Dan Orlovsky:
Vikings-Lions: Six Bold Predictions (Remember him? Dan Orlovsky got his first career start at quarterback against the Vikings in 2008. It was Columbus Day, and the lowlight for Orlovsky was when Jared Allen forced him to scramble and Orlovsky scrambled … out of the end zone for a safety. And the Lions lost 12-10. Well, Orlovsky is again the Lions backup quarterback, and Matthew Stafford has a sore throwing arm and … this prediction is Orlovsky comes into the game and gets revenge by leading the Lions to a come-from-behind victory.) (9-19-15): http://www.startribune.com/vikings-lions-six-bold-predictions/328384711/
A look at the Detroit Lions' 53-man roster (Dan Orlovsky: He’s the experienced backup to Stafford, but the Lions hope he doesn’t see a snap all season.) (9-7-15): http://espn.go.com/blog/detroit-lions/post/_/id/18706/linebacker-is-a-deep-group-on-the-detroit-lions-53-man-roster
Best of the second-best: All 32 backup QBs, ranked (Ex-starters who squandered their big breaks - The prototype: Orlovsky, who found his way onto two of the worst teams of the past decade. He helped Indianapolis stave off history in 2011 with back-to-back dramatic wins in December of that Peyton-less year, a feat that never gets enough credit in the retelling of the Andrew Luck sweepstakes. Somehow, he’s back for the second year of his second stint in Detroit, where he joins Calvin Johnson and guard Manny Ramirez as the only current Lions who were members of the winless ’08 squad.) (9-7-15): http://www.si.com/nfl/2015/09/07/backup-qb-derek-anderson-rg3-mark-sanchez
Where Lions stand at each position after final cuts (Pressure will be on Stafford to play consistently well now that the Lions have surrounded him with plenty of weapons. Orlovsky won the backup job again by outplaying Kellen Moore this summer, but the Lions will continue to hope Stafford, who has made 64 straight starts, remains healthy.) (9-6-15): http://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/09/06/where-lions-stand-at-each-position-after-final-cuts/71813142/
RECAP: Lions vs. Bills (Dan Orlovsky started for the Lions and played just two drives, neither of which produced points. The first drive was a three-and-out, but the Lions defense took the ball back when Hyder recovered a fumble by Simms near midfield. The Lions' second offensive possession ended when Ross dropped a pass after hitting the ground. The ball bounced off Ross's chest and in the air to cornerback Ron Brooks, who returned it 81 yards for a touchdown, giving Buffalo a 7-0 lead with 2:16 left in the first quarter. Kellen Moore then relieved Orlovsky, yet another sign that Orlovsky is cemented in the No. 2 quarterback job behind Matthew Stafford.) (9-3-15): http://www.detroitlions.com/news/lions-insider/article-1/RECAP-Lions-vs-Bills-/d50028af-eaa0-40ef-9cfe-e012f00f393d
Lions win as roster battles go to wire (In the tight end battle between Joseph Fauria and Tim Wright, Fauria's 5-yard catch was the lone statistical contribution.) (9-3-15): http://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/09/03/lions-win-roster-battles-go-wire/71678186/
Zach Zenner scores another game-wining TD, Lions finish preseason 3-1 (Dan Orlovsky started at quarterback and completed 2 of 4 passes for 21 yards, no touchdowns and one interception that popped out of Jeremy Ross' hands.) (9-3-15): http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2015/09/zach_zenner_scores_another_gam.html
Detroit Lions top Buffalo in preseason finale (Quarterback Dan Orlovsky started the game going 2-4 for 21 yards and an interception. Kellen Moore took them home from the second quarter with an impressive showing. In preseason games, Moore finds ways to keep drives alive. In the first half he was just shy of perfection going 7-8 for 99 yards, one touchdown and a 157.8 quarterback rating (158.3 is perfect). He finished 16 of 22 for 150 yards and a 106.2 rating. It’s uncertain if the Lions will keep two or three quarterbacks. They kept three last season.) (9-3-15): http://www.theoaklandpress.com/sports/20150903/detroit-lions-top-buffalo-in-preseason-finale
Lions' T.J. Jones may have swayed decision on receiver spots with strong effort (QB Depth Chart: Lions coach Jim Caldwell has not said whether the team intends to keep three quarterbacks on the roster as it did last season. Dan Orlovsky established himself as the backup to starter Matthew Stafford this preseason, but Moore played fairly well against the Bills. Moore was 16-22 for 150 yards and one touchdown.) (9-3-15): http://espn.go.com/blog/detroit-lions/post/_/id/18666/lions-t-j-jones-may-have-made-decision-on-receiver-spots-easier-with-strong-effort
O'HARA'S MONDAY COUNTDOWN: Zenner more than just a good story (The best of Game 3: The big play offense – 173 yards passing and two TDs by Stafford; 108 yards rushing, led by Zenner’s 85; the defense getting four sacks in the second half; rookie Kyle Brindza making a 51-yard field goal look as effortless as Dustin Johnson hitting an 8-iron; a good 32-yard sideline catch by Jeremy Ross on a throw from Dan Orlovsky.) (8-31-15): http://www.detroitlions.com/news/ohara/article-1/OHARAS-MONDAY-COUNTDOWN-Zenner-more-than-just-a-good-story/137ea4cf-bc10-4712-984b-2435a150241c
Lions' Caldwell won't commit to keeping three QBs (The Lions have started each season under general manager Martin Mayhew with three quarterbacks on their initial 53-man roster, but coach Jim Caldwell didn't commit to that happening again this year when asked Saturday. "Every year is different," Caldwell said. "We went for 10 years at Indy and we only kept two, and so that was kind of the way in which we felt we could best utilize our roster at that time. So this is the same thing here. "How many we keep depends on what our roster looks like." The team made financial commitments to both Dan Orlovsky and Kellen Moore this offseason and opened the backup competition for most of the summer. To this point, though, the 32-year-old Orlovsky looks to have a sizeable advantage heading into the season after being Matthew Stafford's first replacement in the most important exhibitions the past two weeks. Moore, 26, has been with the Lions since going undrafted out of Boise State in 2012. He spent his first two years as the third option behind Stafford and Shaun Hill, and last year behind Stafford and Orlovsky. In three seasons, he has yet to be active in a game, which actually gives the Lions the option of stashing him on the practice squad. Through three exhibitions, Moore has gone 13-of-25 for just 104 yards, no touchdowns and an interception. He should see extensive playing time in the preseason finale against Buffalo on Thursday. The Lions signed Moore to a two-year, $1.825 million contract this offseason with $340,000 guaranteed, which is more than the $140,000 guaranteed Orlovsky received in his $1.05 million, one-year deal. As much as financial aspects play a role, though, the need for depth at other positions — because of injuries or otherwise — will likely determine whether or not Moore has a spot. "It adjusts according to exactly your team at that particular point in time and how you think it works and fits," Caldwell said of keeping two or three quarterbacks. "You have to be able to adjust to put together your best roster, so (the number) could change.") (8-30-15): http://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/08/30/lions-jim-caldwell-wont-commit-to-keeping-three-qbs/71426480/
Detroit Lions not locked into keeping 3 quarterbacks (8-30-15): http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2015/08/detroit_lions_not_locked_into.html
NOTEBOOK: Explaining Whitehead’s playing time (The third preseason game is typically the dry run for the regular season. So, it was noted that Dan Orlovsky replaced starting quarterback Matthew Stafford in the third quarter and played well into the fourth quarter. When it comes to the competition between Orlovsky and Kellen Moore for the backup quarterback spot, Orlovsky looks to be well ahead at this point. Through three preseason games he’s 23-of-38 passing (60.5 percent), with three touchdowns, no interceptions and passer rating of 109.0. Moore is 13-of-25 for 104 yards with no touchdowns, one interception and a passer rating of 46.1. There’s still one preseason game to go next week in the finale at Ford Field vs. Buffalo, but Orlovsky is the odds on favorite to win the job.) (8-28-15): http://www.detroitlions.com/news/lions-insider/article-1/NOTEBOOK-Explaining-Whitehead%E2%80%99s-playing-time/65fbf549-d3c7-4275-898c-4b63badfe3b2
Lions Zach Zenner drags defenders into end zone for game-winning TD against Jags (Kellen Moore did not enter until only 3:57 remained in the game, a sign he is now entrenched behind Dan Orlovsky at quarterback. The Lions gave him a two-year deal this offseason, but injuries at other positions make it possible Moore doesn't survive the cuts.) (8-28-15): http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2015/08/lions_zach_zenner_drags_defend.html
Detroit Lions notes: Run game up to speed in win over Jaguars (Orlovsky was the second quarterback in and was 5-10 for 61 yards.) (8-28-15): http://www.theoaklandpress.com/sports/20150828/detroit-lions-notes-run-game-up-to-speed-in-win-over-jaguars
O'HARA'S MONDAY COUNTDOWN: Roster watch (With Stafford set to start on opening day for the seventh straight season, the only issue to settle is whether Orlovsky or Moore has the No. 2 job. Orlovsky has taken a sizable lead, but it should be remembered that Moore tightened the competition by playing his best ball last preseason in Game 4 – 17 of 28 for 172 yards, two TDs and a passer rating of 102.1.) (8-24-15): http://www.detroitlions.com/news/ohara/article-1/OHARAS-MONDAY-COUNTDOWN-Roster-watch/f00f0d89-7772-4948-881b-0fafd5e183d7
Detroit News Camp Notes - Lions shuffle linemen with Warford out (Dan Orlovsky and Kellen Moore split the second-team reps. The highlight between the duo was Orlovsky’s perfect pass to TJ Jones in the end zone, splitting a couple defenders.) (8-23-15): http://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/08/23/lions-shuffle-linemen-warford/32248229/
Corey Fuller's 'got to carry a pretty big load for us,' Lions' Jim Caldwell says (Kellen Moore and Dan Orlovsky rotated second-team reps and neither look particularly good. Orlovsky was more off during the session, overthrowing several targets.) (8-23-15): http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2015/08/lions_jim_caldwell_corey_fulle.html
Lions' Dan Orlovsky pulling away from Kellen Moore for backup QB job (8-22-15): http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2015/08/dan_orlovsky_focused_on_being.html
Lions mailbag: Who will be offensive, defensive difference-makers? (Q. If Staffy goes down, season is over. Why is team so headstrong on keeping 2 bad backups on roster? (A. The simple answer is who would you rather have? It isn't as if there are a bunch of super attractive options out there on the free agent wire. Also, if you look around the league, you can say the same thing about most backup quarterback situations. I understand the questioning of why two backup quarterbacks, especially when there are some talented players Detroit might cut this season. But the Lions believe in continuity as well and both Dan Orlovsky and Kellen Moore have been valuable to Stafford from an eyes, ears and preparation standpoint. That is a big key as well at a position where Detroit hopes only one person plays the entire season. As of now, I see the Lions keeping both Orlovsky and Moore.) (8-22-15): http://espn.go.com/blog/detroit-lions/post/_/id/18418/mailbag-who-will-be-offensive-defensive-difference-makers-for-detroit-lions
Four Downs: Orlovsky Feeling Comfortable And Confident (First Down: Orlovsky Takes The Lead - Dan Orlovsky has spent 10 years in the NFL and has played on four different teams, some as a starter. But’s it’s right here and right now as the backup quarterback in Detroit’s offense where he says he’s more comfortable with his situation than he’s ever been in his career. The way he’s played through the first two preseason games is proof of that. Orlovsky is a combined 18-of-28 passing for 214 yards with three touchdowns in the preseason. He and Kellen Moore are getting equal opportunities to become Matthew Stafford’s backup, but it’s Orlovsky who’s made the most of his opportunities and has put a strangle-hold on the job through the first two weeks of the preseason. “There is a high comfort level,” Orlovsky said of his current play after throwing two touchdown passes in the Lions’ 21-17 loss to Washington in the second preseason game Thursday night. “High confidence level. I just feel like I’m at the best place career-wise. My comfort level and confidence level, all of that is in a good place.” Rotating between the second and third teams the last two weeks, Moore has completed 12-of-24 passes for 98 yards with no touchdowns and an interception. Orlovsky has been the better of the two backup quarterbacks through two preseason games. “Well, he’s had very good performances,” Caldwell said of Orlovsky. “He’s a guy that has a real good understanding of systems, does a good job in terms of leadership and he’s effective. So he’s doing a good job.” There are still two games to go, but Orlovsky appears to be the clear leader to win the job at this point. “Absolutely, I want to be the guy,” Orlovsky said of winning the backup job. “I’ve expressed that. It’s a big deal. Absolutely.”) (8-21-15): http://www.detroitlions.com/news/lions-insider/article-1/FOUR-DOWNS-Orlovsky-feeling-comfortable-and-confident/c188163d-6b57-4c18-af78-9d3faae6f61f
Orlovsky pulls ahead in Lions' backup quarterback race (8-21-15): http://www.freep.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/08/21/dan-orlovsky-detroit-lions/32111391/
Orlovsky gets leg up on Moore for backup QB job (8-21-15): http://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/08/21/orlovsky-gets-leg-moore-backup-qb-job/32100327/
Jim Caldwell's quotes from Friday (On QB Dan Orlovsky's performance this preseason: "He's been very efficient. He's had a real good camp, and he's performed very well in both ball games that we've played thus far. He's managing things very well. He's moving the ball with the unit in which he's assigned to and he's putting it in the end zone.")(8-21-15): http://www.prideofdetroit.com/2015/8/21/9188493/lions-jim-caldwell-quotes-friday
O'HARA'S BURNING QUESTIONS: What stood out from first-team units? (Q. QB backup battle -- Is the race over for No. 2? A. No. Dan Orlovsky led two scoring drives and finished off both with TD passes. One was to Ross, and the other to rookie Zach Zenner. That gives him three TD passes in two games, but it doesn’t mean he has beaten out Kellen Moore – at least not yet -- to retain the No. 2 job that he had last year. Orlovsky has produced more so far, but a lot can change in the last two games.)(8-20-15): http://www.detroitlions.com/news/ohara-burning-questions/article-1/-OHARAS-BURNING-QUESTIONS-What-stood-out-from-first-team-units/0b576dc9-abed-421b-bd0f-d1f63b6881ff
Recap: Lions At Redskins (The second-team defense got in the action in the second quarter and recorded a team sack that resulted in a Griffin III fumble and recovery by rookie defensive tackle Gabe Wright. It was the play Griffin was injured on. Dan Orlovsky and the second-team offense did the rest from there as Orlovsky found Jeremy Ross from three yards out five plays later. Orlovsky had a terrific game as he continues to battle Kellen Moore for the backup job. He threw two touchdown passes in the game and finished 13-of-17 passing for 118 yards. Moore was 3-of-7 for 31 yards playing with the third team. Orlovsky’s second touchdown was a 5-yard connection with running back Zach Zenner in the third quarter that briefly gave the Lions a 17-14 lead. Player of the game: Orlovsky deserves some votes, so does the first-team defense, but Zenner had a nice all-around game that included 22 rushing yards on four carries (5.5 average) and 59 receiving yards on five catches, including a touchdown. Zenner also had a 45-yard run called back on a holding penalty.) (8-20-15): http://www.detroitlions.com/news/lions-insider/article-1/RECAP-Lions-at-Redskins/cce7020b-6e20-48a4-aa49-a2850958279b
Lions licking wounds after loss at Washington (Lions rookie defensive tackle Gabe Wright, who played significantly after Caraun Reid (ankle) left in the first series, recovered Griffin's fumble at the Washington 11. On the ensuing drive, which was Orlovsky's second, Joseph Fauria caught a 10-yard pass, hurdling a defender and falling just short of the goal line. A false start by Fauria — one of nine penalties for the Lions — moved them back, but two plays later, Orlovksy threw a 3-yard touchdown pass to Ross, giving them a 10-0 lead with 7:31 left in the second quarter. Orlovsky played well, finishing 13 of 17 for 118 yards and two touchdowns.) (8-20-15): http://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/08/20/lions-licking-wounds-loss-washington/32094485/
Detroit Lions stock report: Undrafted RB Zach Zenner continues to make case for roster spot (Stock up -- Dan Orlovsky: Working with the second-team offense, Orlovsky was sharp, connecting on 13 of his 17 passes for 118 yards, two touchdowns and zero interceptions. He did absorb a couple sacks, including one allowed by rookie Laken Tomlinson when the quarterback was gearing up to take a deep shot, but this is the type of performance that will solidify Orlovsky's role as Matthew Stafford's backup.) (8-20-15): http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2015/08/detroit_lions_stock_report_was.html
Lions defense destroys RGIII before backups lose exhibition in Washington (Highlights - Dan Orlovsky has taken all kind of fire since joining the Lions, with calls for him to lose his job to Kellen Moore all last year, to actually ceding second-team reps to Moore this offseason. He hasn't looked all that impressive. But against Washington, Orlovsky went a long way toward solidifying his hold on the No. 2 job. He completed 13-of-17 passes for 118 yards and two touchdowns, including threading the needle to Jeremy Ross on a 3-yard timing pattern over the middle.) (8-20-15): http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2015/08/lions_defense_destroys_rgiii_b.html
Detroit Lions notes — Orlovsky, Moore continue battle to be No. 2 QB (After the game, Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford said he’s good friends with Dan Orlovsky and Kellen Moore and they are good friends with each other. They don’t talk about the competition to be the No. 2 quarterback, but there certainly is one. Dan Orlovsky had the opportunity to go in after Stafford’s two series in the 21-17 loss to the Redskins on Thursday night. He finished.13 of 17 for 118 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Kellen Moore, who was the second quarterback in week one, had mop-up duty against the Redskins and was 3-of-7 for 31 yards. The two alternate during practices working with the second group. It wouldn’t be surprising to see Moore get the nod as the second quarterback in the next preseason game on Aug. 28 at Jacksonville. The Lions three quarterbacks completed passes to 11 different receivers.) (8-20-15): http://www.theoaklandpress.com/sports/20150820/detroit-lions-notes-x2014-orlovsky-moore-continue-battle-to-be-no-2-qb )
Winners and losers from Lions' second preseason game (Winners: Dan Orlovsky - Orlovsky outperformedKellen Moore last week, and that continued this week with Orlovsky back in the No. 2 quarterback role. Orlovsky went 13-for-17 for 118 yards and two touchdowns against the Redskins, and he pretty clearly should be the backup going forward. (In fact, I would argue that he should be the only quarterback other than Matthew Stafford on the 53-man roster.) (8-20-15): http://www.prideofdetroit.com/2015/8/20/9179617/lions-redskins-preseason-winners-losers
Jeremy Ross, Jermelle Cudjo put together good nights for Detroit Lions (QB Kellen Moore looked worse than Dan Orlovsky for the second straight week.) (8-20-15): http://espn.go.com/blog/detroit-lions/post/_/id/18392/jeremy-ross-jermelle-cudjo-put-together-good-nights-for-detroit-lions
RG3 leaves with injury in Redskins' 21-17 win over Lions (Dan Orlovsky made a strong case for earning the Lions' No. 2 QB job, going 13 for 17 for 118 yards and two TD throws as rain fell off and on. QB Comparison - Lions: Coach Jim Caldwell said about Orlovsky: ''Dan's obviously a guy who that has a real good understanding of systems. He does a good job in terms of leadership and he's effective. He's doing a good job. This is Game 2, so we've got a little ways to go yet.'' Kellen Moore, who hopes to beat out Orlovsky as Stafford's backup, finished up and went 3 for 7 for 31 yards.) (8-20-15): http://sports.yahoo.com/news/rg3-leaves-injury-redskins-21-17-win-over-022439520--nfl.html
Video - Orlovsky to Zenner for 5-yard touchdown (8-20-15): http://www.nfl.com/videos/detroit-lions/0ap3000000513856/Orlovsky-to-Zenner-for-5-yard-touchdown
Video - Orlovsky 3-yard touchdown to Ross (8-20-15): http://www.nfl.com/videos/detroit-lions/0ap3000000513813/Orlovsky-3-yard-touchdown-to-Ross
Video - Postgame 1 on 1 with QB Dan Orlovsky (8-20-15): http://www.detroitlions.com/media-center/videos/Postgame-1-on-1-with-QB-Dan-Orlovsky/9c79afb2-9702-44d5-9bd6-c7c448ee05ce
5 things to watch: Lions at Redskins (Backup QB Battle - Kellen Moore got the call with the second-team offense last week, so it’s expected that Orlovsky will run that unit tonight. This is a competition that’s been ongoing since OTAs in the spring. The backup job for Matthew Stafford is open and there are only two weeks and three preseason games for someone to declare themselves the winner. Moore was solid running the second-team offense last week. He orchestrated a couple long drives and completed 9-of-17 passes for 67 yards, but had a really bad interception in the Jets end zone at the end of the half. His passer rating was 38.1. The first pass Orlovsky threw taking over in the second half was a 20-yard touchdown to Salas. Orlovsky finished 5-of-11 passing for 96 yards and a touchdown. His passer rating was 106.6. Orlovsky was the more crisp of the two. Who will it be tonight?) (8-20-15): http://www.detroitlions.com/news/lions-insider/article-1/5-things-to-watch-Lions-at-Redskins/0a3dc84e-75ca-4c67-a56f-84cd4f6933dd
Lions vs. Washington: Five things to watch Thursday (Dan the man: Last week it was Kellen Moore's turn to play backup to Matthew Stafford. This week, Dan Orlovsky should get the nod. Neither Orlovsky nor Moore had a great showing against the Jets, so a good performance by either one at Washington could vault them into the lead to be the Lions' No. 2 quarterback.) (8-19-15): http://www.freep.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/08/19/detroit-lions-washington-redskins/31984749/
Ten Lions players to watch vs. Washington (QB Dan Orlovsky: In the battle for the No. 2 quarterback job, Orlovsky earned an advantage last week over Kellen Moore. Moore actually received the bulk of second-team drills Tuesday, so he might be the second option Thursday as he was last week. But another solid performance by Orlovsky would help keep him ahead of Moore.) (8-19-15): http://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/08/19/ten-players-watch-vs-washington/31992373/
Detroit Lions — Five things to watch vs. Redskins in preseason action (Dan Orlovsky should be the second quarterback in the game after Kellen Moore got the chance to go in after Stafford’s one series last week. The competition to be No. 2 is still in full gear. They alternate with the second group during camp. Moore’s numbers didn’t appear that great last week (the interception didn’t help) but he kept a second-quarter drive going for six-plus minutes which isn’t easy to do.) (8-19-15): http://www.theoaklandpress.com/sports/20150819/detroit-lions-x2014-five-things-to-watch-vs-redskins-in-preseason-action
NOTEBOOK: Swanson won't take starting role for granted (Play of the Day - Big Joe Fauria made his presence felt at practice Tuesday. After sitting out most of last week because of an injury, including the team's preseason opener, Fauria got a lot of reps Tuesday and made the most of them. Fauria’s made a name for himself as a red zone threat and made a terrific high-point catch over safeties Nate Ness and Brian Suite in the back of the end zone in a 7-on-7 red zone drill. Quarterback Dan Orlovsky threw the ball in high and hot where only the 6-foot-7 Fauria could get it. There was no dance to report after the play.)(8-18-15): http://www.detroitlions.com/news/lions-insider/article-1/NOTEBOOK-Swanson-wont-take-starting-role-for-granted/fd95f7eb-5bea-4729-8de8-007ee434309d
Freep Lions observations: 'No reason' Abdullah limited in practice (Dan Orlovsky took second-team quarterback reps today and likely will follow Matthew Stafford in the quarterback rotation Thursday at Washington. Orlovsky completed 4 of 5 passes in a red-zone passing drills, incluidng a nice throw to Greg Salas in the corner of the end zone, and 2 of 4 passes in the day's second 11-on-11 period.) (8-18-15): http://www.freep.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/08/18/lions-training-camp-notes/31948017/
MLive Detroit Lions training camp notes: Nevin Lawson finishes strong camp with pick, pass breakup (All three quarterbacks (Stafford, Dan Orlovsky and Kellen Moore) showed nice accuracy on their deep passes. Dan Orlovsky was back taking most of the second-team work heading into Thursday's game with Washington. Kellen Moore, working with the third unit, got his feet tangled with the center and went down hard when working near his own goal line.) (8-18-15): http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2015/08/detroit_lions_training_camp_no_32.html
ESPN Camp Notes - Stephen Tulloch looks ready; Nevin Lawson has standout practice for Lions (Nevin Lawson had another nice play Tuesday during camp, stepping in front of a Dan Orlovsky pass and intercepting it during one-on-one drills. He also had a really good pass breakup on an Orlovsky pass intended for Ryan Broyles in team drills.) (8-18-15): http://espn.go.com/blog/detroit-lions/post/_/id/18344/stephen-tulloch-looks-ready-for-detroit-lions-and-nevin-lawson-has-standout-practice
NOTEBOOK: Slay enjoying competition at practice (Receiver Greg Salas caught a 33-yard pass from Dan Orlovsky over Stanford to set the second-team offense up to win the period. After a 6-yard tackle for loss by Kerry Hyder on the next play, the offense was forced to kick a 44-yard field goal, which backup kicker Kyle Brindza missed.) (8-17-15): http://www.detroitlions.com/news/lions-insider/article-1/NOTEBOOK-Slay-enjoying-competition-at-practice/4e111365-8f86-436e-b4ac-9b5e1bab56e9
Camp notes: Could Igwenagu make Lions as TE? (Both the Lions' first- and second-team offenses drove into field-goal territory in one play on the final period of practice, when the offense was given 45 seconds on the clock and first-and-10 at the 50. Dan Orlovsky threw a perfect 36-yard pass to Salas over top of R.J. Stanford with the second-team offense. Kellen Moore took the bulk of the second-team reps in practice today. It's unclear if Moore or Orlovsky will play with the twos in Thursday's preseason game at Washington.) (8-17-15): http://www.freep.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/08/17/emil-igwenagu-/31892773/
Camp observations: Lions unveil 2-point attack (During training camp at Edsel Ford High, the Lions spent a significant portion of team drills running and defending plays from the 2-yard line, which is where the 2-point try begins. Based on the plays, the offense has the advantage in the short-yardage situation at the moment. For the backups, Dan Orlovsky led one play with the third unit, but the defense stopped Martin before the goal line. Overall, the offense scored on seven of 10 attempts — or eight for those that think replay wouldn’t have led to Johnson’s catch being overturned. Greg Salas, a star in Thursday’s exhibition, had a strong performance. He caught one deep pass from Dan Orlovsky in 11-on-11s and was running with the first-team offense for a portion of practice.) (8-17-15): http://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/08/18/camp-observations-lions-unveil-2-point-attack/31894665/
Detroit Lions training camp notes: Gabe Wright impresses, Greg Salas gets first-team work (While there's still time to flip the rotation before Thursday's game against the Redskins, it remained Kellen Moore over Dan Orlovsky with the second-team offense. In the two-minute drill, Orlovsky, getting his only second-team work of the day, connected with Salas for 27 yards down the sideline, but after a six-yard loss by George Winn (blown up in the backfield by Kerry Hyder), backup kicker Kyle Brindza missed wide left.) (8-17-15): http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2015/08/detroit_lions_training_camp_no_31.html
Video - Orlovsky 35-yard pass to Salas (8-14-15): http://www.nfl.com/videos/detroit-lions/0ap3000000509686/Orlovsky-35-yard-pass-to-Salas
Recap: Lions Vs. Jets (The second half started with a Jets fumble on their second play. The Lions made them pay one play later with a 20-yard touchdown pass from Dan Orlovsky to Greg Salas that gave the Lions a 17-3 lead. Orlovsky finished the game 5-of-11 passing for 96 yards with a touchdown and no interceptions.): http://www.detroitlions.com/news/lions-insider/article-1/RECAP-Lions-vs-Jets-/382f4afe-6052-45d1-b2c6-def8c9daa732
O'hara's Burning Questions: What Did The Offense's Opening Drive Mean? (Q. Backup battle: Kellen Moore and Dan Orlovsky are competing to be the No. 2 quarterback. Did either one gain an advantage on the job that Orlovsky held last year? A. The edge went to Orlovsky. He threw a TD pass Greg Salas in the third quarter, and he was sharper and showed more command than Moore did. Moore was rushed hard at times, and he had an interception in the final seconds of the first half on a wayward pass in the end zone that was meant for Salas. It would have been better to throw the ball away and take the field goal attempt.) (8-14-15): http://www.detroitlions.com/news/ohara-burning-questions/article-1/OHARAS-BURNING-QUESTIONS-What-did-the-offenses-opening-drive-mean/1a45ac04-e7c4-41a1-883a-44c04c2db262
Four Downs: So Far So Good For Lions Run Game (SECOND DOWN: MOORE VS. ORLOVSKY - Dan Orlovsky and Kellen Moore are battling it out this summer to see who will backup Matthew Stafford in the fall. The two have split second-team reps throughout training camp, and the plan is for them to do so in the preseason too. Thursday was the first live competition for both, and Dan Orlovsky, who played with the third-team vs. the Jets, appeared to have the sharper night of the two. Moore moved the football some and converted four third downs on a 16-play drive in the second quarter, but he also threw an interception in the Jets end zone in the closing seconds of the first half that cost the Lions at least three points. He finished 9-of-17 passing for 67 yards with that interception. His passer rating was 38.1. Orlovsky was a bit more crisp and connected with Greg Salas on a terrific back-shoulder play on his first throw of the game. He and Salas connected on a 35-yard pass later on. Orlovsky finished 5-of-11 passing for 96 yards with a touchdown and no interceptions. His passer rating was 106.6. Give the first round in the backup quarterback competition to Orlovsky.) (8-14-15): http://www.detroitlions.com/news/lions-insider/article-1/FOUR-DOWNS-So-far-so-good-for-Lions-run-game/e92257d1-1d66-4cd5-a374-2be6d5517bca
Detroit 23, N.Y. Jets 3: Plenty to like from Lions' exhibition debut (Orlovsky, who dressed as the No.2 quarterback but did not appear in a game last year, took over at the start of the third quarter and threw a 20-yard touchdown pass to Greg Salas on his first play after Jermelle Cudjo recovered a fumble.) (8-14-15): http://www.freep.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/08/13/detroit-lions-new-york-jets-exhibition/31682513/
Lions’ Caldwell pleased with play of Moore, Orlovsky (8-14-15): http://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/08/14/lions-caldwell-pleased-play-moore-orlovsky/31719311/
Lions ground Jets in exhibition opener (Dan Orlovsky, meanwhile, was better than Moore, going of 5-of-11 for 96 yards and a touchdown. His 20-yard touchdown to Salas came on his first play and gave the Lions a 17-3 lead with 14:06 left in the third quarter. The drive started in Jets territory after defensive tackle Jermelle Cudjo recovered a fumble.) (8-14-15): http://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/08/13/jets-lions-exhibition-season/31660483/
Salas, Orlovsky show flash of chemistry in Lions win (8-14-15): http://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/08/14/salas-orlovsky-show-flash-chemistry-lions-win/31689027/
Detroit Lions stock report: Kellen Moore fails to take advantage of opportunity (Moore and Orlovsky each absorbed big hits after someone failed to pick up a blitz.) (8-14-15): http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2015/08/detroit_lions_stock_report_ame.html
Ameer Abdullah makes dazzling debut in Detroit Lions win against Jets (Dan Orlovsky, last year's No. 2 quarterback, was much sharper than Moore. He completed 5-of-11 passes for 96 yards and one touchdown pass to Greg Salas. At this point, Orlovsky has to be considered the clubhouse favorite to retain the backup duties behind Stafford. His touchdown pass to Salas, which nailed him on the back-shoulder, was picture perfect.) (8-14-15): http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2015/08/ameer_abdullah_makes_dazzling.html
Detroit Lions' Dan Orlovsky, Greg Salas carry practice chemistry into preseason opener (8-14-15): http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2015/08/detroit_lions_dan_orlovsky_gre.html
Young Detroit Lions shine in win over Jets (Detroit had a 10-3 lead at the half and built on that in the second half with Dan Orlovsky at quarterback. He was five of 11 for 96 yards and a touchdown.) (8-14-15): http://www.theoaklandpress.com/sports/20150813/young-detroit-lions-shine-in-win-over-jets
TJ Jones, Greg Salas improve their stock with Lions in preseason opener (Stock Up - QB Dan Orlovsky: The throw to Salas was pretty much perfect and the veteran’s arm strength and read recognitions looked fine. He isn’t going to be Matthew Stafford -- Stafford is a special talent and the unquestioned starter -- but Orlovsky once again placed himself ahead of Kellen Moore in the battle for the No. 2 quarterback gig.) (8-14-15): http://espn.go.com/blog/detroit-lions/post/_/id/18269/tj-jones-greg-salas-improve-their-stock-with-detroit-lions-in-preseason-opener
Ameer Abdullah, journeyman Greg Salas shine in Lions' preseason opener (QB depth chart: Dan Orlovsky entered the game in the third quarter and immediately threw a 20-yard touchdown pass to Greg Salas. Orlovsky has the experience and stronger arm and should be the No. 2 quarterback.)(8-14-15): http://espn.go.com/blog/detroit-lions/post/_/id/18256/ameer-abdullah-journeyman-greg-salas-shine-in-detroit-lions-preseason-opener
Jim Caldwell comments on Lions' win over Jets (On his evaluation of the two backup quarterbacks: "Both performed I think pretty well. Like I said, you've got to look at the film to see all the nuances of it, but both guys got in there and did well. I think the only little hiccup is Kellen (Moore) had down in the end zone with the interception, but other than that I thought he moved the ball well with the team and did some nice things and had fun. Dan (Orlovsky) did as well.") (8-14-15): http://www.prideofdetroit.com/2015/8/14/9145911/lions-jets-preseason-quotes-jim-caldwell
Winners and losers from Lions' first preseason game (Winners - Dan Orlovsky - Operating as the No. 3 quarterback for a change, Orlovsky made an extremely impressive pass to Salas for a 20-yard touchdown on his first throw of the game. He ended up finishing 5-for-11 for 96 yards and that one touchdown, and he seemingly outperformed Kellen Moore (more on that in a second).) (8-14-15): http://www.prideofdetroit.com/2015/8/13/9145923/lions-jets-preseason-winners-losers
Video - Orlovsky on Abdullah (8-14-15): http://www.detroitlions.com/media-center/videos/Orlovsky-on-Abdullah/b63c10a7-cca0-4016-89ac-f6f1e6f0d4f4
5 things to watch in Lions' preseason opener (Deuces: Matthew Stafford played one series and seven snaps in the exhibition opener last year, and he'll see about the same playing time Thursday. Kellen Moore and Dan Orlovsky are in a tight battle for the No. 2 job and, unlike last year, their performances in exhibition games could determine who wins the job.) (8-12-15): http://www.freep.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/08/12/detroit-lions-jets-geno-smith/31528637/
NOTEBOOK: Lombardi's evaluation of the offense (Kellen Moore took second-team reps Tuesday. The Lions plan to rotate those reps in the preseason between Moore and Dan Orlovsky. We’ll see who gets first crack at it Thursday night vs. the Jets.) (8-11-15): http://www.detroitlions.com/news/lions-insider/article-1/NOTEBOOK-Lombardis-evaluation-of-the-offense/36fa4a49-e873-46c2-99ad-04becc5dd7e0
Freep Camp Notes - Lions offense sloppy with preseason opener on deck (Dan Orlovsky, who worked as the No. 3 quarterback today, was 2-of-3, and Garrett Gilbert, who Lombardi said he expects to play this preseason, was 2-of-2 in seven-on-seven work. It was interesting to see Orlovsky approach Brian Suite after his lone incompletion to pick the pick the undrafted rookie safety's brain on what exactly the defense was trying to do on the play.) (8-11-15): http://www.freep.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/08/11/detroit-lions-training-camp-observations/31494755/
ESPN Camp Notes (Don’t be surprised if Kellen Moore receives a lot of snaps Thursday: While I don’t expect Stafford to play much, I think Moore will play a lot against New York. He received the majority of the No. 2 snaps Tuesday and unlike Dan Orlovsky, there are still questions about what Moore can do. He’s been pretty inconsistent throughout camp, so this would be a big opportunity for him in the backup quarterback battle. He’s going to be given many opportunities to unseat Orlovsky, but it’ll start Thursday. For instance, Moore had back-to-back botched snaps during a team period Tuesday, but recovered well enough during one to complete a pass to Brandon Pettigrew.) (8-11-15): http://espn.go.com/blog/detroit-lions/post/_/id/18218/matthew-stafford-continuing-to-have-strong-camp-for-detroit-lions
Video - Orlovsky on Stafford (8-11-15): http://www.detroitlions.com/media-center/videos/Orlovsky-on-Stafford/f97d9189-fbc9-4c4e-a610-6cf816c8221e
Notebook: Revamped Reid Playing Important Role On D-line (The quarterbacks always work on their footwork early in practice. They take the snap from the center and work on play fakes and drops and all the footwork that comes with playing the position. Usually, some of the equipment guys catch the ball for them in the drill. On Monday, Calvin Johnson jumped in and played receiver. It seems like a simple little thing, but it’s an opportunity for him to catch passes from every quarterback on the roster, and for the quarterbacks to get a little extra work with him. Sometimes the little things can make all the difference. The second-team offense had a much better go of it. It was able to score three times on touchdown passes from Dan Orlovsky to Corey Fuller, Jeremy Ross and Brandon Pettigrew.) (8-10-15): http://www.detroitlions.com/news/lions-insider/article-1/NOTEBOOK-Revamped-Reid-playing-important-role-on-d-line/0bf61d8a-3c0c-4e79-a7ef-b2da7f96abc9
Detroit News Camp observations: Ngata makes progress with hamstring (After struggling Saturday, backup quarterback Dan Orlovsky had a fine practice, including a string of three straight touchdown passes during a red-zone drill.)
