ALLEN PARK, Mich. --- Jeff Daniels, an actor and passionate fan of Michigan sports, was at a Detroit Lions practice this week and asked a question heard a lot lately in the Motor City.
"Stafford or Culpepper?" Daniels asked a couple reporters.
Lions coach Jim Schwartz finally ended the suspense Fri-day, saying Daunte Culpepper will begin the preseason opener today against the Atlanta Falcons and Matthew Stafford would follow at some point in the second quarter.
"Don't read anything into it," insisted Schwartz, who said he does not have a timetable for naming a No. 1 quarterback. "It's not like somebody is ahead of somebody else on the depth chart."
Schwartz plans to start Staf-ford next week at Cleveland, but he said who the No. 1 QB is in the third exhibition will not necessarily take the first snap in Week 1.
"Don't try to play that game," Schwartz said.
Even though Stafford hasn't thrown a pass against another team as a pro, the former Georgia star has talked about today's exhibition as if he was discussing the weather.
"I'm not really interested in calling anything my debut," Stafford said.
The game will also be Schwartz's debut as a head coach at any level.
"Maybe I can tell you after the game if it felt different," said Schwartz, the Tennessee Titans' defensive coordinator the past eight seasons.
The Falcons did surprisingly well last season, becoming the first NFL team since 1945 to have a rookie head coach and a rookie quarterback compete in the postseason.
Mike Smith, the coach, and Matt Ryan, the quarterback, hope to avoid a sophomore slump, taking advantage of additions such as 10-time Pro Bowl tight end Tony Gonzalez, talented linebacker Mike Peterson and first-round defensive tackle Peria Jerry.
The Falcons plan to play their four QBs one quarter each, starting with Ryan. Smith wouldn't say when to expect Chris Redman, D.J. Shockley or rookie John Parker Wilson to be on the field.
"Whatever their plan is, I'm going to go with it," Ryan said. "They haven't steered me wrong yet."
The Augusta Chronicle ©2012. All Rights Reserved.
Back 
