Matthew Stafford Shoulder Injury: How This Affects The Detroit Lions

Matthew Stafford was forced out of the game versus the Chicago Bears with a shoulder injury.

Even worse, it was his throwing arm, meaning the potential for a lot of missed time now is out there.

The Lions have not updated Stafford's injury status as of this writing, but it's safe to say the team is much worse without him.

Stafford defied the odds last year and had a pretty decent season for an untested rookie. While his numbers were nothing to brag about, you could see the potential.

The problem is, the Lions are so early in their rebuilding process, there is no "Plan B" for a major injury to their star quarterback. This isn't to say the Lions management dropped the ball on this matter, it's just pointing out the obvious.

Most teams are lucky to have one good quarterback, so to single out the Lions for not having a quality backup would just be silly.

However, the Lions have done a lot of good drafting over the last two years, and with running back Jahvid Best on the roster now, they don't have to completely rely on having a star quarterback to allow their offense to function.

Hopefully, Stafford's injury isn't too bad, and if he misses time it won't be much. But this injury should serve as a reminder to every team in the league that you can't have a one-dimensional offense because injuries happen.

The Lions don't have a lot of weapons, but Stafford was one of them, so his loss could be crippling to the franchise and put them back on the road to another 0-16 season.

And don't forget, Ndamukong Suh now is featured on the defense, so if the Lions can put points on the board, they now have more means with which to keep the other team from scoring more.

Or, Best could prove his worth and carry this team on his young shoulders for the rest of the campaign.

It's never easy when it comes to winning football games in Detroit, and this latest blow hasn't changed the team's fortunes any.