We finally got a swap of franchise stars in the NFL, with it happening once again in the week leading up the Super Bow, when the Lions traded Mathew Stafford to the Rams, in exchange for Rams QB Jared Goff, two future first-round picks, and a third rounder. The move gives Detroit draft picks, and a young, seasoned, and former Super-Bowl bound QB in Goff, that help them for the future. Meanwhile l, although they now don’t have a first round pick until 2024(With the Jaguars owning their first round pick this season), Stafford will be headed into his 12th season, and can give this Rams team the extra push they need to make another run at the Super Bowl.
Mathew Stafford was drafted in 2009, and through 12 seasons, provided toughness, composure, efficiency, stability, and leadership at the quarterback position, as the one-time pro-bowler finished with 165 starts of a possible 186. Yes he started 88.7% of games since the 2009 season for the Detroit Lions, which is astronomical for most QBs , especially ones that have passed through that franchise. He completed 62.6% of his passes, for 45,109 yards, and 282 touchdowns. His INT rate was way down at 144(12 per season) total, with a full QB score of 89.9 of out of 100.
Unfortunately, he was sacked 385 times, due to lack of offensive support around him, which led to a career record of 74-89-1, despite 31 comebacks, and 38 memorable game-winning drives.
Staffords’ Lions made the postseason three times (2011, 2014, 2016), all as a wild card, losing in all three of them.
In 2011, Matt completed 65.12% of his passes(28/43), and threw for three touchdowns, but got picked twice, in a 45-28 loss to Drew Brees and the Saints in NOLA.
In 2014, Stafford went 28/42(66.67%) for 380 yards, a TD, and an INT, but was saved three times in a thrilling 24-20 loss to the Cowboys in Dallas.
In 2016, the Lions franchise QB now 28, had a game to forget, as he was sacked again three times, only went 18/32(56.25%) for 205 yards, in a 26-6 Seahawks demolition of the Lions. Still, the fact that he was able to lead this Lions team to a 9-7 record, despite the injuries l, and lack of o-line support, and offensive support around him, earned him high-praise from the football media.
Now at 32, Stafford wants a ring which is why he wanted out of a rebuilding franchise is the Lions who are coming off of a 4-12 campaign and is headed to a contender in the LA Rams, where can be coached by Sean Mcvay, who’s proven he can help the guy under center, as he did with Goff over the last few seasons.
As for Goff, he bursted onto the scene in 2018, leading his team to the Super Bowl, where they ultimately fell to Tom Brady, and the Patriots. But although, he hasn’t reached those same heights, and his quality of play has dipped due to injuries, and poor play he heads to Detroit where a change of scenery just may refresh him, and under new coach Dan Cambell will help change the trajectory of this Lions franchise.
WINNER:
The Lions win this trade, because this accelerates their future, as they now have defat capital, and a young QB Meanwhile, while Stafford will transcend this Rams team, it’s not guarantee that this team will be good enough to reach the Super Bowl, or even the conference championship game again, especially with their “lethal” division, of the 49ers, Seahawks, and Cardinals.
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