INSIDE SLANT

NFL Team Report - Detroit Lions</h2><br>QB Stafford set to finish subpar season<p></p> For the first time in a decade, the Detroit Lions will enter the offseason with a question mark at quarterback.<p></p> Matthew Stafford is under contract for another four seasons and should return as the Lions' starter in 2019, but he's had a disappointing year under first-year head coach Matt Patricia and outlets like ESPN and NBC Sports have speculated about the Lions potentially trading the quarterback they took No. 1 overall way back in 2009.<p></p> If the Lions were to move on from Stafford, they'd need to be willing to eat a $30 million cap hit in a trade and then have to find a replacement, something that's easier said than done, even with a potential top-five draft pick.<p></p> Statistically, Stafford is having his worst season since he missed most of 2010 with shoulder injuries. He's thrown just 19 touchdown passes this year, has 15 turnovers and almost certainly will finish with fewer than 4,000 yards passing - he has 3,511 entering Sunday's season finale against the Green Bay Packers - for the first time since his second NFL season.<p></p> Some of Stafford's struggles can be attributed to injuries - he's played through a back injury the last three weeks that's limited his effectiveness, but was a full participant in practice Wednesday - and a lack of weapons at receiver, but he also hasn't seemed comfortable in an offense that's come to rely more on the running game and less on his big arm.<p></p> The Lions have scored 17 or fewer points in five straight games, but they struggled to sustain drives even when Golden Tate, Marvin Jones Jr. and Kerryon Johnson were all in the lineup early in the year.<p></p> Stafford championed the Lions keeping Jim Bob Cooter as offensive coordinator last winter, before Patricia was hired as head coach, and Cooter is now on the hot seat as play-caller.<p></p> Patricia, likewise, has publicly supported Stafford, routinely praising his toughness and football acumen. But he also pulled Stafford in the fourth quarter of last week's loss to the Minnesota Vikings and has watched public sentiment turn against the quarterback.<p></p> Stafford, whose removal from the game incited cheers from the Ford Field crowd last week, said he doesn't pay attention to external noise and is only focused on playing football.<p></p> "Coach makes those decisions," Stafford said of being pulled from the game. "I always want to be out there. I understand where he's coming from with it. He knows what I'm dealing with and going through, so as far as fans' reaction, it doesn't make any difference to me."<p></p> SERIES HISTORY: 177th regular-season meeting. Packers lead series, 98-71-7. The Lions beat the Packers in Week 5 this year when LeGarrette Blount ran for two touchdowns. One memorable meeting in this series came in 2011, when the Packers beat the Lions in the season finale at Lambeau Field as Matthew Stafford threw for 520 yards and five touchdowns but Matt Flynn had 480 yards passing and six TDs for the Packers. </div> <div class="flex gap-2"> <div class="font-bold text-gray-600">The Sports Xchange</div> </div> <div id="comments" class="pt-6"></div> </div> </div> <div class="py-6 space-y-6"> <div class="space-y-4"> <h2 class="md:col-span-2 lg:col-span-3 font-bold text-xl text-gray-800">Recent Stories</h2> <a href="/feature/testing-buffalo-bill-page" class="group flex flex-col bg-gray-100 hover:bg-white transition rounded-lg overflow-hidden shadow"> <div class="flex flex-col gap-2 p-6"> <h3 class="font-bold text-lg text-gray-800 group-hover:text-gray-700">Testing Buffalo Bill Page</h3> <div class="text-gray-600 group-hover:text-gray-500 line-clamp-6"> Joe Horrigan knows the Buffalo Bills </div> </div> </a> <a href="/feature/06e3032cec6e442ab60a7fd8ae1b3701" class="group flex flex-col bg-gray-100 hover:bg-white transition rounded-lg overflow-hidden shadow"> <div class="flex flex-col gap-2 p-6"> <h3 class="font-bold text-lg text-gray-800 group-hover:text-gray-700">Steelers positional analysis: Kenny Pickett stands alone in QB room</h3> <div class="text-gray-600 group-hover:text-gray-500 line-clamp-6"> 2/17/2024If the Steelers were concerned about the uncertain future at quarterback when Ben Roethlisberger retired, the outlook at the position might not be any more ... </div> </div> </a> <a href="/feature/07f24b7086b24e9e83c29e8bf9cd913b" class="group flex flex-col bg-gray-100 hover:bg-white transition rounded-lg overflow-hidden shadow"> <div class="flex flex-col gap-2 p-6"> <h3 class="font-bold text-lg text-gray-800 group-hover:text-gray-700">49ers coach Kyle Shanahan doesn’t deserve criticism since Super Bowl</h3> <div class="text-gray-600 group-hover:text-gray-500 line-clamp-6"> Globe StaffUpdated February 17, 2024, 9:38 a.m.Kyle Shanahan has been on the defensive all week following the 49ers’ 25-22 overtime loss to the Chiefs in the Super ... </div> </div> </a> <a href="/feature/2ae9263e12c74de88c5fb4aa552a1f3e" class="group flex flex-col bg-gray-100 hover:bg-white transition rounded-lg overflow-hidden shadow"> <div class="flex flex-col gap-2 p-6"> <h3 class="font-bold text-lg text-gray-800 group-hover:text-gray-700">New Raiders GM expected to be aggressive in search for top QB</h3> <div class="text-gray-600 group-hover:text-gray-500 line-clamp-6"> February 17, 2024 - 4:19 PMIf Tom Telesco’s past offers clues about his future, expect the Raiders’ new general manager to be aggressive in bringing in a top-level ... </div> </div> </a> <a href="/features?skip=22" class="group flex items-center justify-center gap-2 bg-gray-100 hover:bg-white transition rounded-lg shadow px-3.5 py-2.5 text-gray-800 hover:text-gray-700 font-medium"> <span>Read More Stories</span> <span class="transition-transform group-hover:translate-x-1 motion-reduce:transform-none"><i class="fa-solid fa-arrow-right"></i></span> </a> </div> <div class="space-y-4"> <h2 class="md:col-span-2 lg:col-span-3 font-bold text-xl text-gray-800">Latest Player Notes</h2> <a href="/note/65f70668f166e2567ab51b31" class="group flex flex-col bg-gray-100 hover:bg-white transition rounded-lg overflow-hidden shadow"> <div class="flex flex-col gap-2 p-6"> <h3 class="font-bold text-lg text-gray-800 group-hover:text-gray-700">How a Wisconsin legend got his German protégé into Badgers pro day</h3> <div class="text-gray-600 group-hover:text-gray-500 line-clamp-6"> <span class="font-light"> </span> Mar 15, 2024 Marlon Werthmann put his life on hold for the opportunity in front of him Friday at the McClain Center.Werthmann ... </div> </div> </a> <a href="/note/65f70667f166e2567ab51b24" class="group flex flex-col bg-gray-100 hover:bg-white transition rounded-lg overflow-hidden shadow"> <div class="flex flex-col gap-2 p-6"> <h3 class="font-bold text-lg text-gray-800 group-hover:text-gray-700">Why former Wisconsin football running back Braelon Allen didn't run the 40 at pro day</h3> <div class="text-gray-600 group-hover:text-gray-500 line-clamp-6"> <span class="font-light"> </span> Mar 15, 2024 Braelon Allen’s sweat covered his shirt and dripped off his beard as he approached a group of reporters Friday.The ... </div> </div> </a> <a href="/note/65f70667f166e2567ab51b11" class="group flex flex-col bg-gray-100 hover:bg-white transition rounded-lg overflow-hidden shadow"> <div class="flex flex-col gap-2 p-6"> <h3 class="font-bold text-lg text-gray-800 group-hover:text-gray-700">How can UW recruit its best class ever? 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