Photo Credit: Tim Fuller-USA TODAY Sports

Today we take a look at how Matthew Stafford performed during the 2012 season with a little help from the fine folks at Pro Football Focus.

The radar chart below shows the Pro Football Focus grades for Stafford and compares him to the best, worst and league average ratings. PFF grades each player on each play to produce a massively useful tool for evaluating the totality of a player’s season compared to others at his position.

2012 Season Review
Matthew Stafford – As you can tell from the radar chart above, Matthew Stafford was very average in 2012 with his +9.8 overall rating from PFF ranking 15th. But what was particularly troubling, and downright frustrating, was the way Stafford got to that “average level”. His season was filled with ups and downs such that each PFF game rating except for one had Stafford as either solidly positive or solidly negative. Only the season opener against the Rams resulted in a rating that was between +1 and -1 (it happened to be +0.5). And even when thinking back to that game, the so-so result only came through a terrible first half followed by a very good second half. There is no doubt Stafford has the skills, it is the consistency that was an issue in 2012 and what needs to be fixed for 2013. Season stats: 435 completions, 727 attempts, 4967 yards, 20 touchdowns, 17 interceptions.

Offseason Plan
The Lions need to approach Matthew Stafford like they approached Calvin Johnson a year ago. Like Johnson, the Lions will count on Stafford for many years so there is no reason to not pursue a contract extension that locks him up for many more years and lowers his huge 2013 cap hit.

Shaun Hill‘s name has occasionally been tossed in with others that could become ex-Lions as the team works to create more space under the salary cap but I don’t think that a prudent move. The Lions’ couldn’t have been surprised by their current salary cap situation and I can’t imagine they would have agreed to a two-year deal with Hill last offseason that they didn’t plan on living with until its conclusion. Hill is a nice insurance policy behind Matthew Stafford and must be kept in place rather than creating another hole the team has to fill.

Previously: Wide Receivers, Offensive Tackles, Guards, Center, Tight Ends

*Those that have been around the Detroit Lions blogosphere for a while may recognize the approach presented as similar to Ty Schalter’s ‘Old Mother Hubbard’ series on The Lions in Winter. Don’t worry, he’s cool with what I’m doing here and has assured me that he’ll be back with Old Mother Hubbard later in the offseason.

The recent trend of seeing NFL players in television shows completely unrelated to football have spiked in the past couple of years. We’ve had players like Donald Driver and Hines Ward appear on “Dancing With The Stars, ” which is a show that is great for athletes like football players to compete on, but clearly co-hosting a show like “Live!” is something unheard of for athletes.

Dec 18, 2011; Oakland, CA, USA; Detroit Lions defensive Kyle Vanden Bosch (93) during the game against the Oakland Raiders at the O.co Coliseum. The Lions defeated the Raiders 28-27. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee/Image of Sport-US PRESSWIRE

With that being said, I would like to present you with my list of current Detroit Lions who deserve to host or co-host televisions shows and the reasons why they would be a great fit on the show.

Betty White’s Off Their Rockers co-starring… Jeff Backus

Technically, Jeff Backus is old enough to be a grandfather, albeit, in some kind of sick and twisted way. Thank God he isn’t. However, because he is 100-years-old in NFL time, this show is just a perfect fit for him.

The Price Is Right hosted by… Matthew Stafford

This just makes sense. Stafford signed his rookie contract in 2009 and drove to Michigan from Georgia in his old beater SUV that he had throughout college. Usually rookies have a car loan before they take their first snap in practice, but Stafford stayed frugal.

The Office co-starring… Kyle Vanden Bosch

Unlike Michael Scott, when KVB walks onto the practice field or the game field, he is entirely about getting business done at an intense level. I am almost positive Vanden Bosch would have ripped off Robert California’s head last season.

Last Call With Carson Daly guest-hosted by… Jahvid Best

The last show you watch before you go to bed at night with a name perfect for Best’s current health issue. Will he ever play again because of concussions? To be determined…

60 Minutes hosted by… Calvin Johnson

Johnson may not be able to read a teleprompter and tell the news to the masses, but he sure can play for 60 minutes without taking any plays off and it shows. Last week against the Baltimore Ravens, Johnson recorded five catches for 111 yards and a touchdown while only playing 30 minutes.

Up All Night co-starring… Titus Young

“Up All Night” is a fairly new sitcom based on new parents trying not to screw up their newborn’s livfe while simultaneously maintaining a presence in their social circles. Young is a new father as of two weeks ago and he will find out this year that dealing with a child is going to force him to tighten up his life at home, in the meeting rooms and on the field.

Cougar Town co-starring… Shaun Hill

Hill is a perfect fit for the “cul-de-sac crew.” He has a pudgy, beer belly-like stomach that indicates he likes adult beverages and, most importantly, have you seen his wife? Smoking hot!

Aug 10, 2012; Detroit, MI, USA; Detroit Lions quarterback Kellen Moore (17) warms up before the preseason game against the Cleveland Browns at Ford Field. Mandatory Credit: Tim Fuller-US PRESSWIRE

Thursday on ESPN 710 Seattle’s twenty-minute daily segment with ESPN NFL Insider’s John Clayton called, “Clayton’s Cold Hard Facts,” Clayton talked about the Lions quarterback situation and what the Lions may end up doing as far as the decision making goes on rookie undrafted free agent Kellen Moore earning a roster spot with the Detroit Lions.

I don’t think Kellen Moore is going to make the team. I think it’s going to be tough. I think he has a decent chance to get back there to the practice squad because I think there is no doubt that Scott Linehan is a big fan of Kellen Moore and is going to give him as much of an opportunity as he can. I think the [Lions] are going to be in a dicey position. I think easily they’ll keep two [quarterbacks]. They’ll keep Shaun Hill as the backup quarterback; obviously, Matthew Stafford is going to be the starting quarterback. I think it is going to be tough for [Moore] to make the roster and probably rightfully so. He came in and didn’t have great arm strength. He’s a left handed quarterback trying to make the transition [to the NFL]. I think that he has a future, but it may not necessarily be on the Lions’ roster to start the season.

This is a position I have been taking all offseason because it is clear that Kellen Moore does not have the physical attributes of making the Lions’ 53-man roster, but he does have the smarts to earn a practice squad spot. He could easily morph into a career backup in the NFL, especially if he toughs it out on the Lions’ practice squad until longtime veteran Hill retires.

I think there will always be a spot for Moore in Detroit on the practice squad as long as Linehan is the offensive coordinator because Linehan is a big fan of successful quarterbacks at the collegiate level and having a hard worker like Moore as a Lion does nothing but boost the potential of all quarterbacks the Lions employ.