(Photo: Daniel Mears, Detroit News)
Allen Park — Matthew Stafford has long possessed one of the strongest arms in football, but that talent was wasted in 2018.
Whether it was due to injuries, to himself or his weapons, or former coordinator Jim Bob Cooter's offensive scheme, Stafford's average pass attempt traveled a paltry 6.81 yards beyond the line of scrimmage last season. Among qualifying passers, it ranked 31st. Only Oakland's David Carr threw the ball shorter, on average.
This year, the Lions have retooled the offense under new coordinator Darrell Bevell. And even though the team is running a West Coast offense variant — a system predicated on short throws and yards after the catch — he's managed to utilize Stafford's arm like never before in his career.