http://www.freep.com/article/200912...pepper-will-start-Stafford-will-sit-for-Lions Daunte Culpepper will start at quarterback for the Detroit Lions on Sunday at Baltimore while rookie Matthew Stafford rests his injured left shoulder. Stafford, the No. 1 pick in the NFL draft, suffered an AC joint separation Nov. 22 against Cleveland. He didn’t miss a snap until he took another direct hit in the fourth quarter Sunday at Cincinnati. “If he hadn’t taken that hit in the fourth quarter of the Cincy game, we wouldn’t be having this discussion,” coach Jim Schwartz said today. “It was a very, very similar hit that he took in the Cleveland game, and we want to avoid the situation where it can become something that’s chronic. “He’s no worse for wear structurally. Everything is still on course there. It’s a tremendous amount of pain. It’s sore. And we just wanted to avoid a continuing cycle of come back, get hit, come back, get hit -- give him some time to rest and put it behind him.” Stafford did not practice today, even though he was capable of practicing physically, and likely will be the No. 3 QB against the Ravens. He was unavailable for comment. Asked whether this was a one-week situation, Schwartz said: “Probably too early to tell there, but there’s a chance that it is, yes.” Schwartz told the quarterbacks Monday but kept it quiet for competitive reasons, because the Ravens were playing that night at Green Bay. He announced his decision publicly today. He said it was to keep the media from hounding the quarterbacks all week, not because of what happened on Thanksgiving, when Culpepper came to Ford Field expecting to start against the Packers and was upset when he found out Stafford was starting. But Culpepper said it was “clearly” better this way. “It’s clearly better to know,” Culpepper said. “The old saying is knowing is half the battle, and when you know the situation, you know how to handle what you’re going into. … It gives you just that knowledge and not having any doubts of, ‘Which way are we going?’ or, ‘What’s happening?’ ” Schwartz said he did not consider starting No. 3 quarterback Drew Stanton because the depth chart had not changed. Asked whether he had a sold read on Stanton, who has had little playing time since he was drafted in the second round in 2007, Schwartz said the Lions saw “quite a bit” in the preseason. “I think we have a good feel for Drew and what Drew can do and the stuff that he does on the practice field,” Schwartz said. “We feel real strong about that.” Notebook: Offensive lineman Maurice Williams (Michigan) failed his physical after the Lions claimed him off waivers from Jacksonville. The Lions then signed offensive lineman Corey Hilliard off Cleveland’s practice squad.
Also, at the very end of the article, its sad that we are to the point of signing the Browns rejects. AND PEP SUCKS!