(8-10-15): http://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/08/10/camp-observations-ngata-makes-progress-hamstring/31416513/
MLive Training Camp Notes (During red-zone work, Dan Orlovsky tossed touchdowns on three consecutive snaps. Those passes were sandwiched in between the backup quarterback missing wide to rookie running back Ameer Abdullah on a flare and a wild throw across his body into heavy traffic that he was lucky wasn't intercepted.) (8-10-15): http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2015/08/detroit_lions_2015_training_ca_10.html
5 who shined during first week of Lions training camp, and 5 who didn't (Thumbs down: Backup quarterback - It’s unfair to single out Kellen Moore as being bad, or Dan Orlovsky as being bad. They’ve both been bad, equally. Surely either would look better if he was repping with the first unit, but neither has done enough to instill any modicrum of confidence the offense would be in capable hands if something were to happen to Matthew Stafford.)(8-10-15): http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2015/08/5_who_shined_during_first_week.html#10
Freep Lions camp observations: Stafford sharp, backups not (While Stafford had a good day overall, Moore, Dan Orlovsky and the Lions' second- and third-team offenses looked out of sync all morning. Moore was second up in the quarterback rotation, and went three-and-out on his first two series. Moore took a sack at the 1-yard line on his first drive and had a soft third-down pass to his tight end batted down by Kyle Van Noy on his second. Both Orlovsky and Moore threw interceptions (to Taylor Mays and R.J. Stanford). "Some good things, but we were a little sloppy," Lions coach Jim Caldwell said. "Obviously, I think that's when we learn how penalties hurt you in drives and things of that nature, which we certainly understand. But we were a little off kilter there with a couple, but there was some good things out there as well.") (8-8-15): http://www.freep.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/08/08/detroit-lions-training-camp-matthew-stafford/31338835/
Lions flash signs of readiness in simulated game (The reserve offensive units struggled. Kellen Moore led the second-team offense, which struggled to move the ball, much less put points on the scoreboard. Likewise, Dan Orlovsky couldn't get the offense moving.) (8-8-15): http://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/08/08/lions-flash-signs-readiness-sim-game/31351223/
MLive Detroit Lions training camp notes: First-team offense looks good in scrimmage (The second- and third-team offenses looked shaky. It's somewhat understandable, given the number of new pieces learning to play together for the first time, but both Dan Orlovsky and Kellen Moore struggled to sustain drives. Both quarterbacks threw an interception, with Orlovsky having a ball tipped at the line and snagged by Taylor Mays on a deflection and cornerback R.J. Stanford leaping in front of the receiver to generate a turnover in the fourth quarter on a Moore pass. Mays almost had a second interception when Orlovsky put one into his chest.)(8-8-15): http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2015/08/detroit_lions_training_camp_no_29.html
Matthew Stafford, Rashean Mathis shine in Lions mock game (If Matthew Stafford gets hurt, Detroit is in real trouble: This might seem like a "duh" comment, but neither Dan Orlovsky nor Kellen Moore looked great in simulated game situations against a combination of first, second and third-team Detroit defenses. It might only be one day, but there should be a level of concern. Moore’s arm strength continues to be a question. Orlovsky threw one interception and could have had at least one more pass picked off as well. Moore also threw an interception late in the scrimmage. Meanwhile, Stafford continued to look sharp. There were a couple of rough throws for Detroit’s starter, but for the most part he looked on point, particularly on a late drive in which he completed 8 of 9 passes, including the touchdown to Ebron. He is, by far, the most indispensable player the Lions have. “He’s getting better, and that’s the thing that often times goes unnoticed,” Lions coach Jim Caldwell said. “He has a better command of what he’s doing; you can see he’s a lot more comfortable. He’s not giving the ball away in key situations. I like where he’s headed and not only that, he has talent, so he’ll be fine.”(8-8-15): http://espn.go.com/blog/detroit-lions/post/_/id/18168/matthew-stafford-rashean-mathis-shine-in-detroit-lions-mock-game-saturday
Orlovsky update: he just threw a ball into the dirt on what should have been an easy swing pass completion (8-8-15): https://twitter.com/alex_reno/status/630046997786009600
Van Noy read Orlovsky and quickly dropped to get a hand on the pass. Orlovsky staring down targets nonstop today. Brutal (8-8-15): https://twitter.com/JeffRisdon/status/630047182050213889
Van Noy still looking strong in coverage. Tipped a pass from Orlovsky to Peacock. Incomplete. (8-8-15): https://twitter.com/alex_reno/status/630047251851792385
Moore/Orlovsky bad today (8-8-15): https://twitter.com/kmeinke/status/630046021259763712
Orlovsky is just awful this series. Didn't see two wide open targets one play, next forces into triple coverage w/ PD by Isaiah Johnson (8-8-15): https://twitter.com/JeffRisdon/status/630043538961629184
Also, Kellen Moore not Dan Orlovsky with as No 2 QB (8-8-15): https://twitter.com/davebirkett/status/630028598364237824
MLive Detroit Lions training camp notes: Defense dominates 2-minute drill work (Dan Orlovsky's group ran out of time when the quarterback was sacked and the clock ran out before Brindza could get off a kick.)(8-7-15): http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2015/08/detroit_lions_training_camp_no_28.html
Stephen Tulloch, Darryl Tapp help Lions' defense dominate offense and other Camp notes (All three quarterbacks struggled: None of the quarterbacks looked particularly sharp and on passes they did complete, it was as much receivers like Calvin Johnson making them look good. Johnson had a couple of standout catches, including one he had to dive for from Matthew Stafford. Stafford was the best of the three and unlike Kellen Moore, he did not throw a bad interception in the situational team drill that I saw. He was also hurt by drops -- including one from Eric Ebron -- but just a rough day overall for the offense. Moore threw interceptions -- one to Josh Wilson and another to Nate Ness -- to end both of his situational drives. Tapp sacked Dan Orlovsky to end one of the two-minute sessions. When the quarterbacks struggle, the offense will obviously follow.) (8-7-15): http://espn.go.com/blog/detroit-lions/post/_/id/18147/defense-led-by-stephen-tulloch-and-darryl-tapp-dominates-detroit-lions-offense-friday
Free Press Camp observations: Lions hold first practice in pads (Joseph Fauria made a nice one-handed catch near the end of practice on a Dan Orlovsky pass in the right flat. The ball was a little off target, but Fauria showed the soft hands that made him a reliable red-zone threat two years ago.) (8-5-15): http://www.freep.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/08/05/riley-reiff-detroit-lions/31197729/
Dan O pressured and bailed out by a nice one-handed grab by Fauria (8-5-15): https://twitter.com/alex_reno/status/629092845920616448
A lot of check down throws from Moore and Dan O (8-5-15): https://twitter.com/alex_reno/status/629088346510368768
Van Noy with a deflection as well. Not much zip on Orlovsky's passes (8-5-15): https://twitter.com/alex_reno/status/629087217638580224
Orlovsky connects with Tate. Not liking what I'm seeing from Kellen or Dan O so far (8-5-15): https://twitter.com/alex_reno/status/629084274273185792
NOTEBOOK: Team player Brandon Pettigrew embracing all roles (Quarterback Kellen Moore took second-team reps today. The Lions are continuing the theme from the spring, when they split second-team reps between Dan Orlovsky and Moore. Both players will have their chance to win the backup job over the next month. Moore even threw a touchdown pass to Johnson in a red zone drill.) (8-4-15): http://www.detroitlions.com/news/lions-insider/article-1/NOTEBOOK-Team-player-Brandon-Pettigrew-embracing-all-roles/275880f7-af33-437b-9d4b-58c6727765b6
Freep Camp Notes - RB Abdullah impressive again, more (The Lions' first-team secondary had a good day in seven-on-seven red-zone drills in their few snaps against a Dan Orlovsky-led second-team offense. They forced what would have been a coverage sack on one play and forced Orlovsky to throw the ball out of the back of the end zone on the next.) (8-4-15): http://www.freep.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/08/04/detroit-lions-training-camp-observations/31140041/
Detroit News Camp observations: Backup QB battle ensues (The competition for the Lions' No. 2 quarterback job is underway, and if the first two days of training camp are any indication, Kellen Moore and Dan Orlovsky will continue to rotate working with the second- and third-team offenses this month. Orlovsky looked sharp on Monday when he played with the twos, and on Tuesday, Moore looked to be the better of the two. The winner of the job likely won't be declared until after the preseason, and Moore still has work to do to displace the veteran Orlovsky. Tuesday's practice was perhaps the best opportunity Moore has had to prove himself thus far in his young career. During team drills, he led some plays with players from the first-team offense, even throwing a touchdown to wide receiver Calvin Johnson. "Kellen, man, the kid's been good, he just hasn't had a shot, per se, to run with us in a game or anything like that," Johnson said. "And not that I don't want good things for Kellen, but I don't want that to happen because we need Matt (Stafford) in there. Not that Kellen can't come in and do the job because we're fully confident in him. Because, like I said, when we're out here in practice, he knows exactly what to do, he knows how to take his reads, and he puts the ball where it's supposed to be at." Moore will have a chance to display that knowledge during camp, but Orlovsky will, too.)
(8-4-15): http://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/08/04/camp-observations-backup-qb-battle-ensues/31140639/
ESPN Notes - Calvin Johnson shines for Detroit Lions in second day of training camp and other observations (Kellen Moore took No. 2 quarterback reps Tuesday: On the opening day, Dan Orlovsky took No. 2 reps. On the second day, Moore did, including that touchdown pass to Johnson. The quarterbacks continued to look sharp for the most part, particularly starter Matthew Stafford, and in watching Moore and Dan Orlovsky, it is clear Stafford is by far the better, sharper quarterback. Johnson expressed confidence in Moore after practice -- kind of -- but would prefer he didn't see him in games because it would mean an injury to Stafford. "Not that I don't want good things for Kellen, but I don't want that to happen," Johnson said. "We need Matt in there. Not that Kellen can't come in and do the job. We are fully confident in him."But Stafford is just better, although he made one horrific throw Tuesday trying to jam the ball in to Golden Tate.) (8-4-15): http://espn.go.com/blog/detroit-lions/post/_/id/18092/calvin-johnson-shines-for-detroit-lions-in-second-day-of-training-camp
NOTEBOOK: Tomlinson adjusts to left guard (Dan Orlovsky took second-team reps today while Kellen Moore ran with the third team. The expectation is for Orlovsky and Moore to get an equal amount of second-team reps through camp as the backup competition sorts itself out. Orlovsky nearly threw an interception to R.J. Stanford and tossed another ball at the feet of tight end Joseph Fauria on a sprint out. Other than those couple throws he was fairly sharp as the backup.) (8-3-15): http://www.detroitlions.com/news/lions-insider/article-1/NOTEBOOK-Tomlinson-adjusts-to-left-guard/db84cd65-3d75-483a-86f7-1c61ba1ce1be
Detroit News Camp Notes (Dan Orlovsky delivered a perfectly timed pass that would've been a big gain and potential score with Ebron's speed. Orlovsky also had a solid practice, certainly better than most of his outings in the spring. He took the second-team reps ahead of Kellen Moore, who struggled Monday, but those two will likely switch off days with the twos.) (8-3-15): http://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/2015/08/03/camp-observations-rookie-alex-carter-sidelined-ankle-issue/31082849/
MLive Camp Notes (Dan Orlovsky was taking the second-team reps today and also looked like the sharper of the two backups, zipping several accurate passes to intermediate targets during full-team drills. He also had one of the worst throws of the day, gunning behind his intended target into the waiting arms of newcomer R.J. Stanford, who bobbled and dropped the interception. It is possible the receiver ran a poor route.) (8-3-15): http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2015/08/detroit_lions_training_camp_no_24.html
Matt Stafford:
NOTEBOOK: Stafford 'feels ok,' participates in walkthrough (Matthew Stafford wasn’t about to break protocol Monday and talk about his injured ribs. “I like you guys, but you’re not getting anything out of me,” Stafford told reporters who gathered at his locker after Monday' walkthrough. Lions head coach Jim Caldwell doesn’t like players to talk about injuries. He doesn't like to talk about injuries himself either, which is why he always references the injury report when asked about them. Stafford took a number of big hits in Sunday's loss in Minnesota that required him to have x-rays on his chest/ribs after the game. Stafford appeared to be moving around much better than he was after the game and told WJR in his weekly interview that he participated in Monday’s walkthrough. “I feel okay,” he told The Mitch Album Show on WJR when asked if he’ll play Sunday. “I’ll let everyone figure that out with coach Caldwell.” Stafford also had a bandage on his left elbow that cut open and bloodied his uniform Sunday. “It’s definitely not the way you’d like to see his toughness displayed,” receiver Lance Moore said of his quarterback. “In a physical game like that with a team coming and hitting him and he continues to get up and continues to play and doesn’t complain. “He’s bleeding in multiple places and has blood all on his uniform. It shows his intestinal fortitude. He’s tough. He’s as tough as they come. It sucks to see it, but great to see it at the same time.”) (9-21-15): http://www.detroitlions.com/news/notebook/article-1/NOTEBOOK-Stafford-feels-ok-participates-in-walkthrough/48994f3a-6314-49df-95c5-8a959388faf0
KEY QUESTIONS: Will Stafford be ready for Broncos game? (Will Stafford be able to play Sunday night vs. Denver? “We’ll see,” said Lions head coach Jim Caldwell during his Monday press conference. Caldwell admitted Stafford was "very, very sore" on Monday, and Caldwell wasn't ready to make a determination on his status for Sunday until later in the week. “We’ll see,” he said. “Like I said he’s very, very sore, there’s no question about that. He got hit far too many times. We’ll see where he is as the week goes on.”) (9-20-15): http://www.detroitlions.com/news/lions-insider/article-1/KEY-QUESTIONS-Will-Stafford-be-ready-for-Broncos-game/924c3625-dfa0-479c-a5c8-be1efeb44464
O'HARA'S MONDAY COUNTDOWN: Looking ahead to next 3 games (3. Stafford hit list: If the goal has been to test Stafford’s toughness in the first two games, it’s mission accomplished. He was taken in for X-Rays on his chest and ribs before he left the stadium after Sunday’s game.Head coach Jim Caldwell acknowledged how much pounding Stafford took. “One hit is too many, so there’s no question about it,” Caldwell said. “We’ve just got to make certain we keep him clean.” Stafford took a shot on his right elbow in the San Diego game. He had a pad on his right elbow last Monday, then practiced Wednesday and Thursday with a sleeve and no pad. He played Sunday without the sleeve. However, at some points Sunday’s game he added tape on his left wrist and a wrap on his left forearm. And then came the hit to his chest and ribs. 8. Harrison on Stafford: On the Lions last possession, Stafford was hit going out of bounds by Vikings linebacker Anthony Barr as he scrambled for a first down. The hit was on the side where the Lions had their bench. On the pre-game show before NBC’s telecast of the Packers-Seahawks game, Harrison questioned the level of respect Stafford’s teammates have for him because of their reaction to the hit. “Nobody comes to his defense except a rookie lineman,” Harrison said. “This is just crazy. This just shows how much respect this team has for Matthew Stafford. Not a lot.” Harrison’s comments were slightly off. On the sideline, tight end Brandon Pettigrew, who was injured and did not play, reacted immediately, as did rookie guard Laken Tomlinson. So did linebacker DeAndre Levy, who did not play for the second straight game because of an injury.) (9-21-15): http://www.detroitlions.com/news/ohara/article-1/OHARAS-MONDAY-COUNTDOWN-Looking-ahead-to-next-3-games/68adfa56-8a06-461c-8ca7-4e4460bf7855
Lions' Stafford sore, could miss Sunday's game (9-21-15): http://www.freep.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/09/21/matthew-stafford-injury-detroit-lions/72568234/
Sharp: Lions closer to a rebuild than a playoff run (There are no easy answers for the Detroit Lions, because when a team collectively reeks as they have through two games, there never are any snap-of-the-finger solutions. It’s never as simple as blaming the scheming, because that implies there’s already an abundance of talent. But when in doubt, it doesn’t hurt looking at the quarterback. Matthew Stafford moved gingerly through the locker room Monday afternoon following a quick walk-through. He understandably wouldn’t divulge specifics of his physical state. But he’s obviously nowhere close to 100% physically two weeks into the regular season. He might not be anywhere close to 75%. At the very least, he has sore ribs. That’s the equivalent of putting a bull’s-eye on Stafford’s chest. Whatever anyone thinks about Stafford’s aptitude as a winning NFL quarterback, don’t ever question his toughness. Don’t ever doubt his resolve in getting up after taking a brutal hit. As receiver Golden Tate noted Monday, the man is “one tough son-of-a-gun.” But the underlying issue as the Lions press forward from an embarrassing 0-2 start isn’t how much punishment Stafford already has endured, but rather how much pain awaits this team as it finally realizes that it simply isn’t as talented as the apologists initially thought. The NFL is a quarterbacks league. I get it. But the Lions’ problems extend beyond the lingering questions regarding their seven-year quarterback.) (9-21-15): http://www.freep.com/story/sports/columnists/drew-sharp/2015/09/21/detroit-lions-problems/72601458/
Three Lions Q's: After two losses, fate seems sealed (How hurt is Stafford? It's hard to tell, but it doesn't look promising. He was hit hard and often, absorbing one sack and eight hits, plus a cheap shot shove near the sideline by Anthony Barr and another cheap-shot elbow to the back of the head from Justin Trattou. Stafford's right arm was numb last week. This week, his left arm was gushing blood, and after the game he had X-rays on his ribs and chest. And he's not playing very well, either. His completion rate of 61.4% is OK, but he has thrown four touchdowns with three interceptions. In the parlance of the NFL, his arrow isn't exactly pointing up.) (9-21-15): http://www.freep.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/09/21/detroit-lions-carlos-monarrez-three-questions/72548898/
Josh Katzenstein's Four Downs: Lions powerless against Peterson (Fourth down - One of the few things the Vikings did wrong was when LB Anthony Barr hit QB Matthew Stafford on his way out of bounds on a run late in the fourth quarter. A few Lions came to Stafford's defense, and inactive TE Brandon Pettigrew even put a shoulder into Barr. "That was not a smart penalty by any stretch of imagination," Vikings coach Mike Zimmer said. The Lions ended up scoring a touchdown on the drive, thanks largely to a defensive holding on CB Xavier Rhodes. But after the hit, Stafford missed his next three throws.) (9-21-15): http://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/2015/09/20/josh-katzensteins-four-downs-lions-powerless-against-peterson/72542224/
Column: Matthew Stafford hurting, and so are the Lions (9-21-15): http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2015/09/column_matthew_stafford_hurtin.html
Detroit Lions — Matthew Stafford pressured too often; Rodney Harrison wrong (Matthew Stafford is one sore quarterback today. Coach Jim Caldwell wouldn’t say whether he will be able to play on Sunday night against the Denver Broncos. “He’s sore, I’ll tell you that. It was a tough day for him yesterday. We’ll see where he is as the week goes on,’’ Caldwell said at his press conference on Monday. “He’s very, very sore no question about that, he got hit far too many times,’’ Caldwell said. Stafford has not missed a start since Nov. 14, 2010. Stafford had X-rays on his ribs and chest following the game. He was sacked once and hit eight times in the 26-16 loss at Minnesota. Caldwell said there were breakdowns everywhere. “Usually you try to stop what’s making him get roughed up that way you try to make certain you get yourself in better protection situations be it tight ends, backs, whomever is responsible,’’ Caldwell said. “That’s the No. 1 goal to make sure it doesn’t happen to him any more. There were phases where the protection was good and solid, there were phases it wasn’t. There were a couple things we did during the course of the game we tried to minimize it but sometimes with the score, the time of the game, how much time you have left, dictates what you do from an offensive standpoint and and maybe we had to throw it more than we’d like to, to be honest with you.’’ With the Lions down 23-10 early in the third quarter, they were forced to go to the air. Stafford was 32 of 53 for 286 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. He was also the Lions leading rusher with four carries for 20 yards. The Lions quarterback was pressured on 22 of his 58 dropbacks in the loss to the Vikings, per Pro Football Focus. Of the 22, he had one run and one sack, and then was able to get off 20 throws, but only completed seven. Matthew Stafford took a hit from Rodney Harrison on NBC’s “Football Night in America” on Sunday night. It had to do with Stafford’s keeper late in the game. On a fourth-and-4, Stafford kept the ball and ran toward the sideline for a 9-yard gain. After he was across the sideline, he was pushed by Anthony Barr who was flagged 15 yards for unnecessary gain. When Stafford got up to get back on the field, his teammates weren’t all too pleased with Barr but they did not retaliate. It was the smart thing to do. Certainly a swing at Barr would have meant a penalty. Harrison said because Stafford’s teammates didn’t stand up for him that means they don’t respect him. That is just wrong. Stafford is one of the most respected guys in the locker room for his leadership and hard work. Harrison had no idea what he was talking about. Punter Sam Martin and former teammate Nate Burleson came to Stafford’s defense on Twitter.) (9-21-15): http://www.theoaklandpress.com/sports/20150921/detroit-lions-x2014-matthew-stafford-pressured-too-often-rodney-harrison-wrong
Week 2 game balls (Matthew Stafford. He might not have had the best numbers Sunday, but he hung in there, getting hit over and over again by Minnesota’s defense. Stafford finished 32-of-53 for 286 yards and two touchdowns while also leading the Lions in rushing with 20 yards.) (9-21-15): http://espn.go.com/blog/nflnation/post/_/id/179193/week-2-nfl-game-balls-jameis-winston-larry-fitzgerald-tom-brady-among-the-sunday-stars
Matthew Stafford shows toughness, but Lions have to protect him better (9-21-15): http://espn.go.com/blog/detroit-lions/post/_/id/18966/matthew-stafford-shows-his-toughness-but-detroit-lions-have-to-protect-him-better
PFF DET-MIN Grades: poised Bridgewater, pass rush lead the Vikings (Lions QB Matthew Stafford (-3.8 passing) was pressured on 22 of his 58 dropbacks (38 percent). With one run and one sack factored in, he was able to get off 20 throws on those snaps but completed only seven.) (9-21-15): https://www.profootballfocus.com/blog/2015/09/21/det-min-gradespoised-bridgewater-pass-rush-lead-the-vikings/
Which 0-2 team is in the biggest trouble? (4. Detroit Lions: The defensive line is nowhere near as scary this season, and has struggled to get off the field against San Diego and Minnesota. Matthew Stafford is struggling to make plays down the field. They have barely attempted any. While the Lions get to return home after two road losses, the upcoming schedule is brutal: Denver, at Seattle, and home for Arizona. This team will need some upsets to avoid a 1-4 start.) (9-21-15): http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000535962/article/which-02-team-is-in-the-biggest-trouble
Which of the eight NFL teams with an 0-2 record can still make the playoffs? (Probably Done - Detroit Lions: Here are Detroit's next three games: home against the Denver Broncos, on the road in Seattle and home vs. the Cardinals. ConsideringMatthew Stafford is banged up and their defense has given up 833 total yards of offense in two weeks, the Lions face the real possibility that they could be 0-5 by the time Chicago comes to town to lighten the schedule load in mid-October. In which case, cooked.) (9-21-15): http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nfl-shutdown-corner/which-of-the-eight-nfl-teams-with-an-0-2-record-can-still-make-the-playoffs-150322368.html
Stafford's health a concern as Lions head into home opener (9-21-15): http://sports.yahoo.com/news/staffords-health-concern-lions-head-home-opener-235502307--nfl.html
The reason for Matthew Stafford’s bad start (9-21-15): https://www.profootballfocus.com/blog/2015/09/21/the-reason-behind-matthew-staffords-bad-start/
Video - Lions have no chance without Stafford, but should they risk him? (9-21-15): http://www.freep.com/videos/sports/nfl/lions/2015/09/21/72577890/
Video - Watch Detroit Lions reporters discuss the health and performance of Matthew Stafford (9-21-15): http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2015/09/watch_detroit_lions_reporters_3.html
Video - Tori's Take: Protect the QB (9-21-15): http://www.detroitlions.com/media-center/videos/Toris-Take-Protect-the-QB/b2adde9e-5ec9-4874-a419-b4113629f0ed
FOUR DOWNS: Stafford hurting (First Down: Stafford Hurting - Matthew Stafford was beat up after Sunday’s 26-16 loss in Minnesota. The Lions’ signal caller was in obvious pain in the Lions’ locker room after the game and went for X-Rays on his chest and ribs immediately coming off the field. Stafford was sacked in the game only once, but he took some vicious hits after some throws and runs. The Vikings totaled eight quarterback hits. “Getting hit out here as many times as he got hit, obviously, that took a toll on him,” head coach Jim Caldwell said after the game. “But he hung in there.” Stafford finished his afternoon 32 of 53 passing for 286 yards with two touchdowns and one interception (79.6 rating). He was also the team’s leading rusher with 20 yards on five carries. The Lions abandoned their running attack almost entirely in the second half, which allowed the Vikings to pin their ears back and get after Stafford. “Anytime you have a game like this where you fall behind early to a good team and weren’t too successful running the ball early on you’re going to have to drop back and throw it quite a bit, which we had to do,” Stafford said. “That doesn’t put anybody in a good position, but it’s what you have to do to try to win the game and our guys battled, everybody did.” Stafford has played in every game for the Lions dating back to the 2011 season. He and backup Dan Orlovsky are the only quarterbacks on the roster. Stafford is a tough guy, but he couldn’t even bend down to cut his tape off after the game. It’s a situation that’ll have to be closely monitored this week with Denver (2-0) coming to town next Sunday night.) (9-20-15): http://www.detroitlions.com/news/lions-insider/article-1/FOUR-DOWNS-Stafford-hurting/e01fe93f-8217-4690-945d-88c0dc1dab49
Minnesota 26, Detroit 16: Lions beat up, drop to 0-2 (Matthew Stafford was in pain, which wasn't a surprise since he had just spent three hours getting knocked around like a punching bag. When Stafford sat down for his postgame news conference, he greeted reporters with something that was a mix between a grunt and a sigh, and he spent most of his 4 minutes on the dais breathing heavily. He scraped his elbow. He bloodied his thumb. And after the game he went for x-rays on his ribs and chest. "Anytime you have a game like this where you fall behind early to a good team and weren't too successful running the football early on, you're going to have to drop back and throw it quite a bit, which we had to do, and that doesn't put any body in a good position," Stafford said. "But it's what you have to do to try to win the game." Stafford threw 53 passes Sunday and seemed to take that many hits as the Detroit Lions struggled on offense and defense for the second straight week, losing to the Minnesota Vikings at TCF Bank Stadium, 26-16. Anthony Barr drilled Stafford in the sternum on the Lions' third play from scrimmage, and the pounding continued for the next four quarters as Stafford finished with an inflated 286 yards passing (on 32 completions) and a team-high 20 yards rushing. By the time Calvin Johnson found the end zone on an 11-yard pass from Stafford with 34 seconds left in the first half, the Lions looked like a battered and confused team. The Lions fumbled a second time in the third quarter on their next series, when Harrison Smith punched the ball out of Theo Riddick's grasp, and Stafford threw his third interception of the season early in the fourth quarter near midfield.) (9-20-15): http://www.freep.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/09/20/detroit-lions-minnesota-vikings/72513932/
Lions extra points: Overheard, talking points, on deck (Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford: "Anytime you lose a game, it's tough. ... But at the same time there's a lot of football left. I know the guys in that locker room, I know the character that they have on both sides of the football, the special teams, everybody included. I know the coach thinks that, I know they've got that in their heart and we're going to be OK. We're going to be all right. We have to play a little bit better. We have to get some guys healthy and get ready to go. It comes down to execution on Sundays. We have to do that a little bit better. If we do that, we'll find ways to win." Caldwell, on Stafford: "If he was limited by his right arm, we would not have played him. Obviously getting hit out here as many times as he got hit, obviously that took a toll on him, but he hung in there." Line Dance - The Lions revamped their offensive line in an effort to get younger and more stout, but so far the moves haven't worked. Matthew Stafford took eight hits from eight different Vikings on Sunday, and the Lions managed just 38 yards rushing on 16 carries. Just about every blocker had a breakdown or two in protection, and right guard Manny Ramirez acknowledged the unit has to get better. "That's all I can say," Ramirez said. "There's no excuses, and Matt's a tough guy. Has a lot of heart, a lot of respect for that man. We can't let that happen to him." Matthew Stafford: The Vikings harassed him, but anytime you're intercepted by a defensive end ... he was 32-for-53 for 286 yards, two TDs and a 79.6 rating.) (9-20-15): http://www.freep.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/09/21/detroit-lions-extra-points/72548164/
Seidel: Vikings dished out pain, Lions hurt themselves (Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford sat down and took a few short, quick breaths. Pain crossed his face, and he let out a sigh. He had just gotten X-rays on his ribs and chest after he took a beating in the Lions' 26-16 loss Sunday against the Vikings. The Lions were left battered and bruised, searching for answers that seem painfully out of reach. Their explosive, high-powered offense has been a dud. It's like a firecracker that has been soaking in water. And their defense has been terribly disappointing. "It's a little bit of everything," Stafford said, citing turnovers, mental mistakes, blown opportunities, poor execution and missed assignments. "We just didn't play well enough to win." The worst part is, they seem to be digressing. And after two games, this once promising season has turned into a black hole, swallowing up hope and possibility. It is not impossible to make the playoffs after starting the season with two losses, but the odds are against them. "It just means we are 0-2," Stafford said, defiantly. "We're going to be OK. We're going to be all right." As he said this, he could barely breathe; and it looked like it hurt to blink. Stafford was a warrior in this game. He was scrambling around, held together with bandages on his elbow and hand, and he was getting pummeled, left squirming on the ground in pain. Time after time, he willed himself up, like a boxer at the end of a grueling, bloody match, pulling himself up by the ropes, trying for a miracle comeback that never came.No one will ever question Stafford's toughness.) (9-20-15): http://www.freep.com/story/sports/columnists/jeff-seidel/2015/09/20/detroit-lions-minnesota-vikings-jeff-seidel/72547252/
Free Press Lions' report card: Offensive line failed QB, RBs (Quarterback - C: Matthew Stafford struggled for a second straight week, but he was under an avalanche of pressure from the Vikings' defense. Stafford finished 32 of 53 for 286 yards, and the fact he played every snap was a minor miracle. He threw one bad interception in the fourth quarter, but he threw a perfect strike on the run to Calvin Johnson for the Lions' first touchdown.) (9-20-15): http://www.freep.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/09/20/detroit-lions-report-card-minnesota-vikings/72542456/
