Ok, I know the stance. Fans are upset that Stafford said a QB guru was “not my style” while other are wondering why the 5 year veteran hasn’t led the team to any playoff wins let along more playoff appearances. Stafford has plenty of weapons while signing a $91 million dollar contract extension to remain with the Lions. So I understand the frustration by some of the fans I just ask for a little more patience.
But I’m not asking for blind patience. Here’s a list of three QB’s and their records between the ages of 24 to 26.
QB #1: Record at age 24 2-9, age 25 11-4, age 26 9-7
QB #2: Record at age 24 10-6, age 25 6-10, age 26 10-6
QB #3: Record at age 23 10-6, age 24 4-12, age 25 7-9
QB #1 is Drew Brees, QB #2 is Peyton Manning, QB #3 is Matthew Stafford
I used two other QB’s that were put in similar situations, Manning being a former No. 1 pick and Brees being a late 2nd round pick with big expectations. I didn’t use Tom Brady or Aaron Rodgers as they were put in better situations taking over already established teams. Furthermore Rodgers didn’t become a starter till 25 while Brady took over for Drew Bledsoe.
I could breakdown each of the three aforementioned QB’s three seasons and bore you with the numbers but the short to keep things to the point all three QB’s faced large questions on whether or not they were “The Guy”. After his 5th season a 26-year old Drew Brees showed regression after a season he posted his best numbers. After and arm injury San Diego choose to move along and trade Eli Manning for Phillip Rivers while Brees was allowed to go to New Orleans where he was eventually lined up with the right head coach and the rest is history.
As for Manning, he came into a situation that had a budding nucleus. After having two successful seasons Jim Mora was let go in 2001 (year 4 w/ Manning) after a 6-10 season and Tony Dungy was brought in. Dungy then hired Jim Caldwell to be his QB coach, and has largely been credited (along with Tom Moore) with turning Peyton into the player he became. Manning went from being a turnover machine that posted multiple 20 interception seasons to a QB that started taking better care of the football and making smarter throws. Pre-Caldwell Manning had an average of 20 INT’s while after Caldwell made his impression Manning had and= average of 12.5 INT’s. The Manning myth is he was open the box ready and needed no coaching which just isn’t true. He was highly talented QB that needed some help and the team got it for him.
Perhaps this is Stafford’s Manning moment.