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Durability becoming THE ISSUE with Matthew Stafford
The subject of injuries in the National Football League is a touchy issue. Injuries often happen as if on a whim.
A player will get absolutely crushed on one play and raise without a problem. Then, on another play that looks relatively innocent, a player will get hurt - sometimes severely.
This much is true about the NFL. Durability, despite its fickle nature, is considered as much - or more - of an asset than any physical skill.
And so it would naive not to have concerns about the durability of Lions' quarterback Matthew Stafford. He has suffered three significant injuries in just 11 NFL starts. One was when his knee was rolled upon, another was a shoulder injury when he made an heroic play, and the third, in Sunday's loss to the Bears, was a shoulder injury on a sack.
Already having injuries to each shoulder and a knee equals a question mark about durability.
Stafford has great skill and confidence. I feel like he is capable of becoming the Lions' first Pro Bowl quarterback since Greg Landry in 1972, and in the not-too-distant future - if stays on the field.
It has become THE ISSUE surrounding him.
A player will get absolutely crushed on one play and raise without a problem. Then, on another play that looks relatively innocent, a player will get hurt - sometimes severely.
This much is true about the NFL. Durability, despite its fickle nature, is considered as much - or more - of an asset than any physical skill.
And so it would naive not to have concerns about the durability of Lions' quarterback Matthew Stafford. He has suffered three significant injuries in just 11 NFL starts. One was when his knee was rolled upon, another was a shoulder injury when he made an heroic play, and the third, in Sunday's loss to the Bears, was a shoulder injury on a sack.
Already having injuries to each shoulder and a knee equals a question mark about durability.
Stafford has great skill and confidence. I feel like he is capable of becoming the Lions' first Pro Bowl quarterback since Greg Landry in 1972, and in the not-too-distant future - if stays on the field.
It has become THE ISSUE surrounding him.
Labels: Matthew Stafford Greg Landry
posted by Pat Caputo at
10:16 AM
4 Comments:
Pat,
I don't think the issue is with the durability of Stafford but more like an issue of Raiola being an oompa loompa and Backus being a bum. Raiola is in the backfield more than our own running back and Backus is just aweful. I know you have said that QB can make the line look good or bad and that line gets too much heat, BUT come on....Peppers beat Backus so bad all day that its not even funny. Is Staffords durability really the issue or is the issue that the Lions have paid these 2 offensive lineman millions of dollars over nearly a decade and they are the grade of backup players? I feel sick to my stomach even saying Backus's name. He ought to be ashamed and he should be taking a hell of a lot more heat for allowing his QB to get hit so much rather than the QB getting heat for not being durable. It's like taking Mercedes that has a nice safety track and running it over with a semi truck and saying the benz isn't all that safe.
Giving Raiola that contract last season was one of the dumbest moves the Lions have made in recent years, and I include all of Millen's stupidity.
That new contract was just WC Ford senior flipping off Lions fans, just like Raiola flipped them off on the sidelines of games. And then, after acting all humble, apologizing for his insulting behavior towards the fans, and signing that new contract, the guy insults the fans again last season.
They should just cut that guy, for letting the Bears shoot the gap on that goal line play. They were lucky that didn't turn into a touchdown.
And yes, Backus is a bum.
Anonymous,
Those guys definitely got handed their lunch by Peppers and Harris in that game, but a lot of centers and tackles would, too. I don't think the Lions staff did a good of helping them by having a tight end chip Peppers or keeping a back into block. Backus and Raiola are, to me, in the middle of the pack at their positions. Not the best in the NFL by any means, but not the worst, either.
Caputo
Anonymous,
There are times when Raiola is overwhelmed, but his strength is making line calls. I agree. Flipping off the fans was reprehensible.
Caputo
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