Jeff Riger: Schwartz With Interesting QB Decision
Wednesday's at the Detroit Lions Allen Park headquarters usually means that head coach Jim Schwartz tells the media who will be starting at quarterback for the upcoming Sunday game. However this Wednesday was different as Schwartz said" I don't have any announcements as far as the quarterbacks go." To read in between the lines of that statement would lead one to believe that either Drew Stanton or Sean Hill will be under center, but which one? Stanton started the last two games for the Lions and even though at times his play was not spectacular he brought home a win last week against the Packers. Hill has not played since injuring his finger in the Thanksgiving Day game against the Patriots.
Schwartz when asked what it will take to allow him to name Hill the starter said "he needs to be able to make all the throws and he needs to be able to withstand an NFL game. That's Sean Hill, that's Matt Stafford, that's Ndamukong Suh, everybody is in the same boat. Quarterback is a little bit different in that your handling the football and you have to make throws, it's not just a matter of being able to tough out an injury, it's being able to be effective." Hill when approached in the locker room revealed that in order to play he has to revamp his technique which includes learning to throw without the use of his index finger. "Yeah it's what I'm attempting to do or use it on a limited basis. There need to be consistently with that too, I can't use it some on one throw and then none on the other, that's when it starts looking pretty ugly. Just trying to train my body to do the same thing every time."
Stanton would love a chance to play in this game himself, knowing that there are still some things at stake for this 3 and 10 football team. "We have a lot left to play for, you know we have to go out there and try to finish this year strong. We also want end streaks that are negative, our goal is to go out there and win every Sunday. I would like to be the one doing it, but if I can't then I will support whoever is in there." That streak that the former Michigan State and Farmington Harrison product referred to is an NFL worst record of losing 26 straight games on the road.
Lions head to Tampa Bay on Sunday to take on the 8-5 Buccaneers. Coverage starts on "The Ticket" at 10am.
