November 11, 2009
Any time you travel cross-country you never can know how your body is going to react the next day. And there are different philosophies as a head coach as it pertains to the best method for adapting and preparing. I think Coach Schwartz did the logical process by leaving Saturday (as usual for us), but leaving with enough time to do our walk-through in Seattle allowed us to get acclimated.
I think that paid off for us and was evident with the way we came out to start on Sunday. We looked crisp and were firing on all cylinders in the first quarter, but the talent is too good in this league to feel comfortable with any lead and when you have a team down you must keep pressing onward. We unfortunately were not able to do that and the result speaks for itself.
I feel somewhat uncomfortable talking about the game, as I was not out there playing, but I will try my best. I thought as an offense we executed the gameplan how we wanted and knew what to expect. Seattle relies on the “12th man" to gain an advantage, and it is as good as any crowd in the NFL. We took them out quick, first goal achieved. We knew they wanted to try and be physical, second goal achieved by us to go out and punch them in the mouth (figuratively, not literally).
But the biggest determining factor in the NFL is turnover ratio, and that unfortunately got away from us in the end. I will say this in Matt's defense and leave it at this, he was going to the right places on ALL of his interceptions. And sure it’s easy to sit back and say he needs to make throws, but from personal experience I can say things are moving fast and the littlest of things can affect your timing. Not being able to step into your throw or a receiver comes out of his break at a different angle and you become subject to a major error.
So now we move on and look forward to Minnesota coming off their bye.
They should have Winfield back in the lineup this week, which changes the dynamics of that defense. He is as good of a tackling corner as there is in the NFL so we must be aware of where he is on the field. Not to mention their front 7 is arguably the best in football. That being said, we have played them tough to the end every time the past three seasons I have been here.
We know what we need to do to win, it’s a matter of going out and executing it on Sunday.
Drew Stanton is a quarterback with the Detroit Lions. His blog for www.playerpress.com runs at www.drewstanton.com. Follow him on Twitter at www.twitter.com/drewstanton.
November 5, 2009
The bye week came at a good time for the team, but selfishly a poor time for me. I mean that somewhat jokingly, and I must write that because sarcasm does not travel clearly in "blog" language. If we had a game that week, I would have had my first career start due to the injuries to Daunte and Matt. Well as we know that was not the case, so I will continue to wait for that day to come.
Honestly, it was the best thing for our team to have a bye. It is at that point in the season where guys have little knick-knack injuries, and with the bye they can heal up for the long haul. Not to mention we have a couple days to relax and take our mind off of football, at least for a little while.
For most of us, it is in our blood so we cannot go without it for too long. I was lucky enough to get out of Michigan for the weekend, but found myself in the hotel room constantly watching games on Saturday and Sunday. When I wasn't in the room, I had to stop and look at the TV for updates of my teams.
Unfortunately, Saturday was not a good day for me. All the teams I was rooting for LOST. Which brings me to the topic that I will finish with... my beloved Spartans. Who, for the past two weeks, have been screwed by the officials. They have had two crucial calls go against them at pivotal points in the game, only to lead to their demise. First, the game against Iowa was not a helmet-to-helmet collision. Those calls are not supposed to go against you at home with the game on the line. Secondly, the Minnesota call was an absolute joke. It goes back to my belief that referees rely too heavily on instant replay to do their job. It is a security blanket for them, so they do not to blow the whistle and risk making the wrong call.
The Spartans future is bright though, throw the out their record and look to see what has actually happened. There are one or two plays in some of their losses that had they gone the Spartans way would have changed the outcome. I know that is not the case and that is how you are measured ultimately, by your record, but it needs to start somewhere. They have a lot of good pieces to the puzzle in order to win a Big Ten championship, and as long as recruiting continues the way it has they will be just fine.
GO STATE!!!!
Drew Stanton is a quarterback with the Detroit Lions. His blog for www.playerpress.com runs at www.drewstanton.com. Follow him on Twitter at www.twitter.com/drewstanton.
October 19, 2009
Lambeau is on the short list of venues that will forever be recognizable in sports, very similar to Wrigley Field or Joe Louis Arena. There is an indescribable feeling when you step foot on those grounds, and those who have know what I mean. I remember my first time going there, last year, the last game of the year. It was miserably cold, but the faithful showed up in full support of a team that was 5-10. Needless to say it left a lasting impression on me.
Enough about Lambeau Field and its greatness though, the reality is we are 1-5 heading into the bye. The bye comes at a good time for us, as we are banged up at various positions and can utilize a week off. The bye is always a chance to evaluate where you are as a team, and the corrections that need to be made. So our week will consist of doing those things and then getting a head start on St. Louis.
