Wednesday open thread: Will Matthew Stafford surpass 5,000 yards again?

It’s crazy to think about, but it was nine years ago that Matthew Stafford threw for 5,000 yards in a season. 2011 was a wild time, arguably the peak of ‘gunslinger’ Stafford. Stafford is without a doubt at his quarterbacking peak now, yet he’s as removed as ever from the mark after playing only half the season in 2019 and passing for 2,499 yards—or is he?

Question of the day: Will Matthew Stafford throw for 5,000 yards again in his career?

My answer: Yes.

This is all contingent on his health, which I have to count on being intact. Ending back-to-back seasons with a broken back (no pun intended) is noteworthy, even if it’s supposedly not something to worry about going into 2020.

Once you put that aside, however, there’s no reason to think otherwise. As I mentioned before, Stafford is mentally as sharp as he’s ever been. Likewise, Darrell Bevell’s offense is the most aggressive and vertical scheme Stafford has been in since he operated under former Lions offensive coordinator Scott Linehan, which included the aforementioned 5,000-yard season.

The 2,499 yards Stafford passed for in 2019 scales to just two yards short of 5,000 had Stafford kept playing at that level for the entire season, and getting cozy in this offense as it marinates for a full offseason should be catalyst enough for Stafford to eventually hit the mark in his career, if not in 2020.

What do you think? Can Stafford hit the 5,000 passing yards mark again in his career? If he can, will he? Let us know in the poll below and in the comments.