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Former Purdue QB David Blough to Start for Detroit Lions Today

David Blough had a great four-year career at Purdue, but then went undrafted. Still, he'll get his first NFL start on Thanksgiving Day when the Detroit Lions take on the Chicago Bears.
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Milljons of people are going to flip on the TV to watch NFL football on Thanksgiving Day, and it all starts at 12:30 p.m. ET when the Detroit Lions take on the Chicago Bears.

When the Lions take the field, quarterback David Blough will make his first-ever NFL start. And the country will say in unison, "WHO'S THAT?'' 

Purdue fans will know, of course. Blough threw for 3,705 yards and 25 touchdowns a year ago as a senior and led its high-powered offense to a bowl game under head coach Jeff Brohm. He started for the better part of four years during his Purdue career from 2015 to 2018.

Despite his inexperience in the NFL, Blough does have a track record of surprising people and he might even be the better QB on the field Thursday, considering the struggles of Bears quarterback Mitch Trubisky. Last season, Blough he led underdog Purdue past No. 2-ranked Ohio State, shocking the Buckeyes 49-20. It was easily the biggest upset of the season in college football, and Blough led the way with 378 yards passing and three touchdowns.

He also beat ranked teams Boston College and Iowa last year and threw for 572 yards in a loss to Missouri. He threw for 275 yards or more eight times last season.

Blough wasn't drafted in last spring's NFL Draft, but he was signed by the Cleveland Browns and went to camp. When it was clear he wasn't going to make the team, the Browns traded him to the Detroit Lions for a late-round pick.

Matthew Stafford is the longtime starter at quarterback for Detroit, but he injured his back a month ago and is likely out for the year. Former Florida quarterback Jeff Driskel has been starting in his absence, but he got hurt last week in the loss to Washington, so Blough is the next man up.

Blough isn't the only former Boilermakers quarterback starting on Thanskgiving Day. Drew, Brees, probably Purdue's greatest quarterback, will start Thursday night for the New Orleans Saints when they take on the Atlanta Falcons.

Blough is the first undrafted rookie quarterback to EVER start a game for the Lions, which is saying something.