Detroit Lions will draft a quarterback, just not who the fans want

Another observation we should take out of what Bob Quinn and Matt Patricia have had to say at the owners’ meetings is that Matthew Stafford really is their quarterback of choice. Some fans believe that Stafford is only around because of Martha Firestone Ford and her daughters the ‘Fordette’s’ who own the team.

While it wouldn’t be out of the question to say they would like to keep the most talented quarterback in franchise history, even if he isn’t the winningest, that wouldn’t cause Matt Patricia to gush over Stafford like he did when asked about his signal-caller.

If you watch any of Patricia’s recent comments at the owners’ meetings regarding his belittled quarterback, he lights up. Plain and simple he marvels at what he believes he has in Stafford. And if we’re honest about his career, he has done some amazing things that go far beyond all of his accomplishments as the youngest quarterback in NFL history to reach so many passing milestones.

For instance, he is one of the games preeminent come from behind quarterbacks. He has engineered 25 fourth quarter rallies which has been surpassed by only 13 other passers in NFL history.

100 years of football and only a baker dozen have done it more times. Oh yeah, and he’s not done yet.

So unlike many that just dismiss him as not being able to perform in the heat of the playoffs, he has the ability. Whether we want to say he hasn’t gotten the job done or just point out that he hasn’t played on any great teams to take full advantage of his talents are both debatable points.

What isn’t debatable is that Patricia believes his quarterback can and will win in the playoffs.

So with that in mind, it seems very unlikely those Lions fans who wanted that first round splash quarterback selection will get their wish.

Bob Quinn basically admitted that they will select a quarterback, but we shouldn’t expect to hear his name called until somewhere in the fourth round or later. Depending on how the draft falls it could be Tyree Jackson or Easton Stick or Trace McSorley to name some possibilities, but we shouldn’t expect it to be Kyler Murray or Dwayne Haskins.

Quinn and Patricia are tied to each other in success or failure and it seems like they will meet their destiny, whether it be championships or the ‘Same Old Lions’, on the right arm of Matthew Stafford. And to be honest, if Patricia can deliver on the championships he envisions, then all the hype and hoopla about splash quarterback picks won’t mean a thing.