The headline in the Philadelphia Inquirer instantly grabs any Lions fan’s attention: “Can Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz avoid being the next Matthew Stafford?”
Bob Ford of the Inquirer wrote about how the Eagles need to take steps to prevent their young first-round quarterback from having his promising career wind up like Stafford’s has gone in Detroit. It’s a window of perspective into how the longtime Lions leader is viewed in another NFL community.
Stafford has been consistent and durable — Sunday will be his 131st consecutive start — but while the quarterback’s career statistics are a loud roar of approval, his national profile and overall reputation are as quiet as Ford Field during the NFL postseason.
Listing Stafford’s impressive list of personal accomplishments, Ward spins it forward for Philadelphia and tries to apply the lessons of why a successful individual doesn’t necessarily translate into important wins for the team.
That his successful career — he’s 31 now — has not translated into team success is a cautionary lesson for every franchise that drafts its elite quarterback and settles back to watch the trophies pile up in the lobby.
It’s an interesting way of dispelling the myth of the “QB wins” argument, one Eagles fans themselves know well with the likes of Ron Jaworski and Donovan McNabb. And with Jim Schwartz — the rookie head coach in Detroit in Stafford’s first season — as the Eagles defensive coordinator, there is some perspective.
Ford’s piece is worth a read and is not a hack job taking reckless shots at Stafford. It’s an important reminder that a quarterback cannot control the fate of the team no matter how great he performs.
