He’ll learn plenty watching from the bench. Daunte Culpepper obviously isn’t a top flight NFL quarterback anymore, and he probably can’t run much given his surgically repaired knee, but he’s always been an accurate pocket passer*, just like Jon Kitna. Think Carson Palmer learned nothing from watching Kitna for a year?
*In fact, he held the NCAA Division I record for single-season completion percentage until last year, when Colt McCoy broke it. He still holds the NFL single-season record for combined rushing and passing yardage, and is sixth on the NFL list for single-season completion percentage.
I don’t buy the logic that sitting for a year makes someone a better QB. I think you learn very little watching someone else play while holding a clip board and more importantly missing out on the practice reps with the 1s. Carson Palmer ended up being very good because he’s a hell of a talent. Matt Ryan, Joe Flacco, Troy Aikman and Peyton Manning ended up being excellent because they are very talented, whether they started in year one or year two.
The best way to make a QB good is to get him a lot of work in real games. Now, that’s not to say that all rookies should start because in many cases winning games now is more important than developing a QB.
The Lions flaw won’t be starting Stafford. They’ll learn if he’s ever going to be a decent QB or not by doing so, that could happen this season or next to the same ends. It’s just a matter of when they know and how many games they lose while finding out. The biggest mistake they can make is jerking him around and spreading that learning process over 2 or 3 seasons as opposed to one. They chose to teach him now, by changing their mind and going back all they’ll do is waste the time he put in in the last two weeks.
If you pay that much for a quarterback, you’re pretty much got to play him, unless there’s something blatant that’s stopping you, like he’s got some throwing flaw to work out, he held out for a long time in camp, or some injury. None of those are the case.
With that being said, play them both. When you’re as pathetic as the Lions, you’ve got to manufacture things to keep the other team on its toes. Go for it on 4th and less than 4 from their 40 and in, throw a trick play out there every once in a while. What do you have to lose?
Personally, I’d like to see the Lions try the no-punt offense. Tuesday Morning Quarterback has been suggesting it for years, and SI ran an article this week about Pulaski Academy, a high school team which hasn’t punted or kicked a field goal in three years.
The average play from scrimmage (could it be anywhere else?) is roughly 4.5 yards. If you’re 4 yards or closer and on the opponent’s 40 and in, go for it. The Lions have no business giving up possessions, at least with giving them up with a punt. At least make the other team take over the possession. You’re a grown ass man. You run for 2 yards, pick up the first, and keep rolling.
I remember clearly that 1997 Packers-Colts game. Indy was coached by ex-Packers guy Lindy Infante (probably his last great NFL moment) and towards the end of the game, they killed the clock rather effectively, giving the Packers no/little time for a two minute drill drive. Memories of that drive led to Holmgren’s famous/infamous call to let Terrell Davis score easily on the Broncos last drive in the Super Bowl so that the offense would have a chance to drive down field and score.
As for this year, it seems last year’s Packers showed up at Lambeau on Sunday. It’s a little too early to suggest the team is going to repeat last years mistakes, but its was more than a little disheartening to see Cedric Benson gash us repeatedly and easily. And I still rue the day we let Craig Hentrich get away…
Yeah, I agree. Football coaches are FAR too conservative on fourth down. Although I think you need to take the coach at Pulaski high with a grain of salt. The quality of punter they have surely is poor compared to NFL punter, so the trade-off is a little worse. Nonetheless, I think there are too many times by a wide margin where NFL teams play it too carefully on fourth down.
Some of the Vikings players said their defense was just playing sloppy and wasn’t in their gaps in the first half. They tightened it up after halftime, but I think that, reading between the lines, they were kind of admitting that they just didn’t take the Lions that seriously, and weren’t really trying that hard in the first half. When The Lions went up 10-0, that woke the Vikings up and they played lights out (on both sides of the ball) after that.
I’m seriously starting to reconsider my TT love. He just cut their backup Safety (Aaron Rouse) to sign a street free agent who hasn’t taken a single play for the Packers.
What. The. Fuck. Now, I know Rouse has made some killer mistakes, but so has Collins and Bigby and every safety ever in the NFL. Why the guy cuts a player who has shown flashes of great player and knows the system and keeps some no name street agent like Derrick Martin, three FullBacks, and signs another cut guy who has no street value is beyond me.
And Jamon Meredith is signed off their practice squad by the Bills.
TT built up a lot of slack from me over the years, but this offseason and this year handling of the roster makes me seriously question his sanity and skills.
