The Detroit Lions look no closer to a Super Bowl appearance

FRUSTRATIONS ELSEWHERE

Quarterback Kirk Cousins of the Minnesota Vikings has a similar reputation to the Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford. They are both seen as talented players with good arms. But they both lack big wins on each of their resumes – particularly in the postseason.

Cousins and Stafford also get paid at the elite level in the sport of football, but don’t have the wins to show for it:

• Kirk Cousins – 3 years, $84 million
  • $28 million per year
  • Contract runs from 2018 to 2020
• Matthew Stafford – 5 years, $135 million
  • $27 million per year
  • Contract runs from 2018 to 2022

Dan Patrick of “The Dan Patrick Show” interviewed Cousins on Friday. Kirk’s thoughts on the current trajectory of his career were pretty illuminating (02-01-19, Hour 3):

"“Going back to the frustration in 2018. I mean, the whole thing of, you know, win games. I mean that’s what it’s about. That’s why I’m not sleeping well.”"

This applies directly to the people in charge of the Detroit Lions – specifically, Quinn, Patricia, and Stafford. They should not be sleeping well. Why? They do not win games. And they all have their role in that.

For Quinn, the roster needs better players and more depth. For Patricia, he needs to take those players and develop them into winners.

And for Stafford, last season was a subpar performance. And that is unacceptable. But Stafford must play at another level that is commensurate with his pay. A level that he demonstrates from time to time, but not with the needed consistency of an elite quarterback – and very rarely last season.

Stafford needs to be excellent on the field. He should be in the conversation for all-pro designation and MVP consideration – not the conversation for ‘how much it will cost to be cut’ or ‘whether or not he should be traded‘.