Matthew Stafford wins comeback-player-of-the-year award

[polamalubeast]

No matter how you look at it, the PFW/PFWA Comeback Player of the Year Award suits Lions QB Matthew Stafford.

Less than a year removed from right shoulder surgery, Stafford threw for 5,038 yards and 41 TDs in leading Detroit to its first playoff berth since 1999. Stafford, who played just three games the previous season, didn't miss a single contest in 2011, throwing a whopping 706 passes in 17 starts in the regular season and playoffs.


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http://www.profootballweekly.com/2012/01/17/comeback-player-of-the-year

[Hindes204]

any list with Tommy Maddox is irrelevant, lol.

In all seriousness, the kid deserves it, he had a hell of a year. Such a young team too, I see them getting better and better over the next couple of years.

[st33lersguy]

He deserves it. If Detroit gets a defense, with this guy a quarterback, they could be Super Bowl contenders

[steelerdude15]

He deserves this, congrats.

[steelerdiva]

Congrats to him. Well deserved.

[zulater]

I think Ochostinko sandbagged away this year so he'd be eligible next season. :heh:

[st33lersguy]

I think Ochostinko sandbagged away this year so he'd be eligible next season. :heh:

I don't think he is smart enough to come up with a scheme like that

[steelreserve]

I have no idea how in the hell Alex Smith didn't win this, and I don't even like Alex Smith. This award was practically MADE for him this year.

Not to take anything away from Stafford; he had a heck of a season. But you can't really ”come back” when you were barely in the league before whatever happened. ”Comeback” to me means your career hit a low point and you turned it around - not that you happened to get hurt while you were breaking into the league and then continued on your same course. Maybe this was their way of recognizing the Lions as a whole, but even in that case, the Niners would be just as deserving.

[The Duke]

I have no idea how in the hell Alex Smith didn't win this, and I don't even like Alex Smith. This award was practically MADE for him this year.

Not to take anything away from Stafford; he had a heck of a season. But you can't really ”come back” when you were barely in the league before whatever happened. ”Comeback” to me means your career hit a low point and you turned it around - not that you happened to get hurt while you were breaking into the league and then continued on your same course. Maybe this was their way of recognizing the Lions as a whole, but even in that case, the Niners would be just as deserving.

I agree

and after that drive last weekend he should have been a lock for the award

[Psycho Ward 86]

I have no idea how in the hell Alex Smith didn't win this, and I don't even like Alex Smith. This award was practically MADE for him this year.

Not to take anything away from Stafford; he had a heck of a season. But you can't really ”come back” when you were barely in the league before whatever happened. ”Comeback” to me means your career hit a low point and you turned it around - not that you happened to get hurt while you were breaking into the league and then continued on your same course. Maybe this was their way of recognizing the Lions as a whole, but even in that case, the Niners would be just as deserving.

Why would Smith make it? What exactly is he "coming back" from? Heck, i dont think Stafford should get it either for the reasons you just said. Smith has sucked out loud his entire career until now. I used to think the concept of the award was supposed to be the guy that used to be really good, then sucked, then was really good again. But i guess the definition of the award has blurred over the years.

[st33lersguy]

I have no idea how in the hell Alex Smith didn't win this, and I don't even like Alex Smith. This award was practically MADE for him this year.

Not to take anything away from Stafford; he had a heck of a season. But you can't really ”come back” when you were barely in the league before whatever happened. ”Comeback” to me means your career hit a low point and you turned it around - not that you happened to get hurt while you were breaking into the league and then continued on your same course. Maybe this was their way of recognizing the Lions as a whole, but even in that case, the Niners would be just as deserving.

It is probably because Stafford had the better year. He threw for over 5,000 yards and led the Lions to the playoffs with a bad defense and injuries to their running backs. All Alex Smith did was ride Frank Gore, Vernon Davis, and the NFC's best defense to the playoffs

[steelreserve]

It is probably because Stafford had the better year. He threw for over 5,000 yards and led the Lions to the playoffs with a bad defense and injuries to their running backs. All Alex Smith did was ride Frank Gore, Vernon Davis, and the NFC's best defense to the playoffs

I don't know. Yes, Stafford obviously had the better year, but comeback doesn't really mean that to me. He was never anywhere as near as low as Alex Smith, who was just DESPISED. The guy was almost run out of town and his career over except for backup duty, for all intents and purposes. Stafford hit a speed bump on his way up.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IhVQaBd-oDA

[st33lersguy]

I don't know. Yes, Stafford obviously had the better year, but comeback doesn't really mean that to me. He was never anywhere as near as low as Alex Smith, who was just DESPISED. The guy was almost run out of town and his career over except for backup duty, for all intents and purposes. Stafford hit a speed bump on his way up.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IhVQaBd-oDA

