rivers
  • No. 41 - Andrew Luck
  • No. 42 - Russell Wilson
  • No. 63 - Derek Carr

Stafford did place above quarterbacks Kirk Cousins and Cam Newton, who were among Prisco’s “Just Missed” list. However, unlike NFL Network’s list, Prisco placed Rivers and Luck above Stafford.

As for the rest of the team, no other Lions player made Prisco’s list, nor his list of 22 players that just missed his rankings.

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