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Detroit Lions: Is Matthew Stafford the $25 Million Dollar Man?

By Michael Kirkland

SEATTLE, WA - JANUARY 07: Matthew Stafford #9 of the Detroit Lions looks to pass the ball during the second half against the Seattle Seahawks in the NFC Wild Card game at CenturyLink Field on January 7, 2017 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Jonathan Ferrey/Getty Images)
SEATTLE, WA - JANUARY 07: Matthew Stafford #9 of the Detroit Lions looks to pass the ball during the second half against the Seattle Seahawks in the NFC Wild Card game at CenturyLink Field on January 7, 2017 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Jonathan Ferrey/Getty Images) /
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NEW ORLEANS, LA – DECEMBER 04: Matthew Stafford #9 of the Detroit Lions warms up before a game against the New Orleans Saints at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome on December 4, 2016 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images)
NEW ORLEANS, LA – DECEMBER 04: Matthew Stafford #9 of the Detroit Lions warms up before a game against the New Orleans Saints at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome on December 4, 2016 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images) /

Stafford’s Talent

Any honest inspection of the facts also must look at Stafford’s progress during his tenure in Detroit. Many believe he has the strongest arm in pro football and has flashed elite play-making ability throughout his career.

Remember the drive that won the match-up with the Dallas Cowboys back in 2013? Few players can make those throws; when Stafford is on, he’s one of the best.

However, no intellectually honest person would say that Matthew Stafford doesn’t deserve criticism for his mistakes on the field. Any Stafford apologist will likely admit that there have been times where they thought he was on the verge of greatness, and times where he looked mediocre. “Consistently inconsistent”, is a phrase that you might utter about Stafford’s career.

Stafford’s Production

Many people of the detractor mindset, though, seem to be incapable of seeing the upward trend in all of his numbers.

You have to look at several factors when evaluating any quarterback.

Firstly, consider touchdown-to-interception ratio, a measure that looks at number of touchdowns thrown versus number of interceptions thrown. Stafford’s has stayed at a more than two-to-one balance for several years. A two-to-one ratio is considered a must-have to deem a quarterback as a quality starter, by many.

Second, look at completion percentage, the percent of his passes that were caught by teammates. Generally, over sixty percent is considered good, seventy percent would be about as good as any NFL quarterback has ever done. In between is where most elite quarterbacks sit.

Stafford’s percentage did go up each of his first three years, but then he seemed to regress for the following two, dipping below the 60% level for both years. The last three years, however, he has steadily improved; his completion percentage has climbed from the low to mid sixties.

Third, the last number that I believe is very important in looking at Stafford is his pass attempts. This is significant because he was near the top of the league in attempts for most of his worst seasons. He was throwing, on average, forty-two times per game.

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