Matt Stafford is the suckiest suck to ever suck

[dwt1]

In 2014 Detroit had the the #3 defense in the league, given a chance to make a play and win a playoff game, Stafford fumbled it a way.

[Panoptes]

In 2014 Detroit had the the #3 defense in the league, given a chance to make a play and win a playoff game, Stafford fumbled it a way.

Memories are short.
Excuses are long.

[Cody_Russell]

Stafford > Aaron Curry

Matthew Stafford comes in as No. 9 QB in NFL Top 100 players poll

http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2017/06/matthew_stafford_comes_in_as_n.html

[Marko69]

The ONLY LION IN THE 100? :shock:

[Fraquar]

This has been a statement of Fraq's before, his argument is bunk. The defense played like absolute shit. They were trash by every metric except the ones that don't take into account that they faced the fewest drives in the NFL by a considerable margin... thanks to Caldwell's gameplan to drag the game out and minimize possessions in order to protect their shitty defense from blowing it.

http://www.footballoutsiders.com/stats/drivestatsdef2016

You will get a much better view of how the defense performed. Spoiler alert: it's garbage.

It's pretty simple in my book.

If the offense racks up 600 yards and only puts up 14 points - it didn't do it's job good enough. Given that 14 points will likely lead to a loss in 70-80% of the games - they need the defense/ST to score to bail them out.

If the defense gives up 600 yards and only allows 14 points - it did it's job - giving it's team a very good chance to win the game. So long as the ST isn't coached by Stan Kwan, that's a game they should win 70-80% of the time.

Points are the only relevant metric. Yards, completion %, they are all fine but they are only a means to an end. The end is how many points you score/give up.

Never said the Lions were the 85 Bears - but they were effective enough where the Lions should have had more than 9 wins if the offense does anything other than waiting for the last 2 minutes to throw away the playbook.

[Fraquar]

Chem, what you are suggesting is that the Lions gameplan all season was NOT to score to keep games close?
That is ranks up there with the whole "Take the wind and kick in Sudden Death" in terms of stupidity.

[chemiclord]

"...if the offense does anything other than waiting for the last 2 minutes to throw away the playbook."

They do that, and the defense is giving up 28+ points per game. They were literally not stopping anyone. Their only defense was not being on the field.

[chemiclord]

Their gameplan was figuring that if they took as long as they could to score, that it reduced the margin of error to win. Keep it close, then let it fly in the last drives of the game when your opponent wouldn't have a time to counter on arguably the worst defense in the league.

Gotta remember, their offense wasn't exactly unstoppable either. It was good, but it was hardly great. Expecting them to keep up in a shootout with a defense that was damn near giving up a field goal per drive on average would have been a tall order.

Ya understand THAT, doofus? That defense was so terrible that the opponent was almost guaranteed to get points every time they got the ball. You can't excuse that, no matter how much you try.

The defense did NOT do its job. EVER. That was the problem.

[dwt1]

Chem, what you are suggesting is that the Lions gameplan all season was NOT to score to keep games close?
That is ranks up there with the whole "Take the wind and kick in Sudden Death" in terms of stupidity.

Yes it does, but they do have to have thier excuses. It's like they can't breath without them. Never mind the data shows the opposing team controlled the ball more than the Lions. Suggesting a bend but don't break defense.

[jaadam4]

I just hope we have more of a running game this year. I love what Quinn did with the OL and we have AA coming back but I'd have liked for us to have added a RB in the draft or FA. I don't count Asiata as much of an upgrade.

At least we have a decent OL to give Stafford some protection

[Fraquar]

"...if the offense does anything other than waiting for the last 2 minutes to throw away the playbook."

They do that, and the defense is giving up 28+ points per game. They were literally not stopping anyone. Their only defense was not being on the field.

Still, you are ignoring the point that it's the offenses job to SCORE. Killing the clock in the process is a bonus.
The worst thing to watch in Soccer is a team with 75% possession in a match and they lose 1-0. Have the ball a ton but create virtually nothing in the final 1/3rd of the pitch where games are decided.

[Fraquar]

Their gameplan was figuring that if they took as long as they could to score, that it reduced the margin of error to win. Keep it close, then let it fly in the last drives of the game when your opponent wouldn't have a time to counter on arguably the worst defense in the league.

Gotta remember, their offense wasn't exactly unstoppable either. It was good, but it was hardly great. Expecting them to keep up in a shootout with a defense that was damn near giving up a field goal per drive on average would have been a tall order.

Ya understand THAT, doofus? That defense was so terrible that the opponent was almost guaranteed to get points every time they got the ball. You can't excuse that, no matter how much you try.

The defense did NOT do its job. EVER. That was the problem.

Playing for hoping your defense gets an interception with no time on the clock so you can take two knees and kick the game winning FG (Minny) - that is idiocy. Nothing about the Minny offense should suggest we need to control the ball for 40 minutes because they will light us up.

[chemiclord]

Hey, pal... you're the one contending the defense did it's job.

I presented actual metrics that demonstrated they didn't do their job (in any way, shape, or form), and that the only reason their points per game actually looked decent was because of a game plan that explicitly reduced the number of times they were allowed to stink.

Basically, it only looked like they "did their job" because they weren't allowed to try.

I mean, fuck... they went 9-7 with a one-dimensional offense, a bottom of the basement defense, and a coach that couldn't manage his way out of a paper bag. And STAFFORD is the problem here?

[dwt1]

What metrics? If you actually looked at the metrics, you would see what you're saying is not true.

And yes Stafford record of 3-49 against team with 9 or more wins is a problem

[Malto Marko]

What metrics? If you actually looked at the metrics, you would see what you're saying is not true.

And yes Stafford record of 3-49 against team with 9 or more wins is a problem

Ya.

The problem is with the D and their ability to keep the other guy off the board.

It would be interesting to know who the 3 were.