Morning Lions Links Wednesday 9-9-09

Daunte's official statement: http://www.detroitlions.com/document_display.cfm?document_id=489617

Tavern Talk - Stafford and growing pains: http://www.nationalfootballpost.com/Tavern-talk-Stafford-and-growing-pains.html

Stafford will need moxie to survive tough early stretch: http://blogs.nfl.com/2009/09/07/stafford-will-need-moxie-to-survive-tough-early-stretch/

Carruci breaks down teams to watch and players to watch in 09 (Stafford is one of the observation points): http://www.nfl.com/news/story?id=09000d5d81273e43&template=with-video-with-comments&confirm=true

Daunte gives Lions rare depth: http://espn.go.com/blog/nfcnorth/post/_/id/3057/culpepper-gives-lions-rare-depth

Week 1 power rankings for the NFC North (Lions #32): http://espn.go.com/blog/nfcnorth/post/_/id/3046/week-1-power-rankings-nfc-north

Circling back on 2009 draftees: http://espn.go.com/blog/nfcnorth/post/_/id/3036/circling-back-on-2009-draftees

Picks and Predictions for 2009 (Schein predicts the Lions to win 5 games): http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/10037518/Picks-and-predictions-for-the-2009-NFL-season

video - Breakout players (Horowitz picks Avril as one of them): http://www.cbssports.com/video/player/skin/channel/V61vq8dGdw2RF5114vWCIjXBG0Scdg60

Countdown KOs - Stafford stuff from Atlanta paper: http://blogs.ajc.com/jeff-schultz-blog/2009/09/08/countdown-kos-stafford-oudin-and-goofball-in-boise/?cxntlid=sldr_hm

Starting Stafford was the right decision: http://www.examiner.com/x-2992-Detroit-Sports-Examiner~y2009m9d8-Starting-Stafford-is-the-right-call

Will new-look Lions be a problem for Vikes: http://www.startribune.com/blogs/57698452.html?elr=KArksLckD8EQDUoaEyqyP4O:DW3ckUiD3aPc:_Yyc:aUgOy9cP3DieyckcUsI

Preseason Rookie Meter (Stafford ranked 7th, Delmas ranked 10th): http://www.profootballweekly.com/2009/09/08/preseason-rookie-meter

Fresh meat (Saints players take on Stafford starting): http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/10038582/%27FRESH-MEAT%27

Power Ranking (Lions #31): http://profootball.scout.com/2/896835.html

10 things I know about the NFL (he thinks Sanchez will have the better rookie year, but long-term he'd rather have Stafford): http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/story/144098

Schwartz goes against his grain in making Stafford his starter: http://www.nflgridirongab.com/2009/09/08/schwartz-goes-against-the-grain-in-making-stafford-his-starter/

Ranking the NFL teams during the decade (Lions #32): http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/31168310/ns/sports-nfl/displaymode/1247/?beginSlide=1

Lions Free Press Section (too many articles): http://www.freep.com/section/SPORTS01

Stafford hopes he's learning more than Manning and Leaf: http://detnews.com/article/20090909/SPORTS0101/909090336/1126/Matthew-Stafford-hopes-he-s-more-Manning-than-Leaf

10 NFL Questions (#6 is about Stafford): http://www.usatoday.com/sports/football/nfl/2009-09-08-season-questions_N.htm

A closer look at the Lions - NO matchup: http://www.nola.com/saints/index.ssf/2009/09/a_closer_look_at_the_new_orlea.html

Lions look to improve: http://www.kansan.com/stories/2009/sep/09/Morning_brew/

Preseason winners and losers (Lions are winners): http://www.usatoday.com/sports/football/nfl/2009-09-08-preseason-winners-losers_N.htm

NFC North Season Preview (Tom K. wrote the Lions): http://www.sportingnews.com/blog/The_Trenches/entry/view/33706/nfl_team_reports:_nfc_north_season_previews

MLive homepage: http://www.mlive.com/lions/