Lions await word on Stafford's health (As teammates admired and discussed his toughness, Matthew Stafford slowly moved around the locker room, and Lions wide receiver Golden Tate perhaps provided the best explanation of what happened with the quarterback. "I think today he was hurt but not injured," Tate said after a 26-16. "I have no doubt he's hurting, but he got up and found a way to compete still." The Lions should find out just how injured he is soon as Stafford underwent X-rays on his ribs and chest after the game, adding yet another ailment after he dealt with a right arm injury last week and a left hand injury early Sunday. Asked in the locker room if he planned to play next Sunday against the Denver Broncos, Stafford said he couldn't answer the question, though a Lions public relations employee had indicated that Stafford was done taking questions. Stafford suffered eight quarterback hits Sunday, and even though just one was a sack, he was running outside the pocket several times to avoid pressure. "It (stinks) seeing him if he's in pain, but he's a tough bird and we've got to protect him better," Lions left tackle Riley Reiff said. Stafford played much of the game with tape on his left wrist and just below his left elbow. He ditched the protective sleeve he wore late in Week 1 after taking a hard hit from Chargers linebacker Melvin Ingram. In the game, Stafford finished 32 of 53 for 286 two touchdowns and one interception. He barely tried to throw balls deep, but coach Jim Caldwell said that wasn't related to the throwing arm injury. Tate and Vikings cornerback Captain Munnerlyn said they didn't notice any fluctuation in velocity from Stafford. "If he was limited by his right arm, we wouldn't have played him," Caldwell said. "Getting hit out here as many times as he got hit obviously that took a toll on him, but he hung in there." And now, the Lions must find a way to improve their blocking before a matchup next Sunday against a Denver Broncos defense featuring two of the NFL's top passer rushers in Von Miller and DeMarcus Ware. "One hit is too many," Caldwell said. "We've just got to make certain we keep him clean.") (9-20-15): http://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/2015/09/20/teammates-admire-staffords-courage-but-say-poundings-cant-continue/72533788/
By the numbers: Calvin Johnson sees more targets (38: Total rushing yards for the Lions, including 20 by QB Matthew Stafford.) (9-20-15): http://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/09/20/numbers-calvin-johnson-sees-targets/72529716/
Detroit News Lions grades: Offensive line failed to protect Stafford (Quarterback - Matthew Stafford explained that the score forced the Lions to pass a lot in the second half. Perhaps, some more efficiency by Stafford would have kept the game closer. The offensive line gave Stafford little time to throw, but considering he calls the protection assignment, he has to take some of the blame. Going 32-for-53 for 286 yards with two touchdowns and one interception isn’t a horrible line, but his lack of aggression harmed the Lions from start to finish. Grade: D) (9-20-15): http://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/2015/09/20/lions-grades-offensive-line-neglected-protect-stafford/72538176/
MLive Detroit Lions report card: Minnesota Vikings dominate trench battles to get division win (QBs: B, Matthew Stafford is going to be sore tomorrow. The quarterback took a beating in this game after entering the contest already nursing a sore throwing arm. That didn't stop him from throwing 53 times in the loss, competing better than 60 percent of those throws for 286 yards, two touchdowns and a bad interception. The pick, which came with the Lions clinging to life in the fourth quarter, was thrown directly into the arms of defensive end Justin Trattou.) (9-20-15): http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2015/09/detroit_lions_report_card_minn.html
Lions postgame: Matthew Stafford, Calvin Johnson among few bright spots in loss to Vikings (Matthew Stafford – Despite getting banged up early and being hit hard throughout the game, a bloodied Stafford completed 32 of 53 passes for two touchdowns with one interception. He threw almost exclusively in the second half after completing 17 of 24 for 165 yards, one TD and no interceptions in the first half. Stafford also led the Lions in rushing with 20 yards on four carries.)(9-20-15): http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2015/09/lions_postgame_matthew_staffor.html
Lions QB Matthew Stafford has X-rays on ribs and chest after loss (9-20-15): http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2015/09/lions_qb_matthew_stafford_has.html
First-quarter update: Vikings 7, Lions 0 (Detroit's offense has looked comically disjointed. On the first snap, quarterback Matthew Stafford's pass went to a spot where two receivers were waiting, setting an early tone.) (9-20-15): http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2015/09/first-quarter_update_lions_vik.html
NBC analyst Rodney Harrison questions Detroit Lions teammates' respect for QB Matthew Stafford (9-20-15): http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2015/09/nbc_analyst_rodney_harrison_cr.html
Jim Caldwell tells Lions radio network team shot 'ourselves in the foot' but mistakes are 'fixable' (On Stafford's toughness: "There's no question about his toughness. I mean, there's no doubt about that. He can hang in there with the best of them. But we gotta do a better job of keeping him clean, too. We had to throw the ball a little bit more than we'd like because of the deficit and when you do that, obviously you unleash some pass rushers. And although we might have had minimal number of sacks shown, obviously his after-the-throw took a toll on Matthew.") (9-20-15): http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2015/09/jim_caldwell_tells_lions_radio.html
Detroit Lions sink to 0-2 after ugly loss against Vikings (Lowlights - It's never a good sign when your quarterback leads you in rushing, especially when your quarterback is a beat-up Matthew Stafford. Yet Stafford's 20 yards were good enough to lead Detroit's supposedly on-the-rise rushing attack. Ameer Abdullah started the game but managed just 9 yards on six carries. (Friendly reminder that Carlos Hyde ripped off 168 yards for the 49ers against the Vikings last week.) Stafford got beat up again physically. Trainers had to repair a bloodied left thumb in the first half, and Fox cameras captured him playing with a bloodied bandage on his left forearm area. Trainers also had to address his chest area at one point. Considering he dealt with numbness in his throwing arm last week, it's been a disastrous start to the season for Stafford. Quarterback Matthew Stafford finished 32-of-53 passing for 286 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. That's good for a QB rating of 79.6.) (9-20-15): http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2015/09/detroit_lions_sink_to_0-2_afte.html
RECAP: Lions at Vikings (The Lions trimmed the Vikings halftime lead to 17-10 on a Matthew Stafford touchdown pass to Calvin Johnson right before the half. It was Johnson’s 75th career receiving touchdown, but that would be just about all the Lions could muster from an offensive standpoint until very late. The Lions could do nothing on the ground as Stafford led them in rushing with 20 yards on four carries. Ameer Abdullah had just nine yards on six carries. The Lions finished with just 38 yards rushing. It doesn’t get any easier for the offense next week as Denver brings one of the league’s top defenses into town. QB Comparison: Stafford struggled with his accuracy all game and finished completing 32-of-53 passes for 286 yards with two touchdowns and one interception. Even on some of his completions his receivers had to make tough catches to bail him out. It wasn’t one of Stafford’s finer outings. Bridgewater, on the other hand, was extremely accurate, completing 14 of his 18 passing attempts (77.7 percent) for 153 yards with a touchdown and no interceptions. He rushed five times for 23 yards, including that second-quarter touchdown run. Critical moment: With the Lions trailing 23-10 in the fourth quarter and needing a score, Stafford made his biggest mistake of the game. He tried to throw a short pass to tight end Eric Ebron on a 1st and 10 play at midfield but instead threw it right to Vikings defensive end Justin Trattou, who returned the ball to the Lions’ 39-yard line. The Vikings would take nearly six minutes off the clock from there and increase their lead to 26-10 with just 6:23 left.) (9-20-14): http://www.detroitlions.com/news/lions-insider/article-1/RECAP-Lions-at-Vikings/cbc3876d-601a-4747-a395-585865e21744
Stakes are high as Lions-Vikings battle to avoid dreaded 0-2 hole (Detroit played with an all-backup right side to its offensive line against San Diego, and the protections suffered for it. With three players at new positions — rookie Laken Tomlinson had to start at left guard, with Manny Ramirez replacing Warford on the right side — quarterback Matthew Stafford was blown up several times due to missed assignments. Stafford injured his right elbow in the carnage, and temporarily lost feeling in his fingers, which forced him to wear a sleeve around the building and at practice for the past week. He insists he's healthy and will start against Minnesota. "I feel good," Stafford said. "I'm ready to go." Stafford has come under some fire this week, as has his offensive coordinator, for targeting star receiver Calvin Johnson just four times in the loss. They've promised that Johnson will be more involved against Minnesota.) (9-20-15): http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2015/09/stakes_are_high_as_lions-vikin.html
Detroit Lions notes: Calvin Johnson gets involved; Ebron too (When Calvin Johnson scored his first touchdown of the season on Sunday, he became just the third guy in NFL history to score 75-plus receiving touchdowns. The wide receiver certainly is in a different category than most. Matthew Stafford found a way to get him the ball in the 26-16 loss at the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday. Johnson finished with 10 catches for 83 yards that includes the 11-yard touchdown play in the second quarter where he was just able to get both feet in bounds. Stafford threw 53 passes and Johnson was the target 17 times. This is in stark comparison to the opening loss at San Diego when Johnson was targeted four times and had just two catches. Johnson is in his ninth season in Detroit. In that time the Lions have had only two winning seasons.) (9-20-15): http://www.theoaklandpress.com/sports/20150920/detroit-lions-notes-calvin-johnson-gets-involved-ebron-too
Detroit Lions — Five main reasons for loss to Vikings (While Stafford was officially sacked once, he was pressured and beat up regularly. Officially there were eight quarterback hits but he was knocked down probably twice that often. After the game Stafford (32-53, 286 yards, two touchdowns, one interception) had X-rays on his ribs and chest. During the game he had a bloody left elbown bandaged. If you ever doubted the quarterback’s toughness go back and watch game film. Plenty of blame to spread around, but Cornelius Lucas at right tackle was beat more than once. Larry Warford was back at right guard with Manny Ramirez at left guard. It’s a line that has to gel, but in the meantime they’re just not providing enough protection for Stafford. It seems most of the pressure came from the edges. The biggest head-scratcher is the run game or lack of it. “Today wasn’t our day running the football but it’s something we’re committed to,’’ Stafford said. The Lions finished 28th in 2014 in rushing. They put much emphasis on improving by working on the offensive line and adding Ameer Abdullah. Still on Sunday, Stafford was the leading rusher with four carries for 20 yards. They finished with 39 net rushing yards. Rookie Ameer Abdullah had six carries for nine yards, Joique Bell was worse with four carries for three yards. In the fourth quarter, the Lions had to go strictly pass because they were behind but it didn’t matter. They just couldn’t seem to find holes and run the ball. 5. Turnovers are killers. The Lions lost two fumbles and Stafford threw one interception. They were down just 17-10 to start the third, then they fumbled (and lost the ball) on the first and third series and punted on the second. While there is never a good time to throw a pick, this was really a stinker. Stafford threw an interception early in the fourth quarter that was negated by a Vikings’ penalty. On the next play — with the Lions down 23-10 — his pass for Calvin Johnson was intercepted by Harrison Smith. “Offensively we had too many mental errors,’’ Joique Bell said. That sums it up.) (9-20-15): http://www.theoaklandpress.com/sports/20150920/detroit-lions-x2014-five-main-reasons-for-loss-to-vikings
Matthew Stafford has X-rays after loss, says he feels 'OK' (9-20-15): http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/13704751/matthew-stafford-detroit-lions-x-rays-chest-ribs
Peterson powers Vikes over Lions - 7 thoughts (Minnesota's defensive line destroyed Lions blockers all game long, battering Matthew Stafford. Mike Zimmer's crew controlled the contest and discombobulated the Lions' offense, even if it only compiled one official sack. Brian Robison clown-suited human turnstile Cornelius Lucas on the right side all game long. Stafford was battered early, ended up with a bloody left elbow and limped off the field several times. If Detroit's line remains this putrid, no amount of skill weapons will matter.) (9-20-15): http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000534688/article/adrian-peterson-powers-vikings-past-lions
Vikings batter Stafford, both with clean and dirty hits (9-20-15): http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2015/09/20/vikings-batter-stafford-both-with-clean-and-dirty-hits/
Peterson, Bridgewater help Vikings hammer the Lions (The Lions’ offensive line didn’t give Stafford a lot of time to pass, and couldn’t open any holes for the running backs. Both Ameer Abdullah and Joique Bell were repeatedly hit behind the line of scrimmage, including on a desperation two-point conversion attempt after the Lions scored to cut the deficit to 26-16 with less than two minutes left: On that play, Bell had absolutely nowhere to go, and the Vikings won by that 26-16 margin.)(9-20-15): http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2015/09/20/peterson-bridgewater-help-vikings-hammer-the-lions/
NFL Winners and Losers: Jameis Winston outplays Drew Brees in win (Losers - Matthew Stafford: Stafford's line at Minnesota was the perfect microcosm of his career: 32 of 53 for 286 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. Hey, 286 yards, not bad! Yeah, it's bad when it takes 53 attempts to get there. By the end of the year, Stafford's final line with the Detroit Lions will look decent. It always does. But it's usually because he throws the ball an insane amount of times and can't help but put up some OK counting stats. He still doesn't look any better as a quarterback though, in his seventh season. He didn't have one completion of more than 19 yards. With those weapons? That's criminal. Stafford is stuck in the Jay Cutler zone: He's getting paid like a franchise quarterback, though he clearly isn't, and the franchise would never let him go although it's clear by now he's not going to take a step forward and they won't win anything with him. If Stafford hasn't broken through yet, it's not going to happen.): http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nfl-shutdown-corner/nfl-winners-and-losers--jameis-winston-outplays-drew-brees-in-win-025602417.html
Vikings, Peterson bounce back with home win over Lions (Matthew Stafford took a beating in the pocket for Detroit (0-2), which fell behind 14-0 early in the second quarter and netted just 38 yards rushing on 16 attempts against a defense gashed for 230 yards on the ground by the 49ers. "I'm still wondering why we played like we did," Zimmer said, adding: "I'm smart enough to understand that was one game." Stafford, who had X-rays on his chest and ribs afterward after playing through a sore throwing arm last week at San Diego, was intercepted by defensive end Justin Trattou and finished 32 for 53 for 286 yards and two scores, both after the two-minute warning of each half. "That kid takes hits and he gets back up and just keeps on ticking," Vikings defensive end Brian Robison said. Said Lions coach Jim Caldwell: "One hit is one too many in my book.") (9-20-15): http://www.foxsports.com/north/story/minnesota-vikings-detroit-lions-adrian-peterson-bounces-back-with-home-win-092015
Peterson Carries Vikings Past Lions (Where's the Detroit rushing attack? The Lions averaged 2.4 yards per carry on Sunday and gained just 38 yards. True, this was a play-from-behind game where Stafford had to throw to get the Lions back into the action, but without a rushing attack, Detroit will have to play from behind a lot in 2015. Speaking of Stafford, he was the team's leading rusher with 20 yards on four carries. That's not good.) (9-20-15): http://www.sportsonearth.com/article/150676914/vikings-49ers-game-recap-adrian-peterson
Video - Can't Miss Play: Megatron toe-tap TD (9-20-15): http://www.nfl.com/videos/detroit-lions/0ap3000000534264/Can-t-Miss-Play-Megatron-toe-tap-TD
Video - Lions Matt Stafford finds Eric Ebron for 12-yard TD (9-20-15): http://www.nfl.com/videos/detroit-lions/0ap3000000534605/Lions-Matt-Stafford-finds-Eric-Ebron-for-12-yard-TD
Video - Stafford on his health (9-20-15): http://www.detroitlions.com/media-center/videos/Stafford-on-his-health/6f97d59a-a6b1-4d6d-8c05-f1791012ed5d
Video - Johnson on Stafford's toughness (9-20-15): http://www.detroitlions.com/media-center/videos/Johnson-on-Staffords-toughness/fb5c498a-f27d-405f-a1f5-57444dd0cda3
Ask Kyle: On Matthew Stafford, and who are the Lions' fastest players at each position (Q: Do you think Matthew Stafford will ever become a truly elite quarterback? It seems to me what holds him back from guys like Brady, Manning, and even Romo, are his pre-snap reads and adjustments. Perfect example is when Brady saw Gronk had no one on him and threw it to him as quick as possible for a touchdown. That's something I've never seen Stafford recognize. — Kyle Taylor. A: I've said it before, and I'll say it again. I don't think Stafford will ever be Tom Brady or Aaron Rodgers or Peyton Manning. He has the physical ability, no question, but each of those guys was spectacular by this point in their careers. Stafford still is not that, and he's had the ultimate luxury in Calvin Johnson. In my mind, what separates Stafford from the upper echelon is his ability to win regardless of who's around him. That's what the Bradys and the Mannings do, and it's a hurdle I'm not sure Stafford is good enough -- elite enough -- to eclipse. But having said that, I firmly believe Stafford can be a good quarterback. He just needs the right guys around him. I'd venture to say he's already a good quarterback, last week be damned. How much of what occurred last week was really on him? Stafford missed Lance Moore (badly) near the end zone on the first drive. His second pick was an awful pass (though we know now that some numb fingers played into it). But most of the worst stuff wasn't on him. Eric Ebron dropped a third-down pass, killing a drive. There was a blown protection that led to a sack, killing another. A blind-side blitzer went unblocked, causing his first interception (and the subsequent one, too, if you really want to extrapolate). And the defense simply could not get off the field, giving Stafford fewer opportunities to get things going. And the Calvin Johnson stuff, I am convinced, falls more on the shoulders of Joe Lombardi. Stafford's been told not to throw to Johnson in double-coverage. He can check down or audible all he wants, but if he's being told to throw elsewhere when Johnson is doubled, then Johnson is not getting the ball, period. It's on Lombardi to get more creative in his playcalling, or to allow Stafford to be more aggressive. Anyway, my point is Stafford has shown me a lot over the past year, even if the production hasn't always been there. He is good enough to lead a team to the playoffs. He is good enough to lead a team on a playoff run, of that I'm convinced. But he needs good players around him to make it happen, which is what separates him from the Bradys of the world.) (9-19-15): http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2015/09/ask_kyle_on_matthew_staffords.html
Detroit Lions — Game day notes vs Minnesota Vikings (Quarterbacks: Lions Matthew Stafford completed 63.3 percent of his passes with two touchdowns and two interceptions in Week 1 while Bridgewater’s completion percentage was 71.9 percent with one interception and zero touchdowns.)(9-19-15): http://www.theoaklandpress.com/sports/20150919/detroit-lions-x2014-game-day-notes-vs-minnesota-vikings
Getting to know the Lions with Lions beat writer Tim Twentyman (MC: How is Matthew Stafford’s arm injury and where do you stand on the debate as to whether Jim Caldwell and Joe Lombardi are good for Stafford’s overall effectiveness or too stifling for a gunslinger with a big arm and a Megatron at receiver? TT: Stafford’s arm is fine. He took a big hit from LB Melvin Ingram and lost some feeling in it for a bit last week. He’s been wearing a sleeve over it this week, but he’s practiced fully all week and says he’s ready to go. Caldwell and Lombardi have made it very clear that limiting Stafford’s interceptions and increasing his completion percentage have been major goals since the first day they both got here. They’ve reined him in a bit, hoping to play more of a complementary brand of football. It was successful last year as the Lions had one of the best defenses in the league, ranked in the top 10 in turnover ratio and won 11 games and made the playoffs. Stafford was also a Pro Bowler (alternate) for the first time in his career. Now in the second year of Lombardi’s system, Stafford has more freedom to push the ball down the field, but he’ll never have a green light under this regime to throw into some of the triple and quadruple coverages he got away with in the past when he was zeroed in on Johnson and only Johnson. The goal is to make Stafford a more complete quarterback and an overall more effective quarterback by allowing him to use all the weapons he has at his disposal. There are some fans here in Detroit who miss the gunslinger, but Caldwell is trying to build a complementary football team that doesn’t turn the football over. No room for reckless gunslingers in those plans.) (9-18-15): http://www.startribune.com/getting-to-know-the-lions-with-lions-beat-writer-tim-twentyman/328188921/
Right side of Detroit Lions offensive line probable, Haloti Ngata questionable for Vikings game (Also probable for the Lions are quarterback Matthew Stafford and Golden Tate, who each suffered injuries after taking big hits against the San Diego Chargers last week. Stafford has been a full practice participant all week while Tate missed Wednesday's session and was limited on Thursday and Friday.) (9-18-15): http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2015/09/right_side_of_detroit_lions_of.html
10 takeaways from Austin and Lombardi (There was a communication problem last week between Lombardi and quarterback Matthew Stafford that should never have happened. Lombardi said he wasn’t aware that Stafford’s arm was a little numb after taking a big hit from LB Melvin Ingram and that he might have made a different play call on the second interception had he known about it. Stafford is a tough guy, who plays through a lot of stuff, but that’s a communication error that simplt shouldn’t happen at this level.) (9-17-15): http://www.detroitlions.com/news/lions-insider/article-1/10-takeaways-from-Austin--Lombardi/2ca31990-a224-4e62-a8fa-ca3c46aace10
10 QUESTIONS WITH TWENTYMAN: What's up with the offense? (Q. What is wrong with the offense? A. What is this team's identity on offense? I don’t have a clue after Week 1 and I think that’s part of the problem. This is an offense that wants to be balanced and run the football more, yet they give the player who had the hot hand in the run game on Sunday – Ameer Abdullah (7.1 yards per carry) – just seven carries. This is an offense that wants to have a big-play element to it and has the best weapon on the planet in Calvin Johnson - a weapon who is healthy and motivated to have a big 2015 season, yet they throw to him just four times. This is an offense that has a strong-armed quarterback who planned to be more aggressive in the second year of this scheme, yet he only threw the ball down the field a couple of times and was just 3-of-10 throwing past 10 yards, per Pro Football Focus stats. Now, to be fair, the Lions ran just 47 plays (they averaged 65 per game in 2014) and it’s hard to truly develop an identity with so few plays, but they need to find one pretty quick. It's one game. It's hard to make any concrete conclusions after a Week 1 game on the road. Let's see what they do this week. Another bad performance by the offense and then it's okay to be little concerned. Q. Why does the offense "take what the defense gives?" Is there not enough talent to dictate the defense and take what they want? A. I’ve always struggled with that question, Keith. Matthew Stafford certainly doesn’t want to get into a situation where he’s forcing the ball into bad situations and turning it over a lot, but I sat back and watched Julio Jones get 11 targets in a win over Philadelphia. The Eagles knew it was coming. Jones saw his fair share of safety help, but the Falcons used quick slants and creative ways to get him the football and negate it. I’m going to go out on a limb and say the New England Patriots had a pretty good game plan to try and stop Steelers receiver Antonio Brown. He was still targeted 11 times and caught nine of those targets. There are going to be games when Johnson might have two, three or four catches. There's never really a good reason in my book that he’s targeted just four times when healthy. The Lions do have other weapons they like and trust. That’s why they feel they don’t have to force-feed Megatron. Stafford made the point Wednesday that he feels like he’s darned if he does and darned if he doesn’t in relation to targeting Megatron. He was criticized early in his career for doing it too much. This week he was criticized for not doing it enough on Sunday. Joe Lombardi and Stafford just need to find the right balance.) (9-17-15): http://www.detroitlions.com/news/lions-insider/article-1/10-QUESTIONS-WITH-TWENTYMAN-Whats-up-with-the-offense/47018f17-2d37-4cd4-90c8-ac5bd503c294
Somehow, Lions' Lombardi didn't know of Stafford injury (The arm injury that Matthew Stafford suffered in last weekend's loss to the San Diego Chargers did not affect the Detroit Lions' play selection, but offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi said today that had he known exactly what Stafford was dealing with, he might have called plays differently in the third quarter. "His second interception, I think might've been affected by (his injury), just because he was a little bit numb. I wasn't as aware as maybe -- because it was pretty quick we were back on the field, and I didn't realize that his arm was hurting a little bit," Lombardi said. "But it quickly got better and it didn't affect us after that. Probably should've affected that play call, but I wasn't aware that his arm was kind of numb." Melvin Ingram hit Stafford on his right throwing elbow on the Lions' opening drive of the third quarter, on a play that ended in Kyle Emanuel's diving interception. The Chargers fumbled the ball back three plays later, and Stafford threw his second interception of the game on the next series, when he badly underthrew a third-and-14 pass to the sideline. The Lions called two plays that lost yards, a run and short pass, before Stafford's second interception. Stafford, who declined to say Wednesday whether he lost feeling in his arm, played the entire game Sunday and finished 19-for-30 for 246 yards. He led a late touchdown drive for the Lions' only second-half points in a 33-28 loss. Television cameras caught Lombardi and Stafford sitting next to each other on the Lions' sideline after the Ingram hit, but Lions coach Jim Caldwell wouldn't say today whether Stafford alerted coaches about his injury. Stafford has made 67 straight starts, including the playoffs, since missing most of the 2010 season with two shoulder injuries. "That game happened last Sunday," Caldwell said. "I'm looking forward, really. You're looking at a tough kid. You guys have been around a long time. This guy is hard to get out of a ballgame. He's played with a number of different issues that have come up because of getting knocked down, tackled, etc., in some very, very uncomfortable situations. But he's not one to complain.or shy away from, as you guys know and seen him with his arm hanging in his rookie year, I think it was, he just kind of kept going. That's kind of his attitude and that's certainly the way in which he performs. And oftentimes, that's why he is who he is. I mean he's tough, hard-nosed and he's going to give it a try before he backs down at any point in time." Stafford was listed as a full participant on Wednesday's practice report, with an upper arm injury. Caldwell said "he performed well" in practice and will be fine Sunday. "We'll worry about (whether he told coaches about his injury) somewhere down the line," Caldwell said. "This game he's up, ready to go.") (9-17-15): http://www.freep.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/09/17/matthew-stafford-detroit-lions/32561537/
Chargers hit left Lions’ Stafford with numbness in arm (9-17-15): http://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/09/17/chargers-hit-left-lions-stafford-numbness-arm/32559791/
Joe Lombardi wasn't informed that Lions QB Matthew Stafford had numb fingers before pick (9-17-15): http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2015/09/lions_matthew_stafford_had_num.html
Detroit Lions — Matthew Stafford’s arm was numb when threw 2nd interception (Joe Lombardi said he wasn’t aware that Matthew Stafford’s arm went numb after the hit from Chargers linebacker Melvin Ingram on Sunday. “I think it affected his second interception, I think might’ve been affected by that just because he was a little bit numb and I wasn’t as aware because it was pretty quick that we were back on the field,’ the Lions offensive coordinator said on Thursday. “I didn’t realize that his arm was hurting a little bit, but it quickly got better and it didn’t affect us after that. Probably should’ve affected that play call, but I wasn’t aware that his arm was kind of numb.” Wide receiver Golden Tate said at that point, Stafford had no feeling in his fingers. Looking back on it Tate did see a difference in Stafford after the hit. “I didn’t know on one of the interceptions that was thrown in my direction, he was supposed to throw that down the field. I later found out he couldn’t feel his fingers which is kind of important for the quarterback,’’ Tate said. “It was tough that could have been a big play, a game-changing play. He’s a tough kid, for him to stay in through that with pain in his throwing arm it says a lot about him and how much he cares. He’s willing to put his body on the line every time he goes out there. It’s unfortunate what happened then, but I’m happy that is wasn’t so serious it’s going to keep him out for games.’’ Coach Jim Caldwell didn’t want to talk about it much because it happened Sunday and said he’s focused on the Vikings. “You’re looking at a tough kid. This guy is hard to get out of a ballgame,’’ Caldwell said. “… He’s played with a number of different issues that have come up from getting knocked down, tackled, etc., in very, very uncomfortable situations.’’ The coach then referred to Stafford’s rookie season where he sustained a shoulder injury late in a game against Cleveland yet went back in against doctors’ wishes to throw the winning touchdown. “That’s kind of his attitude and that’s how he performs,’’ Caldwell said. “Oftentimes that’s who he is. He’s tough hard-nosed, he’s going to give it a try before he backs down at any point in time,’’ Caldwell said. The coach wouldn’t answer whether Stafford had told the coaches about his arm numbness. Stafford had a full practice on Wednesday but was listed on the injury report with an upper arm injury. You might have missed.) (9-17-15): http://www.theoaklandpress.com/sports/20150917/detroit-lions-x2014-matthew-staffords-arm-was-numb-when-threw-2nd-interception
Lions OC: No clue Stafford ailing when play called (9-17-15): http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/13677729/joe-lombardi-know-matthew-stafford-detroit-lions-was-hurt-called-passing-play
QB Index: Peyton falls in latest rankings (Stafford is ranked 13) (9-17-15): http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000532416/article/qb-index-unfamiliar-peyton-manning-sights
Tate and Lombardi: Numbness led to Stafford's pick (9-17-15): http://www.detroitlions.com/media-center/videos/Tate--Lombardi-Numbness-led-to-Staffords-pick/97ed5d57-b668-4cee-8dcf-54beba4a3b85
NOTEBOOK: Stafford, Johnson talk targets (Calvin Johnson was asked Wednesday during his weekly press conference if there should ever be a situation where he only gets four targets in a game – as he did in last week’s loss in San Diego – when healthy. Johnson started laughing. Then he said: “I mean, I think the laugh should say it all.” As is usually the case whenever Johnson steps on the field, he saw double and triple teams for most of the Chargers game. Instead of forcing the football to him, the Lions decided to utilize some of their other weapons. It’s always easy to second-guess that decision in a loss, especially when receivers like Julio Jones and Antonio Brown were targeted more than 10 times in their respective games. Quarterback Matthew Stafford says he sometimes thinks he's darned if he does and darned if he doesn't when it comes to targeting his All-Pro receiver. Stafford was criticized early in his career for relying on Johnson to make too many plays for him in double coverage, and maybe taking too many shots in double and triple coverage that led to some interceptions. Following Sunday’s 33-28 loss in San Diego, he was being criticized for not taking some of those chances. “Yeah, sometimes I just feel darned, there’s no question,” Stafford said. “It’s true. You have a great player like that you want to give him the ball as much as you can, there’s no question. “Have I been guilty in my career of throwing it to him when some other guys in this league may not of? Yeah. But, I trust in him and understand that. But, at the same time we have a lot of playmakers and we’re trying to get everybody involved in the game and have everybody have a great game.” Anytime a team loses a game there are going to be questions about why they lost and how a player the caliber of Johnson has just two catches. There’s a balance that needs to be struck between getting the team's best player on offense in a position to make plays and not force-feeding him to the detriment of the offense. Offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi is still trying to find that balance.) (9-16-15): http://www.detroitlions.com/news/lions-insider/article-1/NOTEBOOK-Stafford-Johnson-talk-targets/e863ecd6-52cb-4395-bb67-cc32f05925f9
PRACTICE REPORT: Stafford listed as full participant (Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford said Wednesday his right arm is “okay” after taking a big hit from Chargers linebacker Melvin Ingram in Sunday’s loss in San Diego. “I’m okay, ready to go,” Stafford said before practice. He wore a sleeve over the elbow at practice and was listed as a full participant on the first injury report of the week.)
