When should Matt Stafford start?

[professorpinasheep]

His findings were that a good QB is a good QB no matter when the start and thus it doesn't matter if they sit or start their first year. Also, I think 3 or 4 wins would be great this year. They had 0 last year and any improvement is a good sign because they aren't going to get anywhere near .500 this year at all.

Yes, it was an interesting article. My point wasn't about whether sitting or starting Stafford will help or stunt his development. My point was that if Culpepper appears to give them a better chance to win now, then he's the guy that should start. Like I said, if it's close you go with Stafford.. but if it isn't, you don't start Stafford just because you want him to be the franchise guy.

I'm looking at it from the perspective of Lions ownership. They cannot afford another horrible (Any worse than 4-12, by Lions' standards) season. They've already lost a ridiculous portion of their fan base, and people finally stopped showing up at Ford Field last season. Wins are probably the only thing that will bring most, especially casual, fans back. The Bengals went through the same thing. Everyone thought Kitna was washed up, and they had Palmer waiting in the wings. Kitna beat Palmer out in camp, and so he sat and learned for a year. Next year, Palmer comes in and is ready to go and the Bengals begin a slow climb to a few years of respectability (playoff runs, double digit win totals, etc). Yes, I know they suck now.. but that has to do more with personnel choices than player development.