Caldwell: Stafford's Performance Came Within 'Complex' System
By Ashley Scoby
@AshleyScoby
Matthew Stafford had one of his best games as a Lion on Monday night against the Saints. And according to head coach Jim Caldwell, what he did – and how he's been playing through the second half of the season – is even more impressive because of how complicated the Lions' offensive system is.
The quarterback has also benefitted from having Jim Bob Cooter move up as offensive coordinator; Stafford has talked before about how the two have a close relationship.
"I think they have a very good synergy together," Caldwell said. "I do think some of the changes that have been made have fit his strengths, but I have to certainly just give him a lot of credit because what he's doing is not easy. It's a complex system. … You see more people fail at it than advance and prosper within it."
Against New Orleans, Stafford completed 22 of his 25 passes (setting a franchise record for completion percentage at 88 percent) for 254 yards and three touchdowns.
Caldwell praised Stafford's progression in the system and his ability to check into certain calls.
But he wouldn't say whether or not Cooter's system was more complicated, or simplified compared to former offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi's.
"The complexity of this particular system is complex," Caldwell said. "I'm not gonna do any sort of comparison."
Levels of complication notwithstanding, Caldwell had high compliments for his quarterback, who started out the season on pace to have the worst year of his career, interceptions-wise.
Stafford's future with the franchise has been called into question, especially with a new front office regime on its way in at some point.
"You haven't seen very many throughout the years with those kinds of numbers," Caldwell said. "I thought it was pretty special."