(9-16-15): http://www.detroitlions.com/news/lions-insider-short/article-1/PRACTICE-REPORT-Stafford-listed-as-full-participant/8a2f3dda-ffc8-4e57-a052-c140d8cd1e3c
Lions' Stafford ditches elbow wrap for sleeve (Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford ditched the bulky wrap he had on his right elbow after practice Monday and was back in the arm sleeve he wore for much of last week's season-opening loss to the San Diego Chargers. Stafford insisted his throwing arm is fine at his weekly news conference today and reaffirmed that he expects to play this week against the Minnesota Vikings (1 p.m., Fox). "I'm OK," Stafford said. "Ready to go." Asked whether he is completely healthy, Stafford said, "I feel good, ready to go." Stafford took a hit directly on his right elbow on the Lions' opening drive of the second half, after Melvin Ingram blitzed, unblocked, off the edge. Kyle Emanuel intercepted a pass on that play, and Stafford underthrew Golden Tate for another interception a series later as the Chargers rallied from 18 points down to win, 33-28. Stafford lost some sensation in his arm after the hit and wore a sleeve the rest of the game. He didn't acknowledge the loss of feeling when asked about it today -- "I'm not here to talk about last week. I'll talk to you guys anything you want to know about this coming-up week," he said -- but said he has feeling in his arm now. "Yup," he said, extending his arm. "I can feel it.") (9-16-15): http://www.freep.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/09/16/matthew-stafford-elbow-detroit-lions/32504231/
Stafford understands Megatron needs more chances (9-16-15): http://www.freep.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/09/16/detroit-lions-matthew-stafford-calvin-johnson/32534407/
Stafford feels good after taking hit vs. Chargers (Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford was wearing a white cloth sleeve on his right arm during his weekly news conference Wednesday and confirmed again that he plans to play Sunday against the Minnesota Vikings. “I feel good,” he said. “I’m ready to go." Stafford took a crushing hit from Chargers linebacker Melvin Ingram in the third quarter of Sunday’s game on a play that resulted in an interception. He threw another pick on the next drive then returned to the field with a sleeve on his right arm. On Monday, Stafford had a large wrap on the injured arm, but that was replaced with another sleeve Wednesday. He finished the game, but wide receiver Calvin Johnson said he could tell the quarterback wasn’t 100 percent. “You could see,” Johnson said. “You could see little grimaces and stuff like that, but he’s fine. He’s fought through worse things in his career, so I have no doubt that he’ll be ready to go. Stafford went 19 of 30 for 246 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions in the game. Although he struggled immediately after the injury, he led a crisp scoring drive late in the game. After the game, coach Jim Caldwell said Stafford wore the sleeve to keep his arm warm, a telling comment since it was 84 degrees in San Diego. Stafford, though, declined comment when asked if he lost feeling in the arm at any point. “I’m not here to talk about last week,” he said. “I’ll talk to you guys anything you want to know about this coming up week.” Stafford did, however, say he can feel his arm now and will be ready for Week 2.) (9-16-15): http://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/09/16/stafford-feels-good-taking-hit-vs-chargers/32509589/
Stafford, Waddle expected to play against Vikings (9-16-15): http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2015/09/lions_matthew_stafford_laadria.html
Detroit Lions QB Matthew Stafford elaborates on team's issues with unblocked pass rushers (It happened in the blink of an eye. Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford took a shotgun snap and looked to throw a pass to star receiver Calvin Johnson running down the left sideline, but as Stafford's arm came forward he was blasted by San Diego Chargers outside linebacker Melvin Ingram. Ingram had come free, unblocked from Stafford's right side. It was the second time in the contest a pass-rusher got through to the quarterback unmarked. The hit caused the ball to float aimlessly into the air, where it was intercepted by rookie linebacker Kyle Emmanuel. Stafford, who calls his own protections, admits the Chargers fooled the Lions on the play. "They had shown a certain blitz that we went to the protection for," Stafford explained. "That's one of the disadvantages of playing on the road, you don't get to control the cadence as much and you see them unfold late. I was just trying to get it out quick and Ingram was there in a heartbeat." The Lions got to the line with 15 seconds remaining on the play clock. As Stafford lifted his right leg and held out his hands like he was going to take the snap, all three of the Chargers linebackers and a safety aggressively moved toward the line of scrimmage, suggesting an all-out blitz. As the play clock dwindled, Stafford adjusted his protection, only to see the linebackers all drop back into coverage on the snap. The Lions were prepared for pressure up the middle, but the protection call left the center Travis Swanson and guard Laken Tomlinson with no one to block, while Ingram was ignored. On an earlier blown protection, a third-and-four play just inside Chargers territory during the second quarter, Stafford and Swanson said there was simply a miscommunication. "(Stafford) will make one call and we'll echo it, but one guy might have thought it was something else," Swanson said. "It's something that's an easy fix for us." During the play, left tackle Riley Reiff pinched inside on the defensive tackle, allowing Emmanual to come free from the blind side and drop Stafford for a 13 yard loss. Reiff told reporters after the game it was his mistake. Both errors came on third-down plays in Chargers' territory. The Lions will look to correct their protection issues when they travel to Minnesota this Sunday. The Vikings recorded just one sack and two additional quarterback hits in their season-opening loss to San Francisco. They ranked ninth in the NFL with 41 sacks last season.) (9-16-15): http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2015/09/detroit_lions_qb_matthew_staff_78.html
Detroit Lions Twitter Talk: On a silver lining not named Ameer Abdullah and going for 4th down (Q. Why don't the Lions run shorter routes to get the ball outta Staffords hand and into their playmakers hands? A. This is a misconception brought up to me several times this week. The Lions ran mostly short routes against the Chargers and the numbers back that up. According to the NFL, Stafford's average completion traveled just 3.74 yards in the air, ranking in the bottom 10 among qualifying quarterbacks in Week 1. Last year, everyone wanted to know where the deep shots were. Now it's this.) (9-16-15): http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2015/09/detroit_lions_twitter_talk_12.html
Detroit Lions — Five things to know about connection between Matthew Stafford, Calvin Johnson (9-16-15): http://www.theoaklandpress.com/sports/20150916/detroit-lions-x2014-five-things-to-know-about-connection-between-matthew-stafford-calvin-johnson
Matthew Stafford: 'Sometimes You've Got To Find 81 (9-16-15): http://detroit.cbslocal.com/2015/09/16/matthew-stafford-sometimes-youve-got-to-find-81/
Matthew Stafford says he's ready to go for Sunday against Minnesota (9-16-15): http://espn.go.com/blog/detroit-lions/post/_/id/18851/matthew-stafford-hes-ready-to-go-for-sunday-against-minnesota
Matthew Stafford, Calvin Johnson explain Johnson's lack of targets (9-16-15): http://espn.go.com/blog/detroit-lions/post/_/id/18868/matthew-stafford-calvin-johnson-explain-johnsons-lack-of-targets-against-san-diego
Detroit's Duo Of Stafford, Johnson Combined For Dud In Loss (9-16-15): http://sports.yahoo.com/news/detroits-duo-stafford-johnson-combined-dud-loss-180707529--nfl.html
Vikings Week 2 scouting report: Detroit Lions (Player speak QB Matthew Stafford - Stafford passed for 4,257 yards and 22 TDs last season. His 19,158 passing yards since 2011 are the second most in the NFL. Stafford threw only 12 interceptions in 2014, but threw two Sunday against San Diego. He suffered an injured triceps on his throwing arm after taking a big hit that led to the Chargers’ first pick of the day and threw a second interception two passes later. On the interceptions: “One was a poor decision, obviously, and the other was a heck of a play by another guy and unfortunately we got hit.” He said his injured arm had no effect on his accuracy. On the Lions’ hot start and bad finish in Week 1: “Any time you play on the road you want to have a good start, so we were fortunate to do that, but we didn’t finish it the way we wanted to. … We just have to stay on the field on third down and get some more opportunities at it.”) (9-16-15): http://www.startribune.com/vikings-week-2-scouting-report-detroit-lions/327974821/
Video - Stafford on moving on to Minnesota (9-16-15): http://www.detroitlions.com/media-center/videos/Stafford-on-moving-on-to-Minnesota/b17c36d5-ef2f-4a1e-b9da-ff9d334dbbef
Dissecting Ingram's big hit on Lions' Stafford (Matthew Stafford was lying face down on the ground with Melvin Ingram's left leg draped on his back when Kyle Emanuel made the diving interception that turned out to be the play of the game. At first glance, a miscommunication by the Detroit Lions' revamped offensive line appeared to be to blame for a turnover that swung momentum back the Chargers' way and helped San Diego finish off a rally from 18 points down to beat the Lions in the season-opener for both teams, 33-28. Right tackle Cornelius Lucas and right guard Manny Ramirez both blocked the same pass rusher, defensive tackle Corey Liuget, leaving Ingram to blitz free off the edge and hit Matthew Stafford hard enough to earn him assault charges in 38 states. But Lucas and Ramirez said there was no miscommunication on the play and that the Lions were simply outmaneuvered in one of Sunday's most pivotal moments. "To the naked eye you wouldn't understand our calls, so a person who's looking at the game, it would look like that," Lucas said. "But it goes deeper than that. "We were practicing a look all week that we thought they were going to do and they actually, the quarterback put us in a protection that we thought was going to work against that look and they actually faked that look and went to another." On third-and-4 from the San Diego 38-yard-line, with the Lions clinging to a 21-13 lead and on the edge of field-goal range, the Chargers showed an all-out blitz, bringing inside linebackers Manti Te'o and Donald Butler to the line of scrimmage. Stafford raised his leg in a dummy call for the snap, and when safety Eric Weddle joined Te'o, Butler, outside linebackers Ingram and Emanuel, and defensive linemen Liuget and Ricardo Mathews at the line of scrimmage, the Lions' quarterback walked forward to his offensive line and barked out a new protection call. The Lions had three receivers in a trips formation to the right, Lance Moore, Corey Fuller and Eric Ebron, and Calvin Johnson split wide left matched up one-on-one with cornerback Brandon Flowers. Johnson had just four passes thrown his way all game, but Stafford's read dictated this throw would go Johnson's way. "(They showed) a certain pressure that they run every once in a while when they have a certain personnel out there," Ramirez explained. "And they brought it up like they were going to run it, we made our call. They basically either checked out of it or they were bluffing it and they got us." As Stafford took the snap from center Travis Swanson, he zeroed in on Johnson running a hitch-and-go route down the Lions sideline. But the inside blitz the Lions were expecting never came. Weddle dropped into underneath coverage on Johnson's side of the formation a second after Stafford raised his leg a second time to signal the snap. Both Te'o and Butler dropped into coverage, leaving the Chargers with a four-man rush. Joique Bell, the running back in the formation, tried to cut-block a blitzing Emanuel off the left side of scrimmage. Left tackle Riley Reiff stood up Mathews without much push. Swanson and left guard Laken Tomlinson were left without rushers, and Lucas stonewalled Liuget with help from Ramirez. Ingram, the one unaccounted for rusher, had a clear path to Stafford and smashed into his throwing elbow before Stafford knew he was there. Ramirez said the Lions "went by our rules" in blocking the look the Chargers showed pre-snap, and Lucas said the only thing the line could have done to prevent the sack was "we could have stayed in the previous protection, but sometimes things happen." "You try to catch the defense with certain plays, try to catch them off guard, and they caught us," Ramirez said. "Instead of us catching them, they caught us. They bluffed it pretty well, we made our call, we ran with it what we practiced. It happens all the time, we just move on to the next play." That play didn't lose the game for the Lions – Stephen Tulloch recovered a Melvin Gordon fumble three plays later – but the Lions didn't the look same after it. Stafford threw his second interception on the Lions' next series and played the rest of the game with a sleeve on his right arm, trying to keep the appendage loose. He wore a bulky wrap on his arm Monday, still feeling the effects from the hit, but said he expects to play this week against the Minnesota Vikings. "It was a tough one," Stafford said of the hit in his weekly team-sponsored interview Monday night on Fox2. "He got me good, kind of right on the triceps/elbow area, but I'll be good to go (this week against the Minnesota Vikings). I started feeling better towards the end of the game and I'll be good to go.") (9-15-15): http://www.freep.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/09/15/melvin-ingram-matthew-stafford-detroit-lions/72323384/
Sharp: Lions must allow Stafford freedom to take chances (9-15-15): http://www.freep.com/story/sports/columnists/drew-sharp/2015/09/15/detroit-lions-coaches-matthew-stafford/72352008/
Wojo: Lions offense needs to bear its teeth this season (Too timid - But isn't this the season the offense is supposed to meld and lead the way, with Stafford directing a vast array of weapons? It wasn't there Sunday for any reasonable stretch. The Lions expertly moved 80 yards on their first possession, on the way to a 21-3 lead. Three hours later, they drove 83 yards against a prevent defense for the tack-on touchdown in a 33-28 loss. In between those drives, which totaled 163 yards, the Lions scraped up 139 on eight possessions. The Chargers did what many teams do, bracketing Johnson with two defenders and daring Stafford and Lombardi to find somebody else. When that happens, the offense retreats into a shell, with Stafford so intent on avoiding interceptions, he doesn't force much to Johnson. He still threw two interceptions, although on one, his arm was clobbered by Melvin Ingram. Stafford completed 19 of 30 passes but converted only three of 10 third downs and almost never threw deep, which is supposed to be his strength. He hurt his right elbow on the Ingram hit and wore an arm sleeve the rest of the game, but said he's fine. "I started feeling better towards the end of the game, and I'll be good to go," Stafford told Fox 2 Monday. "I'm not too worried about it." Stafford is the key, as always, and picking the right targets probably isn't as easy as it sounds, although it should be getting easier in his seventh season. So how about this adjustment — give the ball to the rookie. Abdullah scored on a 24-yard run on the opening drive. He raced 36 yards with a short pass on the opening play of the second half. He finished with seven carries, four receptions and three kickoff returns, low volume exacerbated by the Lions' ridiculously puny total of 47 plays.) (9-15-15): http://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/columnists/bob-wojnowski/2015/09/14/wojo-lions-offense-better-bear-teeth-season/72286462/
Lions QB Matthew Stafford's season debut a tale of two halves (9-15-15): http://espn.go.com/blog/detroit-lions/post/_/id/18835/analyzing-matthew-staffords-season-debut-for-the-detroit-lions
NOTEBOOK: Abdullah, Hunt make most of first plays (Stafford on Johnson: Megatron had mini-stats – four targets and two catches. The Chargers doubled him all game, and Stafford said there has to be an effort to find ways to shake him loose from coverage. “I think you just find ways to move him around,” Stafford said in his weekly appearance on the Mitch Albom Show on WJR-760. “For me, sticking with him maybe a little longer on a route. “The guy in his career has beaten double coverage probably more than anybody in the history of the game.” The Lions ran only 47 plays to 74 by the Chargers. Lack of possession time (a little more than 21 minutes) contributed to no Lion having any significant stats. “If we convert on third down, we’re taking more chances and have another set of downs,” Stafford said. “We have more opportunities to get the ball to our playmakers.” Stafford on his elbow: He was hit in the third quarter on a blitz by Chargers linebacker Melvin Ingram. Ingram had a free lane to the quarterback. “Just a little helmet to the elbow kind of thing,” said Stafford, who wore a sleeve on his right arm the rest of the game and was still wearing it when he left the locker room Monday. There does not appear to be a serious injury.) (9-14-15): http://www.detroitlions.com/news/ohara/article-1/NOTEBOOK-Abdullah-Hunt-make-most-of-first-plays/d1bb3229-d944-42c0-a807-a03fe3fcc7a2
KEY QUESTIONS: How did Ingram hit affect Stafford's play? (Did Ingram’s hit on Stafford affect his play? It appeared the Ingram hit may have impacted Stafford’s play. “Anytime you take a hit like that, that’s sort of unexpected and gets you from the blind side like that, obviously, it’s going to disrupt you a little bit and he hit him pretty flush,” Caldwell said. “But, he’s a tough guy and he was able to bounce back and come back strong enough to lead us down the field and score and put us in position if we get an onside kick to maybe go and tie the thing up. So he bounced back, tough guy.” Stafford finished the game 19-of-30 for 246 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions for a quarterback rating of 83.5. Was Stafford’s ability to finish the game a positive sign? “Yeah, absolutely,” Caldwell said. “Like I said, he’s a tough guy and he’s been able to battle through a number of tough situations physically. Obviously he was able to come back and do well, move the team and score and get us primed to go at it again, and that’s a good sign.”) (9-14-15): http://www.detroitlions.com/news/article-1/KEY-QUESTIONS-How-did-Ingram-hit-affect-Staffords-play/d4f93b29-9db5-4477-92e7-68b176884cd8
Seidel: 2nd-half flameout reminiscent of same old Lions (Quarterback Matthew Stafford couldn't make the big play when his team needed it the most. Instead, he threw a pair of interceptions.)(9-14-15): http://www.freep.com/story/sports/columnists/jeff-seidel/2015/09/14/detroit-lions-san-diego-chargers-jeff-seidel/72240082/
Lions extra points: Overheard, talking points and more (Matthew Stafford: He had a 21-3 lead but couldn't close as three drives ended in punts and two in interceptions before the Lions' too-little, too-late TD.) (9-14-15): http://www.freep.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/09/14/detroit-lions-overheard-talking-points/72239012/
Jamie Samuelsen's blog: Pin Lions' loss on QB Stafford (9-14-15): http://www.freep.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/09/15/detroit-lions-matthew-stafford-jamie-samuelsen/72294170/
Matthew Stafford: 'I'll be good to go' vs. Vikings (The sleeve Matthew Stafford wore for most of the second half of Sunday's 33-28 season-opening loss to the San Diego Chargers turned into a bulky wrap with what appeared to be ice on his right elbow today, but the Detroit Lions quarterback said he'll be fine for this week's game against the Minnesota Vikings. "I'll be good to go," Stafford told the Free Press. Stafford took a helmet to his right elbow when he was hit by Melvin Ingram on the Lions' opening series of the second half Sunday on a play in which he threw an interception. He threw his second interception of the game on an underthrown pass two attempts later, and came out for the Lions' next series with a sleeve on his arm. "Once he got hit, it was his way of keeping it warm," Lions coach Jim Caldwell explained after the game. Caldwell declined to provide a further update on Stafford's arm today, but receiver Corey Fuller told the Free Press that Stafford took part in the team's light walk-through today that was closed to the media. Stafford, who's made 67 straight starts including the playoffs, said he would address his injury in more detail at his usual news conference Wednesday. He finished Sunday's game 19 of 30 passing for 246 yards, and completed 10 of 14 passes for 110 yards after taking the hit from Ingram. "Anytime you take a hit like that that's sort of unexpected and gets you from the (front) side like that, obviously, it's going to disrupt you a little bit and he hit him pretty flush," Caldwell said. "But he's a tough guy and he was able to bounce back and come back strong enough to lead us down the field and score and put us in position if we get an onside kick to maybe go and tie the thing up. So he bounced back. Tough guy.") (9-14-15): http://www.freep.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/09/14/detroit-lions-matthew-stafford-minnesota-vikings/72279204/
Lions' Stafford pledges to be ready vs. Vikings (Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford suffered a hard hit to his right elbow in Sunday’s loss to the San Diego Chargers, but told FOX 2 (WJBK-TV) Monday that he will be available for next Sunday’s game against the Minnesota Vikings. Mid-way through the third quarter, Chargers linebacker Melvin Ingram leveled Stafford with a hit as he threw a pass, which fellow linebacker Kyle Emanuel turned into a diving interception. Stafford didn’t miss any plays in the game, but threw another interception on the Lions’ next possession and wore a sleeve on his right arm later in the quarter. “It was a tough one,” Stafford said of the hit in his interview with FOX 2 sports director Dan Miller. “He got me good, kind of right on the triceps, elbow area, but I’ll be good to go. “I started feeling better toward the end of the game, and I’ll be good to go. I’m not too worried about it.” Reporters saw Stafford wearing a heavy wrap on his throwing arm in the locker room Monday, and Miller noted the bulge popping out of his shirt during the interview. “You saw him get hit, obviously, and once he got hit, it was his way of keeping it warm,” coach Jim Caldwell said of Stafford’s protective sleeve after the game. Stafford finished Sunday’s game 19 of 30 for 246 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions, and much of that production came in a desperation drive late in the fourth quarter. “I started feeling a whole lot better,” Stafford said on TV.) (9-14-15): http://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/2015/09/14/lions-stafford-pledges-ready-vs-vikings/72284332/
Niyo: Chargers show Lions defense it indeed is a new season (On offense, there were questions without answers in the postgame locker room, as the Lions, who spent the offseason hailing their comfort level in Year 2 of a new system, mustered just 40 plays and 219 yards before a final 2-minute drive when they trailed by two scores. After an impressive opening drive, capped by Ameer Abdullah’s 24-yard touchdown run, the Lions’ next seven possessions lasted four plays or fewer. One produced another touchdown — an 18-yard strike from Stafford to a wide-open Ebron — but the other six produced three first downs, four punts and two turnovers. Stafford got rocked by Melvin Ingram on the first interception he threw midway through the third quarter. He finished the game with a sleeve on his right arm, some nasty abrasions on his left, and a dour look — a painful reminder that the preseason is often a mirage. Stafford gave credit to the Chargers’ defense for creating some of the confusion in calling out protections. (“They did a good job of disguising some things,” he said.) And for taking away Calvin Johnson, who was held to just two catches for 39 yards, one of them on that final drive. Stafford also took the blame for the second interception he threw later in a dismal third-quarter showing, the one where he scrambled out of the pocket and flicked a pass short of the sticks — right to cornerback Patrick Robinson — while Tate turned upfield. “That’s just a bad throw,” Stafford said. “Golden did the right thing. Just a poor decision, bad throw.” And a game the Lions now must toss aside, they all agreed, though the way they played that’ll be easier said than done.) (9-14-15): http://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/columnists/john-niyo/2015/09/13/chargers-show-lions-defense-indeed-new-season/72236824/
Lions QB Matthew Stafford wearing wrap on throwing arm after suffering tricep/elbow injury (9-14-15): http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2015/09/detroit_lions_qb_matthew_staff_77.html
3 things we learned about the Lions, including the real problem at LB (and it's not Josh Bynes) (The offense is not comfortable, at all. Comfort is a word the Lions threw out charitably this offseason, telling everyone how much better they felt in Year 2 of the scheme. But one game in, it's hard to see what they meant. Just look at all the blown assignments up front, one of which resulted in a drive-killing sack, another of which resulted in Matthew Stafford getting his head caved in by a blind-side blitzer. That doesn't sound like comfort to me. And, of course, there was the matter of Calvin Johnson. I understand what the Lions are doing there, trying to take what the defense gives them, but they can't let teams dictate what they do offensively so easily. Johnson said after the game he wasn't even in Stafford's reads when bracketed by double-coverage, which is nuts. If I'm the Vikings, or the Broncos in two weeks, or the Seahawks in three, I'm doing exactly what the Chargers did. Double Calvin, because Detroit will voluntarily take the planet's greatest receiver out of the game plan for you. Crazy.) (9-14-15): http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2015/09/3_things_we_learned_about_the_30.html
Lions vague on Matthew Stafford arm injury, but he says he'll be ready (Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford wore a sleeve on his right arm in the second half of his team's 33-28 loss to San Diego on Sunday. During his weekly television appearance on Fox 2 Detroit, however, Stafford said, "I'll be good to go" this coming Sunday against Minnesota. Stafford was hit as he was throwing in the third quarter by Melvin Ingram. The ball popped up, turning into an interception by Kyle Emanuel, but Ingram hit Stafford right on his elbow. Stafford also threw an interception on his next pass. "It was a tough one. He got me good, kind of right on the tricep, elbow area," Stafford said on Fox 2 Detroit. "But I'll be good to go. I started feeling better towards the end of the game, and I'll be good to go." Stafford finished Sunday's game 19-of-30 for 246 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions. MLive.com reported Stafford was spotted in the Lions' locker room briefly Monday with a wrap on his right arm and elbow. During his television appearance, the wrap was noticeable even though it was covered by a black long-sleeved shirt. Caldwell would not say Sunday whether Stafford started wearing the sleeve because of cuts on his arm or if Stafford was hurt.) (9-14-15): http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/13658261/matthew-stafford-detroit-lions-says-ready-sunday-hurting-arm
PFF's DET-SD grades: Rough start for Lions’ Stafford-Johnson connection (Despite a fast start that resulted in an 18-point lead in the second quarter, the Lions couldn’t take advantage as the offense stalled in the second half. That was in part due to a lack of downfield passing; QB Matthew Stafford (-0.6) completed only three of his 10 passes thrown more than 1o yards downfield, and he especially struggled to connect with his top receiver, Calvin Johnson (0.9), who finished the game with only two receptions. Pressure was also a factor, as Stafford faced heat on 38.7 percent of his drop backs (only five QBs saw more frequent pressure on Sunday) with a -1.0 grade and 37.5 accuracy percentage on those plays.) (9-14-15): https://www.profootballfocus.com/blog/2015/09/14/det-sd-grades-rough-start-for-lions-stafford-johnson-connection/
NOTEBOOK: A pair of starters leave game with injuries (A pair of Lions starters left Sunday’s opener in San Diego with injuries. Cornerback
Quarterback
3 Lions Q's with Drew Sharp: Blame front office for loss (Where does Sunday's embarrassment rank among the more memorable Lions implosions? This is one of the worst, especially when factoring the unusually high expectations entering this season. There will be a temptation to stamp this loss with a "Same Old Lions," but this was even more abominable because it wasn't the result of a single boneheaded play that defied logic. But this was a systematic breakdown on both sides of the ball. In the second half, the offensive line couldn't protect Matthew Stafford. Golden Tate had his worst game as a Lion. There was some apparent communication issues between Tate and Stafford. And the Lions could have replaced safety James Ihedigbo with a stationary orange traffic cone and nobody would have known the difference.) (9-13-15): http://www.freep.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/09/13/detroit-lions-three-questions-drew-sharp/72234738/
Lions ticker: Good start leads to usual unsurprising end (But the Fox announcers seemed to be in the first category, so ready to jump on the Lions' bandwagon, especially Matthew Stafford's.