Couldn't comeback just mean coming back from injury aswell? Stafford came back from injury to have a stellar year and carry an otherwise bad team to the playoffs, to lead his team back from 13 points down four times. Other than the TD drives in the last 5 minutes of the 4th quarter against what was a bad defense anyway. Smith has been carried by his supporting cast. Smith just looks better by default because of how the entire team has played this year as opposed to the previous year

[steelreserve]

Couldn't comeback just mean coming back from injury aswell? Stafford came back from injury to have a stellar year and carry an otherwise bad team to the playoffs, to lead his team back from 13 points down four times. Other than the TD drives in the last 5 minutes of the 4th quarter against what was a bad defense anyway. Smith has been carried by his supporting cast. Smith just looks better by default because of how the entire team has played this year as opposed to the previous year

I mean, yeah, that's one of the things they definitely give the award for. But I always kind of thought they gave it to a veteran who everyone seriously thought could be facing the decline of his career, whether it was from injury or something else. Stafford doesn't really fit that profile as much as Smith. I mean, he had a separated shoulder. Everyone knew he was going to be back as the Lions' starting QB as soon as he was healthy.

Smith had the complete hat trick - shoulder surgery, losing the starting job three times, being booed off the field, almost not getting re-signed and only picked back up by the 49ers because of the lockout ... SEVERAL TIMES, the guy was a hair's breadth away from being a career backup or playing in the CFL. He's not got numbers as good as Stafford and probably is never going to be the passer that Stafford is, but that only really adds to the argument. Stafford had a hiccup in his development process but generally stayed completely on track. Smith was this close to being down-and-out. If they wanted to give Stafford an award for turning the Lions around, or getting the hang of things quicker than anyone expected, I'm all for it. But this was the wrong award for the situation, and kind of robs someone who had a better claim to it IMO.


By the way, I don't think we need to wait for the season to be over - Peyton Manning is hereby declared the Comeback Player of the Year for 2012. He throws for 3 yards, the award is his.

[NCSteeler]

according to Pro football weekly, the AP award doesn't get announced till Feb 4th

[BigNastyDefense]

The Comeback Player of the Year award can go to a player under two different types of scenarios:

1. A player has either been very good in the past or was a high draft pick that didn't pan out somewhere and then comes out of nowhere to have a really good season.

2. A player suffers an injury and then comes back to have a great season.

Alex Smith falls into the first category. However, he's been viewed all season as a game manager. A guy who is not being asked to do too much, they aren't putting the game on his back. They are running the ball with Frank Gore (who stayed injury free for the first time in ages) and playing excellent defense.

Stafford falls into the second category. He missed six games of his rookie year and most of last season with shoulder injuries. Then he came back to throw for 5000 yards & 41 touchdowns and lead the Lions to their first playoff season since I think 1999. He put up the stats a first overall pick if expected to put up. That's why he won the award over Alex Smith.

Also, all the awards (MVP, Rookie, Offensive, Defensive, Comeback) are voted on after the regular season ends and before the playoffs begin. So nobody got to see Smith's performance against the Saints and take that into account.

[st33lersguy]

The Comeback Player of the Year award can go to a player under two different types of scenarios:

1. A player has either been very good in the past or was a high draft pick that didn't pan out somewhere and then comes out of nowhere to have a really good season.

2. A player suffers an injury and then comes back to have a great season.

Alex Smith falls into the first category. However, he's been viewed all season as a game manager. A guy who is not being asked to do too much, they aren't putting the game on his back. They are running the ball with Frank Gore (who stayed injury free for the first time in ages) and playing excellent defense.

Stafford falls into the second category. He missed six games of his rookie year and most of last season with shoulder injuries. Then he came back to throw for 5000 yards & 41 touchdowns and lead the Lions to their first playoff season since I think 1999. He put up the stats a first overall pick if expected to put up. That's why he won the award over Alex Smith.

Also, all the awards (MVP, Rookie, Offensive, Defensive, Comeback) are voted on after the regular season ends and before the playoffs begin. So nobody got to see Smith's performance against the Saints and take that into account.

Not to mention the Lion's defense had a bad year overall and suffered so many injuries at RB that the starting RB at the end of the year was someone they cut at the start of training camp. Stafford had to do much much more to get his team to the playoffs

[BigNastyDefense]

Not to mention the Lion's defense had a bad year overall and suffered so many injuries at RB that the starting RB at the end of the year was someone they cut at the start of training camp. Stafford had to do much much more to get his team to the playoffs

Yes, this too.

In the end, both players deserved it, but I think Stafford deserved it more.

[BlacknGoldBabe]

Congrats to Stafford. When their D comes around, look out.