SideLion reader interview: Detroit Lions fandom is like a Michigan highway

On Matthew Stafford …

The fact that people compare Stafford to Dan Marino and that’s supposed to be an insult is hilarious to me. 

James: For me, there’s Barry Sanders and then there’s Stafford. Whenever I’m arguing with somebody about the Lions, it’s usually either about Barry or Stafford. You put Stafford behind an offensive line…for instance, put him on the old 49ers teams, and Montana and Steve Young on the Lions…who would have the championships?

I can’t think of anyone in my lifetime, except maybe Mike Utley, who has given more of themselves to this team than Stafford.

James: Yup. Yup. And you never know when it could be like a Mike Utley or a Chuck Hughes situation…

Or a Calvin Johnson or Barry Sanders (or Andrew Luck) thing.

My Two Cents …

One thing that James was very clear about was Stafford’s importance to the team. He represents a pretty sizable section of the fanbase (including me) who felt the season would immediately become lost if No. 9 went down, which happened shortly after our chat.

What I hadn’t really anticipated though, was that in retrospect, the season was most likely a lost cause even before that. I can’t say a word against the way Jeff Driskel has played in his two games behind center. It took him a while to settle in at Chicago, but he led two fourth-quarter drives that gave them a chance.

His playing style is far from what we’re used to, but you can’t say Driskel’s, roll-outs, scrambles, designed runs, and occasional bombs haven’t been effective. Even if having Stafford could have meant a fifth touchdown against Dallas on Sunday, what reason do we have to think that Dak Prescott and Co. wouldn’t have came back with a sixth?

I guess the backup QB situation was more under control than we thought. That defense though…