Is Stafford's career as a starter over???

[GTripp0012]

I said this to my roommate (Lions fan), but I think the Lions have to honestly and truly move forward as if Stafford isn't their franchise quarterback and they need to acquire one in the offseason to lead the team.

It's by far the most difficult conclusion they could possibly make, and there's nothing to suggest Stafford can't be a top level quarterback in their offensive scheme. But alternative to this is to wait until next year when Stafford is healthy and then find out if he can lead them to the postseason.

Windows of opportunity in the NFL are very, very short. For the Lions, their window as a true contender in the NFC just opened. 2-6 is probably a death sentence in terms of making the playoffs this year: getting back to 8-8 (which is the 09 Titans best case scenario) probably isn't good enough. But with that window open and with the need to capitalize with Kyle VandenBosch and Jeff Backus and Dominic Raiola and Nate Burleson are all still contributors in a delicate balance, I think waiting for Stafford to lead them is the wrong move.

One that could pay off, but still I think the wrong move.