Matthew Stafford

Drew Brees and Matthew Stafford both threw for over 5,000 yards this season, setting the stage for fireworks Saturday night. Stafford has Calvin Johnson on his side (which is awesome), but not much else. They won’t convert third downs at a high percentage and they won’t be able to run the ball and keep Brees off the field. Their defensive front four is good, but not good enough to make up for the lapses in the secondary, which allowed back-up Matt Flynn to pass for 480 yards and six touchdowns. Now they get Drew Brees. (Not a back-up.) Can you say trouble?

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It should greatly hinder Matthew Stafford and Calvin “Megatron” Johnson.  As good as Stafford’s arm is, he’s not typically accurate enough to make up for this kind of outside variable. Since running back Jahvid Best will be inactive today (big surprise), the Detroit running game will be non-existent. There will be no big plays on the ground this time around from the Lions. Julius Peppers has to take advantage of his superior athleticism against the Lions’ stout tackles and put Stafford on the ground early and often. Like any QB, Stafford can get rattled if you cramp his space. So I want Peppers in his jock.The Odds:

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lt to stop the big play, found themselves on the crap-end of two monster plays, a 73 yard bomb from Matthew Stafford to Calvin Johnson in the first quarter and an 88 yard run by Jahvid Best in the third. If we just knock those two plays off the record, then the Bears defense was pretty good. But I can’t do that. Chris Harris played like the other inexperienced safeties on the roster, missing a grand chance at a tackle-for-loss early in the game and then losing track of Best on his TD scamper. Runs like that can be stopped if you just play disciplined gap-control defense. Charles Tillman didn’t redirect Calvin Johnson to the inside toward the safety on his touchdown, which lead to a complete torching of Harris. Julius Peppers has just been injured on the play before, so the Lions took full advantage of his absence. Johnson ripped the Bears to shreds with 130 yards on only 5 catches. D.J. Moore made a great interception at the end of the first half to ensure the Bears took a surprising lead into the break, but it wasn’t enough. Not getting our pass rush going didn't help either. I’m just about finished with this cover-two defense hooey. (And by that I mean I was done two years ago.)

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From the defense’s perspective, it could be another rough outing. Matthew Stafford has a cannon for an arm and is finding his best weapons with regularity. Even though the Bears knocked him out of each game in which he faced them last season, don’t count on that trend continuing. Calvin “Megatron” Johnson has scored two touchdowns in EVERY game this season as Stafford’s most reliable and explosive red zone target. Expect Charles Tillman to get that assignment all day with safety help over the top. Just as big is tight end Brandon Pettigrew, who has 22 catches this year but has yet to find the end zone. After Jermichael Finley’s success, Stafford may try to get his tight end going. Julius Peppers should have the edge over right tackle Gosder Cherilus, but Jeff Backus is a dependable left tackle who could be left alone on occasion. Peppers HAS to win those battles. Jahvid Best is a danger out of the backfield, but the Lions are only averaging 3 yards a carry on the year. I’m not intimidated by their ground game.

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However, the key to Detroit’s survival in the NFC North is Matthew Stafford. Everyone believes he’s ready to be an elite quarterback in the NFL, but he hasn’t been able to stay on the field long enough to prove them right. If he can, Detroit can take the next step. I’m betting he can’t.

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ve line.

AP Photo 

The defense showed up for the most part versus the Lions, keeping Matthew Stafford and the offense in check in the first half, only giving up points after the offense turned it over. Lovie Smith's defense caused three turnovers of their own, including one strip-sack by Julius Peppers that knocked Stafford out of the game with a shoulder injury. Brian Urlacher look four years younger on the day, but made a bone-headed unnecessary roughness penalty after the Peppers sack. In the secondary, the Bears kept Calvin Johnson and the other receivers in check until the Lions' final drive. However, it is after a Lance Briggs-caused turnover that I found the most troubling moment of the day.

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st Jeff Backus and Gosder Cherilus on the outside will undoubtedly result in hits on second year-QB Matthew Stafford. Even using Peppers on the interior could work against this Lion offensive line. Where the Bears will see issues is in pass coverage. With Calvin Johnson, Nate Burleson and Bryant Johnson at receiver and Brandon Pettigrew at tight end, the Lions are going to get yards in chunks. If the Bears hold true to their corner depth chart, Zack Bowman should match-up with Johnson and Burleson will see Tillman across the line. If safety Danieal Manning gets Pettigrew duty, look out.

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a total two wins over the last two seasons, things have nowhere to go but up for the Detroit Lions. Matthew Stafford seems to be a legitimate NFL quarterback, showing the leadership skills and toughness you want at the position with the arm to back it up. He'll be throwing at an abundance of targets this season, as the Lions signed receiver Nate Burleson and traded for tight end Tony Scheffler. Add them to the freakish Calvin Johnson and second-year tight end Brandon Pettigrew and you have the makings of a 28-points-a-game offense. Rookie Jahvid Best may be the kind of running back the Lions haven't seen since Barry Sanders, but the offensive line is still suspect. Trading for guard Rob Sims from Seattle helps bolster the interior, but Jeff Backus is a serviceable left tackle at best in a division with Julius Peppers and Jared Allen. Whoops. 

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ew on! (6-9) Chicago Bears at(2-13) Detroit Lions The Lions won't have first overall pick Matthew Stafford on the field after his recent knee surgery, so Daunte Culpepper will start u

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le of two halves at Soldier Field, as the Bears and Lions engaged in a shoot-out in the first half. Matthew Stafford routinely found Calvin Johnson all over the field, including a 54-yarder on the first play of the game. A 61-yard Matt Forte run set up an Elway-like helicopter dive from Jay Cuter into the endzone. Despite that inspirational score, Detroit struck right back with a 72-yard drive for their second TD. 

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how they fare with a week’s preparation under their belt. 

Against rookie quarterback Matthew Stafford, Chicago must do a better job of disguising their coverages. Lovie Smith loves to blitz, and Sunday will naturally be no exception. But Stafford must not be allowed to make easy reads against Smith’s cover-two scheme. His fellow rookie, tight end Brandon Pettigrew, could have a monster day finding soft areas in the middle of the field if the pressure doesn’t get to Stafford quickly.  

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s, but it was a great first game for the Saints.

So good.

Sorry Lions, your rookie savior Matthew Stafford got picked off three times. I still think you should have started Daunte Culpepper. Now there’s no going back.

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With three picks on day one, the Lions took QB Matthew Stafford at number one overall, tight end Brandon Pettigrew at 20 (acquired in the Roy Williams to Dallas deal), and safety Louis Delmas at 33. It seems like a great first day for the winless Lions. Though in fairness, they might find a way to screw it up. It is the Lions, after all.

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