I will admit it; I've had some of the Honolulu Blue Kool-Aid, and I like what I taste.
Number one overall pick Matt Stafford made his NFL debut against the Atlanta Falcons Saturday and did not disappoint. Stafford went 7/14 with 114 yards, one TD and one INT. While it is by no means a perfect start, it is certainly a step in the right direction for the struggling franchise.
First off, just to let everyone know, I am from Detroit and I have been a die hard Detroit Lions fan for as long as I can remember. When most people find out I am a Lions fan they look at me like I am crazy. While I am not crazy, I won't give up on the team, especially since I stuck through an 0-16 season.
With that out of the way we can move on to Stafford.
Stafford was by no means perfect, but there weren't too many glaring problems. What people need to remember is that he is a rookie and rookies make mistakes. All things considered, his first start could have gone a lot worse. At least he didn't do his best a Kyle Orton impersonation.
An interception in the third was his biggest mistake. On third down in the third quarter, Stafford simply tried to do to much. He tried to fit the ball in a hole that didn't exist and it cost the team.
What is more important than the interception itself, is what he did after. The No. 1 pick had to take the field again immediately and led a successful touchdown drive. During the 80 yard drive he showed no hesitation, no fear and some serious arm strength.
Okay, enough with the professional writing; Stafford is something that I have been waiting for a long time. He showed composure and was a playmaker. His touchdown pass to Derrick Williams was something I haven't seen in years. Sure, Calvin Johnson has made catches in traffic, but a Detroit quarterback has not been fearless in years.
Even though I love what I see I do have a few concerns. Not to pick too much, but he does need to make some better decisions. While there weren't too many poor decisions, he did take a few too many risks. The decision making can be fixed however, and should not be too much of a concern.
I see a weapon when I look at his arm strength, accuracy and composure. One can only imagine what he will do when he comes under center in a regular season game. On top of seeing what he does in a real game, imagine what it will be like with the Lions' top receivers.
Detroit dropped a lot of passes today; it is not something to be proud of, but they also were without their top four receivers and tight end Brandon Pettigrew. I think Stafford will look much better with Calvin Johnson, aka Megatron, in at wideout.
All in all, there was good and bad. The kid made some good decisions and some not so good ones. To me, a Lions fan, I am just happy to see progress. On top of progress, it will be nice to watch a game and not worry about my quarterback stepping out of the back of the end zone.
While Detroit knows more than anyone that the preseason means nothing, we can't help but be hopeful. Along with the hope, it is nice to win for the first time in 11 months.
Number one overall pick Matt Stafford made his NFL debut against the Atlanta Falcons Saturday and did not disappoint. Stafford went 7/14 with 114 yards, one TD and one INT. While it is by no means a perfect start, it is certainly a step in the right direction for the struggling franchise.
First off, just to let everyone know, I am from Detroit and I have been a die hard Detroit Lions fan for as long as I can remember. When most people find out I am a Lions fan they look at me like I am crazy. While I am not crazy, I won't give up on the team, especially since I stuck through an 0-16 season.
With that out of the way we can move on to Stafford.
Stafford was by no means perfect, but there weren't too many glaring problems. What people need to remember is that he is a rookie and rookies make mistakes. All things considered, his first start could have gone a lot worse. At least he didn't do his best a Kyle Orton impersonation.
An interception in the third was his biggest mistake. On third down in the third quarter, Stafford simply tried to do to much. He tried to fit the ball in a hole that didn't exist and it cost the team.
What is more important than the interception itself, is what he did after. The No. 1 pick had to take the field again immediately and led a successful touchdown drive. During the 80 yard drive he showed no hesitation, no fear and some serious arm strength.
Okay, enough with the professional writing; Stafford is something that I have been waiting for a long time. He showed composure and was a playmaker. His touchdown pass to Derrick Williams was something I haven't seen in years. Sure, Calvin Johnson has made catches in traffic, but a Detroit quarterback has not been fearless in years.
Even though I love what I see I do have a few concerns. Not to pick too much, but he does need to make some better decisions. While there weren't too many poor decisions, he did take a few too many risks. The decision making can be fixed however, and should not be too much of a concern.
I see a weapon when I look at his arm strength, accuracy and composure. One can only imagine what he will do when he comes under center in a regular season game. On top of seeing what he does in a real game, imagine what it will be like with the Lions' top receivers.
Detroit dropped a lot of passes today; it is not something to be proud of, but they also were without their top four receivers and tight end Brandon Pettigrew. I think Stafford will look much better with Calvin Johnson, aka Megatron, in at wideout.
All in all, there was good and bad. The kid made some good decisions and some not so good ones. To me, a Lions fan, I am just happy to see progress. On top of progress, it will be nice to watch a game and not worry about my quarterback stepping out of the back of the end zone.
While Detroit knows more than anyone that the preseason means nothing, we can't help but be hopeful. Along with the hope, it is nice to win for the first time in 11 months.
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