Ha! Gotcha! "Matthew Stafford, he looks like he's starting to really come on," studio analyst Jimmy Johnson said. "We said for years, 'He's got the talent, he's got the talent, but …' He's starting to play like a real winner right now." That was at halftime, when Stafford was a modest 7-for-12 for 94 yards and a TD. And after Abdullah's great 36-yard catch-and-run early in the second half, all the three Fox guys in the booth could talk about wasn't the rookie, but how good Stafford looked lofting the screen pass to him. They went on and on about the new-and-improved Stafford, right up until he was hit and intercepted three plays later. Said play-by-play man Thom Brennaman: "Stafford had no chance."
Yeah, not when you're going to jinx him like that. But the Lions' next series ended on a Stafford pick, too. Stafford finished 19-for-30 for 246 yards two TDs and the two picks for an 83.5 passer rating.) (9-13-15): http://www.freep.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/09/13/detroit-lions/72235104/
Matthew Stafford dinged up in Lions’ loss (Quarterback Matthew Stafford might be dealing with an injury. After a hard hit by Melvin Ingram on Sunday, one that led to an interception, Stafford came up favoring his right arm. He didn’t miss any snaps, but Stafford did take some time to warm up before the next series, in which he threw another interception. Later in the third quarter, he was wearing a sleeve on his right arm. “You saw him get hit, obviously, and once he got hit, it was his way of keeping it warm,” Caldwell said. After the game, Stafford had scrapes on his left arm, and one reporter saw him struggling to lift his right arm as he dressed. But the quarterback didn’t indicate he’s dealing with anything serious.) (9-13-15): http://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/09/13/matthew-stafford-dinged-lions-loss/72233474/
Lions' Jim Caldwell tells radio network: Too many mistakes in loss to Chargers (Matthew Stafford finished 19 of 30 for 246 yards and two touchdowns, but threw a pair of interceptions.) (9-13-15): http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2015/09/lions_jim_caldwell_on_radio_to.html
Detroit Lions — Five reasons for collapse, loss to Chargers (Stafford must play better. Yes, he was under pressure but he has to come up big. He showed a great move on the first touchdown, when he took a bad snap and barely had time to grab the football before throwing a short pass to Ameer Abdullah who ran 24 yards into the end zone. It was his first career run and he scored. Not bad but it was overlooked in the loss. Stafford (19-30, 246 yards, two touchdowns, two interceptions) took the blame for his second interception which was intended for Golden Tate but went straight into the arms of cornerback Patrick Robinson. “It was just a bad throw, Golden did the right thing,’’ Stafford said. “Just a poor decision, bad throw.’’ The first interception Stafford didn’t have a chance as he got bulldozed by Melvin Ingram when he was releasing the ball which was tipped and intercepted.) (9-13-15): http://www.theoaklandpress.com/sports/20150913/detroit-lions-x2014-five-reasons-for-collapse-loss-to-chargers
Free Press Lions' report card: Poor marks for linebackers, receivers (Quarterback - C: Matthew Stafford's stat line — 19-for-30 for 246 yards and two interceptions — was worse than his play. Stafford didn't have his best game, but his first pick was a result of a protection breakdown and his second came on what he termed "a poor decision and bad throw." Stafford did a good job spreading the ball around to different receivers, but it's not a great sign the offense looked out of sync in its first game.) (9-13-15): http://www.freep.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/09/13/detroit-lions-report-card/72236260/
Detroit News Lions grades: Coaches failed to recalibrate (9-13-15) (Quarterback: Matthew Stafford looked sharp early, going 7 of 12 for 94 yards with one touchdown in the first half, but in the second half, he was lousy and there was little sense that he'd be able to dig the Lions out of the surprising hole in which they found themselves. Overall, Stafford's statistics were fine — 19 of 30 for 246 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions — but the second interception was a poor throw to Golden Tate and set the Chargers up for a touchdown drive that reduced what was once a 21-3 lead to just 21-20. Stafford's best drive was in desperation, and his apparent lack of trust in Calvin Johnson — four targets, two receptions and 39 yards — was shocking. Grade: D): http://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/09/13/lions-grades-coaches-failed-recalibrate/72233574/
MLive Detroit Lions Grades: Defense flops, RB Ameer Abdullah shines as team withers in San Diego (QBs: D. Quarterback Matthew Stafford started off strong, spreading the ball around with accuracy, but as the game wore on he withered in the San Diego heat. Stafford threw a pair of bad interceptions, showing poor awareness and making questionable decisions under pressure. And that pressure is partially Stafford's fault. He's responsible for calling his protections, so if a rusher comes completely free, it was either a bad call or poorly communicated at the line of scrimmage)
(9-13-15): http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2015/09/grading_the_detroit_lions_san_1.html
S.D. 33, Detroit 28: Lions melt in season-opening loss (But Matthew Stafford threw two interceptions after tossing just 12 picks all of last year, and Calvin Johnson was mostly invisible on offense. Johnson, who did not play this preseason as the Lions monitored his snaps, caught just two passes for 39 yards – one on the Lions' desperation final drive – and was targeted just twice in the first half. Stafford finished 19 of 30 passing for 246 yards, and threw both of his interceptions in the second half. Melvin Ingram blitzed untouched off right tackle and hit Stafford in the right arm to force the first turnover, and Patrick Robinson picked off Stafford a series later, after a Chargers fumble, when Stafford and Golden Tate appeared to have a miscommunication on a third-down play. Stafford, who played most of the second half with a sleeve on his passing arm, nearly threw a third interception, but replays showed Weddle did not have possession of a would-be turnover in the end zone late in the game. Theo Riddick caught a 21-yard touchdown from Stafford one play after the near-pick to make the final score look respectable. Aside from Abdullah's touchdown run, the Lions counted on their defense and special teams to build their early lead. Glover Quin returned a Rivers interception off a tipped pass 31 yards to give the Lions a 14-3 lead, and Stafford hit Eric Ebron with an 18-yard touchdown pass four plays after a long return to give the Lions a 21-3 lead.) (9-13-15): http://www.freep.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/09/13/detroit-lions-san-diego-chargers/72226862/
Chargers, with 30 straight points, shred Lions defense (Matthew Stafford finished 19 of 30 for 246 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions for the Lions, and he and Calvin Johnson connected just twice for 39 yards. Golden Tate had just four catches for 24 yards, and the Lions gained just 302 yards. A 14-yard punt return by Tate set up the Lions at the San Diego 46 later in the quarter, and Lance Moore’s first catch with the Lions went for 22 yards and converted a third down. On the next play, Stafford hit Eric Ebron for an 18-yard touchdown down the seam as he was running wide open, giving the Lions a 21-3 lead with 8:49 left in the first half. To start the third quarter, the Chargers drove to a 25-yard field goal, cutting the Lions’ lead to 21-13 about 5 minutes into the second half. Then, things started to go incredibly wrong for the Lions’ offense. On the fourth play of the next drive, a third down, linebacker Melvin Ingram drilled Stafford as he was throwing, and linebacker Kyle Emanuel made a diving interception at the line of scrimmage. The Lions’ desperation drive produced points as Theo Riddick, who had zero touches until the last drive, caught a 21-yard touchdown ed with 64 seconds left, making it a 33-28 deficit.) (9-13-15): http://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/09/13/chargers-straight-points-shred-lions-defense/72227852/
Third-quarter update: Lions 21, Chargers 20 (The Detroit Lions are coming unraveled. The team turned the ball over twice in the third quarter, a pair of interceptions by quarterback Matthew Stafford, as the San Diego Chargers have sliced what was once an 18-point edge to a single point. The Chargers opened the second half driving 73 yards on 12 players, but were forced to settle for a short field goal. Detroit appeared poised to answer, crossing mid-field after a long catch-and-run by rookie running back Ameer Abdullah on a swing pass, but Stafford was crushed as he went to throw on a third-down play, floating a pass easily picked by the Chargers. The Lions quickly got the ball back after defensive end Jason Jones forced a fumble, but Stafford tossed a second pick under pressure, which the Chargers returned into the red zone.) (9-13-15): http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2015/09/third-quarter_update_lions_cha.html
First-quarter update: Lions 7, Chargers 3 (It couldn't have been a better start for the Detroit Lions in San Diego. Receiving the opening kickoff, Detroit drove 80 yards in eight plays, with an exceptional run-pass balance. Quarterback Matthew Stafford completed four of his five throws for 48 yards and rookie running back Ameer Abdullah burst up the gut for a 24-yard touchdown on his first professional carry.)(9-13-15): http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2015/09/first-quarter_update_lions_cha.html
Rivers, Allen lead Chargers' comeback over Lions (Is Matthew Stafford healthy? The Lions quarterback looked like a different guy in the second half, and finished the game with what looked like a protective sleeve over his right arm. Stafford took a hard shot to his arm/shoulder area from Chargers linebacker Melvin Ingram, a play that led to an interception.)(9-13-15): http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000529744/article/rivers-allen-lead-chargers-comeback-over-lions
Rivers rallies Chargers to 33-28 victory over Lions (The Chargers trailed 21-3 after Matthew Stafford threw an 18-yard touchdown pass to Eric Ebron midway through the second quarter. Rivers was picked off by Darius Slay in the end zone just before halftime to keep the score at 21-10.) (9-13-15): http://sports.yahoo.com/news/rivers-rallies-chargers-33-28-victory-over-lions-231618580--nfl.html
Chargers Shut Down Lions' High-Flying Attack (9-13-15): http://www.chargers.com/news/2015/09/13/chargers-shut-down-lions-high-flying-attack
Video - Stafford on his performance against San Diego (9-13-15): http://www.detroitlions.com/media-center/videos/Stafford-on-his-performance-against-San-Diego/910d7a99-33ab-4a99-91e0-9c9c615d4597
Video - Stafford to Ebron for 18 yd TD (9-13-15): http://www.nfl.com/videos/detroit-lions/0ap3000000529346/Lions-Eric-Ebron-18-yard-TD
Video - Stafford finds Riddick for a 21 yd TD (9-13-15): http://www.nfl.com/videos/detroit-lions/0ap3000000529645/Lions-Matthew-Stafford-finds-Theo-Riddick-for-a-21-yard-TD
Video - Stafford finds CJ for 28 yds (9-13-15): http://www.nfl.com/videos/detroit-lions/0ap3000000529197/Lions-Matthew-Stafford-finds-Calvin-Johnson-for-28-yards
Column: Detroit Lions' offense will be really, really good (But if you're looking for a single reason why the offense was bad last year, and will be good this year — very, very good — Matthew Stafford's it. He's a guy who has always been able to make every throw. Quin shakes his head remembering Stafford running to the left, then slinging a side-armer to Theo Riddick curling behind the defense for a winner against Miami last year. Remembers Stafford's rope to Kris Durham along the far sideline to set up a winner against Dallas two years ago. "I mean, that's superior," Quin said. "Those are elite throws. As a secondary, you're sitting there saying, we want to make him make those throws. And Stafford is a guy that can make those throws." The problem with Stafford has not been the throws he can make, but rather how consistently he can make them. His interceptions ballooned to 19 in his final season under Jim Schwartz and Scott Linehan. So the new staff asked Stafford to take a cut in yards, and touchdowns, and everything that had made him a record-setting quarterback, in the interest of curbing his turnovers and mistake-balls. Detroit wanted to take a really good fantasy quarterback, and make him, you know, a good quarterback. Not everyone would have made that transition so willfully. It's a shot to the ego. But Stafford did. He cut his interceptions from 19 to 12 last year, while his overall numbers predictably plummeted as well. Detroit was basically playing with training wheels, a hard thing to stomach in your sixth year in the league. "He had all the attributes to be great, but kudos to Coach Caldwell and the offensive staff for reeling him in and understanding what a great quarterback does," Mathis said. "And kudos to Matt as well. When you've already been breaking records left and right, not many quarterbacks can do that. Not many quarterbacks can get paid, and still be willing to make those kind of improvements." Now, though, that's over. Detroit has cut Stafford loose this offseason, now that he knows what he's doing, now that he knows how to play within the confines of the scheme, now that he knows when to risk a shot and when not to. The seventh-year quarterback has looked very good throughout the offseason, and the Lions are ready to finally open this thing up against San Diego. And everyone — from a deep roster of pass-catchers to Stafford himself — looks absolutely ready for it . "Not enough has been said about what Stafford did for us last year," Mathis said. "But if he keeps playing like he's been, nothing needs to be said.") (9-13-15): http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2015/09/column_detroit_lions_offense_w.html
Seidel: 13 reasons why these Lions could be tremendous (Matthew Stafford is more comfortable and has a better feel for this offense. In the preseason, Stafford was crisp and sharp, putting up monster stats. He completed 76% of his passes with three touchdowns and no interceptions. That gave him a 156.3 quarterback rating. Preseason stats mean virtually nothing. But that completion percentage indicates Stafford has a better understanding of the offense. By comparison, Stafford completed 70% of his passes in the 2014 preseason, throwing a pair of TDs and an interception for a 97.1 rating. So what can Stafford do in this offense, now that he is more comfortable? This is basically the same offense run by New Orleans, so I asked former Saint Lance Moore how Stafford compares to Drew Brees, and he said, "What are you drunk?" No, I'm kidding. Moore said that Brees makes quicker reads, which is understandable because he has been in the offense longer. "But Matthew makes up for it with his arm strength," Moore said. Now, I'm not saying they are equal in any way, but it's an interesting point.) (9-12-15): http://www.freep.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/09/12/detroit-lions-matthew-stafford-ameer-abdullah/72159440/
Ask Kyle: On how much Ameer Abdullah, Zach Zenner will play for Lions (Q: Can Stafford be a top 5 quarterback with his current roster? — Chance McBride. A: Absolutely. As I wrote previously, Stafford's actually done this before, finishing fifth with a 97.2 passer rating in 2011. And although I don't expect him to have another 5,000-yard season, with Jim Caldwell relying more heavily on the run game and defense than the previous staff did, Stafford's efficiency should be higher than it was too. He is finally comfortable in this offense, which means he's using more lookaways than he did last year. He's exploiting the nuances of the scheme. He knows how defenses will react to certain looks. Can anticipate where the seams will be. Plus, he has a much-improved Eric Ebron as a third target. Mix all that together with this staff's emphasis on ball security, and Stafford could be headed for his most efficient season yet. I'll have a column Sunday that delves more deeply into just how good this offense could be. Hint: Pretty damn good.) (9-12-15): http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2015/09/ask_kyle_on_how_much_ameer_abd.html
Detroit Lions — Five keys to the opener at San Diego Chargers (Matthew Stafford and the offense need to find a rhythm quickly, especially in a hostile environment. Expect a more aggressive offense than last season because Stafford and the others are more comfortable in year two of the offense. He must get the ball to Calvin Johnson. They’ll aim to take the crowd out early. Darius Slay said this week they want to take the crowd out of the game when they walk into the stadium. He was only half-joking.) (9-12-15): http://www.theoaklandpress.com/sports/20150912/detroit-lions-x2014-five-keys-to-the-opener-at-san-diego-chargers
Chargers focused on making Matthew Stafford uncomfortable (San Diego Chargers defensive coordinator John Pagano is very aware of Matthew Stafford's arm strength and his ability to make things happen down the field. But like every talented quarterback the Chargers have faced in recent years, Pagano will have an effective strategy for limiting explosive plays by the Detroit Lions' signal caller, even with talented playmakers like Calvin Johnson and Golden Tate at Stafford’s disposal. The Chargers allowed 47 passing plays of 20-plus yards last season, tied for No. 10 in the NFL in 2014. Playing against elite pocket passers like Tom Brady and Peyton Manning last season, the Chargers held their own. It’s the running quarterbacks like Russell Wilson, Alex Smith and Ryan Tannehill who have given the Chargers trouble the past two seasons, with the defense losing their rush lanes and allowing big plays down the field. Stafford is an underrated athlete, but he’s not known for his scrambling ability. "You can get a little loose with him," Chargers defensive tackle Corey Liuget said. "Guys like Russell Wilson, you want to contain them and press them in the pocket. But with that guy you can rush and get after him, because you know he’s going to sit in the pocket. He doesn’t want to run the ball that much." Added Detroit's Tate: "He’s a pocket passer for the most part, with an incredibly strong arm. He can throw the ball a mile across the field also. He can make tough, tough throws." To that end, like with all pocket passers, the Chargers will work to get Stafford off his spot and make him uncomfortable from inside the pocket. In 2014, Stafford posted an 11.7 total QBR when operating outside the pocket, which is No. 27 in the NFL. Stafford was much more effective from inside the pocket, posting 64.5 total QBR (No. 15 in the league) last season. "He’s got such a strong arm, and such a quick release on his delivery that you’ve got to make sure that you’re doing a great job of getting him off of that spot, and making him understand that you just can’t be comfortable back there," Pagano said. "And you speed the timing up. When you speed the timing up, it throws it off with the receivers." The trick for Pagano’s unit will be playing more coverage and creating an effective pass rush with just four pass-rushers. Stafford finished with a 51.3 total QBR against four or fewer pass-rushers last season (No. 27 in the NFL), including 12 interceptions.) (9-12-15): http://espn.go.com/blog/san-diego-chargers/post/_/id/12604/chargers-focused-on-making-mathew-stafford-uncomfortable
Caldwell has steadied Lions, Stafford (QB Matthew Stafford: A seventh-year player, he has started every game the last four years and owns several Lions career and single-season records. Stafford (6-2 ½, 230) has one of the NFL’s strongest arms but inconsistent mechanics. He threw a career-low 12 interceptions in his first year under Caldwell.) (9-12-15): http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/2015/sep/12/ansah-megatron-jim-caldwell-lions/
7 teams that can win the Super Bowl (6. Detroit Lions - The Lions may have lost superstar DT Ndamukong Suh to the Miami Dolphins, but the remaining defensive components will be enough to bring Lions fans the glory. DE Ezekiel Ansah generated the second-best pass rushing productivity among 4-3 DEs last season, and the combination of CBs Rashean Mathis and Darius Slay provide Detroit with one of the better secondaries in the NFL. On offense, QB Matthew Stafford is coming off a down 2014 season in our grades, but ranked No. 7 among QBs in 2013 and should be able to bounce back with a full season of the WR duo of Calvin Johnson and Golden Tate, who both produced yards per route totals within the NFL’s top 15 (2.29 and 2.13, respectively). The difference-maker on offense will be the addition of RB Ameer Abdullah, who will give the Lions the breakaway threat they have sorely lacked in previous seasons.) (9-12-15): https://www.profootballfocus.com/blog/2015/09/12/7-teams-that-can-win-the-super-bowl/
Video - Quarterback with the most touchdowns in Week 1? (One guy picks Stafford) (9-12-15): http://www.nfl.com/videos/detroit-lions/0ap3000000528548/Quarterback-with-the-most-touchdowns-in-Week-1
O'HARA'S FRIDAY FOCUS: Stafford's status change (Matthew Stafford’s position with the Lions hasn’t changed since the day he stepped under center and took the first snap in the opening game of the 2009 season against the New Orleans Saints at the Superdome. He was a starter then, and he’s set to start on opening day for the seventh straight year on the road against the San Diego Chargers on Sunday and lead a Lions team that has been built to make the playoffs again after last season’s 11-5 record got them into the NFC field as a wild card. But while the position may be the same -- starting quarterback – Stafford’s status has changed dramatically. Stafford has reached a point in his career that is unique to quarterbacks in pro football. They become their team’s CEO on the field. The offense runs through them, based on what suits their talent. They’re no longer competing for job security. Teammates don’t look to the sideline to see who might be warming up at halftime or check the latest posts on anti-social media to see if the winds are blowing for a change in starters. “Knowing that there’s going to be some sort of continuity, somebody we can build around, I would imagine that makes his job a lot simpler,” said veteran receiver Lance Moore, who has played with two entrenched starters in his career – Drew Brees in New Orleans and Ben Roethlisberger in Pittsburgh. “Hopefully, we do our job on the outside and make this his best year.” Having job security does not mean Stafford has a sense of arrival, or reached a plateau in his career. But the Lions’ fate and fortunes will rest this season – and many more in the future -- on his leadership and ability to deliver the ball with his strong right arm. “It’s obviously something you work hard for, you earn,” Stafford said when asked earlier in the week about being the established leader. “I’m happy to have it, but you fight for it every day. “No matter if you’re ‘entrenched’ as you say, or not, I’m still competing every day to be as good as I can possibly be and push this team to be as good as we can possibly be.” The experience factor cannot be discounted. “It’s invaluable,” said offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi. “If you’ve got a guy that’s started seven opening games, there’s a consistency and there’s a guy that’s comfortable. But that also means he’s probably been pretty good.” It also translates to his teammates. “It’s the command in the huddle,” Lombardi said. “It’s the command he has at the line of scrimmage – the communication he has with the other players so they can listen to him in the huddle and at the line of scrimmage and feel one, that he’s telling them clearly what he wants done, and two, they’re confident that he’s telling them the right things. “So it’s good. I’m glad to have him.” How good the Lions – and Stafford – will be in the 2015 season has to be proven over the course of the full season. Having a year in offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi’s system should produce an improvement over the 22 TD passes Stafford threw last year. My projections for the season: Stafford: Close to 30 TD passes, with no increase in interceptions in a step-up season statistically.) (9-11-15): http://www.detroitlions.com/news/ohara/article-1/OHARAS-FRIDAY-FOCUS-Staffords-status-change/56d8beae-f9df-4fbe-a51a-fc8ddaa80c5b
Is Lions' defense the key to Matthew Stafford's success this season? Kurt Warner thinks so (9-11-15): http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2015/09/is_lions_defense_the_key_to_ma.html
Detroit Lions notes — Josh Bynes prepared to start for DeAndre Levy (Captains named - Caldwell will continue naming captains on a weekly basis like he did last year. Matthew Stafford, Stephen Tulloch and long snapper Don Muhlbach will serve as Sunday’s captains at San Diego.) (9-11-15): http://www.theoaklandpress.com/sports/20150911/detroit-lions-notes-x2014-josh-bynes-prepared-to-start-for-deandre-levy
Detroit Lions — Five things to know about Matthew Stafford as season starts (9-11-15): http://www.theoaklandpress.com/sports/20150911/detroit-lions-x2014-five-things-to-know-about-matthew-stafford-as-season-starts
Detroit Lions take step back out of playoffs (The Quarterback: Matthew Stafford had a subpar last season, despite the Lions winning 11 games. Caldwell put the reigns on him and got Stafford's interceptions to come down, but so did his touchdown numbers. Stafford ranked a woeful 22nd in QB rankings in 2014. He had 22 TDs and 12 picks. You get the feeling that they will give Stafford more freedom this season in hopes of big production from him. With the defense down, the Lions will need more offense in '15. Interestingly, the Lions have made the playoffs twice in the Stafford Era. Both times, the defense played really well. In the rest of the Stafford years, the Lions have had a losing seasons. Worse, Stafford will have to finally get a win on the road against a team over .500. Including playoffs in his career, Stafford is 0-19 in those games. It's a stat that haunts Stafford and the Lions. Indeed, this is a big year for Stafford. Most want to see if the former No.1 overall pick from 2009 will finally come of age or continue to be just a middle-of-the-road QB with potential.) (9-11-15): http://www.clickondetroit.com/sports/parkersconfidential/detroit-lions-take-step-back-out-of-playoffs/35216986
10 takeaways from Austin and Lombardi (Lombardi and the offense were a bit reserved last year, putting greater value on limiting turnovers and playing complementary football. They still want to play complementary football, but Lombardi said he trusts his players much more in year two to go out and be more aggressive down the field. With Stafford’s big arm throwing to Calvin Johnson, Golden Tate and Eric Ebron, the Lions certainly have the weapons to be a more explosive unit. “Listen, if the defense is still holding everyone to 10 or 13 per game, I hope we win 30-10 instead of 20-10,” Lombardi joked.) (9-10-15): http://www.detroitlions.com/news/lions-insider/article-1/10-takeaways-from-Austin--Lombardi/919e6e78-baba-460e-9083-20213bd92
QB Index: Ranking the starters 1-32 (13. Matt Stafford: Stafford's erratic accuracy has become expected at this point. There is some optimism he can take a step forward this season, but we've heard that before.) (9-10-15): http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000524987/article/qb-index-ranking-the-starters-132
Key Matchups: Chargers vs. Lions (Get Stafford Off the Spot – Give Matthew Stafford time and he will make you pay as much as any quarterback in the NFL. The Pro Bowler is fresh off an outstanding 2014 campaign where he completed 363 of 602 passes for 4,257 yards and 22 touchdowns with an 85.7 passer rating. The Chargers have stressed a need to improve rushing the passer this season as the team registered the fourth fewest sacks in the NFL a year ago with 26. The Bolts hope their standout pass rush from the preseason translates into the regular season, as San Diego flipped the script to rank fourth in the league with 12 sacks during exhibition play. Pagano explained why the Bolts must be able to pressure Stafford since Detroit’s QB excels in the pocket: “You can’t sit there and give him so much time because when you watch the things they do, they do such a great job of not only protecting at times, but how he moves in the pocket to be able to keep his eyes downfield. He has such a strong arm and such a quick release and delivery, you’ve got to make sure that you are doing a great job of what we always talk about of getting him off that spot. Make him understand that you just can’t get comfortable back there. And you speed the timing up. When you speed the timing up, it throws it off with the receivers, so that’s always a big aspect of any game.”) (9-10-15): http://www.chargers.com/news/2015/09/10/key-matchups-chargers-vs-lions
Pagano says Chargers D is anti-loaf (On Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford's underrated mobility - "If he has that opportunity to reset his feet, his arm is so strong you see a lot of throws he hits downfield. So we've got tot be aware of that.") (9-10-15): http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/2015/sep/10/john-pagano-kyle-emanuel-lions-chargers/
Video - Stafford on the preparations for the Chargers (9-9-15): http://www.detroitlions.com/media-center/videos/Stafford-on-the-preparations-for-the-Chargers/657dc66d-a41a-4b21-b1e7-27251d607bb0
Justin Rogers' 8 Detroit Lions predictions for 2015 (Matthew Stafford will set career-high in completion percentage - One of the biggest knocks on Matthew Stafford has been his accuracy. He's completed fewer than 60 percent of his throws during his career and often ranks in the bottom third of the league among qualifying quarterbacks annually. This offseason, he's making quicker reads and sharper intermediate throws. Given his weapons, he should be able to best his 2011 mark of 63.5 percent.) (9-8-15): http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2015/09/justin_rogers_8_detroit_lions.html
O'hara's Monday Countdown: Season Predictions (Matthew Stafford - rising stats, rising stock: The entire offensive unit, Stafford included, should benefit from having a season's experience in Joe Lombardi's scheme. Aside from that, there are a lot of signs that the Lions will have a more potent and efficient unit than last year, when there were too many dead periods. In the passing game, Calvin Johnson is fully healthy. Even at less than full strength more than half of last season, he still led the team with eight TD catches and 15.2 yards per catch. Golden Tate's 99-catch season showed that he was more than a No. 2 complement to Megatron. Tight end Eric Ebron, whose rookie season was a disappointment largely because of his draft position - 10th overall - ought to provide matchup problems because of his speed and strength. The rebuild project in the offensive line must pay off with a stronger running game and better protection for Stafford, who was sacked 45 times last season - the most of any playoff quarterback. Projection for Stafford: He had 22 TD passes against 12 interceptions last year. He should get close to 30 TDs this year, without an increase in picks, and a completion rate higher than his 60.3-percent mark last year.) (9-7-15): http://www.detroitlions.com/news/ohara/article-1/OHARAS-MONDAY-COUNTDOWN-Season-predictions/4543d0dd-bb0e-4001-9741-f506f5dbb521
Stafford finds success shifting to Lombardi offense (9-7-15): http://www.freep.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/09/07/stafford-finds-success-shifting-lombardi-offense/71835146/
