How did this happen?
Why is Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford suddenly Mr. Efficient?
It starts with his preparation.
Last week, Stafford was studying tape of the Los Angeles Rams and saw that when a quarterback held the ball a long time and looked one way, a Rams cornerback had a tendency to slough off on the backside of a play.
“Thinking the play was over,” Stafford said. “I wanted a chance to do that in the game.”
So on Sunday, Stafford dropped back to pass and saw a single-high safety. Rams defensive lineman Aaron Donald had jumped offside giving Stafford a free play.