With the preseason behind us, and the roster trimmed tidily, the Detroit Lions find themselves with some serious depth in the pocket with quarterbacks Matthew Stafford, Shaun Hill and rookie Kellen Moore. Personally, I think Moore was the stand out rock star of the pre-season with the amount of playing time he had, the success of his game, and the press coverage hours spent on his up and coming career. One Google search will land you nearly 2 million links in less than 30 seconds. Here in Michigan, it didn’t hurt that Boise State was in town to play the Spartans, giving Moore a hometown crowd to play in front of at Ford Field last week.
Moore’s appeal seems to stem from his diligence during practices. In post-game interviews, coaching staff and teammates alike have commented on Moore’s work ethic.
“He comes to practice and practice doesn’t slow down, he knows the game,” said first string QB Matthew Stafford during a press conference after the pre-season victory over the Bills. “There’s no fumbling stuff around, doing typical rookie stuff, I was impressed with him.”
By: Marianne O'Leary
Then again, perhaps it comes down to Football 101, as stated by head coach Jim Schwartz in a press conference after the Bills game.
“He got us in the end zone, didn’t turn the ball over,” said Schwartz. That’s really all we need from a quarterback, isn’t it?
Shaun Hill held his own and will be the backup behind Stafford this season. With a preseason record of 211 yards and a couple of touchdowns, his spot is secure. More than anything, Hill has a track record from seasons past of stepping in and performing well when Stafford was out due to injuries. With Kellen Moore on the roster, however, I think it is Hill’s seniority that has kept him in the second spot.
As for Stafford, well, all I can say is a mighty big thank you to the football gods for clean x-rays after a helmet to hand hit during the third preseason game against the Oakland Raiders. Defensive end Dave Tollefson of the Raiders took Stafford down after an incomplete pass, hitting Stafford’s non-throwing hand with his helmet. For a second, Lions fans everywhere saw the season flash before their eyes in shades of Honolulu blue and silver. With over 5,000 yards and 41 touchdowns last season, that is one hand and one dream we need not to be broken.
Now, here we are on the brink of the first game of the 2012 season, to be played Sunday at home against the Rams. Already, commentators and bloggers are buzzing about the comparison between Stafford and Rams QB Sam Bradford. It will be interesting to see if the similarities are truly all they are hyped up to be.
More than ever before I am super-psyched to see what is going to be flying, rushing, or running out of the Lions pocket. Lions face off against the Rams, this Sunday at Ford Field, 1 PM EDT. Go Lions!
Related: Jaws QB Countdown