Back to Sunday, it was nice to play, but not so nice walking away without any points. I saw Daunte pull up when he scrambled, and my immediate reaction was to get loose, because it looked like his hamstring. In that situation, you do not have time to stop and think, just merely react and that is what I did. I had a couple warm-up throws as Daunte handed the ball off one more time and then I went in.
We did not have success my first drive, and I almost got Bryant killed in the process. After apologizing and warming up more, all I wanted to do was go back out there and move the ball on offense.
In the end, I felt like I did some good things, but throwing two interceptions is something that leaves a bad taste in my mouth. The game definitely seems to be slowing down for me in comparison to last year. Because in reality, that was the last time I worked with the first unit in a game situation.
Looking back, I think that is attributed to a couple of things, first, just simply playing and getting more reps this year than I ever have. Second, is my comfort level with the offense. I wasn't at the line of scrimmage second guessing myself.
Who knows how many opportunities I will get in this league, but I will always be prepared and do my best. At the end of the day, those are the things that matter to me. I have yet to see the film, as I am about to head into the facility right now. So I will withhold further judgment until after I see the film.
Drew Stanton is a quarterback with the Detroit Lions. His blog for www.playerpress.com runs at www.drewstanton.com. Follow him on Twitter at www.twitter.com/drewstanton.
October 13, 2009
Last week was the most action I have seen in a long time during the week of preparation. I felt like if called upon, I could have gone in and had success. Part of my responsibility to this team, whether I am second or third string, is to be ready if called upon. That takes a lot of focus and professionalism to prepare as a starter, when in all likelihood you will not get in. But I look forward to the time my number is called and I get a chance to go in and help the team in a victory. That is what keeps me motivated every week.
Another part of my job description is to run the other team’s offense and try to emulate the other quarterback. This past week was obviously Ben Roethlisberger, which meant I had to move around a lot and try to create throws downfield. He is known for holding the ball and making big plays to his explosive wide receivers. Doing all that work and not having any swelling in my knee assured me that I was now 100%. I am very happy to know that my knee has the strength in it to endure any playing time I might get this year. Unfortunately, that was not the case for Matthew, although he seems like he will be good to go this week.
It seems there is never a dull week in the life of a Detroit Lions football player, and we have yet another couple interesting storylines as we head to Green Bay for a divisional game. I am very happy with the fact that we are not playing there the last game of the year and I will actually be able to feel my fingers this year. Also, we brought back one of the best teammates I have ever had and quite possibly the most underrated wide receiver I have ever met, my boy John Standeford. And yes, I am very bias and I know it.
One final thought...
GO STATE!!!!! I am so glad that we beat Michigan again this year, but know that beating Illinois meant more. Historically, there might have been a trap the Spartans would have fallen into after a huge win, but Dantonio and company did not allow it to happen. That makes me very proud of the direction the program is headed.
Drew Stanton is a quarterback with the Detroit Lions. His blog for www.playerpress.com runs at www.drewstanton.com. Follow him on Twitter at www.twitter.com/drewstanton.
September 29, 2009
Sure, winning in the preseason feels good, especially the way we were able to this year, but I would trade all of those wins for the feeling I had getting into my car Sunday afternoon. It was great leaving the burden of the 0-19 record we had accumulated over the past three seasons right on the field after the game. And though I had not played in a lot of those games, it did weigh on my mind.
I remember when I first arrived in Detroit, Rod Marinelli talked about how hard it was to win a single game in the NFL and how you needed to claw and fight for every one. Last year, it almost felt like everyone thought it was just going to happen. That eventually we would just somehow win a game and the streak would be over. Well, history tells us that was not the case, and though our team is completely different than it was last year, the new players inherited the problems of the past.
Instead of accepting that, the Detroit Lions of 2009 went out and changed it. Sure, we started out 0-2, but we have improved and limited our mistakes as the weeks go on, and that is encouraging. Ford Field was as loud as I have heard it ever, and that was without a sellout crowd. Home field advantage truly exists in this league and we were able to feed off the crowd throughout the entire game.
On a personal note, my knee felt good throughout the entire week. It responded well to the stress I put on it and never swelled up on me. Wednesday felt like I had been away from the game for a long time, but I was just excited to be out practicing with the team again. I look forward to contributing to this team winning football games in any way, shape or form. At this point, my knee is 100% and it has only been a month out of surgery, which is very encouraging.
Drew Stanton is a quarterback with the Detroit Lions. His blog for www.playerpress.com runs at www.drewstanton.com. Follow him on Twitter at www.twitter.com/drewstanton.
