Coming off their first victory since December of 2007, the Lions played another good half of football Sunday. Heading into halftime, Detroit stood even with the Chicago Bears, 21-21. Matthew Stafford had engineered three touchdown drives, including a 98-yard beauty that greatly resembled the Lions' 99-yarder last week. The second half, though, was another story. Johnny Knox, the Bears rookie wideout/returner, took the second half's opening kickoff back for a touchdown and his team never looked back. When the dust settled, the Bears had routed the Lions 48-24 and injured their rookie quarterback. On a play during the fourth quarter, Stafford was sacked by Adewale Ogunleye. In the process, Stafford's body was awkwardly twisted around and he screamed while grabbing his right knee. He did not return.
There is no news yet of the exact injury nor of the extent. What we do know is that Stafford was noticeably limping on the sidelines and that he was replaced by Daunte Culpepper. You can bet there's an MRI in Stafford's future.
UPDATE: Adam Shefter passed along, via Twitter, that Chris Mortensen is reporting Stafford suffered a dislocated kneecap (or subluxation of the patella, for you med fanatics out there). He says it was popped back in, but that doesn't sound fun. It's entirely possible Culpepper will take the field next week for the Lions as their temporary starter.
As far as the game itself, Stafford played relatively well. He completed 24 of 36 passes for 296 yards and a touchdown. He did throw one interception, and it was a bad one, coming on the Lions' 14 and setting the Bears up for an 8-yard (after the return) touchdown drive. He also missed several wide-open receivers in the Bears' zone coverage. He did lead those three drives in the first half and seemed to be on the same page with No. 1 receiver Calvin Johnson (eight catches for 133 yards).
The Lions outgained the Bears 398 yards to 276 and had the ball for 13 more minutes. The difference in the game was the Bears' efficiency on offense and special teams play. The Bears got good returns all day, not just on Knox's touchdown, in addition to stellar punting from Brad Maynard. The result was the Bears having an average starting position of Detroit's 46 compared to the Detroit 17-yard line for the Lions, which is an astounding difference.
The Lions will look to get back on track next week at home against the defending Super Bowl champs, the Pittsburgh Steelers. If Stafford is healthy, he'll face a tough test, but he appeared to be developing nicely Sunday in Chicago.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
10-04-2009 @ 7:04PM
BUD said...
i was to bad about Stafford but at least it wasnt another cheap shot from the king of late hits and cheap shots.Can everyone guess which Urlacker im refering to.
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10-04-2009 @ 8:31PM
Gene said...
I have 2 things to say about this
1) This is a classic example of the Lions luck. They get their first win in almost 2 years they're hanging tough with a likely playoff team and their franchise QB is starting to look good when suddenly all hell breaks loose and there back in the gutter. No matter how good life seems for the lions they're always one step away from being a laughingstock again. There is no curse of Bobby Lane, Bob predicted 50 years, the lions are cursed for eternity.
2) this is what the lions deserve for starting Stafford without any sort of protection. Let me put it like this, The lions as a team are completely starting over they're like a teenage boy just starting to go out and live on their own and the owners and coaches are supposed to be like their parents. So when your son just learns to drive do you let him drive the porsche or do you force him to drive around some old used car. no matter what he's driving its gonna get beat up so why not drive something that already is instead of something shiny and new and then once you know you can trust him not to break it let him drive it around. The lions have just crashed their porsche into a fire hydrant and its all because of the management hopefully its not totaled.
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10-04-2009 @ 9:19PM
Dean said...
The trouble with the Lions? Bill Ford.
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10-05-2009 @ 8:42AM
POWERHOUSE DJ1 said...
ROMO MUST GO.
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10-05-2009 @ 8:52AM
nc0gnet0 said...
Gene,
I respectfully disagree. Actually Staffords pass protection has been pretty dam good the last couple of games. Sure he takes a few sacks, but so does any quarterback. Some of those sacks are actually Staffords fault, not recognizing the blitzes. But, it's not like the guy has been running for his life every single play like we all suspected.