Kyle Meinke's 7 predictions for Detroit Lions' 2015 season (Matthew Stafford will have a top-five passer rating - Stafford’s actually done this before, finishing fifth with a 97.2 passer rating during that 5,000-yard season in 2011. I don’t expect Stafford to have the same kind of raw output in 2015, with Jim Caldwell relying more heavily on the run game and defense than the previous staff did, but Stafford's efficiency should be higher than it was too. He is finally comfortable in this offense, which means he’s employing more lookaways than he did last year. He’s exploiting the nuances of the scheme. He knows how defenses will react to certain looks. Can anticipate where the seams will be. Plus, he has a much-improved Eric Ebron as a third target. Mix all that with this staff’s emphasis on ball security, and Stafford could be headed for his most efficient season yet. If his turnover numbers remain down, he has a shot at another top-five QB rating even if his yards aren't what they once were. He's been that good this offseason.) (9-7-15): http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2015/09/7_predictions_for_detroit_lion.html
A look at the Detroit Lions' 53-man roster (Matthew Stafford: Entering his seventh season, Stafford is coming off one of his strongest preseasons and should be more comfortable in Joe Lombardi’s offensive scheme.) (9-7-15): http://espn.go.com/blog/detroit-lions/post/_/id/18706/linebacker-is-a-deep-group-on-the-detroit-lions-53-man-roster
Joe Lombardi: People don’t appreciate Matthew Stafford (9-7-15): http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2015/09/07/joe-lombardi-people-dont-appreciate-matthew-stafford/
Why Matthew Stafford is just our No. 19-ranked QB (9-7-15): https://www.profootballfocus.com/blog/2015/09/07/why-is-matthew-stafford-just-our-no-19-ranked-qb/
Where Lions stand at each position after final cuts (Pressure will be on Stafford to play consistently well now that the Lions have surrounded him with plenty of weapons. Orlovsky won the backup job again by outplaying Kellen Moore this summer, but the Lions will continue to hope Stafford, who has made 64 straight starts, remains healthy.) (9-6-15): http://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/09/06/where-lions-stand-at-each-position-after-final-cuts/71813142/
QB Stafford knows he must improve for Lions to succeed (9-6-15): http://www.freep.com/longform/sports/nfl/lions/2015/09/06/detroit-lions-matthew-stafford/71800598/
Ranking the 25 players most important to the Detroit Lions' 2015 success (No. 1 -- Matthew Stafford: No need to get cute. The Lions will go as far as Stafford takes them. The franchise quarterback improved as a decision-maker last year, but could stand to ramp back up the production, especially his accuracy numbers, in 2015.) (9-6-15): http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2015/09/25_most_important_players_to_d.html
Lions' Lombardi, Stafford revisit non-PI call (9-5-15): http://www.freep.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/09/05/lions-lombardi-stafford-non-pi-call/71770032/
Stafford won't miss facing Lions defense (9-3-15): http://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/09/03/stafford-miss-facing-lions-defense/71668082/
O'HARA: Rising team, rising city land Lions on SNF (Color analyst Cris Collinsworth did not put Stafford in the elite category when asked where to rank him, but said he likes the overall talent around him. The addition of rookie running back Ameer Abdullah potentially adds a threat. Collinsworth spoke highly of running back Theo Riddick, who emerged last year as a valuable receiving threat, and wide receiver Golden Tate, who had 99 catches and made the Pro Bowl last year. “I think he’s a good player,” Collinsworth said of Stafford. “I don’t know that I’m ready to go beyond that yet. I think there are a lot of guys in that top 15 category that sort of come and go. I’m anxious to see what happens this year with the full complement of receivers. “Of course Calvin was out last year. I thought Golden Tate played great. Now you throw Abdullah into that mix. I saw a lot of Theo Riddick at Notre Dame. I thought he really helped them some last year.” Collinsworth referred to Stafford’s relative youth for his level of experience. Stafford is 27 and will be the opening-day starter for the seventh straight year. “He’s still young enough on the quarterback scale,” Collinsworth said. “I think he’s good. Do I put him in that elite, top five? No. I don’t think he deserves to be there. “This could be a fun year for them.”) (9-2-15): http://www.detroitlions.com/news/ohara/article-1/OHARA-Rising-team-rising-city-land-Lions-on-SNF/59c17e5e-2f12-487b-a85e-5ad095d6a677
Lions' Stafford 'tired of splitting' with Packers (9-2-15): http://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/09/02/lions-matthew-stafford-tired-of-splitting-with-packers/71604642/
O'HARA'S MONDAY COUNTDOWN: Zenner more than just a good story (The best of Game 3: The big play offense – 173 yards passing and two TDs by Stafford; 108 yards rushing, led by Zenner’s 85; the defense getting four sacks in the second half; rookie Kyle Brindza making a 51-yard field goal look as effortless as Dustin Johnson hitting an 8-iron; a good 32-yard sideline catch by Jeremy Ross on a throw from Dan Orlovsky.) (8-31-15): http://www.detroitlions.com/news/ohara/article-1/OHARAS-MONDAY-COUNTDOWN-Zenner-more-than-just-a-good-story/137ea4cf-bc10-4712-984b-2435a150241c
Column: The Detroit Lions offense will be better in 2015 (Quarterback Matthew Stafford has spoken at length of his growing comfort in the offense, and there was all sorts of evidence to support him throughout the offseason. He flashed renewed accuracy in the passing game, plus some sound decision-making. Those gains have carried over into a torrid start to the preseason. After picking apart the Jacksonville Jaguars last week, Stafford is 19-of-25 passing for 308 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions through three exhibitions. That's good for a cool 156.3 passer rating, which leads the entire league. And that's without Calvin Johnson. "He's been on point," receiver Corey Fuller said. "All offseason, he's been just awesome for us. He's going to be good -- really good -- this year. You can already see it." Stafford's progress has always been vital to the offense's chances of bouncing back from a disastrous 2014 season. And so far, so good. Maybe the most reassuring development, though, is what's happening behind him. Stafford's progress is most important to the Lions' chances of scoring more than 20.1 points per game this season, and avoiding the kinds of extended scoring droughts that eventually ended their season.) (8-31-15): http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2015/08/column_its_no_longer_a_matter.html
NFC NORTH: Third impressions (Matthew Stafford continued his sharp play through the preseason by completing 11-of-15 passes to eight different receivers for 173 yards and two touchdowns. Stafford is completing over 70 percent of his passes this preseason with no turnovers.) (8-31-15): http://www.detroitlions.com/news/lions-insider/article-1/NFC-NORTH-Third-impressions/8e21ad2c-6f81-43fe-9fe5-b444d63df325
Thumbs-up for Lions QB Matthew Stafford this preseason (A quick observation of Matthew Stafford and how he has played in preparation for the season opener Sept. 13 against the San Diego Chargers. Stafford has done everything he could this preseason to give confidence he will have a strong 2015 season. He looked sharp throughout the majority of training camp and continued his trend from last season of limiting big mistakes and bad interceptions. Working with the premise that he won’t play this week against Buffalo, Stafford completed 19 of 25 passes for 308 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions. The bigger thing is his completion percentage: 76 percent. That’s a 6 percent increase from the previous preseason, when he completed 21 of 30 passes for 204 yards, two touchdowns and one interception in the preseason. Again, this is just the preseason, but it has been Stafford's best preseason showing since 2011, when he completed 75.8 percent of his passes (25-of-33) and threw for five touchdowns and no interceptions. Although it might not be the best correlation, the 2011 season did turn into the best season of Stafford’s career. Of course, Stafford has said he has matured as a quarterback since the sling-it-all-the-time days of 2011, when he threw for 5,038 yards, 41 touchdowns and 16 interceptions. Stafford told me earlier this year that he thinks he manages games better and is “more responsible with the football" than in the 2011 season. This is part of the influence of Lions coach Jim Caldwell, who stressed cutting mistakes last season. Stafford did that, and now the Lions are hoping they can increase some of the chances Stafford will take and turn them into smart decisions throwing downfield to Calvin Johnson or Golden Tate. Stafford has been pretty on-point in games and practices this preseason. His next step will be carrying that over to the fall.) (8-31-15): http://espn.go.com/blog/detroit-lions/post/_/id/18587/thumbs-up-for-lions-qb-matthew-stafford-this-preseason
PFF Grades (QB Matthew Stafford had a solid game. Without big-play WR Calvin Johnson in the lineup, he didn’t do an awful lot long, but he highlighted his readiness for the new year with a pinpoint throw that led to a Golden Tate touchdown and a defensive back falling face-first to the turf.): https://www.profootballfocus.com/blog/2015/08/31/grades-for-jaguars-lions/
Windsor: Stafford showing poise, maturity, ability to lead (8-30-15): http://www.freep.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/08/31/detroit-lions-matthew-stafford/71443386/
Stafford's sterling preseason: Prelude to big 2015? (8-30-15): http://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/08/30/staffords-sterling-preseason-prelude-big-2015/71411720/
Lions-Jaguars PFF Grades: The Stafford-Tate Connection (PFF's Grades - Matthew Stafford: +1.4) (8-30-15): http://www.prideofdetroit.com/2015/8/30/9224573/lions-jaguars-pff-grades-matthew-stafford-golden-tate
Notes from preseason Week 3 (Notes: Rookie free agent Zach Zenner, a 5-11, 223-pound truck, is either going to med school this fall or playing for the Lions. He continued his quest for the latter, with an eight-carry, 85-yard night in Jacksonville … Allen Hurns, who came out of nowhere last year as an undrafted free agent from the University of Miami, continues to appear to be Bortles’ favorite target. Four targets, four receptions in this game … Golden Tate is going to be Matthew Stafford’s best friend if he keeps it up. With Calvin Johnson resting, Tate caught a perfect 62-yard strike from Stafford to open Detroit’s scoring … The Jags want T.J. Yeldon to win a prominent role in the running game, but he’s going to have to be better than he was in this game: eight carries, 10 yards, mostly stonewalls. Stat of the day: Zenner, an undrafted free agent from South Dakota State, rushed for 2,044, 2,015 and 2,019 yards in his last three college seasons.) (8-30-15): http://mmqb.si.com/mmqb/2015/08/30/deflategate-concussion-movie-preseason-week-3-nfl
Stafford Impressing, Even Without Megatron (Matthew Stafford has been impressive throughout training camp. The Lions’ seventh-year quarterback has completed 76 percent of his passes through the first three games of the preseason with three touchdowns and no interceptions. Keep in mind that all of that is without the services of the best receiver on the planet – Calvin Johnson – who's been given the veteran treatment by the Lions and hasn’t played at all in the preseason. Stafford said he and Johnson have had a good connection throughout practice this offseason and there’s absolutely no worries on his part about not playing together in the preseason. “Yeah, I feel pretty good about it,” Stafford said after completing 11-of-15 passes to eight different receivers for 173 yards and two touchdowns Friday night in a win over Jacksonville. “I’d rather (Johnson) be feeling as good as he can possibly feel going into Week 1. We had a really good thing going in practice. We’re going against a good defense, a fast defense, and we’ve got a good thing going so hopefully that will continue.” There’s really no reason to think it won’t. Over the past six years playing with Johnson, Stafford has a career passer rating of 95.9 and 47 touchdowns in 741 career attempts to Johnson.) (8-29-15): http://www.detroitlions.com/news/lions-insider/article-1/Stafford-impressing-even-without-Megatron/f0105dbe-cee1-4c31-b953-dcb1a9efe9d6
Stafford: No preseason reps needed with Calvin Johnson (8-29-15): http://www.freep.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/08/29/matthew-stafford-preseason/71373170/
Lions Ticker: Ex-Packer says Megatron has to do more with less Ticker (Really, former Green Bay Packers wide receiver Antonio Freeman meant it to be a compliment for Calvin Johnson. The rest of the Lions' offense, not so much. "I think he's still an elite receiver," said Freeman, who now works for Comcast SportsNet Washington (via Washington Post). "I think he's still in the top three, if not the best. The amount of problems that he causes. ... And they never had a legitimate running game. He still gets double-teamed. He doesn't have a great offensive line. His size, his strength — to me, he's still the No.1 receiver in the game. "Take nothing away from Matthew Stafford. But he's not Tom Brady. He's not Peyton Manning. He's not Drew Brees. (Johnson) has to do it with less. He's on the low end of the totem pole when it comes to that. Can you imagine what he would do if he had a running game where you had to respect the play-action, where you had to think twice about double-teaming him?") (8-29-15): http://www.freep.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/08/29/ticker-antonio-freeman-calvin-johnson/71407630/
Detroit Lions snap counts: Starting defense gets a workout against Jacksonville (Friday's hero, running back Zach Zenner, got 28 reps of work, earning carries with every unit. His workload was the highest among skill position players, edging out starting quarterback Matthew Stafford by one snap.) (8-29-15): http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2015/08/detroit_lions_snap_counts_jack.html
Pat Caputo - Conclusive answers coming from Matthew Stafford and Detroit Lions in 2015 (8-29-15): http://www.theoaklandpress.com/sports/20150829/pat-caputo-conclusive-answers-coming-from-matthew-stafford-and-detroit-lions-in-2015
Winners and Losers from Lions' victory over Jaguars (Winners - Golden Tate: Matthew Stafford and Tate must have hung out a lot this offseason, because they are completely on the same page. Stafford dropped a beautiful 62-yard bomb right into the arms of an awaiting Tate. Tate has been absolutely killing it this preseason. Stafford - Overlooking a few overthrows early in the game, Stafford looked poised and dominant behind center Friday night. He also finished with a pretty darn good statline: 11-15, 173 yards, 2 TDs, 0 INTs, 150.8 passer rating.) (8-29-15): http://www.prideofdetroit.com/2015/8/29/9223745/winners-losers-lions-jaguars-preseason
Four Downs: Wake-up Call For Defense (Fourth Down: Stafford Crisp - Matthew Stafford has looked crisp since the first day the Lions assembled for the offseason training program back in April and nothing has chanced over the last five months. In three preseason games, Stafford has completed 19-of-25 passes for 308 yards with three touchdowns, no interceptions and a passer rating of 156.3. “There’s no question about it, he’s been improving,” Caldwell said of Stafford. “I don’t think he’s had any turnovers during the entire preseason. He’s done a nice job in terms of his completion percentage. He’s moved the ball fairly consistently. I think he’s done a good job overall. He’s been pretty sharp.” Stafford completed passes to eight different receivers Friday night and threw two touchdown passes, one to Golden Tate (62) and one to Corey Fuller (4). “It sure feels a whole lot better than coming out and playing bad, you know, throwing three picks and no touchdowns,” Stafford said of his preseason. “I’d rather have three touchdowns and no picks going into the season. So it’s a good feeling, it’s something to build on. We still have guys that we need to throw back into the mix. Calvin (Johnson) is a pretty good player, so it’ll be nice to get him back out on the field when we start playing.” Stafford finished last preseason 21-of-30 passing for 204 yards with two touchdowns, one interception and a 97.1 rating. Caldwell is right, there’s tangible improvement there.) (8-28-15): http://www.detroitlions.com/news/lions-insider/article-1/FOUR-DOWNS-Wake-up-call-for-defense/49d7a12e-d3ca-4d2d-aac0-ccfedd4b1d4e
RECAP: Lions at Jaguars (The Lions’ offense, led by quarterback Matthew Stafford, kept them in the game, however. Stafford hit Golden Tate for a 62-yard touchdown and Corey Fuller from four yards out in the second quarter that helped the offense stay toe-to-toe with Jacksonville's offense in the first half. Stafford and the first-team offense recorded 242 total yards in the first half. Both starting quarterbacks were brilliant. Stafford finished the game 11-of-15 passing (73.3 percent) for 173 yards with two touchdowns. He completed passes to eight different receivers and finished with a passer rating of 150.8. Stafford is now 19-of-25 passing (76.0) for 308 yards with three touchdowns, no interceptions and a passer rating of 156.3 in three preseason games. Critical moment: Stafford and the offense took over at their own 5-yard line with 5:07 left in the half. He proceeded to take the offense down 95 yards in nine plays capped off by the Fuller touchdown. Play of the game: Trailing 14-0 and needing a spark, the Lions got it from Golden Tate and Stafford. That connection accounted for 99 catches and 1,331 yards last year. The pair connected on a 62-yard pass and catch in the second quarter that got the Lions on the board. Tate burned Jaguars cornerback Aaron Colvin down the left sideline and Stafford put the ball right into his arms in stride.) (8-28-15): http://www.detroitlions.com/news/lions-insider/article-1/RECAP-Lions-at-Jaguars/aedb2f47-d659-418e-a6ff-a41cf8e3c3c9
O'hara: Stafford-tate Td Turning Point For Lions (8-28-15): http://www.detroitlions.com/news/ohara/article-1/OHARA-Stafford-Tate-TD-turning-point-for-Lions/5c3ee169-210e-450c-9600-dba838851199
O'hara's Burning Questions: What Happened To Defense In 1st Half? (Q. Offense – sluggish start, big plays: Any concerns about the way the No. 1 offense played? A. Not really. The offense was decent, despite not scoring, on its first two possessions. It didn’t go three and out on either one. Jacksonville had the ball so long that it looked like the offense wasn’t doing anything. The second quarter showed how potent it can be. Matthew Stafford threw two TD passes – a 62-yard cannon shot down the left sideline that hit Golden Tate in stride, and a four-yard slant pass to Corey Fuller. Q. Stafford stats – what did they show? A. They were what they were: 11 for 15 for 173 yards, the two touchdowns, no interceptions and a passer rating of 150.8. That’s a good performance in any game. His 11 completions went to eight receivers – none of whom were Calvin Johnson. He didn’t play. The Lions want to spread the ball around and have a more efficient offense. That was a sign they can do that better this year.) (8-28-15): http://www.detroitlions.com/news/ohara-burning-questions/article-1/OHARAS-BURNING-QUESTIONS-What-happened-to-defense-in-1st-half/c8b0f5ee-3b56-4048-93f5-b7dd7959ab0a
Lions observations: Abdullah gets first carry; Zenner shines (Stafford, who played just three series in the Lions’ first two preseason games, played the entire first half Friday, completing 11 of 15 passes for 173 yards. He threw touchdowns to Fuller and Golden Tate, on a perfect 62-yard bomb early in the second quarter, and spread the ball to eight different receivers. With one exhibition game left, Stafford, who hasn’t had his best receiver, Calvin Johnson, on the field all preseason, is 19 of 25 passing for 308 yards with three touchdowns and a near-perfect 156.3 passer rating. “I’m pleased with (the preseason so far),” Stafford said. “As an offense we’re playing with really good tempo. If we stay out of own way with penalties and stuff, we had too many of those tonight (14 for 145 yards) and last game as well, if we stay out of our own way we’ll be pretty good.”) (8-28-15): http://www.freep.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/08/28/detroit-lions-observations/71348162/
Detroit 22, Jacksonville 17: Lions' defense needs work (The Lions weren’t particularly sharp on offense early, but they haven’t lost their big-play ability. Matthew Stafford threw a dart to Golden Tate for a 62-yard touchdown early in the second quarter. Stafford has played well in all three exhibition games.) (8-28-15): http://www.freep.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/08/28/detroit-lions-jacksonville-jaguars/71354100/
Offense shines, defense struggles as Lions win (Matthew Stafford, rookie running back Zach Zenner and the reserve defensive players were among the bright spots. Penalties, special teams and covering tight ends were among the problems the Lions must correct before Sept. 13. On the first two drives, the Lions allowed 130 yards and gave up two touchdowns as Jacksonville jumped to a 14-0 lead with 13:44 left in the second quarter. After falling behind, the Lions quickly responded with a perfect 62-yard touchdown strike from Matthew Stafford to Golden Tate, cutting the lead to 14-7 just 84 seconds later.Jacksonville converted its first seven third down attempts. After the eighth failed, the Jaguars went for a fourth down near the Lions goal line, but came up short. On the ensuing drive, the Lions drove 95 yards for a touchdown, highlighted by a 45-yard run by Zenner and capped by a 4-yard touchdown pass from Stafford to Corey Fuller. Stafford finished the first half 11 of 15 for 173 yards with two touchdowns before Dan Orlovsky replaced him in the third quarter. Through three exhibition games, he’s 19 of 25 for 308 yards with three touchdowns and a 156.3 passer rating.) (8-28-15): http://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/08/28/offense-shines-defense-struggles-lions-win/71358214/
Lions Zach Zenner drags defenders into end zone for game-winning TD against Jags (Highlights - While the defense struggled, quarterback Matthew Stafford did not. He turned in a third straight sharp performance, this time completing 11 of 15 passes for 173 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions. The first touchdown was a 62-yard bomb perfectly placed — with the perfect amount of touch — to Golden Tate. No one has been better than Stafford in the preseason, and with the exception of Tate, no one's been close. He's completed 19 of his 25 passes for 308 yards, with three touchdowns and no interceptions — good for a cool 156.3 passer rating. He's provided every reassurance that this offense will be better in Year 2.) (8-28-15): http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2015/08/lions_zach_zenner_drags_defend.html
Detroit Lions stock report: Matthew Stafford ready for regular season, Zach Zenner strengthens case (Stock up -- Quarterback Matthew Stafford: The franchise quarterback continued his strong preseason with yet another quality performance. Stafford completed 11 of his 15 throws for 173 yards and two scores. Both touchdown passes were well placed, especially the 62-yard bomb to Golden Tate. For the preseason, Stafford has a near-perfect 156.3 quarterback rating.) (8-28-15): http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2015/08/detroit_lions_stock_report.html
Detroit Lions — Five things learned in win over Jaguars (Matthew Stafford looks faster than last season. He’s making quicker decisions. The quarterback, entering his seventh season, couldn’t keep the first two drives alive, but then connected with Golden Tate on a 62-yard pass play that was a thing of beauty. The offense was without Calvin Johnson, who is healthy, but sat out. Even though right tackle LaAdrian Waddle and right guard Larry Warford were out, Stafford was not sacked. He completed 11 of 15 passes for 173 yards and a pair of touchdowns for a 150.8 rating.) (8-28-15): http://www.theoaklandpress.com/sports/20150828/detroit-lions-x2014-five-things-learned-in-win-over-jaguars
Detroit Lions notes: Run game up to speed in win over Jaguars (Matthew Stafford (11-15, 173 yards, two touchdowns) completed passes to eight different receivers. Brandon Pettigrew caught his first pass of the preseason - a 20-yarder from Stafford.) (8-28-15): http://www.theoaklandpress.com/sports/20150828/detroit-lions-notes-run-game-up-to-speed-in-win-over-jaguars
Loss of Suh leaves Lions defense in tough spot (Head coach Jim Caldwell is an offensive guy, but Detroit’s system has much of second-year coordinator Joe Lombardi’s stamp on it. Lombardi installed some of the concepts he learned as quarterbacks coach under Sean Payton in New Orleans. These show up mostly in Detroit’s running game, screen game and more conservative pass protection principles. Matthew Stafford’s numbers declined in his first year in this system, but he finally played with near-regular discipline. The $64,000 question: With Stafford presumably more comfortable in the voluminous scheme, will he maintain that discipline or renew his cavalier ways? Perhaps one reason Stafford was more disciplined in 2014 was that Calvin Johnson’s injuries robbed the QB of his wide-casting safety net. Stafford, who can throw with velocity from multiple platforms and arm angles, couldn’t always just sling the ball to his superstar. This is just a hypothesis, though. Stafford’s numbers in the six games where Johnson was either out or noticeably hampered were basically identical to his numbers in games during which Johnson was healthy. But the games without Johnson also came earlier in the season, when Stafford was less comfortable in the system.) (8-28-15): http://mmqb.si.com/mmqb/2015/08/28/detroit-lions-defense-ndamukong-suh-departure-haloti-ngata-nfl-matthew-stafford
Stock Report (Highs - Matthew Stafford: The quarterback did what he had to in his tune-up game, completing 11 of 15 passes for 173 yards and two touchdowns. He affirmed a lot of what he has done during training camp practices with a strong command of the offense and increased accuracy. It’ll be interesting to see if it carries to the regular season.) (8-28-15): http://espn.go.com/blog/detroit-lions/post/_/id/18558/matthew-stafford-zach-zenner-stand-out-for-detroit-lions
Offensive starters shine, defense struggles for Detroit Lions (Play of the game: Two stood out -- both on offense. Matthew Stafford threw a huge deep ball to Golden Tate, who adjusted well to catch it in stride and turn it into an eventual 62-yard touchdown.) (8-28-15): http://espn.go.com/blog/detroit-lions/post/_/id/18556/offensive-starters-shine-defense-struggles-for-detroit-lions
Matthew Stafford continued his strong preseason against Jacksonville (Matthew Stafford did not have the help of Calvin Johnson on Friday night -- he hasn't had Johnson in any preseason games -- but the Detroit Lions quarterback had another strong performance. Stafford completed 11 of 15 passes for 173 yards and two touchdowns against the Jacksonville Jaguars, and both touchdown passes were well thrown. Stafford threw a good deep ball to Golden Tate, who had to track it a little bit, that resulted in a 62-yard touchdown. His second touchdown pass, to Corey Fuller, was a quick timing read where he hit Fuller perfectly as he crossed into the end zone. Stafford played smart. He didn't force things and limited his mistakes while taking advantage of what he had. Yes, it's only the preseason so this should all be taken with that level of understanding, but it should give some confidence Stafford might be able to produce at a similar level during the regular season as well. "We understand what we have," Stafford said on the CBS national broadcast. "It's on us to go out there and prove it on Sundays, but we feel good about what we have.". In three preseason games, Stafford completed 19 of 25 passes for 308 yards and three touchdowns.) (8-28-15): http://espn.go.com/blog/detroit-lions/post/_/id/18552/matthew-stafford-continued-his-strong-preseason-against-jacksonville
Stafford, Bortles shine as Lions beat Jaguars 22-17 (Matthew Stafford didn't even need Calvin Johnson to carve up the Jacksonville Jaguars. Stafford completed 11 of 15 passes for 173 yards and two touchdowns, helping the Lions beat the Jaguars 22-17 in a preseason game Friday night. ''He's been pretty sharp for us,'' Lions coach Jim Caldwell said. Detroit (2-1) trailed most of the night, but rookie Zach Zenner's 3-yard touchdown run with 1:41 remaining was the winner. Johnson sat out his third consecutive game as a precaution, but Stafford found other options. He threw a perfect deep ball to Golden Tate for a 62-yarder in the second quarter and then hooked up with Corey Fuller for a 4-yard score. Zenner had a 41-yard scamper that set up Fuller's TD. The undrafted rookie finished with 85 yards on eight carries, continuing his push for a roster spot.) (8-28-15): http://sports.yahoo.com/news/stafford-bortles-shine-lions-beat-jaguars-22-17-031230382--nfl.html
NFL preseason Week 3: Matthew Stafford, Alex Smith nearly perfect (The Lions' Matthew Stafford was also impressive, completing 11 of 15 passes for 173 yards and two touchdowns in the first half with no Calvin Johnson.) (8-28-15): http://www.sportingnews.com/nfl/story/2015-08-28/nfl-highlights-patriots-panthers-titans-chiefs-lions-jaguars-brad-stafford-alex-smith
Video - Can't-Miss Play: Stafford to Tate for a 62 yard touchdown (8-28-15): http://www.nfl.com/videos/detroit-lions/0ap3000000517426/Can-t-Miss-Play-Stafford-to-Tate-for-a-62-yard-touchdown
Video - Stafford pass short middle to Tate for 22 yards (8-28-15): http://www.nfl.com/videos/detroit-lions/0ap3000000517394/Stafford-pass-short-middle-to-Tate-for-22-yards
Video - Stafford to Fuller for 4-yard touchdown (8-28-15): http://www.nfl.com/videos/detroit-lions/0ap3000000517447/Stafford-to-Fuller-for-4-yard-touchdown
Video - Stafford on his preseason performance (8-28-15): http://www.detroitlions.com/media-center/videos/Stafford-on-his-preseason-performance/93dbedff-6c79-4b0c-b68d-7de4dd9cb41f
O'HARA'S FINAL THOUGHTS: More carries possible for Abdullah (Offense – rhythm up front: Quarterback Matthew Stafford wants the offense to dictate the tempo, and it starts with the offensive line. “I’d like to run the ball effectively like we have been and be efficient in the passing game with some big plays mixed in,” Stafford said. “And obviously, we want to go down and score and get out of there as healthy as we can.”) (8-28-15): http://www.detroitlions.com/news/ohara/article-1/OHARAS-FINAL-THOUGHTS-More-carries-possible-for-Abdullah/57223724-846f-42cf-9e0c-10bd2294a2ac
5 things to watch: Lions at Jaguars (Offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi was pretty clear when asked Tuesday what he wanted to see from his players in tonight’s contest. “Just operating at a good tempo,” he said. “I want to make sure that we’re not having any pre-snap penalties. Protect the football. You know, just doing the things that win football games and see that guys are comfortable in what we’re doing and operating at a fast tempo.” The first-team offense has played at a very good tempo in the previous two preseason games. They haven’t gotten a whole lot of work, but have scored on two of their three drives. Matthew Stafford has completed 8-of-10 passes for 135 yards and a touchdown. He’s been sharp, not only in the way he’s played, but in how he’s run the offense.