September 22, 2009
I'm sorry for not having an entry in a while, I tried to do a video blog when I was down in Birmingham, post-surgery. Unfortunately, I could not figure out how to send it off to the website and delayed it too much to put up. If you all would like to see it, I could try to see if I still have it and re-post it, just let me know.
Anyway, it will be three weeks tomorrow that Kristin and I were in Birmingham, AL for my surgery. The recovery has been speedy and can be attributed to a couple of key factors, or really people. First, having the best sports surgeon in the world you expect greatness, and that is exactly what I got. It is no wonder why athletes fly in from all over the United States to get worked on by Dr. Andrews. Secondly, having a loving wife take care of my ice machine, wraps and anything else that needed attending helped significantly. I know at times she did not want to change my ice at 2 a.m., but it went a long way in the end. Lastly, our training staff with the Lions has helped push me in rehab without having any negative effects afterwards.
So with all that being said, and the clearance from Dr. Anderson (our team doctor), I have been allowed to return to the practice field on a limited basis. Anytime you are away from the field it feels like an eternity, but it makes you appreciate it even more when you get to go back out there.
My plan is to go back out and focus on the basics, but most importantly be smart about it. I'm going to try to do the simple things first and see how my knee responds. After that, it is all based on swelling, which is why I have been working so hard to regain the little amount of strength I lost in it. I feel good about it and will continue to rehab for a while longer. Getting to the facility early has not been fun, but getting my knee healthy as fast as possible is what motivates me at 5:30 to get up.
So tomorrow morning when you roll over and check the clock at 5:45, think of me driving to work and sleep a little longer for me...
Drew Stanton is a quarterback with the Detroit Lions. His blog for www.playerpress.com runs at www.drewstanton.com. Follow him on Twitter at www.twitter.com/drewstanton.
The Lions first mistake was taking Stafford with the number one pick. All that money for a QB who was maybe the 3rd of 4th best coming out of college. Matt should be thanking Tebow, Bradford, and McCoy for his paycheck. i understand the pressure to win in the NFL but with a veteran in Dante and the up and coming Drew E. Stanton the Lions could have spent less and picked up a key player on defense. I was told at a young age by Gaylord Stanton that "defense wins games, offense only determines by how many." What better way to win a city back by giving the hometown kid the ball. Althogh I like to think of Drew as a Laker, his legacy will be in Michigan. All I'm sayin is put a little L.O. on the field and see what happens, seriously!
August 20, 2009
There are people who try to devalue the importance of winning in the pre-season, who say "it doesn't really count." I know people look at what happened to us last year in Detroit and try to use that for reasoning.
My viewpoint is simple: Any game worth playing is worth winning.
We took a successful step in the right direction with our win last week for a few reasons. Any Detroit fan has become aware of how situation-orientated our practices are here in Detroit, so it comes as no surprise how we responded at certain points throughout the game. Prime examples are the on-side kick which we successfully excuted, then our defense stopping Atlanta's four-minute offense. Last, it was the offense's turn to utilize what we have done in practice multiple times.
In reality, that was an easier situation than we are used to with Coach Schwartz. In order to win in the NFL you have to be sound in all three aspects, offense, defense and special teams. And as I stated above, all three contributed in necessary situations for us to come out victorious. That is more encouraging than anything else, and a real reason for optimism.
Now, this week, we must go out and duplicate some things and improve in other areas.
Personally, it was great to get back out on the field and play in a live game. For a quarterback, contact is something that you are not used to in practice, but must be prepared for during a game. I felt like I was able to go out and successfully move the ball on offense, which is my job in a nutshell. Sometimes it required me to use my legs, other times my arm. My mindset has been and always will be to do whatever it takes to win. Plus, having playmakers around me along with a Pro Bowl offensive lineman helps too, even if he is a Michigan Man. Distributing the ball to the right place is what I need to do, and I felt like I did that for the most part Saturday.
Obviously, it was not perfect, but someday it will be, and that’s why I continue to work as hard as I do every single day.
Drew Stanton is a quarterback with the Detroit Lions. His blog for www.playerpress.com runs at www.drewstanton.com. Follow him on Twitter @drewstanton.
August 10, 2009
At this point I find myself getting into the groove of camp. The schedule has become memorized, as the muscle soreness has began to subside. I have once again become accustomed to early mornings that end with late nights, which is nothing different from any other August; but this year I would not have it any other way.
This year is my year to prove myself, and I take that approach every day I step foot on the practice field. I go out with the mindset of completing every pass and learning every single day. There are times I might not be the one taking the actual repetition, but I am getting that rep mentally. Playing this position is all about having answers, and if I don't have the answer, I am going to find someone who does.
