Reliving some of the best moments in Matthew Stafford’s time with the Detroit Lions so far, featuring highlights on his way to 40,000 career passing yards.
To commemorate Matthew Stafford reaching 40,000 career passing yards, I’m compiling a list of 40 of his most memorable moments along the way. Last week, in part one, I looked back at the beginning Stafford’s time with the Detroit Lions.
From the injury-filled first two years, into his ascent into one of the NFL’s most prolific passers, the first segment tracked Stafford’s most unforgettable moments up to reaching 10,000 career yards.
Picking up where I left off, this post tackles the next 10,000 passing yards. Amassed in just over two years, where Stafford faced a different kind of adversity and a new wave of criticism for his inconsistent play.
Being the face of a talented but often underachieving team, the quarterback also took the brunt of fans’ complaints as the franchise fell back into a familiar pattern of failed opportunities and near misses.
On the other side of that, Stafford re-emerged during the 2014 season as one of the best clutch quarterbacks in the league. Making some adjustments to his playing style, Stafford’s raw numbers began to drop in 2014 in favor of a more stable and balanced approach.
However, his turnover numbers began to drop as well. His five 4th quarter comebacks that season, three of them in consecutive games, earned him a Pro Bowl alternate spot as the gunslinger matured into an all-around quarterback.
Stafford’s moments from No.11 to 20 are …