This will be the longest he plays before the season opener in San Diego.) (8-28-15): http://www.detroitlions.com/news/lions-insider/article-1/5-things-to-watch-Lions-at-Jaguars/0b4fbfe3-fb0f-4ee9-837c-bd275176875c
10 Detroit Lions to watch: Starters, rookies and roster battles, oh my (Quarterback Matthew Stafford: If you can't tune in to the third preseason game to check out the starting quarterback then what's the point? Stafford has been sharp this preseason, but should see slightly more complex looks against Jacksonville's defense. He's also likely to be without top target Calvin Johnson once again as the Lions keep the star wide receiver in bubble wrap.) (8-28-15): http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2015/08/detroit_lions_to_watch_jackson.html
5 things to watch in Lions vs. Jaguars (Most of the Lions' starters will play about a half Friday night, in their most extensive -- and, in some cases, final -- action of the preseason. Matthew Stafford has only played three series across two games, but he has been sharp.) (8-27-15): http://www.freep.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/08/27/detroit-lions-jacksonville-jaguars/32473459/
Lions starters may play past halftime but not Megatron (The Lions starters that do play Friday, including quarterback Matthew Stafford, who has played just three series so far this preseason, will see their most extensive action of the summer.) (8-26-15): http://www.freep.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/08/26/detroit-lions-jacksonville-jaguars/32398291/
ESPN metrics: Lions' Golden Tate is underrated (Tate went to Detroit and was a star with Matthew Stafford, who averages 40.2 passes per game, the highest career average in NFL history." So being paired with Stafford is a good thing? Not necessarily, Kacsmar adds. "Tate especially shined when Calvin Johnson was injured last year," he writes. "He had five 100-yard games in a six-game span, finishing with 1,331 yards and one of the best debut seasons ever by a free-agent wide receiver. He did this with Stafford, who ranks dead last in quarterback plus-minus since 2012 (minus-43.2). Since 2012, Stafford's completion percentage is only 1.6% above expectations when targeting Calvin Johnson compared to 3.6% higher on throws to Tate.) (8-26-15): http://www.freep.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/08/26/detroit-lions-tate-underrated/32396577/
Lions hurry-up practices show Stafford's progress (8-26-15): http://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/08/26/hurry-practices-show-staffords-progress/32445841/
Detroit Lions update: Matthew Stafford faster by split second (Seconds are everything in the NFL and Lions offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi has seen an increase in Matthew Stafford’s speed compared to last year. “The difference between good and great is just a split second at that position and I think he’s just seeing things a little faster and also knows when he can throw into some looks that last year maybe were a little cloudy that are much more clear to him,’’ Lombardi said. “I think he’s had a real strong camp.” Stafford has not played much in the first two preseason games where he’s gone 8-of-10 for 135 yards and one touchdown. “I think he’s been a little bit more involved in coaching up the other receivers and running backs as far as exactly how he wants a route to look and what he wants a guy to be thinking based on different defensive looks,’’ Lombardi said. “So I think as he’s become more comfortable and confident in what’s happening around him he’s able to take more of a role like that.”) (8-26-15): http://www.theoaklandpress.com/sports/20150826/detroit-lions-update-matthew-stafford-faster-by-split-second
Lombardi: Lions QB Stafford knows system, shows leadership (8-25-15): http://www.freep.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/08/26/detroit-lions-matthew-stafford-leadership/32376361/
Lions' Matthew Stafford Trying To Make Jump Between 'Good' And 'Great' (8-25-15): http://detroit.cbslocal.com/2015/08/25/matthew-stafford-lions-trying-to-make-jump-between-good-and-great/
Teryl Austin, Joe Lombardi quotes from Monday (On QB Matthew Stafford working more with other players: "Yeah, and I think that comes from understanding what we want and then also seeing what he wants as he gets to know the plays a little better. I think he’s been a little bit more involved in coaching up the other receivers and running backs as far as exactly how he wants a route to look and what he wants a guy to be thinking based on different defensive looks. So I think as he’s become more comfortable and confident in what’s happening around him, he’s able to take more of a role like that." On what differences he’s seen from Stafford from last year to this year: "I would say he’s just playing faster, which you would expect as you become more comfortable. The difference between good and great is just a split second at that position and I think he’s just seeing things a little faster and also knows when he can throw into some looks that last year maybe were a little cloudy that are much more clear to him. I think he’s had a real strong camp." On QB Kellen Moore and his value to QB Matthew Stafford: "You know, all of those quarterbacks are very, you know, they study hard, they’re smart, they understand the offense and so as you got all those eyes on film or, you know, watching opponent, they’ve all got really good insight sometimes and they all get along really well. So there’s kind of a nice, it’s a good room. It’s a fun room to be in and, you know, we like having all of those guys.") (8-25-15): http://www.prideofdetroit.com/2015/8/25/9208627/lions-quotes-from-teryl-austin-and-joe-lombardi
Notebook: Healthy Megatron, Happy Stafford (So, why is having a healthier, happier and productive Calvin Johnson so important to the Lions, and especially Stafford? Over the past six years playing with Johnson, Stafford has a career passer rating of 95.9 and 47 touchdowns in 741 career attempts to Johnson. Over that same span he’s completed passes to 44 other receivers for a total of 84 touchdowns with a passer rating of 86.2. He also averages 9.4 yards per completion when throwing to Johnson vs. 6.6 yards with the other 44. It goes without saying that keeping Johnson healthy and productive will go a long way towards not only this offense taking giant leaps in year two, but Stafford as well. Measuring stick week - Stafford and the starting offense have played a grand total of three series over the first two preseason games. In limited action, that unit has scored on two of the three drives (one touchdown and one field goal) and run a total of 20 plays for 143 yards with four first downs. Stafford has completed 8-of-10 passes for 135 yards and a touchdown for a passer rating of 152.1. Friday in Jacksonville will be the third preseason game for the Lions and that’s typically when we see the starters get their most extensive action of the exhibition season. “Just continue to play with that good tempo we’ve been playing with,” Stafford said when asked what he hopes to accomplish in Jacksonville this week. “I feel like, really the whole team with first team offenses have gone out there and played fast and executed well. “I’d like to run the ball effectively like we have been and be efficient in the passing game with some big plays mixed in and obviously, want to go down and score and get out of there as healthy as we can.” The Lions have talked all offseason about their comfort level in year two of Joe Lombardi’s offense and how much crisper the operation runs. We should get our first extended look at the progress made on that side of the ball this week. “This will be a good week for us,” said Johnson, who hasn’t played in the first two preseason games but is expected to get some work in Jacksonville. “Ones on ones for however long that is. It’ll be a lot more than it was the first two games. I mean, double that, so it’ll be a good idea this week of where we’re at.”) (8-24-15): http://www.detroitlions.com/news/lions-insider/article-1/NOTEBOOK-Healthy-Megatron-happy-Stafford/80b9b2ae-ae01-4ff5-8f43-2e631a794299
Matthew Stafford: I'm more experienced as an NFL QB now (8-24-15): http://espn.go.com/blog/detroit-lions/post/_/id/18291/matthew-stafford-im-more-experienced-as-an-nfl-qb-now
Detroit Lions have differing viewpoints on preseason games (Matthew Stafford tries to manage the preseason the best he can and he believes the Detroit Lions do as well. But when asked about Green Bay Packers wide receiver Jordy Nelson on Monday, he knows bad injuries happen in the preseason every year. And he’s not sure exactly how he would adjust the preseason. “Do we need four games to get ready? I don’t know, maybe not,” Stafford said. “I think the longer the preseason is, I think it’s more so for coaches, I guess, maybe, figuring out who they want to keep on the team and that kind of stuff. “There’s probably a better solution out there but I don’t know what it is.” Stafford, like every NFL player, said he knows injuries can happen at any point during a year – in practice, spring workouts, training camp, preseason games and during the actual season.) (8-24-15): http://espn.go.com/blog/detroit-lions/post/_/id/18474/detroit-lions-have-differing-viewpoints-on-preseason-games
Video - Stafford on the offense (8-24-15): http://www.detroitlions.com/media-center/videos/Stafford-on-the-offense/764bfae9-1669-4599-b184-ae9a94b46683
Spotlight: Wide Receiver Calvin Johnson (Johnson and Stafford have been good for at least one big play on a daily basis. Stafford has talked about being more aggressive and taking more opportunities down the field when they present themselves this season. Well, Johnson is the best deep weapon in football. It’s no coincidence that Stafford’s more aggressive attitude coincides with Johnson’s health and the way he’s played all through camp. Sunday was a short and light practice, but they did some team periods and Stafford found Johnson on a crossing route for a touchdown in a red zone 7-on-7 drill. The pair just missed connecting on a deep ball down the left sideline in another team period. Stafford overthrew Johnson by a couple feet with Rashean Mathis in tight coverage.) (8-23-15): http://www.detroitlions.com/news/lions-insider/article-1/SPOTLIGHT-Wide-receiver-Calvin-Johnson/2df48b4f-bad1-4820-8cc2-09e30b870c66
Detroit News Camp Notes - Lions shuffle linemen with Warford out (Matthew Stafford showed off a nice pump fake on one intermediate sideline throw to Johnson along the sideline in team drills.) (8-23-15): http://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/08/23/lions-shuffle-linemen-warford/32248229/
Corey Fuller's 'got to carry a pretty big load for us,' Lions' Jim Caldwell says (There was an unusual surplus of dropped passes Sunday, including one from one of the team's more sure-handed targets. Calvin Johnson, Corey Fuller, Jeremy Ross and Golden Tate all put a catchable balls on the ground. Tate's came on the opening play of a two-minute drill when quarterback Matthew Stafford zipped a pass to the receiver on a skinny post, only for it to be bobbled and dropped. Ross couldn't handle the next throw and the offense eventually failed to convert on the series. Despite the drops by his receivers, Stafford continued to look sharp with his throws, hitting his targets in stride, and when it called for it, in tight windows. I'm trying not to overvalue practice performance, but I'm buying that this might be a big year for the Lions quarterback.)(8-23-15): http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2015/08/lions_jim_caldwell_corey_fulle.html
Extra points: Stafford sharp, run defense not (Matthew Stafford looked sharp again.Stafford is 8-for-10 passing in two exhibition games, and one of his incompletions Thursday was a drop by Corey Fuller (albeit on a ball a little behind him). Just a hunch, but he will top his 4,257 yards and 22 touchdowns from a season ago.) (8-21-15): http://www.freep.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/08/21/detroit-lions-preseason/32100215/
What we learned: 11 takeaways from Thursday ( 4. Matthew Stafford looked sharp for the second straight week in limited work.) (8-21-15): http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000513917/article/what-we-learned-rgiii-hits-setback-taylor-thrives
PFF's Grades for Lions-Redskins (The Lions walked away with a defeat, but will be pleased with the work of their first-team offense. Matthew Stafford (+1.6) led the way, completing all three of his intermediate targets for 43 yards. He had one of the top 5 grades.) (8-21-15): https://www.profootballfocus.com/blog/2015/08/21/grades-for-lions-redskins/
O'HARA'S BURNING QUESTIONS: What stood out from first-team units? (Q. Standing out: What was it for the offense? A. First, Golden Tate, and that’s no surprise. Matthew Stafford’s first completion went to Tate for a 19-yard gain. Ross also had a 21-yard reception on the first possession. On the second possession rookie fullback Michael Burton – a fifth-round pick from Rutgers – got 14 yards on a rollout pass from Stafford. Q. Offensive misplays: What stood out? A. Some were obvious. After a completion to Theo Riddick, Stafford was sacked, ending the first possession and forcing the Lions to settle for a field goal. The second possession ended with an incomplete pass on third and four that was meant for Corey Fuller. Stafford’s pass was a little behind Fuller, who bobbled it and couldn’t make the catch. It could have been a better throw – and it could have been a better play to make the catch.)(8-20-15): http://www.detroitlions.com/news/ohara-burning-questions/article-1/-OHARAS-BURNING-QUESTIONS-What-stood-out-from-first-team-units/0b576dc9-abed-421b-bd0f-d1f63b6881ff
Recap: Lions At Redskins (Quarterback Matthew Stafford and most of the starters on offense played just two series. Stafford finished 6-of-8 passing for 78 yards and led the Lions to points on his first drive, thanks to a 49-yard Matt Prater field goal.) (8-20-15): http://www.detroitlions.com/news/lions-insider/article-1/RECAP-Lions-at-Redskins/cce7020b-6e20-48a4-aa49-a2850958279b
Washington 21, Detroit 17: Lions' starters fare well in preseason (Stafford played well in the little time he and the Lions' first-team offense were on the field Thursday. He completed 6 of 8 passes for 78 yards and led the Lions on a first-quarter field-goal drive before giving way to Dan Orlovsky after two series. In two preseason games, Stafford is 8 of 10 passing for 135 yards, and one of his incompletions Thursday was a drop that he threw slightly behind Corey Fuller. He's led the Lions to 10 points in three possessions.) (8-20-15): http://www.freep.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/08/20/detroit-lions-washington-redskins/32093793/
Lions licking wounds after loss at Washington (The Lions managed to escape with quarterback Matthew Stafford healthy, pulling him just before the end of the first quarter. He finished 6-for-8 for 78 yards — with one drop by Corey Fuller on a ball thrown slightly behind him — before ceding to Dan Orlovsky. Stafford's first drive reached the Washington 24, but a sack forced the Lions to settle for a 49-yard Matt Prater field goal. The second drive ended in a punt after stalling at the Washington 43 on the incompletion to Fuller.) (8-20-15): http://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/08/20/lions-licking-wounds-loss-washington/32094485/
Lions defense destroys RGIII before backups lose exhibition in Washington (Highlights - The Lions' first-string offense wasn't nearly as sharp as last week, managing only a field goal on three drives. But they were without Calvin Johnson, Lance Moore, LaAdrian Waddle and Joique Bell, all potential starters. And Matthew Stafford still managed to look sharp, completing 6 of 8 passes for 78 yards and a passer rating of 105.2. Another encouraging outing for him. Pass protection has been a major priority this offseason, after Stafford took 45 sacks in 2014 — up 95.7 percent from 2013. And the first unit looked quite good against Washington, including buying Stafford enough time to hit Golden Tate for a pickup on third-and-12. Stafford was sacked just once, and that was a coverage sack — against a blitz, no less -- and Theo Riddick actually got in two blocks on the blitzer before Stafford finally went down.) (8-20-15): http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2015/08/lions_defense_destroys_rgiii_b.html
Detroit Lions — Five things learned from loss to Redskins (Matthew Stafford and the starting offense found a rhythm again just like they did in their preseason opening win over the Jets. In two series, Stafford was 6-of-8 for 78 yards and he was sacked one time. No touchdown for Stafford on Thursday, but no turnovers either. Golden Tate had a pair of nice catches for 21 yards and Calvin Johnson didn’t dress just like last week.)(8-20-15): http://www.theoaklandpress.com/sports/20150820/detroit-lions-x2014-five-things-learned-from-loss-to-redskins
Detroit Lions notes — Orlovsky, Moore continue battle to be No. 2 QB (After the game, Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford said he’s good friends with Dan Orlovsky and Kellen Moore and they are good friends with each other. They don’t talk about the competition to be the No. 2 quarterback, but there certainly is one. The Lions three quarterbacks completed passes to 11 different receivers.) (8-20-15): http://www.theoaklandpress.com/sports/20150820/detroit-lions-notes-x2014-orlovsky-moore-continue-battle-to-be-no-2-qb )
Stafford looks strong in Lions' 21-17 preseason loss to Redskins (For Detroit (1-1), Matthew Stafford looked good, going 6 of 8 for 78 yards and leading one scoring drive that ended with Matt Prater's 49-yard field goal.) (8-20-15): http://www.foxsports.com/detroit/story/stafford-looks-strong-in-lions-21-17-preseason-loss-to-redskins-082015
Video - Stafford on the second preseaon game (8-20-15): http://www.detroitlions.com/media-center/videos/Stafford-on-the-second-preseaon-game/61de27cc-5e6b-4feb-b36e-502fc781b3c6
PFT on NBCSN looks at Matthew Stafford’s career to date (8-20-15): http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2015/08/20/pft-on-nbcsn-looks-at-matthew-staffords-career-to-date/
Camp Spotlight: Wide receiver Corey Fuller (Practice report: Speaking of that rapport with Stafford, he and Fuller connected on a deep post in a team drill for a touchdown in Tuesday's practice. It seems that connection has been good for at least one big play per practice.) (8-18-15): http://www.detroitlions.com/news/lions-insider/article-1/Camp-Spotlight-Wide-receiver-Corey-Fuller/c645d2b0-f168-41f7-a067-49de1b26ea5a
Freep Lions observations: 'No reason' Abdullah limited in practice (Whitehead also had a sack on Stafford (though the play wasn't blown dead) on a linebacker blitz in team period. I've said this before, but Austin is going to blitz his linebackers and defensive backs a lot this year to help manufacture pressure.) (8-18-15): http://www.freep.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/08/18/lions-training-camp-notes/31948017/
Detroit News Camp observations: Lions' Fauria gets action with first team (Matthew Stafford was a perfect 6-for-6 during one 11-on-11 period. Only two of the balls were longer than 10 yards, which could be an indication the Lions want to try to systematically pick apart defenses instead of trying more risky deep shots.) (8-18-15): http://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/08/18/camp-observations-lions-fauria-gets-action-with-first-team/31940203/
MLive Detroit Lions training camp notes: Nevin Lawson finishes strong camp with pick, pass breakup (Slay recovered in a later snap. Covering Jeremy Ross, the cornerback blanketed the receiver, stepping in front of an intermediate out route and easily picking off Matthew Stafford's pass. All three quarterbacks (Stafford, Dan Orlovsky and Kellen Moore) showed nice accuracy on their deep passes.) (8-18-15): http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2015/08/detroit_lions_training_camp_no_32.html
ESPN Camp Notes - Stephen Tulloch looks ready; Nevin Lawson has standout practice for Lions (Matthew Stafford looked good again: I didn't watch him in 7-on-7 work, but he once again looked fairly sharp during team drills. He completed 5 of 5 passes during one session including screens, dump offs and more traditional plays. Won't see much more work from him during training camp since the media will get a 20-minute window starting next week, but from what he showed when the public watched, he has the potential to have a good season. It'll just depend if he can translate it into games.) (8-18-15): http://espn.go.com/blog/detroit-lions/post/_/id/18344/stephen-tulloch-looks-ready-for-detroit-lions-and-nevin-lawson-has-standout-practice
NOTEBOOK: Slay enjoying competition at practice (The most competitive portion of practice Monday night took place in a situational team drill. The first scenario had the offense at their 33-yard line with 1:30 left in the game with only one timeout and needing a touchdown to win. The first- and second-team defense won both of their periods. The first-team defense beat the first-team offense when Stafford overthrew Eric Ebron down the middle and James Ihedigbo intercepted the ball. The second-team offense went three-and-out. The second scenario had the offense on their own 47-yard line with 45 seconds on the clock with no timeouts and needing a field goal to win. Stafford hit Riddick for a 26-yard gain up the middle on the first play to set the first-team offense in field goal range. Matt Prater made the 45-yard field goal to win it.) (8-17-15): http://www.detroitlions.com/news/lions-insider/article-1/NOTEBOOK-Slay-enjoying-competition-at-practice/4e111365-8f86-436e-b4ac-9b5e1bab56e9
Camp notes: Could Igwenagu make Lions as TE? (Greg Salas (five catches, 92 yards) had a big game in the Lions' preseason-opening win over the New York Jets last week, and the Lions rewarded him by giving him a few reps with the No. 1 offense in a two-minute drill at the end of practice. Salas joined Golden Tate, Calvin Johnson, Lance Moore and Theo Riddick on the field when the offense was given 1 minute, 30 seconds and one time-out to march down the field and score. Matthew Stafford completed his first pass of the drive to Moore, but after an incompletion to Ebron overthrew the tight end for an Ihedigbo interception. Both the Lions' first- and second-team offenses drove into field-goal territory in one play on the final period of practice, when the offense was given 45 seconds on the clock and first-and-10 at the 50. Stafford completed a 24-yard pass to Riddick with the first-team offense.) (8-17-15): http://www.freep.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/08/17/emil-igwenagu-/31892773/
Camp observations: Lions unveil 2-point attack (During training camp at Edsel Ford High, the Lions spent a significant portion of team drills running and defending plays from the 2-yard line, which is where the 2-point try begins. Based on the plays, the offense has the advantage in the short-yardage situation at the moment. Matthew Stafford and the first-team offense scored on four of five attempts. The fifth was actually ruled a conversion, but the ref didn’t see that the ball likely hit the ground before Calvin Johnson corralled it — a ball that might have been intended for Ameer Abdullah. George Winn scored on runs on two of the others, and Zach Zenner and Theo Riddick each scored, too. In the hurry-up offense, Matthew Stafford threw an interception to James Ihedigbo after sailing a pass intended for Eric Ebron.) (8-17-15): http://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/08/18/camp-observations-lions-unveil-2-point-attack/31894665/
Detroit Lions training camp notes: Gabe Wright impresses, Greg Salas gets first-team work (In the full-team goal-line work, the offense dominated, scoring on nine of 11 snaps. Quarterback Matthew Stafford connected with Calvin Johnson for a short score, but it's a play that might have been overturned had there been a review. The low throw appeared to touch the ground as Johnson reeled it in. In the two-minute drill, Stafford threw his first interception in full-team work, overshooting Ebron running down the seam into the waiting arms of safety James Ihedigbo. On their second series, both quarterbacks put the offense in position to win the game. Starting at their 47-yard line with 45 seconds on the clock and no timeouts, Stafford beat the blitz with a dump-off to running back Theo Riddick, setting up Matt Prater for a 45-yard winner.) (8-17-15): http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2015/08/detroit_lions_training_camp_no_31.html
Jim Caldwell's quotes from Monday (On the benefit of having most of his team back from last year: "When you have good players, the continuity, so obviously, I think the guys have a great rapport with one another and it continues to build. Some guys have been with Matt (Stafford) a lot longer than others, but I think he's got a pretty good feel for the rest of the guys. He's growing in confidence with some others, so that's extremely important." On if continuity helps the new players: "It does because it's the trickle-down effect. You know, the more that Matt's (Stafford) familiar with it, he talks to those guys, tells them where he wants them to be, those kinds of things, but then also, the receivers that have played with him before have a good sense of the system and they're able to communicate some information as well.") (8-17-15): http://www.prideofdetroit.com/2015/8/17/9167531/lions-training-camp-quotes-jim-caldwell-monday
ESPN Notes - Lions offense looks sharp in goal-line situations during night practice (Offense dominated the goal-line session: The Lions ran a period of goal-line offense with the three top quarterbacks Monday and the offense was dominant throughout. Matthew Stafford’s group scored on at least four of five tries. He was credited for scoring on all five tries, but his pass to Calvin Johnson appeared to hit the ground. The referee called it a touchdown, but from my view it looked like it would have been overturned. Matthew Stafford throws a pick: The quarterback threw a rare interception during team drills Monday, seemingly overthrowing his intended target by at least five yards and having the ball land right in the chest of safety James Ihedigbo. It was a rare miscue from Stafford, who has had a pretty sharp summer so far. It isn’t clear if that was a bad throw by Stafford or a poor route run by the receiver, but it was an overall awful play for the Lions offense.) (8-17-15): http://espn.go.com/blog/detroit-lions/post/_/id/18334/detroit-lions-offense-looks-sharp-in-goal-line-offense-during-night-practice
Notebook: Prater Feeling Fresh, Confident For Season (Play of the Day - The Lions worked on a lot of 3rd and long situations in both 7-on-7 and 11-on-11 drills during practice. Golden Tate made the play of the day on the second rep of 7-on-7 work. He got some separation from cornerback Nevin Lawson on a crossing route on a 3rd and long scenario. Matthew Stafford’s pass was thrown a little bit in front of Tate, but he laid out and made the catch. It was right after Calvin Johnson made a similar diving catch on the first rep.) (8-15-15): http://www.detroitlions.com/news/lions-insider/article-1/NOTEBOOK-Prater-feeling-fresh-confident-for-season/d5e4c148-9a3b-417a-b14f-efb2e20217ae
Freep Observations from Lions camp: Don't sleep on DT Cudjo (Matthew Stafford completed 5 of 6 passes in the 7 on 7 period, with his lone miss coming when he overthrew Johnson. Stafford went 3-for-5 in a team period late in practice. Rashean Mathis made a nice breakup on an out to Johnson to start the period, and Stafford threw incomplete to Corey Fuller on the second play when the defense blitzed two linebackers and Fuller did not appear to adjust quick enough. Stafford and Fuller did hook up later in the period for a touchdown against an all-out blitz. Stafford hit Fuller in stride on a quick slant against Chris Owens and Fuller pulled away from the cornerback as he raced down the middle for the field.) (8-15-15): http://www.freep.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/08/15/lions-training-camp-standouts/31797691/
Detroit News Camp Notes - Calvin Johnson is Lions’ top star in practice, too (Stafford had far from his best day. In a goal line 11-on-11 drill, he went 2-for-3 with one overthrow of Golden Tate, but in the next 11-on-11 period, he was just 3-for-5, with one of those completions the excellent catch by Johnson along the sideline against Slay.) (8-15-15): http://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/08/15/calvin-johnson-lions-top-star-practice/31799653/
Audio - Matthew Stafford on Sirius NFL Radio (8-15-15): http://www.detroitlions.com/media-center/audio/Matthew-Stafford-on-Sirius-NFL-Radio-081515/a048a008-d465-4389-ab9c-eac78c31fc98
Video - Golden Tate 35-yard TD catch (8-14-15): http://www.nfl.com/videos/detroit-lions/0ap3000000509568/Golden-Tate-35-yard-TD-catch
Recap: Lions Vs. Jets (It was a short but productive stint for most of the Lions’ offensive and defensive starters in Thursday night’s 23-3 preseason win over the New York Jets. All-Pro receiver Calvin Johnson took the night off, and quarterback Matthew Stafford played just one series, but it was a productive series, as the starting offense needed just five plays and 71 yards to get into the end zone on a 35-yard touchdown pass to Golden Tate. Tate caught both passes thrown his way on his first and only series, one for 22 yards and the second for the touchdown. Stafford finished the night 2-for-2 for 57 yards with a touchdown. “You know, the precision was good,” head coach Jim Caldwell told Fox 2 at halftime of the first drive. “I think the rhythm was good, we didn’t have a whole lot of miscues, and it was pretty smooth.”): http://www.detroitlions.com/news/lions-insider/article-1/RECAP-Lions-vs-Jets-/382f4afe-6052-45d1-b2c6-def8c9daa732
O'hara's Burning Questions: What Did The Offense's Opening Drive Mean? (Four Downs: So Far So Good For Lions Run Game (Q. No. 1 offense: It scored on its first possession, and most of the starters called it a night after that. It was a good beginning, but what did it mean?
A. It meant just what it looked like – that the offense was ready right from the start and went 71 yards on five plays for a touchdown and a 7-0 lead. Matthew Stafford and Golden Tate connected on a 35-yard pass play for the score. Stafford had pressure up the middle and pulled the trigger just before he got hit to get the ball to Tate over the middle. Tate took care of the rest with a cut to the left to reach the end zone. Stafford also completed a 22-yard pass to Tate. It doesn’t mean the Lions are going to score every time they have the ball, but they were sharp and ready from the beginning, and that is something that was a problem at times last season.) (8-14-15): http://www.detroitlions.com/news/ohara-burning-questions/article-1/OHARAS-BURNING-QUESTIONS-What-did-the-offenses-opening-drive-mean/1a45ac04-e7c4-41a1-883a-44c04c2db262
Detroit 23, N.Y. Jets 3: Plenty to like from Lions' exhibition debut (Matthew Stafford played just five snaps and one series, leading the first-team offense on a 71-yard touchdown drive before joining his top receiver on the bench. But as sharp as Stafford was, it was Abdullah and receiver Golden Tate who did most of the heavy lifting on the Lions' opening drive. Abdullah was a decoy on a play-action fake on Stafford's 35-yard touchdown pass to Tate on the next snap. Stafford completed both his passes for 57 yards — Tate was on the receiving end of both throws.) (8-14-15): http://www.freep.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/08/13/detroit-lions-new-york-jets-exhibition/31682513/
Lions ground Jets in exhibition opener (Matthew Stafford led a flawless first drive and finished 2-for-2 for 57 yards and a touchdown with both throws to Golden Tate, who evaded defenders for extra yards after both catches. Leading 7-0 with 12:36 left in the first quarter, the Lions decided they had seen enough from Stafford and Tate, pulling them both after the five-play scoring drive. Calvin Johnson was active, but did not play.) (8-14-15): http://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/08/13/jets-lions-exhibition-season/31660483/
Detroit Lions stock report: Kellen Moore fails to take advantage of opportunity (Stock up -- First-team offense: Quarterback Matthew Stafford and receiver Golden Tate only played one series, but that's all they needed. The duo connected twice for 57 yards and a touchdown, with Tate doing big damage after the catch.) (8-14-15): http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2015/08/detroit_lions_stock_report_ame.html
Ameer Abdullah makes dazzling debut in Detroit Lions win against Jets (Detroit's first-unit offense was sharp overall, with Stafford finishing 2 of 2 passing for 57 yards, one touchdown and no picks on his lone drive. Tate caught both passes, and was impressive once again in the open field.) (8-14-15): http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2015/08/ameer_abdullah_makes_dazzling.html
Matthew Stafford's day over after one crisp drive against Jets (8-14-15): http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2015/08/matthew_staffords_day_over_aft.html
Young Detroit Lions shine in win over Jets (Stafford was 2-of-2 for 57 yards and a touchdown which earned him a perfect quarterback rating of 158.3. Then it was time to put on the ball cap after playing just one series.) (8-14-15): http://www.theoaklandpress.com/sports/20150813/young-detroit-lions-shine-in-win-over-jets
Ameer Abdullah, journeyman Greg Salas shine in Lions' preseason opener (QB depth chart: Starter Matthew Stafford received very little work, playing one drive and completing both of his passes, including a 35-yard touchdown pass to Golden Tate. When it was starters vs. starters, the Lions looked …: Pretty sharp on offense. Stafford had time to make throws and was methodical during a five-play, 71-yard game-opening drive ending in a touchdown to Tate.)(8-14-15): http://espn.go.com/blog/detroit-lions/post/_/id/18256/ameer-abdullah-journeyman-greg-salas-shine-in-detroit-lions-preseason-opener
Lions players comment on win over Jets (Lions QB Matthew Stafford: Opening statement: "It was a good start. I thought the tempo was good. We were able to run the ball pretty well tonight, which was good to see, all groups. I thought the offensive line played well. Quarterbacks were making good decisions, throwing the ball in right spots, so it was good. Had some big plays early on. Golden (Tate) did a good job breaking a tackle on the first one, didn't get to see the end of the second one, but it ended up in the end zone, so that's a good thing." On how important the running game will be this season in balancing the offense: "Yeah, it's important. It's important to set up play-action pass, get single coverage, all that kind of stuff. It's important to close out games, which we did tonight with it. It was fantastic to see. When everybody in the place knew we were going to run it, we could still run it. That helps you win games not only year round, but especially late in the year, bad weather games, whatever it may be. Being able to run the football is crucial." On RB Ameer Abdullah's long run: "It was impressive. It's kind of a different view from the sideline. He ran to the opposite side of the field of our sideline, so couldn't really see. But it looked like he made a pretty good move on some guys, and then showed a really nice burst. I thought all our backs played well tonight. Theo (Riddick) had some great, tough runs, we churned out yards. Our offensive line was doing a good job making little dents in the defensive line. Our guys were doing a good job of running physical and picking up yards." On what he saw tonight from the offensive line: "I think they've been playing well. Obviously, we're by no means a perfectly well-oiled machine at this point, but they've been playing physical. If you're going to make a mistake, make it 100 miles an hour, and they've been doing that. (They have been) getting great push and did a good job protecting the quarterback tonight too, so it's fun to see them. It's the second year in the system for them, too. It's easier for them to communicate, go out there and just play." On the progression of the offense: "I think there's just been a gradual growth. Last year we found ways to win games when maybe we weren't playing our best on offense, our defense played fantastic last year. They did it again tonight, which was great to see, holding them to three points. But I just think there's been gradual growth. The comfort level's gone up. We've added some new pieces, some guys come in and make big plays tonight, which was great to see, so hopefully more of the same. We've got to get back to work and work on ourselves this week and try and get better."): http://www.prideofdetroit.com/2015/8/14/9145897/lions-jets-preseason-quotes-players
Winners and losers from Lions' first preseason game (Winners - Matthew Stafford and Golden Tate - It was a short outing for these two players, as they needed only two passes to rack up 57 yards and a touchdown on the game's opening drive. This was just more evidence that Tate is probably closer to a No. 1-caliber receiver than a No. 2.) (8-14-15): http://www.prideofdetroit.com/2015/8/13/9145923/lions-jets-preseason-winners-losers
Video - Stafford on the offense's early success (8-14-15): http://www.detroitlions.com/media-center/videos/Stafford-on-the-offenses-early-succes/559d25f9-9342-4059-b311-fe936611cbb3
Lions’ Orlovsky raves about ‘A-plus’ Stafford (8-13-15): http://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/08/13/lions-orlovsky-raves-plus-stafford/31644657/
NOTEBOOK: Lombardi's evaluation of the offense (Third-year receiver Corey Fuller continues to impress in camp. He made a couple deep catches in one-on-one drills with the cornerbacks and he and Stafford connected on a deep touchdown in 7-on-7 drills.) (8-11-15): http://www.detroitlions.com/news/lions-insider/article-1/NOTEBOOK-Lombardis-evaluation-of-the-offense/36fa4a49-e873-46c2-99ad-04becc5dd7e0
Camp Spotlight: Quarterback Matthew Stafford (Stafford continues to be crisp in all phases of practice. In one-on-one drills against the cornerbacks, Stafford’s lone incompletion of the session was on a deep ball to Lance Moore, where Moore turned to find the ball over the wrong shoulder and couldn’t adjust back in time. He laid the ball right into the hands of Corey Fuller and Golden Tate on deep balls in the one-on-one period. Stafford was a perfect 6-for-6 in the 7-on-7 period. He completed passes to six different receivers – Ameer Abdullah, Moore, Michael Burton, Fuller (deep TD), Theo Riddick and Eric Ebron. The Lions also worked on some 3rd down situational drills against the defense. Stafford was given seven reps on 3rd and 6 and completed 5-of-7 passes. One of his two incompletions went off Fuller’s hands, though it was thrown behind him, and the other was an out route that TJ Jones appeared to slip a little bit out of his break. Stafford was also sharp in the last team drills of practice, distributing the ball around to Brandon Pettigrew, Calvin Johnson, Tate and Ebron for completions. This has been typical of Stafford throughout camp. He’s looked good so far.) (8-11-15): http://www.detroitlions.com/news/lions-insider/article-1/Camp-Spotlight-Quarterback-Matthew-Stafford/fd36d5af-f099-46cc-9aaa-9394e3204f4c
Freep Camp Notes - Lions offense sloppy with preseason opener on deck (Matthew Stafford was 6-for-6 (to six different receivers, none named Calvin Johnson) in seven-on-seven drills. He threw mostly underneath the coverage, but he did connect with Corey Fuller for a would-be touchdown against the second-team secondary. Fuller simply ran by safety Isa Abdul-Quddus and cornerback R.J. Stanford on the play. Fuller had a drop early in practice, but has shown some flashes of playmaking ability over the last week.) (8-11-15): http://www.freep.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/08/11/detroit-lions-training-camp-observations/31494755/
Detroit News Camp observations: Narrower posts help kickers hone in (Quarterback Matthew Stafford was sharp with a few perfect passes — where only the receiver could make a play — during team drills and one-on-ones. Among the great passes was one to Corey Fuller against Crezdon Butler when Fuller had a step of separation and the deep ball hit him in stride.) (8-11-15): http://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/08/11/camp-observations-narrower-posts-help-kickers-hone/31494087/
MLive Detroit Lions training camp notes: Devin Taylor, Corey Robinson continue going opposite directions (Matthew Stafford wasn't flawless, but it was another solid practice for the starting quarterback. He continues to exhibit improved touch on his passes and looked particularly sharp during one-on-one drills between the wide receivers and defensive backs. He fit a beautifully placed ball to Corey Fuller on a deep out, besting corner Crezdon Butler.) (8-11-15): http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2015/08/detroit_lions_training_camp_no_30.html
ESPN Camp Notes (Matthew Stafford continues to look really good: The Detroit Lions starter added another strong practice Tuesday, and while I wouldn’t expect to see much of him Thursday against the Jets, he is putting together a very, very strong training camp. By my count, Stafford was 10 of 12 on Tuesday -- and one of the incomplete passes was a drop by Corey Fuller. Stafford has always had a strong arm capable of making every throw, but his accuracy seems to be improving so far this season. It’ll be interesting to see if it translates into games.) (8-11-15): http://espn.go.com/blog/detroit-lions/post/_/id/18218/matthew-stafford-continuing-to-have-strong-camp-for-detroit-lions
Joe Lombardi's quotes from Tuesday (On QB Matthew Stafford's progression during Training Camp: "He just keeps working hard to get better every day. You can feel the improvement, even in the spring. When I say improvement, we're talking just half a count quicker, recognizing where he wants to go with the ball, and that's everything in this game. I thought he picked up things quickly last year, but he's brought it to another level where I'm excited where he's at. But again, you just have to keep coming out here every day and improving.") (8-11-15): http://www.prideofdetroit.com/2015/8/11/9134183/lions-training-camp-quotes-joe-lombardi-tuesday
Video - Orlovsky on Stafford (8-11-15): http://www.detroitlions.com/media-center/videos/Orlovsky-on-Stafford/f97d9189-fbc9-4c4e-a610-6cf816c8221e
Notebook: Revamped Reid Playing Important Role On D-line (The quarterbacks always work on their footwork early in practice. They take the snap from the center and work on play fakes and drops and all the footwork that comes with playing the position. Usually, some of the equipment guys catch the ball for them in the drill. On Monday, Calvin Johnson jumped in and played receiver. It seems like a simple little thing, but it’s an opportunity for him to catch passes from every quarterback on the roster, and for the quarterbacks to get a little extra work with him. Sometimes the little things can make all the difference. The first-team offense failed to score on the first-team defense in a red zone drill.) (8-10-15): http://www.detroitlions.com/news/lions-insider/article-1/NOTEBOOK-Revamped-Reid-playing-important-role-on-d-line/0bf61d8a-3c0c-4e79-a7ef-b2da7f96abc9
Freep Lions camp observations: Michael Burton can block (Van Noy knocked down another pass today in 11-on-11 work when he swatted away a Matthew Stafford pass to Eric Ebron as he face-guarded the tight end on a route down the sideline. Van Noy joined Tulloch, Levy and Tahir Whitehead working with the first-team defense in a run period when the Lions were using their 4-4-3 defense. Credit to Van Noy in that he's put together a couple nice days of practice. One play after his pass breakup, when Tyrunn Walker beat Larry Warford to get good pressure on Stafford, Van Noy was in on a tackle on a running play that would have went for no or minimal yards. In red-zone drills, the first-team defense shut out the first-team offense for five plays before the Lions scored from the 2-yard line (in what doubled as a potential two-point play). Stafford bootlegged to his right on the first snap but wouldn't have reached the end zone if he was live, then threw two incomplete passes (the second into the stands as a throw-away) before George Winn was stopped on a run.) (8-10-15): http://www.freep.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/08/10/detroit-lions-training-camp-notes/31418325/
Detroit News Camp observations: Ngata makes progress with hamstring (The quarterbacks did some work on running, and Matthew Stafford had a nice run during a red-zone play, beating defensive end Darryl Tapp to the edge. However, Stafford’s run from the 12 would’ve been short of the end zone as safety Glover Quin forced him out of bounds.)
