Stafford shells out for suite at Cowboys Stadium

Published: October 1st, 2011 | Tags: Matthew Stafford, Detroit Lions, NFL GameDay Morning, Steve Mariucci

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Yes, Matthew Stafford is trending. And if you’re not into social media (really, where have you been?), it’s another way of saying he’s one of the hottest things going right now in Detroit.

But if there’s anywhere where Stafford is even more popular than the Motor City, it’s Dallas, where he spent his high school years as a Cowboys fan. That just happens to be where and whom the undefeated Lions will play Sunday.

So, do you think Stafford was inundated by ticket requests?

“I ended up getting a suite at Cowboys Stadium,” Stafford told NFL Network’s Steve Mariucci. ”I had too many people.” 

We’re guessing a lot of people with ties to Stafford still were left off that list.

Stafford didn’t have a storybook beginning to his NFL career. The former No. 1 overall draft pick has dealt with plenty of losing and plenty of injuries, missing 19 games in his first two seasons. Mariucci, who sat down with Stafford for “NFL GameDay Morning” — the full interview airs Sunday (that’s 9 a.m. ET) — says he seems to be dealing well with his newfound success.

“He seems to be the kind of the kid who is very unflappable,” Mariucci said Saturday on “NFL Total Access”. “It doesn’t seem to phase him. … He’s a determined kid, he’s a tough kid, and you know what? He’s a very confident kid.”

Sure, but apparently not so unflappable when it comes to turning down ticket requests.

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Burleson: Stafford making elite plays for Lions

Published: September 19th, 2011 | Tags: Nate Burleson, Around the League, Detroit Lions, Matthew Stafford

Matthew Stafford is healthy, and his ability to stay on the field (yes, it’s only two games) has allowed him the opportunity to impress just about everyone. That includes his teammates.

Lions WR Nate Burleson told NFL Network’s “Around the League” Monday that Stafford is making the same plays elite quarterbacks make.

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“The one thing I can point out about Matt is that there are certain plays and certain throws that he takes chances on that not a lot of quarterbacks can even try to attempt,” said Burleson. “I remember in the preseason game versus the Patriots I caught a ball over the middle and I went to the sideline and said, ‘I didn’t think you were going to make that pass.’ He looked at me and said, ‘well the guy’s head was turned; by the time I got the ball to you, he couldn’t find it.’

“That’s just the type of play that elite quarterbacks make. He’s young, he’s still showing everybody what he has. But hopefully by the end of the season [with] consistent play by us as a team and him as a quarterback, he’ll prove to people he is one of the better quarterbacks in this league.”

Due to injuries and other factors, Stafford didn’t find instant individual or team success like Mark Sanchez, Joe Flacco or Matt Ryan. But the former first overall pick in the 2009 draft might finally be showing he’s the best of the league’s young crop of quarterbacks.

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False alarm over Lions’ Stafford

Published: September 11th, 2011 | Tags: Matthew Stafford, Detroit Lions, Shaun Hill, Week 1 injuries 2011

The collective heart of Lions Nation might have skipped at beat at seeing Matthew Stafford limp off the field during the third quarter against the Bucs in Tampa. It’s not your fault. It’s not your fault.

Trainers checked out Stafford’s right ankle/leg on the bench, but the Lions quarterback returned for the next series after Shaun Hill warmed up briefly on the sideline. According to the FOX game broadcast, Stafford is experiencing cramping in his leg. We’ve seen quite a bit of it around the league in Week 1 in some warm-temperature games.

Stafford has been fantastic against the Bucs, completing 22-of-29 passes for 295 yards with three touchdowns and an interception.

– Frank Tadych

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Lions QB Stafford appears done for the year

It appears that the Lions are going to be without their young star QB for the remainder of the season, as Matthew Stafford has a Grade 3 separation of his right shoulder.

MLive.com says that the Lions are fearing that Stafford will miss the remaining 8 games with the injury after tests were done Monday. Stafford suffered the injury during the Lions’ 23-20 overtime loss to the New York Jets on Sunday at Ford Field.

Stafford had an MRI test Monday, and he is also expected to seek a second opinion with Dr. James Andrews, the surgeon who consulted with Stafford after the quarterback’s first shoulder injury earlier this season.

“I’ve got to talk some more with these doctors and kind of figure out what they’re thinking,” Stafford said Monday evening on a Detroit radio program. “It’s kind of frustrating to be coming back and, two games later, be knocked out again. We’ll take it day by day and figure out what the plan is.”

If Stafford does have a Grade 3 separation, it’s unlikely he’ll return this season. In three games this year, Stafford has thrown for 535 yards, 6 TD’s and one pick with a completion pct. of 59.4.

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