Lions QB Matthew Stafford Is "The Man"

January 2, 2012
By: O. J. Cunningham

(Editor's Note: This column by O.J. Cunningham was written before the 45-41 loss to Green Bay. Lion QB Matthew Stafford did little to tarnish his status as an elite NFL QB.)

No team ever wins the Super Bowl without the right guy under center.

Matthew Stafford is the "right guy" at Detroit.

To reach the pinnacle in the NFL . . . you gotta have "THE MAN" calling the signals, taking the snaps..

Matthew Stafford is "THE MAN." The Detroit Lions haven't had a quarterback with "MAN" credentials since Bobby Layne QB'd the Lions back in 1955-57.

The Lions have had 40 different (YES, 40) starting quarterbacks since Bobby Layne won an NFL Title for Detroit back in the 50's. You read that right -- 40 QB's in the last 55 years have started a game at quarterback for the Lions.

I looked up mediocrity in the dictionary. Guess what I found? A list of Detroit Lions' quarterbacks.

Here's the List . . .

Harry Gilmer

Tobin Rote

Jim Ninowski

Earl Morrall

Milt Plum

George Izo

Karl Sweetan

Bill Munson

Greg Landry

Joe Reed

Gary Danielson

Jeff Komlo

Eric Hipple

John Witkowski

Joe Ferguson

Chuck Long

Todd Hons

Rusty Hilger

Bob Gagliano

Rodney Peete

Andre Ware

Eric Kramer

Scott Mitchell

Dave Krieg

Don Majkowski

Charlie Batch

Frank Reich

Charlie Batch

Gus Frerotte

Stoney Case

Mike McMahon

Ty Detmer

Joey Harrington

Jeff Garcia

Jon Kitna

Dan Orlovsky

Daunte Culpepper

Drew Stanton

Shaun Hill

Matthew Stafford.

Read it again. It's an amazing list of futility.

I'm never surprised to find the greatest of the great QB's of the National Football League in the TV commentator booth after their career is over.

Dan Marino, Joe Theisman, Steve Young, Joe Montana,Terry Bradshaw, Troy Aikman and even "Dandy" Don Meredith made the leap to the "booth" after distinguished careers as field generals for their respective championship teams. All won Super Bowls. All stood head and shoulders above the competition.

All on the above list had "THE MAN" credentials.

Noticeably missing from the list of QB's that made the jump from NFL QB to TV color commentator is anyone from the long line of Lion QBs. Sure . . . Danielson and even Greg Landry made it on screen. I think Eric Hipple might have done a few games, too. But hardly anything of significance and surely nothing on major network telecasts.

So . . . Let's do the math -- It's been 55 years.

There's been maybe 15 games a week (on average) for 15 weeks every year (on average) for 55 years. That's 12,375 games that have needed a color commentator in the booth. And no Lion QB's have gotten the call.

When Matthew Stafford threw the perfect touchdown pass (on third and goal) to Tight End Brandon Pettigrew against San Diego to seal the win and clinch a playoff spot -- He became (for me) "THE MAN."

Earlier in his Lion career, Stafford (although injured) fought his way off the bench to get back into the game and then threw a TD pass with an already injured shoulder.

I remember thinking (after that play) . . . "I want that guy on MY team. He's THE MAN."

Right now, the Lions are merely a quality running back and some depth in the defensive secondary away from being a legitimate Super Bowl contender.

If Schwartz can convince the current "Bad Boys" to keep a lid on their penalties, and control their emotions on the field, a Super Bowl trip might be on the "to do" list in 2012.

Oh yeah . . . Don't forget to add the running back.