(8-10-15): http://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/08/10/camp-observations-ngata-makes-progress-hamstring/31416513/
ESPN Observations (Kyle Van Noy followed up Saturday’s practice with another decent coverage day Monday, including breaking up a Matthew Stafford pass intended for Eric Ebron with his shoulder pad.) (8-10-15): http://espn.go.com/blog/detroit-lions/post/_/id/18192/detroit-lions-lb-stephen-tulloch-looks-ready-to-hit-and-the-left-guard-battle-continues
Jim Caldwell's quotes from Monday (On if Ebron has built a rapport with QB Mathew Stafford: "Yeah, someone mentioned that the other day. I think they were probably counting the number of passes that were thrown in his direction and that kind of thing. But, I think overall I just think systemically they're all getting a better feel for what we expect from them. The reads and progressions kind of lend itself to getting the ball maybe to them a few more times. But, then also I think it's one of those things that against teams that we face we're going to have to look and try to make a determination on whether or not you're going to take Golden (Tate) away and take Calvin (Johnson) away and so that leaves your inside players open a little bit more. So (Theo) Riddick and guys that can catch the ball inside, all of our backs as well as our tight ends are going to have some I think pretty good opportunities.")(8-10-15): http://www.prideofdetroit.com/2015/8/11/9128321/lions-training-camp-quotes-jim-caldwell-monday
Ebron building a rapport with Stafford in Lombardi's offense (8-10-15): http://www.detroitlions.com/news/lions-insider/article-1/Ebron-building-a-rapport-with-Stafford-in-Lombardis-offense/0f16ad7d-8195-415e-beb9-2d1971605f22
Camp Spotlight: Cornerback Darius Slay (When it came to 7-on-7 and team drills, the first-team offense stayed away from Slay most of the day. Matthew Stafford did throw his way in a 7-on-7 drill that went incomplete to TJ Jones with Slay in sticky coverage. Slay also had terrific recognition in zone coverage later in the 7-on-7 drill to come up and make a play on Theo Riddick after just a 2-yard gain. The defense was better than the offense Monday and that was particularly the case in the red zone. Slay and the first-team defense kept the first-team offense out of the end zone. The only time Slay has really been beat through the first week of camp has been by Calvin Johnson, and that eventually happens to every cornerback in this league when it comes to Megatron.)
(8-10-15): http://www.detroitlions.com/news/lions-insider/article-1/Camp-Spotlight-Cornerback-Darius-Slay/f47f63ee-f170-4126-8833-7f333b19106a
Freep Lions camp observations: Stafford sharp, backups not (Here's the simple takeaway from the Detroit Lions' annual mock game today: If something happens to Matthew Stafford, this team is in big trouble. Most NFL teams can probably say something similar about their starting quarterback, but judging by today's performance, the Lions would be wise to put Stafford in bubble wrap for the rest of the preseason and expose him to as few hits as possible the next four weeks. Stafford was relatively sharp in the workout, which pitted the Lions' No. 1 offense against their No. 1 defense for part of the morning. He drove the Lions to the edge of field-goal range on his first possession, led them to the 1-yard line on his second (though, to be fair, a big punt return by Jeremy Ross and poor previous series by Kellen Moore did most of the heavy lifting) and threw touchdown passes to Calvin Johnson and Eric Ebron on his next two drives before the team started tinkering a bit more with personnel. Stafford was far from perfect. He missed his last three passes on the opening drive and nearly threw an interception to Rashean Mathis in the red zone, but his touchdown pass to Johnson was beautifully placed (albeit over Crezdon Butler, not Mathis), he threaded a pass to Lance Moore just out of James Ihedigbo's reach and he and Ebron appear to be developing a nice rapport. On the Ebron TD drive, Stafford completed 9 of 10 passes, including four to his second-year tight end. The touchdown, to be fair to the defense, probably should have been blown dead as a sack before Stafford got the pass off.) (8-8-15): http://www.freep.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/08/08/detroit-lions-training-camp-matthew-stafford/31338835/
Lions notes: Unorthodox catching style works for Riddick (Matthew Stafford was consistent and played well, throwing touchdown passes to Calvin Johnson and Eric Ebron.)(8-8-15): http://www.freep.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/08/08/detroit-lions-theo-riddick/31343639/
Lions flash signs of readiness in sim game (Quarterback Matthew Stafford was sharp at times, leading the first offense to a pair of touchdowns — one to receiver Calvin Johnson and another to tight end Eric Ebron — but the reserve offensive units struggled. Stafford found Johnson in the end zone for a 15-yard touchdown pass, over Crezdon Butler. Stafford shined on his next possession, going 9-of-10, with three passes to Ebron, including the capper, a 7-yard throw off a scramble — where Stafford likely would have been sacked in a full-speed game. The possession featured a play where Stafford looked off the safety, then found Lance Moore for a 30-yard catch into the red zone. Ebron had another good day, building on the momentum he's build in the offseason and enhancing the chemistry with Stafford, which could be a key to the offense's success this season.)(8-8-15): http://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/08/08/lions-flash-signs-readiness-sim-game/31351223/
MLive Detroit Lions training camp notes: First-team offense looks good in scrimmage (Quarterback Matthew Stafford was effective, surprisingly leaning on tight end Eric Ebron to move to the chains. In four possessions, Stafford led the offense to two touchdowns. One drive stalled on the defense's side of the field when Rashean Mathis made a last-minute recovery to break up a deep sideline throw to Calvin Johnson. The other when Tyrunn Walker stuffed George Winn at the goal line on 4th-and-1. One of Stafford's best plays came on 3rd-and-21 (following a holding call and a false start by Manny Ramirez). The quarterback stared down a receiver on the right side, before zipping a pass to Lance Moore down the seam for a 30-yard gain to the 10-yard line. Johnson scored the first touchdown on a beautifully placed third-down pass from 14 yards out. The catch came over cornerback Crezdon Butler. Ebron found paydirt as Stafford weaved through traffic in the backfield to find his tight end in the middle of the end zone on third-and-goal from the four-yard line.)(8-8-15): http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2015/08/detroit_lions_training_camp_no_29.html
Oakland Press Detroit Lions notes: Stafford, offense solid in mock game (One big reason for the advancement of the offense is that Matthew Stafford is having a strong camp. “Every day he’s getting better, he’s doing a great job of leading this team,’’ Tate said. “We’re excited for him and the rest of the guys. It’s going to start with him, he has a big year we’re going to have a big year. We have a lot of confidence in him obviously. The guy can make every throw on the field, he knows the offense better than anyone out there so we’re excited.’’ Tate isn’t the only one who sees a different Stafford. “I think he’s getting better. You know, I think that’s the thing that often times, goes unnoticed,’’ coach Jim Caldwell said. “The fact that he’s got a better command of what he’s doing, you can see, he’s a lot more comfortable. You know, he’s not giving the ball away in key situations, so I like where he’s headed and not only that, he has talent, so he will be fine.”)(8-8-15): http://www.theoaklandpress.com/sports/20150808/detroit-lions-notes-stafford-offense-solid-in-mock-game
Matthew Stafford, Rashean Mathis shine in Lions mock game (If Matthew Stafford gets hurt, Detroit is in real trouble: This might seem like a "duh" comment, but neither Dan Orlovsky nor Kellen Moore looked great in simulated game situations against a combination of first, second and third-team Detroit defenses. It might only be one day, but there should be a level of concern. Moore’s arm strength continues to be a question. Orlovsky threw one interception and could have had at least one more pass picked off as well. Moore also threw an interception late in the scrimmage. Meanwhile, Stafford continued to look sharp. There were a couple of rough throws for Detroit’s starter, but for the most part he looked on point, particularly on a late drive in which he completed 8 of 9 passes, including the touchdown to Ebron. He is, by far, the most indispensable player the Lions have. “He’s getting better, and that’s the thing that often times goes unnoticed,” Lions coach Jim Caldwell said. “He has a better command of what he’s doing; you can see he’s a lot more comfortable. He’s not giving the ball away in key situations. I like where he’s headed and not only that, he has talent, so he’ll be fine.”) (8-8-15): http://espn.go.com/blog/detroit-lions/post/_/id/18168/matthew-stafford-rashean-mathis-shine-in-detroit-lions-mock-game-saturday
Jim Caldwell's quotes from Day 6 of training camp (On QB Matthew Stafford flying under the radar with his progression: "Well, I think he's getting better. You know, I think that's the thing that oftentimes goes unnoticed. The fact that he's got a better command of what he's doing, you can see, he's a lot more comfortable. You know, he's not giving the ball away in key situations, so I like where he's headed and not only that, he has talent, so he will be fine." On Stafford's comfort level: "You know, one of the things that we try and stress is that we try to stress cooperation in that area. We always want to listen to them and find out what they like. Certainly we don't want to put him in situations where he's not able to function because it's not something he's not capable of doing or something that he doesn't have a great sense of it in terms of the progression, the vision of it and all of those kinds of things. We are always inquiring with him just asking him, ‘Hey, how do you feel about this particular play? How does it fit the guy,' you know, so on and so forth because everybody is different. So, we certainly are well aware of it. I think you'll see as time goes on that he will become more comfortable. He never seemed uncomfortable doing it and I certainly understand that he will probably do a little bit more of that in the future." On the chemistry between TE Eric Ebron and Stafford: "You know, I think that when you look at us overall, most teams when they scout us are going to look at Golden (Tate) and obviously Calvin (Johnson), and they have different ways of trying to take those two guys away from you. So your passing game ends up being more one on one. So I think you see some of that out there even during camp. Ebron is getting a little better, and we're still working with him and seeing if he can gain that consistency that we need. But he's certainly making progress, and I think Matthew feels that comfort level with him." On if he is focusing on limiting Stafford's turnovers to make him a better quarterback: "You know, coming in, first of all, it's a little bit different how I look at him according to how you guys look at him since he's been here a number of years. I always thought from the day he came out of college and also watching him in this league that he's a very, very good quarterback. He has talent and ability, and I was really excited to be able to work with him. Every quarterback goes through an evolution when they start to get better. I think I told you about how when they get to around the fifth, sixth, seventh year. As they get into that realm they start to just get better and better and better, and start to climb. So they all need to improve, he needs to improve, and I think he's working extremely hard at that."(8-8-15): http://www.prideofdetroit.com/2015/8/8/9120797/lions-training-camp-quotes-jim-caldwell-day-6
Combining lookaways with arm strength, Matthew Stafford rips Lions defense in scrimmage (8-8-15): http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2015/08/combining_lookaways_with_arm_s.html
Birkett's takeaway from the Lions mock game today: If Matthew Stafford gets hurt this team is toast (8-8-15): https://twitter.com/davebirkett/status/630045709765623809
Stafford just went 9-for-10 on a drive. Ebron caught 4 of those balls, including a 7 yard TD (8-8-15): https://twitter.com/kmeinke/status/630042576867999745
Stafford was sharper yesterday, still haven't seen a sidearm throw in 3 days of practice though (8-8-15): https://twitter.com/JeffRisdon/status/630041295545868292
By my count, Stafford is 7-for-13, 1 TD, 0 INT thru 3 drives (8-8-15): https://twitter.com/kmeinke/status/630037597897760768
Josh Wilson the starting nickel. And Stafford picking on him (8-8-15): https://twitter.com/JeffRisdon/status/630032091405766656
Freep Camp observations: Defense ahead of offense (Caldwell actually put the Lions offense in two different scenarios. First, needing a touchdown to win with two minutes left, no timeouts and about 70 yards to go, and second, needing a field goal with 50 seconds on the clock and the ball on the minus-41-yard line. Matthew Stafford drove the No. 1 offense inside the 10 on the first series, but threw incomplete to Golden Tate in the end zone as time expired. Stafford, who's been relatively sharp this summer, threw two near-picks on the drive, including one on the third-to-last play when he looked left after taking the snap and threw back to the center of the field, where James Ihedigbo was camped waiting for a pass to Jeremy Ross. On the need-a-field-goal drive, Stafford drove the offense inside the 35-yard line after an out to Tate (Tate might have been tackled in-bounds had this been a game), but Kyle Brindza badly missed a 50-yard field goal wide right on the Lions' skinny goalposts. Calvin Johnson made two more highlight reel catches, diving for one ball on the sideline and toe-tapping just in bounds after catching a Stafford pass over his right shoulder with Darius Slay draped in coverage.)(8-7-15): http://www.freep.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/08/07/lions-training-camp-thoughts/31322327/
Detroit News Camp observations: Williams pleased with progress at RT (The Lions defense had an excellent showing, especially at the end of practice. The first- through third-team offenses each had two hurry-up drives, and the defense didn’t allow a single score on the six possessions. On the first first-team drive, James Ihedigbo and Glover Quin each nearly had an interception off Matthew Stafford.) (8-7-15): http://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/08/07/camp-observations-williams-pleased-progress-rt/31326693
MLive Detroit Lions training camp notes: Defense dominates 2-minute drill work (The first sequence, the offense had to drive 70 yards in 90 seconds, with one timeout, needing a touchdown. Tight end Eric Ebron dropped an open pass down the middle, putting his unit behind early. He bounced back to catch two throws, including a long one in front of linebacker Tahir Whitehead down to the nine-yard line. That reception gave the offense one shot at the end zone with six seconds remaining. There was a miscommunication on that play as Matthew Stafford's passed zipped through traffic to seemingly no one. The second sequence saw the offense start 60 yards out, 50 ticks on the clock, one timeout, needing a field goal. Stafford looked sharp on his drive, connecting with Calvin Johnson twice and Golden Tate, but kicker Kyle Brindza's 50-yard attempt sailed wide.)(8-7-15): http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2015/08/detroit_lions_training_camp_no_28.html
Stephen Tulloch, Darryl Tapp help Lions' defense dominate offense and other Camp notes (All three quarterbacks struggled: None of the quarterbacks looked particularly sharp and on passes they did complete, it was as much receivers like Calvin Johnson making them look good. Johnson had a couple of standout catches, including one he had to dive for from Matthew Stafford. Stafford was the best of the three and unlike Kellen Moore, he did not throw a bad interception in the situational team drill that I saw. He was also hurt by drops -- including one from Eric Ebron -- but just a rough day overall for the offense. Moore threw interceptions -- one to Josh Wilson and another to Nate Ness -- to end both of his situational drives. When the quarterbacks struggle, the offense will obviously follow.) (8-7-15): http://espn.go.com/blog/detroit-lions/post/_/id/18147/defense-led-by-stephen-tulloch-and-darryl-tapp-dominates-detroit-lions-offense-friday
Lions with some good, some sloppy in hurry-up offense. Stafford had two near picks (8-7-15): https://twitter.com/jkatzenstein/status/629759376279105537
NOTEBOOK: Fuller consistently making plays in practice (Play of the day - During an 11-on-11 team drill, second-year linebacker Kyle Van Noy blitzed off the edge from his SAM linebacker spot and was able to disrupt the play by getting to Matthew Stafford for the sack. It wasn’t so much the rush that was impressive as it was Van Noy’s recognition on the play. The play called for a hard play fake from Stafford to the running back and then for Stafford to boot out to his right out of the pocket. Van Noy didn’t even flinch on play fake and stayed with Stafford the entire time. It was nice recognition on his part.) (8-6-15): http://www.detroitlions.com/news/lions-insider/article-1/NOTEBOOK-Fuller-consistently-making-plays-in-practice/d61dbae9-08c5-4ef1-8fe0-475221a79fdc
Detroit News Camp observations: 'Tweaks' sideline Levy, Fauria at practice (Matthew Stafford and Golden Tate weren't quite in sync. On a one-on-one play, Stafford threw a ball slightly ahead of Tate, though he made a nice catch, and on another, Stafford threw a ball into the defender's back. Stafford also threw one ball slightly short of Tate, forcing him to cut back instead of leading him toward the end zone. Also, Stafford and center Travis Swanson fumbled an exchange from under center, so they still have a little work to do.) (8-6-15): http://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/08/06/camp-observations-tweaks-sideline-levy-fauria-at-practice/31242329/
MLive Detroit Lions training camp notes: Ryan Broyles gets physical, defense focuses on turnovers (Van Noy did have a nice play, working as the second-team SAM. Quarterback Matthew Stafford tried to roll out after play action, only to have the blitzing Van Noy in his lap when the quarterback turned to look up field. There was a botched exchange between Stafford and Travis Swanson, but fullback Emil Igwenagu quickly reacted, scooping up the ball and rumbling around the right side of the formation for a nice gain.) (8-6-15): http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2015/08/detroit_lions_training_camp_no_27.html
NOTEBOOK: Levy happy with new extension (During an 11-on-11 padded team drill, Johnson found himself matched up with slot cornerback Josh Wilson. Johnson was on a go route and was able to get behind Wilson on the play. Quarterback Matthew Stafford saw that Johnson had a step and fired a deep ball down the left sideline right into Johnson’s arms. Safety Isa Abdul-Quddus couldn’t get over in time to prevent Johnson from scoring easily.) (8-5-15): http://www.detroitlions.com/news/lions-insider/article-1/NOTEBOOK-Levy-happy-with-new-extension/205e8e1c-d1c9-4d22-91d3-f1c20d1f0014
Detroit News Camp observations: For Lions, pads ratchet up intensity (DeAndre Levy, fresh off agreeing to a contract extension, was explosive with one strip-sack and another sack, both on Matthew Stafford.)(8-5-15): http://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/08/06/camp-observations-lions-pads-ratchet-intensity/31201307/
MLive Detroit Lions training camp notes: Matt Prater does his best Kickalicious impression (The Lions were really working on the deep ball down the sideline to Calvin Johnson, especially early in the session. Quarterback Matthew Stafford twice overthrew his All-Pro target, with the middle pass perfectly dropping into the waiting arms of the receiver for an over-the-shoulder score against cornerback Josh Wilson.) (8-5-15): http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2015/08/detroit_lions_training_camp_no_26.html
ESPN Camp Notes (Matthew Stafford to Calvin Johnson was once again popular: The Lions' top passing connection went for it a lot Wednesday during practice as Stafford aired it out to Johnson at least three times. Johnson, unsurprisingly, beat his matchup on every play, but Stafford overthrew two of them. Josh Wilson was the unfortunate target of two of those long pass attempts. Overall this was a less crisp day for the Lions' starter, but he had been extremely sharp during the first two practices of the year.) (8-5-15): http://espn.go.com/blog/detroit-lions/post/_/id/18118/first-padded-detroit-lions-practice-yields-a-strong-day-for-riley-reiff
Stafford comes back in a makes a beautiful completion over the field to Fuller who turns up the field for a TD (8-5-15): https://twitter.com/alex_reno/status/629093843913310208
Stafford to Ebron for a nice deep completion (8-5-15): https://twitter.com/alex_reno/status/629091880966483968
Stafford tries again and throws a deep TD to Megatron. Crowd cheers (8-5-15): https://twitter.com/alex_reno/status/629083385353400320
Once more and overthrows Megatron again, lol. Really working #30 on defense (8-5-15): https://twitter.com/alex_reno/status/629083655478980608
11 on 11 drills finally starting! Stafford overthrows Megatron on first passing play (8-5-15): https://twitter.com/alex_reno/status/629082798733828096
Lions just sent six and Mr. Rich Man DeAndre Levy got home with a strip sack on Stafford (8-5-15): https://twitter.com/jkatzenstein/status/629083080029007872
Stafford still has a cannon and Fuller made a pretty nice catch away from his body toward the sideline (8-5-15): https://twitter.com/alex_reno/status/629077147680927744
Regardless of your opinion of Stafford, dude has a truly incredible arm. The zip is just, WOW. Never gets old seeing him spin it (8-5-15): https://twitter.com/JeffRisdon/status/629076367792033792
NOTEBOOK: Team player Brandon Pettigrew embracing all roles (Rashean Mathis got beat deep twice in one-on-one drills by Johnson and Golden Tate. Both players picked on Mathis with double moves. Stafford dropped the ball right in Johnson and Tate’s hands after they got separation.) (8-4-15): http://www.detroitlions.com/news/lions-insider/article-1/NOTEBOOK-Team-player-Brandon-Pettigrew-embracing-all-roles/275880f7-af33-437b-9d4b-58c6727765b6
Detroit News Camp observations: Backup QB battle ensues (Matthew Stafford wasn't quite as accurate in team drills Tuesday compared to Monday. Besides throwing an interception to Stephen Tulloch in a slow-motion drill, Stafford had one ill-advised pass to Golden Tate, who was in a crowd. Nevin Lawson batted the pass to the ground.) (8-4-15): http://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/08/04/camp-observations-backup-qb-battle-ensues/31140639/
MLive Camp Notes (Rashean Mathis got schooled by a pair of talented receivers, both on double moves. In one-on-one drills, Calvin Johnson and Golden Tate both faked a comeback route before turning up field. Each receiver got significant separation and Matthew Stafford accurately dropped in long passes for scoring strikes. Stafford also threw a TD pass to Ebron in the red zone work. It was an impressive play by Stafford, who moved off his first read on a rollout and found Ebron coming across the formation despite heavy pressure from the pass rush. Cornerback Nevin Lawson flashed today, playing aggressive coverage on Tate in back-to-back red zone plays. On the first snap, Stafford was forced to essentially throw the ball away, and on the second, the quarterback forced it into heavy traffic and the second-year nickel batted the pass down.) (8-4-15): http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2015/08/detroit_lions_training_camp_no_25.html
ESPN Notes - Calvin Johnson shines for Detroit Lions in second day of training camp and other observations (Kellen Moore took No. 2 quarterback reps Tuesday: On the opening day, Dan Orlovsky took No. 2 reps. On the second day, Moore did, including that touchdown pass to Johnson. The quarterbacks continued to look sharp for the most part, particularly starter Matthew Stafford, and in watching Moore and Dan Orlovsky, it is clear Stafford is by far the better, sharper quarterback. Johnson expressed confidence in Moore after practice -- kind of -- but would prefer he didn't see him in games because it would mean an injury to Stafford. "Not that I don't want good things for Kellen, but I don't want that to happen," Johnson said. "We need Matt in there. Not that Kellen can't come in and do the job. We are fully confident in him."But Stafford is just better, although he made one horrific throw Tuesday trying to jam the ball in to Golden Tate.) (8-4-15): http://espn.go.com/blog/detroit-lions/post/_/id/18092/calvin-johnson-shines-for-detroit-lions-in-second-day-of-training-camp
Quotes from Martin Mayhew's Tuesday presser (On what he needs to see from QB Matthew Stafford: "Nothing. He's the fastest guy to 20,000 yards in the history of the NFL. Name some of those other guys, (Dan) Marino, (Joe) Montana, whoever. He has had 4,000 yards four years in a row. He's playing some great football for us. I need him to keep doing that and we can get some other guys doing what he's doing.")(8-4-15): http://www.prideofdetroit.com/2015/8/5/9097637/lions-training-camp-quotes-martin-mayhew
NOTEBOOK: Tomlinson adjusts to left guard (Stafford continued to look as sharp as he did in the spring. He really seems to have command of Joe Lombardi's offense and there weren’t many balls that hit the ground in practice Monday. Darius Slay made a nice play on a pass intended for Corey Fuller. That was one of the few incompletions of the day for Stafford.) (8-3-15): http://www.detroitlions.com/news/lions-insider/article-1/NOTEBOOK-Tomlinson-adjusts-to-left-guard/db84cd65-3d75-483a-86f7-1c61ba1ce1be
Detroit News Camp Notes (Matthew Stafford looked sharp during team drills Monday, which is an early good sign for the offense. In the first 11-on-11 drill, Stafford went 4-for-5, and the lone incompletion came on an on-target pass to Corey Fuller that Darius Slay knocked to the ground. In a 7-on-7 period, Stafford went 6-for-7, and again, Fuller was on the other end of the incompletion as Chris Owens broke it up. In the final full-speed 7-on-7 period, Stafford completed his two attempts, including a deep go to Calvin Johnson on a free play due to offsides.) (8-3-15): http://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/2015/08/03/camp-observations-rookie-alex-carter-sidelined-ankle-issue/31082849/
MLive Camp Notes (Stafford picked up right where he left off from minicamp, with good accuracy at all levels. He completed eight of his first 10 passes in team drills, with the two incompletions both being knocked away from Corey Fuller by a defender. Late in the session, Stafford connected on a bomb down the middle to Calvin Johnson, over Darius Slay and Glover Quin.) (8-3-15): http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2015/08/detroit_lions_training_camp_no_24.html
ESPN Camp Notes (Matthew Stafford looked sharp: The quarterback picked up where he left off during the spring workouts. He threaded a couple of throws perfectly, including the pass to Ebron mentioned above and another over the middle to Joseph Fauria, leading to Fauria then running to the end zone and dancing, just like old times. He also connected on a deep pass to Calvin Johnson, but it was unclear whether it was a good throw by Stafford or a spectacular play by Johnson in double coverage. Either way, there seems to be no rust on their connection whatsoever.) (8-3-15): http://espn.go.com/blog/detroit-lions/post/_/id/18047/tight-end-eric-ebron-has-strong-first-day-at-detroit-lions-training-camp
Jim Caldwell's quotes from Day 1 of training camp (On Stafford's leadership qualities: "I think he's an outstanding leader. He works, he's committed and he has talent. I think those things all add up to a guy that, in his second year of our offense, will show that. I don't think that there will be any question about him." On Stafford's leadership in the offense: "Obviously he's one of those guys, just a supreme warrior, and he does a great job of setting the tone for the rest of the team. He has tremendous knowledge, and anytime you have that kind of experience, it certainly does help you with your adjustments.")(8-3-15): http://www.prideofdetroit.com/2015/8/4/9091091/lions-training-camp-quotes-jim-caldwell-day-1
Stafford 4 of 5 in first 11-on-11 session. Slay had a PD. Crowd roared on screen to Abdullah (8-3-15): https://twitter.com/jkatzenstein/status/628305734967668737
Video - Matthew Stafford on the start of training camp (8-3-15): http://www.detroitlions.com/media-center/videos/Matthew-Stafford-on-the-start-of-training-camp/3ea4d079-0cc4-4f19-90cb-86a0d726524b
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