The Detroit Lions enter Week 11 with a 3-6 record and in last place in the ultra-competitive NFC North. It’s not the type of performance first-year head coach Matt Patricia had in mind.
While struggles persist on both sides of the ball, the NFL’s fifth-highest paid quarterback has not led Detroit’s offense to much success. The Lions rank 20th in the NFL in points scored and Matthew Stafford has been sacked a ridiculous 16 times over the past two games.
In talking about his quarterback, embattled Lions offensive coordinator Jim Bob Cooter did not necessarily give a ringing endorsement. In fact, the detective in us can conclude that Cooter is not keen on how Stafford has played this season.
Jim Bob Cooter, asked how Matthew Stafford has played this season: "That's Detroit Lions information."
— kyle meinke (@kmeinke) November 13, 2018
It’s interesting in that Stafford has been statistically good this season. He’s completing nearly 67 percent of his passes with 16 touchdowns and eight inteceptions in nine games. Not terrible numbers. A lackluster offensive line also hasn’t helped the veteran quarterback.
We’re not too sure what’s happening behind the scenes in Detroit. What we do know is that Cooter was a holdover from the previous coaching staff. He has no ties with first-year head coach Matt Patricia. That could lead to a change in the near future.
For his part, Stafford is in it for the long haul. He has four seasons remaining on the five-year, $135 million extension he signed with Detroit back in August of 2017.