Lions Shouldn't Start Matthew Stafford Until The O-Line Improves Drastically

The Lions are building a foundation for a brand new era, but in typical Lions fashion, they’ve got things mixed up. The crown jewel, QB Matthew Stafford, is looking to be ready before the bulletproof case designed to protect it, is. Stafford is wowing them in Allen Park, in the infancy of training camp. Even the writers, who can be funereal, are stirred by the rookie’s raw physical tools. A gun, he has. Lasers, he throws. Maturity, he possesses. Why, he’s the next John Elway! Or Bobby Layne! They didn’t say these things about Joey Harrington back in 2002, when Pal Joey was the third overall pick in the draft. They didn’t say it about him in mini-camp or maxi-camp or the pre-season or the post-pre-season. But they’re saying all this, and more, about Stafford, as the pressure mounts on the Lions coaching staff to not start him come September 13 in New Orleans. To me, it’s a fairly simple analysis to render. Matthew Stafford should not start ...