And perhaps the best part about this season is I actually have multiple people I feel comfortable going to for those answers. Going to work my first two years is something I did not necessarily look forward to, as I have stated before, but now I cannot wait for the next practice to arrive. It might have to do with the fact that I am actually getting reps this year and can feel myself improving, which adds to my excitement.
Or simply because football is once again fun.
At this level it is truly a chess match, and I feel as if we have all the tools on our team to win every match we are in. Now, do not misconstrue that with me saying we are going 16-0, because as I have said before I do not make predictions like that. But I honestly believe we have many more pieces around here than in my two years past, so the reason for optimism is there and real. It all starts with Coach Schwartz, who has learned from some of the best, and it is very apparent in his preparation. It never seems as if the day is dragging on too long or I am going to fall a sleep in a meaningless meeting. He values our time, which is tremendous, and gets us off our feet when needed.
I cannot wait for Saturday to arrive and to play against another opponent besides our own defense. Look for more comments to come shortly following the game, and as always, thanks for reading.
Drew Stanton is a quarterback with the Detroit Lions. His blog for www.playerpress.com runs at www.drewstanton.com. Follow him on Twitter @drewstanton.
July 23, 2009
Picking up where I left off, our honeymoon consisted of three destinations. First, we stopped on the island of Oahu and stayed in Honolulu for three nights. We stayed at the Hilton Hawaiian Village, which is a great property right on the beach. Dominic Raiola, our starting center, is from Hawaii and happened to be back home with his family. Being locals, he and his wife showed us amazing parts of the island we would not have seen. I even tried that stand-up paddle while I was there, and it was frickin’ hard. Especially when the waves started coming in on top of you.
After that we jumped islands over to Maui and stayed at the Ritz in Kapalua. That was such a gorgeous island, and a much different feel than Honolulu, but both islands were awesome in their own way. While on Maui we took a helicopter ride over the island, went snorkeling, saw a sunset cruise, went to a luau, and went on a zip line. Not to mention we took the road to Hana, which was an adventure all in itself. We did so many great things there and the weather was awesome every single day. Not to forget the stunning views right at the Ritz, it has to be one of the nicest hotels I have ever seen.
From Maui we decided to break the trip up and stop in a place I have been dying to go to for some time, Napa. And boy did it live up to my expectations. A winemaker by the name of Ryan Waugh planned out our entire trip. He has two different labels of wine that I highly recommend, Waugh Cellars and Six Degrees. So anyway, he was kind enough to help set up everything, and he knew the ins and outs of the valley. We ended up going to 10 different wineries, all of which had different things to offer. My wine cellar is now at full capacity, so that means one of two things. Either start drinking or make more room. I like both options.
Though the trip was amazing, after two weeks on the road I was ready to get home to see my dogs and sleep in my own bed. Unfortuantely, that was only for two nights.
That Wednesday we headed up to Northern Michigan to a wedding for my old teammate at MSU and long-time friend, Gordon Niebylski. I was the best man in an amazing wedding held at Bay Harbor. But having little time, coming up with a best man speech was not as easy as I had anticipated. The weather report said rain all week, but it held off for the ceremony and turned out to be a great day by the end. The reception was great, as any time you get our whole group together we tend to have fun.
Following that we went to Grand Rapids for the night and stayed with my parents before the High 5ive golf outing.
The golf outing ended up going smoothly. There were a couple hiccups along the way, but that seems to always be the case. And with such an action-packed summer I did not have as much involvement in the set-up process. My mother and father did a lot of work on behalf of my foundation and did a fantastic job with it. Danielle from Cystic Fibrosis was the one tutoring us along the way, as we partner with CF to raise money. After going through the event, we learned so much. If you have any interest in getting involved next year or know of sponsor interest, check out www.high5ivefoundation.org.
Well that about finishes my story of the past month. Now I have become strictly focused on football for the time being. I have been going into the facility to work out, watch film, and get ready for next week. I look forward to the season and all of the unknowns that lie ahead. I will share those thoughts and ideas with you guys next week, so for now have a good weekend.
Drew Stanton is a quarterback with the Detroit Lions. His blog for www.playerpress.com runs at www.drewstanton.com. Follow him on Twitter as drewstanton.
July 22, 2009
The summer has come and gone for me in the blink of an eye. I know I said the spring went fast, but this past month does not even compare.
