Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford threw four interceptions in Detroit’s first eight games this season. Then he suffered a broken index finger on his passing hand, and he’s thrown nine interceptions in three games since then.
But Stafford says the finger is not a factor.
Asked after the Lions’ loss to the Packers whether the finger is affecting him, Stafford said, “No. Nope.”
Instead, Stafford says, the Packers just made three good plays on his three interceptions on Thanksgiving. Lions coach Jim Schwartz said he hasn’t seen evidence that Stafford’s interceptions have been affected by his finger, either.
“They’ve all been different,” Schwartz said. “As long as he’s making good decisions and going where he’s supposed to go, he has to stay aggressive. He needs to keep throwing.”
But he needs to stop throwing interceptions. Stafford says his finger is getting better and that he expects to play next Sunday against the Saints without a splint on it, which could help -- or could make no difference, if the cause of Stafford’s surge in interceptions is something other than his finger.