QB Stafford says Lions are ready to take next step
Quarterback says he is expecting great things from ‘extremely talented’ Lions
DETROIT Matthew Stafford and the Detroit Lions avoided a potential distraction recently by agreeing on a deal that gives him the NFL’s richest contract.
He and the team still have a lot of work to do.
Detroit selected Stafford No. 1 overall in 2009 — after its infamous 0-16 season — and he has panned out, unlike many of the franchise’s picks.
By drafting and keeping Stafford, the Lions have finally ended their decades-long search for a franchise quarterback.
He has a strong arm, a penchant for leading comebacks, and a likable presence in the locker-room. He helped Detroit do enough to be in the 2016 playoffs despite a lateseason slide, appearing in his third post-season in a six-season stretch.
Still, the Lions have been stuck on one playoff win for more than a quarter century and haven’t won an NFL championship in six decades. Stafford is determined to give a desperate fan base something to cheer about in the playoffs.
“Health is a factor, and timing and all those kinds of things, but we’re an extremely talented team,” Stafford said after getting a $135-million, five-year extension.
“We’ve got great depth. We’ve built that through the draft and free agency. Brought in some front-line starters, some guys that are going to fill out our roster and really help us win games.
“I expect great things from this team.”
Lions management must also believe better days are ahead. They removed a banner that simply listed post-season appearances as part of a $100-million project to refurbish Ford Field.
Here are some things to know about the Lions: Grounded game: Detroit has ranked among the NFL’s worst in yards rushing the last three years. In Week 1 of 2016, Ameer Abdullah and Theo Riddick combined for 120 yards receiving and 108 yards rushing in a 39-35 victory at Indianapolis. That was as good as it got. Abdullah hurt his left foot in Week 2 and missed the rest of the season. Riddick was limited to 10 games, missing five with an injured left wrist. “I know we can do more than we did in that game,” Abdullah said. “And, we’ve both done what we can to get healthy and ready for the season.” Injury report: The Lions will start without left tackle Taylor Decker, out indefinitely after shoulder surgery. Decker will be replaced by a highly motivated Greg Robinson, who the Los Angeles Rams traded even though they drafted him No. 2 overall just three years ago. Detroit’s passing game will be much better if tight end Eric Ebron (hamstring) and Riddick can overcome the injuries.
Defensive end Ezekiel Ansah, limited much of last season with a sprained ankle, became even more important for the team when Kerry Hyder went down during the summer with a season-ending Achilles tendon.
“There are only a few guys that have the kind of explosion, power, size, that (Ansah) has,” Lions coach Jim Caldwell said.
“We don’t have a lot of guys on our team like that, are genetically built the way he’s constructed. He can create some problems.”
The Lions put standout punter Sam Martin on the reserve/nonfootball injury list, giving Kasey Redfern a chance to make his NFL debut after spending time with Jacksonville, San Diego, Carolina and Cleveland. Reshaped line: The Lions let two starters go, Riley Reiff and Larry Warford in free agency, and believe they upgraded by adding veteran tackle Rick Wagner and T.J. Lang. Playmaking rookies: Detroit desperately needs playmakers on defence and hopes it landed two in the draft. The Lions drafted Florida linebacker Jarrad Davis No. 21 overall, and one of his teammates, cornerback Teez Tabor, in the second round.
Davis is expected to replace middle linebacker DeAndre Levy, who was cut during the off-season. Tabor is expected to be on the field when the Lions put five or six defensive backs in play. Tough sledding: Detroit has lost four straight games, including the post-season, and will have a hard time getting off to a good start.
The Lions open up at home against a Cardinals team motivated to bounce back from a 7-81 season after winning 24 games the two previous years. They play the New York Giants on the road before returning to Ford Field to host the defending NFC champion Atlanta Falcons.
Detroit cornerback Darius Slay recalls a time earlier in his career when he went up against Larry Fitzgerald, and the star receiver was able to beat the coverage.
Fitzgerald immediately explained why to his vanquished opponent.
“He kind of corrects you if you’re wrong about something out there on defence. That’s how nice a guy he is,” Slay said Monday.
“He told me why he got me and how he knew what it was . ... Right in the middle of the game. He caught it, and got up and was like, ‘Hey Slay, this is what you did.’ ”
Slay and the Lions get another chance to face Fitzgerald this weekend when Detroit opens its season against the Arizona Cardinals.
It’s a matchup that hasn’t been kind to the Lions of late, with the Cardinals taking the past seven meetings.
Meanwhile, this may be an unusually important opener for a Detroit team that made the playoffs last season but finished on a sour note. The Lions dropped their final three regular-season games and were beaten handily by Seattle in the playoffs.
For the most part, they looked outclassed by top competition.
It’s not clear what challenge Arizona will present after a losing record in 2016, but the Cardinals went 13-3 the previous season, including a 42-17 win at Detroit. That was during the Lions’ only poor stretch in coach Jim Caldwell’s three-year tenure. They bounced back last season, but still have a lot to prove.
“There’s no room for error at this point, because now we’re preparing for the game,” receiver Golden Tate said. “Everything kind of turns up a little bit, as it should be. There’s a lot of excitement within that locker-room.”
Caldwell, whose demeanour always seems to be on an even keel, said he doesn’t want the team “on an emotional roller-coaster on day one” — but he too is ready to move on from the pre-season for a number of reasons.
“Ball games, obviously. But, I like the preparation leading up to the ball games even more,” Caldwell said. “Getting guys in position to do what they got to do and the challenge of getting the team ready, that excites me, that’s a lot of fun.
“Because you see during the course of the week that guys look at their opponent, they look at what they have to do. You implement a game plan, and then to go see if you can carry it out.”
Fitzgerald, who turned 34 recently, is third on the career receptions list and led the NFL with 107 last season. He and 37-year-old quarterback Carson Palmer form an accomplished tandem that will test the Detroit secondary.
The Lions lost defensive lineman Kerry Hyder to an Achilles tendon in their first pre-season game, but defensive end Ziggy Ansah came off the physically unable to perform list recently. The defensive front will remain an area to watch, against both the run and the pass.
After facing the Cardinals in Detroit on Sunday, the Lions face the New York Giants on the road before hosting defending NFC champion Atlanta.
So this opener — at home against a team that didn’t make the playoffs a season ago — may be crucial to avoiding a rough start.
The Lions probably aren’t thinking that far ahead, though. Right now, it’s just nice to be able to prepare for a game that counts.
“When you get to game time, it’s full throttle, and we’re excited about that,” Caldwell said.
Notes: The Lions signed DE Earl Okine to the practice squad and released DT Derrick Lott from the practice squad.