The Sum of Stafford’s 2 Starts Prove Nothing
Open Mike | by Mike O'Hara | 09.23.2009/6:10PM
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Matthew Stafford’s statistics have been less than eye-popping in his first two games as the Lions’ starting quarterback. He’s had one touchdown pass, five interceptions and a 50.7-percent completion rate.
Stafford’s passer rating of 40.5 ranks last among the NFL’s 32 starts.
Stafford was thrust into the starting role by head coach Jim Schwartz. In terms of his development the rest of this year and for the long term, Stafford’s statistics prove – well, absolutely nothing.
Comparing apples to apples – how current high-profile quarterbacks began their careers – shows there is no pattern or equation to prove success or failure based on the early stages of a quarterbacks career.
Some started early and became great players. Peyton Manning, drafted first overall in 1998, fits into that category. Tim Couch, drafted first overall in 1999 by the expansion Cleveland Browns, played early and was a flop.
Carson Palmer and Daunt Culpepper didn’t throw a pass as rookies and were full-time starters in their second seasons. By popular logic – popular in some quarters, anyway – they should have benefitted from a year of observation and started fast. They didn’t.
Here is a look at how some quarterbacks performed with their first experience as a starter:
Peyton Manning: He took every offensive snap his rookie year. In the first four games he had three TD passes and 11 interceptions. It wasn’t until Game 5 that he broke even – one TD, one interception. He finished strong, with 26 TD passes and 29 interceptions for the season.
Daunte Culpepper: Sitting his rookie season in 1999 didn’t do much good for the start of 2000. Culpepper had one TD passes and four interceptions in the first two games. After that, he took off – 33 TD passes against 16 interceptions for the season.
Tony Romo: He sat the bench for three years and the first four games of 2006 without throwing a pass. When he got his chance, the results were mixed – two TDs and three interceptions in his first game of extended playing time. He had a TD pass and an interception in his first start. Four years later, he’s still up and down.
Carson Palmer: Drafted first overall in 2003, he never took a snap as a rookie. He started the first 13 games of 2004 before going out with an injury. Palmer had a rough start – three TD passes, seven interceptions in his first four starts. He had 18 TD passes, 18 interceptions for the season.
Drew Brees: He sat the bench as San Diego’s second-round pick iin 2001, playing only one game. He started all 16 games in 2002 and had 17 TD passes, 16 interceptions. His start was decent – three TDs and an interception in the first two games, but a 5-4 split through five games.
Tom Brady: The Patriots’ sixth-round pick in 1999, he threw three passes as a rookie – all against the Lions in a loss in Thanksgiving Day.
Brady took over during a loss in Game 2 of 2000 and didn’t show much early – no TDs, no interceptions in his first three games. Two were starts. But his stats and career took off. He’s headed to the Hall of Fame, but not based on his rookie stats – 18 TD passes, 12 interceptions and 41 sacks, the most of his career.
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