Matt Stafford To Start for Lions: Prelude to Disaster or Stroke of Genius?

What the heck happened in Lionland?

I go away for one long weekend with friends to get away from phones, email, and any computer, only to come back and see that Matt Stafford has been named the starter for the Detroit Lions.

I am, among many Lions supporters, a proponent to have Stafford watch and learn the offense, and allow Culpepper to run the team until the bye week.

The first six games are going to be the toughest part of the schedule.

New Orleans is going to be a track meet, and perhaps that will allow Stafford the best chance for a good statistical game.

The Saints were rated 23rd overall in team defense last year, (23rd in passing and 17th in rushing). The way the Saints put points on the board, it is an awful lot to ask of a defense—that was lousy last year—to keep the score close. It is even more to ask a rookie QB to keep pace with the Saints, especially at the Superdome.

Next up are the Vikings.

Granted, the Lions were able to keep running back Adrian Petersen in check in 2008, but now they have QB Brett Favre, who has pretty much had his way with Detroit. On top of that, the Vikings were rated the sixth best defense last year.  Still, in the two games played last year, the Lions lost by a total of six points.

Week three sees the Lions come up against the Washington Redskins, the No. 4 ranked defense in 2008. It's not going to be any easier with Albert Haynesworth added to the mix; a huge test for the OL line here.

The Lions are at Soldier Field in week four to face Jay Cutler and the Bears.

If the Lions secondary can reel in Devin Hester and the linebackers keep Matt Forte from running wild, they just might have a shot.

Week five, and the Super Bowl champions Pittsburgh Steelers are in town.

Facing the No. 1 defense from 2008, the Steel Curtain hasn't changed all that much. About the only way a team has a chance against the Steelers is to hope they play over-aggressively. Calvin Johnson is going to have to come up big in this game as will rookie TE Brandon Pettigrew.

Week six brings the Lions to the (in my best Chris Berman imitation) the "frozen tundra of Lambeau Field." The Lions haven't won here since 1991 and they want a rookie QB to change all that?

The first six games don't bode well for a rookie QB trying to get experience.

I would imagine that Culpepper will be ready to go in each of these games in case Stafford falters, and I'm sure he will, which is one of the main reasons why I feel starting Stafford now is a mistake.

A QB has to feel that the team is his no matter how bad or how good things are going. The mere fact the Lions have Culpepper waiting in the wings is going to put additional pressure on Stafford to perform.

Stafford will feel that he has to be perfect, otherwise he is going to get benched in favor of Culpepper. And when perfection is forced, mistakes happen—and bad ones.

If Stafford is going to be the starter, the Lions should release Culpepper and let the chips fall where they may. Tell Stafford this is his team, win or lose, and the only way he doesn't play is if he gets hurt.

It may have disastrous short-term effects, but in the grand scheme of things we might have a better QB for the next six years.

And please, before anyone starts throwing names around like Joey Harrington, Andre Ware, and Chuck Long, Stafford isn't them. If he fails, he fails as Matthew Stafford. And if he succeeds, he does so as Matthew Stafford.

2009 is yet another rebuilding year for the Lions. When haven't the Lions been in a rebuilding year?

Yet, this feels different. I can't quite put my finger on it, but my gut tells me the Lions are going to be moving forward this year.

Yeah, I know, how can they not after an 0-16 season? There are still so many questions regarding the Lions, most notably, the O-line, the D-line, and the secondary.

Regardless of who is named the starting QB, the Lions still have a long climb ahead of them. 

I only hope the choice to make Stafford the starter doesn't come back to bite the Lions in their collective rear-end.