Detroit Lions: The definitive Matthew Stafford clutch stat

Clutch Performances Under Jim Schwartz

2013

• Arizona- Trailing 25-21 with 1:59 left, turnover on downs.
• Cincinnati- Tied 21-21 with 1:43 left, three and out. Bengals kicked GW field goal on the final play of regulation.
• Dallas- Trailing 30-24 with 1:02 left, Stafford scores on a QB sneak. This of course is the famous “Fake Spike” game.
• Tampa Bay- Trailing 24-21 with 3:49 left, Lions drive into field goal range. Calvin Johnson has a soft (and uncharacteristic) drop near the goal line that is intercepted in the final minute.
• Baltimore- Trailing 18-16 with 38 seconds left, overthrown interception on the first play.
• New York Giants- Tied 20-20 with 1:52 left, punt. Lost 23-20 in overtime.

2012

• St. Louis Rams- Trailing 23-20 with 1:55 left, 80 yard drive, touchdown pass to Kevin Smith with ten seconds remaining.
• Minnesota- Trailing 20-13 with 1:42 left. Sacked on final play of regulation at own 44 yard line.
• Philadelphia- Trailing 23-20 with 3:32 left, field goal by Jason Hanson with three seconds remaining forces overtime. Another Hanson field goal wins the game in OT.
• Seattle- Trailing 24-21 with 5:27 left, touchdown pass to Titus Young with 20 seconds remaining.
• Green Bay- Trailing 21-20 with 1:48 left, turnover on downs. Trailing 24-20 with 19 seconds left, unsuccessful lateral attempt on the final play.
• Houston- Tied 31-31 with 1:55 left, punt. Lost in overtime (one of my all-time least favorite Lions games, by the way).

2011

• Minnesota- Tied 23-23 with 1:11 left, punt. Lions won in overtime.
• Dallas- Trailing 30-27 with 4:13 left, touchdown pass to Calvin Johnson with 1:39 remaining.
• San Francisco- Trailing 22-19 with 1:51 left, turnover on downs. Trailing 25-19 with 1:02 left, unsuccessful lateral on the final play.
• Atlanta- Trailing 23-16 with 3:20 left, turnover on downs.
• Oakland- Trailing 27-21 with 2:14 left, 98 yard drive, Calvin Johnson touchdown catch with 43 seconds remaining.
• Green Bay- Trailing 45-41 with 1:10 left, interception.

2009

• St. Louis Rams- Trailing 17-10 with 1:32 left, turnover on downs.
• Cleveland Browns- Trailing 37-31 with 1:46 left, touchdown pass to Brandon Pettigrew with no time left. Also known as the famous “Matthew Stafford Mic’d Up” game.

Stafford Two Minute Efficiency Rating (2ER)  during this stretch: 35 percent (20 opportunities, 7 successes).

Stafford initially built his comeback resume during the 2011 season, but it was actually in the ugly 4-12 campaign the next year where his two minute clutch numbers were better. Another irony during this stage of his career is that his most famous clutch play (the fake spike) happened in a season where his numbers in this category ended up at the worst of his career.