Imagine, getting done with mini-camp on Thursday, getting married on Saturday, leaving on your honeymoon Monday, getting back two weeks later and heading up to Bay Harbor on Wednesday to be the best man in a wedding, and finishing up with your own charity golf outing in Marshall.
Uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh, exhausting. Now that those things are all in the rearview mirror, I have a week and a half until my life is officially over for a month. So let me take the time to review some of the highlights with you.
First, mini-camp. It was great to finish on a high note, though it seems like forever ago. I think the team is coming together nicely, and everyone seems to be working their butt off. The mixture we have at quarterback is great, and like I have said before, I love going to work. As far as what I think the future holds, look for that blog to be coming sometime early next week, before we report for camp. After the mini-camp, we all know what came next, my WEDDING.
The wedding turned out to be absolutely perfect. Before I get started you can check the pictures taken by our awesome photographer at kristentaylorphotography.com, or the crazy video footage that was taken at epicmotion.com. Ryan was super cool and I would definitely recommend both companies.
So anyway, we were married on June 27th at the Birmingham United Methodist Church (the church we have attended for about a year). I will forever remember the feeling I had as those doors opened and I saw my beautiful bride on her father’s arm. It absolutely took my breath away, and I had to look down at our ring bearer, Jackson Wilcox, and he had a look on his face like "pull it together." I did and when I looked up there she was right in front of me. The ceremony ran smoothly, except a couple botched lines on my behalf. We had the minister from the church I attended in college there to assist Dr. Harnish. She read some words her husband had written who could not be in attendance, as they are a husband and wife team of ministers in Grand Rapids now. Our reception was held at Meadowbrook Hall at Oakland University. The reception was great, but seemed much like my summer as it was over in the blink of an eye. Sparty showed up, which always makes the party better, and we had shutterbooth there as well. Shutterbooth is a company that takes those pictures like you used to at carnivals, the ones that are four in row. We have some hilarious ones, some of which are rather inappropriate.
After the reception I went immediately home and went to bed. ;)
Our honeymoon was awesome, and to not make this blog go on forever, please look for notes on the honeymoon, my time in Bay Harbor and my golf outing to be coming by week’s end. Thanks for reading, taking an interest in my life, and of course always supporting me.
Drew Stanton is a quarterback with the Detroit Lions. His blog for www.playerpress.com runs at www.drewstanton.com. Follow him on Twitter as drewstanton.
May 30, 2009
This spring has absolutely flown by. I have not had a free weekend to just sit at home and relax yet, but I am truly looking forward to that over the next couple of weekends before the big day.
My life has been consumed with mostly football, and any free time has then gone to my wedding plans and now the charity golf outing that I will partner on with Cystic Fibrosis.
Football has been as good as I could have hoped considering the situation I find myself in. I think it has to do with the fact that I enjoy just going to work now on a daily basis. My first two years I could not have said that and meant it, but now I really do. The offense is great, my coaches actually coach and teach, and I feel as if I am constantly learning.
We are on the back side of the mountain as far as the off-season program is concerned, but still have four more OTA's and a mini-camp to look forward to. Our offense has been installed for the most part at this point, and now it is just a matter of fine tuning things and running plays from different looks.
Coach Linehan told me I would be getting plenty of reps this spring and he has definitely been a man of his word. Before the draft I was getting one period a day with the first team and the remainder of the practice with the two's since they released my boy Drew Henson. I really hope he catches on somewhere because he was just starting to get comfortable playing football again.
That is one of the hardest things about this job, is finding good people, becoming friends, and then parting ways.
Anyway, practice has been good, like I said earlier. I have been studying a lot trying to improve and if I make a mistake to really learn from it and not do it again. I feel like I have done that for the most part and have really started to get a good comfort level with all the receivers. At first, you are trying to get a feel for all the guys you are throwing to, like which comes out of the break quick or who is going to win a one-on-one for you. Once that starts happening you get more confidence in throwing to those guys and know who is going to make a play for you when you need it.
With Matthew's arrival I was a little nervous to see if I would be treated differently by the coaches, but that is the farthest from what happened. They have not changed one bit towards me and still are very encouraging. That gives me hope that I still have a future here in Detroit, but like I have said before it is a crazy business. As long as I continue to do what I have been doing, which is stay positive and worry only about things I have control over, then I know things will work out in the end.
Thanks for reading, and those who might actually care to hear about my wedding plans look for that to come shortly. Also, if you have any interest in getting involved with my golf outing in Marshall, Michigan on July 20th, look for a blog to come very soon about that as well.
Drew Stanton is a quarterback with the Detroit Lions. His blog for www.playerpress.com runs at www.drewstanton.com. Follow him on Twitter as drewstanton.