Megatron Who?
Without arguably one of the best receivers to ever lace’em up, Matthew Stafford is leading the Detroit Lions to a winning record in 2016. Spreading the ball around, and—so far this season, more accurate than any point in his career. Maybe this is what happens when you are stripped of your security blanket. It forces you to put trust into a group of men you have to go to battle with.
The Lions are 4-3, winners of four in a row, after beating the Washington Redskins 20-17 today. Much of this game was defensive, with the score tied at 3 a piece at halftime.
Matthew Stafford was 18/29 for 266 yards and a Touchdown. The most impressive part of that stat line was no interceptions. Matthew hasn’t thrown a pick since October 2. Overall Stafford has thrown 15 touchdowns and just 4 interceptions, completing just under 70% of his passes this season.
This time last year Stafford had 9 picks and 11 TD’s. The Lions were 1-6.
The most underrated part of Stafford’s game this season is his mobility. The willingness to use his feet and pick up first downs. He’s currently 6 yards away from being second on the team in rush yards, and less than 80yards away from leading the team. [He only has 94 yards total, but I’m not sure if thats a plus for him or a bad sign for the Lions run game].
11 players have caught a pass from the eight year veteran, and Matthew is currently 10th in the NFL in passes completed (146), ninth in the League in pass yards (1,486), third in Touchdowns (14), and with his 106 passer rating — he only trails Tom Brady, Matt Ryan and Sam Bradford in that category (among starting QB’s).
The 28 year old Detroit signal caller is having a career year:
I can’t remember the last time I rooted for a team that wasn’t from Oakland, but considering the circumstances, I’m happy to be watching good football courtesy of my new host city. If Matthew Stafford can keep this up, we will be talking Lions in the Playoffs. I’m on the bandwagon early. So early I’m in the Drivers seat. Climb aboard.
Thanx Dave! 
How about you do a 9ers article, sir? Oh wait hahahahha. Man I think the Lions will make the playoffs and I still think Boldin has something left in his tank
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Actually I was thinking about it. Also what’s this Brooklyn Nets link you sent? It didn’t do anything
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It was a stupid link to bleacher report depth charts in the NBA
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Good post!
Like we were just talking about on the other thread about the Olympics and patriotism: I think that national sports breed a kind of mini-patriotism based on smaller cities/states/regions.
All of these divides between cities, states, and regions are based on politics, not nature. From outer space, the “border” between Massachusetts and New York is non-existent. Yet, the Red Sox and the Yankees have a deep-seeded rivalry.
We forget that we are ONE country. In some ways, professional sports teaches us that we are NOT a unified people – and that we should only come together to compete. This is the intention: to divide the world into pieces so that everyone does not realize they have a common enemy, and that they should be cooperating with each other. It is a divide and conquer strategy. If folks in Massachusetts hate folks in New York, they will not come together to organize a revolution to change the world.
Sports is based on the idea that we should pledge allegiance to a team based on proximity. The same applies at the level of governments. We are expected to pledge allegiance to the US, and not engage in “espionage” with foreign governments, or try to organize people from foreign lands. This works to the advantage of governments who do not want us to have an international lens (Dr. King was fine as long as he focused on America, but he was assassinated as soon as he opened his mouth about Vietnam.)
So in the interest of solidarity outside the realm of sports, I encourage you to also keep watching and cheering for your old favorite team back in Oakland! (I assume you probably were going to, but, just in case you planned to tuck away your Raiders gear).
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Hahaha I didn’t wear my Raiders gear today. I’ve been stuck in the realm of emotion. In other words I was in my feelings a bit. I’ve supported this team since I was maybe 5. I didn’t grow up in church nor did I grow up with a dad. The Raiders was Church. The Warriors and A’s raised me. But lately I’ve really realized the business aspect of it all, and knowing how much these team owners DON’T care about the average fan has made me realize how impartial I should be. You’re right about divide and conquer. I’ve seen fights, and worse over teams. Teams none of us have a financial stake in. Similar to gangs going to war over streets they don’t own. Trying to focus more on the overall love of sport and figuring out business. It’s helping
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I feel you! Good to hear man!
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Go Falcons!
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Hahaha
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Shit man that’s all I got on the sports thing and that’s ONLY because I live in Georgia.
Right now, I’m listening to you and Tareau’s podcast.
Very interesting commentary-I’m listening to you talking about Malcolm X during the conversation on gentrification 🙂
Loving it 🙂
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Sista G!!!!! Thank you soooo much for listening. It means so much to us. You are the truth. We got a little bit deep on this one. Funny part is I said I didn’t want to go there on this episode haha
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My pleasure Dave!
I’m glad you did “go there.”
I pray like hell folks are listening. I left you a comment about it 🙂
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In getting to figure out better ways to get people to tune in
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I’ll keep spreading the word 🙂
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[…] The Detroit Lions are comparable to the East and West side of Detroit. Still in need of a lot of TLC, and hope — yet people are optimistic for “what could be.” And much like the parts of Detroit that don’t get much positive publicity, the community has more good in it, then what it gets credit for. The Lions have been historically inconsistent, even in the Barry Sanders years. Yet, as with most fans east of California, Detroiters have lived and died with this team. As a die hard, if you invest your emotion into a team, and invest your hard earned dollar, you eventually want a winner. The Lions as an organization have given the great fans in Michigan mostly losing seasons, with glimpses of winning— every couple of years. After losing a once-in-a-generation talent (Calvin Johnson) to early retirement, Matthew Stafford came into his own, and won some fans over. Not every fan, but he finally looked comfortable leading his team into battle every Sunday. More on his maturation here. […]
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