Only two Lions players — Matthew Stafford and Darius Slay — have cracked NFL Network’s Top 100 Players of 2018 countdown. With only ten spots remaining on the weekly series, Stafford and Slay will likely be Detroit’s only representation on the list.
Others were arguably deserving, including Glover Quin, Ziggy Ansah, Golden Tate and Marvin Jones, but it’s voted on by current NFL players and big names are left off every year.
So, in case you didn’t get to see the show, which airs on Monday’s at 8 pm ET on NFL Network, I’m here to bring you the only two segments that you probably care about — unless you were hoping to see Jimmy Garrapolo’s segment (YES, Jimmy G made the list somehow).
First up, let’s check out No. 49 on the countdown, Darius Slay, who tied for the league lead in interceptions last season.
Slay’s ranking is impressive due to the fact that he cracked the top 50 on a list that’s dominated by skill position players and quarterbacks. After examining Slay’s season, though, he could have been significantly higher after an All-Pro performance in 2017.
The good thing about these lists is that they teach NFL fans around the country that there are other players in the league worth paying attention to besides the ones on the teams they root for. Slay hasn’t gotten the respect he deserves prior to this season, but that should change going forward.
Next up, it’s Detroit’s 30-year-old, rocket-armed passer, Matthew Stafford. He came in at No. 31 on the list for the second consecutive year. Watch Stafford’s segment, in which opponents suggest he may have psychic abilities.
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