Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports
Bears Coach Matt Nagy Has "the Ultimate Respect" for Matthew Stafford
What a difference a season has made for Matthew Stafford and the Lions' offense.
After a 2018 campaign in which the Lions went just 6-10 and finished in last place in the NFC North, many fans were ready to move on from Stafford and rightfully so.
He threw for less than 4,000 yards -- 3,777 passing yards -- for the first time in a season in which he played a full 16 games.
He also threw for just 21 touchdowns -- his lowest total since throwing for 22 back in 2014.
The Lions' 2009 first-round pick -- the No. 1 overall selection in the draft -- had clearly regressed.
And even some of his loudest and most loyal supporters started talking about finding his successor.
Fast-forward to 2019 and the narrative surrounding Stafford has undoubtedly changed.
Through eight games, the 11th-year passer is throwing for a league-high 312.4 yards per game.
He's also amassed a career-high passer rating of 106.0 and career-high QBR of 70.0.
And he's already accounted for 19 scores.
If he continues at this pace, he will end up throwing for 38 TDs -- three shy of the career-high 41 he threw for in 2011 in just his third year in the league.
Stafford will look to continue his stellar start to the 2019 campaign Sunday in Chicago.
Bears head man Matt Nagy understands that it won't be easy for his defense to stop Stafford and the Lions' passing attack.
“I’ve always had the ultimate respect for Matt Stafford," Nagy said. "Some of the throws that he’s made over his career are just ridiculous. I mean there are not many players in the NFL that can make the side-arm throws that he does on the run, running left throwing right (and) just putting it where no one else can get it. He’s tough, he’s a competitor and when he’s back there at the quarterback position, he’s scary because he can make any throw and you always have a chance with him. You take that and you combine (it with) these wide receivers that he has. So, anybody that’s a hell of a quarterback like he is -- that has weapons at the wide receiver and tight end position -- they’re always going to have success."
In each of Stafford's last three games, he has thrown for at least 342 yards and three touchdowns.
In fact, in last week's 31-24 loss to the Raiders, the University of Georgia product threw for a season-high 406 yards to go along with three TD tosses.
Meanwhile, the Bears (3-5) -- coming into this Week 10 matchup -- have had their fair share of quarterback problems and have been reeling.
They're losers of four in a row, and third-year passer Mitchell Trubisky has looked anything but ready to take the next step towards being a bonafide franchise passer.
Trubisky, the Bears' 2017 first-round pick (No. 2 overall), has accounted for just five TD passes through seven games.
The Bears' struggles can't solely be placed upon the shoulders of Trubisky, however.
Chicago's losing ways of late can also be attributed to the defense's inability to manufacture takeaways.
After starting off like gangbusters with eight takeaways through its first four games, it's only forced three since.
The Bears' D also accounted for 17 sacks through the first quarter of the season. Since, Chicago has produced just six sacks.
All of this could spell success for Stafford and Detroit's air attack at Soldier Field Sunday.
More: Midseason Grades for Lions' Offense
