It's a never-ending debate, and maybe we'll start getting answers this season: did Matthew Stafford fail the Lions or did the Lions fail Matthew Stafford?
You know the story. Stafford made just three trips to the playoffs without a single playoff win in 12 seasons in Detroit. At the same time, Detroit gave Stafford just two top-10 defenses without a single top-10 rushing attack.
In LA, the alibis are gone. Stafford's surrounded by talent on a Rams team that reached the second round of the playoffs last season and reached the Super Bowl two seasons before that. He was a losing quarterback in Detroit. We're about to find out if he can be a winner.
Say this for Stafford during his tenure with the Lions: he was nothing if not accountable. He shouldered the blame for losing, and that's no different now. In an interview with NBC Sports' Peter King last week, Stafford was asked if part of him feels like he let down the franchise that drafted him first overall in 2009.
“Definitely," Stafford said. "I sit there and go, ‘Man, I wish I could’ve gotten it done.’ I mean, it would’ve been amazing to have a Super Bowl parade down Woodward Avenue in Detroit. Didn’t happen. Tough pill to swallow as a competitor and somebody who touches the ball on every single offensive play. You definitely look back and wish you’d done a few things different here or there in some games, that maybe change the outcomes of seasons, but I’m focused completely forward now."
The Lions dealt Stafford to the Rams this offseason after he asked for a trade ahead of another rebuild in Detroit. He departed with every passing record in franchise history, and a career record of 74-90-1.
"Had some great seasons there where we were successful and that’s as much fun as you can have playing football," he told King. "It’s tough to lose. Everybody knows that. For me, (asking for a trade) wasn't so much that as it was just kind of knowing where the organization was going. It was going through a big change with new head coach, new general manager. Gonna be a lot of new players as well. I just felt like the timing was right. It was well within their rights to tell me that it wasn’t, and I would’ve understood. Just really appreciate them for at least entertaining the idea and then obviously going through and together making that happen. It’s something that as a player, you want to have chances at it. Luckily, they were great and sent me to a place that’s got a bunch of great players and a bunch of recent success.”
Asked if he expects the fun of football to be rekindled with the Rams, Stafford said, "I don’t think I ever lost it. I love playing this game. I love competing. Being in those big moments late in games, playing in big games, playing in playoff games, that’s what you play this game for. You live for those moments. Hopefully I get a bunch of opportunities at those while I’m here and make the most of them.”