He's the real deal, and the more he plays this year, the better the Lions are going to be next year.
All in all I was impressed with the Lions play, if not for the horrid job on special teams, the outcome would have been completely different. I feel sorry for the defense, as they actually did a decent job, where the score you lead you to beleive they got blown out and Cutler/Forte had there way with them, and that was not the case at all.
Long story short, the lions won on offense and won on defense but lost big time on special teams and turnovers. These things are coachable, and for once the lions are not as painfull to watch.
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10-05-2009 @ 10:34AM
Capps1940 said...
At the present time it looks like Stafford is going to be the real deal in pro ball just as he was in college. It's always good to see someone be successful when moving to the pros, sometimes it doesn't turn out that way.
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10-05-2009 @ 10:35AM
BudThePatriot said...
they need to change thier names to Detriot Pussycats.They only were good when they had barry Sanders.Other than that they can't play long enough to build chemestry on the team.And last year when the two running back and the halfback were caught making out with each other at gay parade kinda turned my stomach from ever watching them again.
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10-05-2009 @ 10:37AM
Dutchthunder said...
If Stafford is out for any length of time the Lions will have no season at all and the Lions fans will be cheated out of any sort of enjoyable season. I know that the defensive-minded fans always want to see a quarterback maimed, crushed, have a season ending injury so thier team can win a game and that just plain isn't good for the game. No Stafford, No Lion season. More needs to be done to protect the quarterback at all levels.
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10-05-2009 @ 11:14AM
Joe said...
YOU DONT ARGUE WITH WINS AND LOSSES. THERE FACTS. THIS TEAM NEEDS A MAKEOVER FAST.I WOULD ADVISE THIS YEAR TO RECRUIT OVER THE HILL GANG PLAYERS LIKE GEORGE ALLEN DID. SENIOR PLAYERS COULD HELP THEM NOW AND GIVE THEM SOME LEADERSHIP.AS IT IS THE TEAM IS RE ARRANGING THE DECK CHAIRS WHILE THE SHIP IS SINKING. JOE CAPRIO
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10-05-2009 @ 11:21AM
grimesheidi said...
Too Damn Bad it wasn't Michael Vicks the Dogg Killer!!!!!
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10-05-2009 @ 11:56AM
jamesnpost said...
When I was young, I was a slender swimmer and gymnast. The big football boys were considered more manly, and more likely great soldiers. When we went to get our medical exams for entrance to the military, several of them were 4F due to "football knees" -- I became a fighter pilot. Today they are crippled old men, and I am still pretty good on a trampoline, for a geezer.
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10-05-2009 @ 3:45PM
mitch said...
stafford will never become an nfl quarterback.he may be playing in the league but he is your next jamarcus russell,because he has gotten his money already.
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10-05-2009 @ 6:23PM
Jim said...
Hey BUD, You are an ignorant jerk-off! Did you not see the play on T.V.? Didn't you watch it played again on your computer? The officials looked at it on instant replay and they showed it several times to the crowd. It wasn't a cheap shot you bloody moron, Urlacher drove in with his shoulder to the chest. Your team got spanked by Da Bears! Live with it cry-baby! HAHAHAHA! Go Bears!!!
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10-06-2009 @ 12:10AM
oldmarbs said...
Oh Jim Please We got beat....yeah. But crushed? Don't think so. Our offense outgained yours, had more in time of possesion, and our defense gave up less yards. We held your star (cough cough) forte in check. hats off to your special teams, they are the ones that one you the game. But, against a lowly Lions team, I was far from impressed with your "Da Bears" and your new QB. Have fun in next years draft.
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10-06-2009 @ 12:15AM
oldmarbs said...
Joe,
They are in the process of a makeover, and for once are getting it right. I seen both number one draft picks playig well, along with their third pick. I see improvement on both sides of the ball, and thats all I hoped for this season. Swartz needs three years to contend, and wasting money on washed up vets is only a viable option if your a contender and need a few quick fixes.
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