ALLEN PARK, Mich. -- Matthew Stafford stood on the sideline in Week 5 in a blowout against the Arizona Cardinals, benched by his coach, Jim Caldwell, for the first time in his career. At that point, the questions were obvious.
Was Stafford, in his seventh season, the quarterback of the future for the franchise? What would the Detroit Lions, then the last winless team in the NFL, do with the former No. 1 overall pick after the season?
By the end of the season, Stafford made those answers seem very clear.