Finally, someone who isn’t Detroit-based or Nate Burleson is taking notice of what Matthew Stafford is doing right now, and bringing it to the national media. Peter Schrager covers the NFL and is a sideline reporter for FOX NFL Sunday, he also sits in on the show Good Morning Football on NFL Network. Before the season started, when Nate Burleson suggested that Stafford was one of the league’s most clutch QBs, he laughed. When Stafford led the charge at the end of the game to beat the Colts, Schrager admitted his initial reaction was wrong and that Stafford was among the top end game performers in the NFL. Now after being on the sidelines for two Lions wins and witnessing Stafford’s elite performance in those two games, he’s taken his opinion to a whole other level.
“Matthew Stafford is the best quarterback in football right now.” Schrager said on The Herd. Sit in host Nick Wright groans. This is statement Schrager also made on Good Morning Football.
Early on in the season, with many of the NFL’s big name quarterbacks struggling early on, it really isn’t that ludicrous to think that Schrager is right. The only other guy I’d say that you could make an argument for is Matt Ryan, but he has a top three wide out in Julio Jones, the best center in football with Alex Mack, and the best RB tandem in the league with Tevin Coleman and Devonta Freeman. Stafford singlehandedly won the game throwing 4 touchdowns against the Rams with Zach Zenner and Justin Forsett in his backfield and Travis Swanson, Graham Glasgow, and Laken Tomlinson on the interior line.
The Lions are 0-6 without Stafford and that’s a fact. There are still plenty of questions surrounding him and they’re deserved. His worst game this year came in Chicago, an outdoor stadium while it was raining. He hasn’t won a playoff game and where these issues may affect his overall legacy if he doesn’t fix them, it shouldn’t take away from what he’s accomplishing right now.
Lions fans, for the first time in our lives we are witnessing ELITE quarterback play. Stafford doesn’t have an elite career, or a shopping list of accomplishments, but his skill set is undoubtedly elite. If Stafford continues at the rate he’s at and leads the Lions to the playoffs, he more than deserves to be in the MVP conversation.
Welcome aboard Peter Schrager, we’re happy to have you here in Detroit. Could I interest you in a complimentary glass of Kool-Aid?
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