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Stafford off mark in Lions debut

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His throws were high and wide. Lions rookie quarterback Matthew Stafford on Friday sometimes looked like Joel Zumaya on a bad night during his first practice with fellow rookies at the team's indoor practice facility. But that did not surprise Lions coach Jim Schwartz, who said most of the 45 rookies draft picks and free agents were anxious on their first day of rookie camp. "Overanxious, I guess you would say," Schwartz said in describing Stafford's 90-minute workout. "What happens, and that is probably the case with 90 percent of the guys here, when you go through a first practice as a rookie, you're so anxious to get going. You're out of control and things like that. Later in practice you settle down a bit. I think we saw that with Matthew a bit today. He was just champing at the bit early with some wild throws. But he settled into a groove, worked with some of the wide receivers and all of a sudden you started seeing some better things in practice." One of his better throws was about 15 yards to tight end Brandon Pettigrew into tight coverage. Pettigrew made a diving catch and his athleticism drew praise from Schwartz.

Detroit News

Matthew Stafford, AP Matthew Stafford, AP

Comments (101) Add A Comment

May 2, 2009  09:08 AM ET
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Overanxious or not, he is still the best hope the worst team in the NFL has.

Comment #2 has been removed
May 2, 2009  09:56 AM ET
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If your quarterback throws high & wide, shouldn't you get some recievers who are high & wide?

May 2, 2009  10:06 AM ET
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If I was stafford I would use some of those millions and give bonuses to my linemen for every game I didn't get hit... then again he's going to need that money for physical and emotional therapy when he's done in about 3-4 years

May 2, 2009  10:18 AM ET
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Is there a curse on the Detroit Lions? Inquiring minds want to know. UGH.

May 2, 2009  10:55 AM ET
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QUOTE(#3):
Originally posted 09:56 AM ET  05.02 by Razzberries4U

If your quarterback throws high & wide, shouldn't you get some recievers who are high & wide?

From what I have heard, the Lions have the high part covered. I am not sure if they want them wide - it might slow them down. You know - a kind of wind resistance, scientific type thing.

May 2, 2009  11:11 AM ET
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QUOTE(#6):
Originally posted 10:55 AM ET  05.02 by Don_C

From what I have heard, the Lions have the high part covered. I am not sure if they want them wide - it might slow them down. You know - a kind of wind resistance, scientific type thing.

Funny comment. I love a good laugh.

May 2, 2009  11:37 AM ET
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I wish he had a better mentor than Culpepper.

May 2, 2009  11:43 AM ET
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What kind of headline is this?

Why is it this site seems to put the dumbest comments in the headline when it never appears in the article?

Every single article written up about Stafford shows he did very well

May 2, 2009  12:04 PM ET
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QUOTE(#3):
Originally posted 09:56 AM ET  05.02 by Razzberries4U

If your quarterback throws high & wide, shouldn't you get some recievers who are high & wide?

worked for Eli til plax shot himself

May 2, 2009  12:06 PM ET
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QUOTE(#1):
Originally posted 09:08 AM ET  05.02 by Home Theater Guy

Overanxious or not, he is still the best hope the worst team in the NFL has.

That's kind of sad. The story is premature. Just keep it in the vault and reprint in a few years when he gets cut.

May 2, 2009  12:10 PM ET
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QUOTE(#10):
Originally posted 12:04 PM ET  05.02 by F J J

worked for Eli til plax shot himself

Such marksmanship!! Very impressive.

May 2, 2009  12:22 PM ET
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So the person selected with the first pick in the entire draft may have been nervous/keyed up at his first pro practice, knowing the fans of the team are watching and counting on him to help return them to at least respectability? I can't imagine why--and I agree with Aloy in Comment #9.

That said, I also think that lovedat could be right. That, in turn, makes me think that Detroit would have been better served by taking Curry or one of the offensive tackles. Water under the bridge at this point, but it seems as if teams that build defensively generally improve more quickly than teams that try to build offensively (unless the team gets outrageously lucky, as with Peyton Manning or Tom Brady).

May 2, 2009  12:23 PM ET
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QUOTE(#11):
Originally posted 12:06 PM ET  05.02 by F J J

That's kind of sad. The story is premature. Just keep it in the vault and reprint in a few years when he gets cut.

LOL..man you're in a hatin mood today FJJ....
All I know is, Sanchez looked very comfortable on day 1 and Stafford did not.

May 2, 2009  12:24 PM ET
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QUOTE(#6):
Originally posted 10:55 AM ET  05.02 by Don_C

From what I have heard, the Lions have the high part covered. I am not sure if they want them wide - it might slow them down. You know - a kind of wind resistance, scientific type thing.

If you ask Charles Rogers and Mike Williams, the Lions used to like em high and wide...but since Matt Millen is gone they have decided to go in a different direction.

May 2, 2009  12:25 PM ET
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QUOTE(#2):
Originally posted 09:28 AM ET  05.02 by LuvDatDurdyWatta

I THINK STAFFORD WILL PROVE TO BE YET ANOTHER DETROIT DEBACLE. MY REASONING, HE JUST WASNT THAT GREAT IN COLLEGE. I AGREE WITH BILLY BELECHICK, THE DRAFT WAS MEDIOCRE THIS YEAR. AND DETROIT PAIUD RECORD MONEY FOR THE BEST QB IN A MEDIOCRE DRAFT. IE; IN MOST DRAFT YRS, STAFFORD MIGHT BE A SECOND ROUNDER.

WHAT?

May 2, 2009  12:30 PM ET
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QUOTE(#2):
Originally posted 09:28 AM ET  05.02 by LuvDatDurdyWatta

I THINK STAFFORD WILL PROVE TO BE YET ANOTHER DETROIT DEBACLE. MY REASONING, HE JUST WASNT THAT GREAT IN COLLEGE. I AGREE WITH BILLY BELECHICK, THE DRAFT WAS MEDIOCRE THIS YEAR. AND DETROIT PAIUD RECORD MONEY FOR THE BEST QB IN A MEDIOCRE DRAFT. IE; IN MOST DRAFT YRS, STAFFORD MIGHT BE A SECOND ROUNDER.

The sound is deafening. Still waiting for my ears to stop ringing.

May 2, 2009  12:34 PM ET
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I'm not sold on Stafford yet. He didn't win enough on some good Georgia teams. The Lions should have traded the pick to get more quality draft picks. They could have waited a year on a QB.

May 2, 2009  12:40 PM ET
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QUOTE(#18):
Originally posted 12:34 PM ET  05.02 by burksl

I'm not sold on Stafford yet. He didn't win enough on some good Georgia teams. The Lions should have traded the pick to get more quality draft picks. They could have waited a year on a QB.

You tell me who they could've traded down to....... and if you think Detroit fans were sold on Stafford, watch the draft......

 
May 2, 2009  12:45 PM ET
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You tell me who they could've traded down to....... and if you think Detroit fans were sold on Stafford, watch the draft......

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