QB has been a gigantic Black Hole for the Lions the last 30 years.  They have not had a Pro Bowler in the last 30 years and they only have two QBs who have started 10 or more games and boast a winning record (Erik Kramer and Bob Gagliano).  Here is a look at how I have ranked the 29 QBs who have started at least 1 game the last 30 years for the Lions:

 1. Scott Mitchell -  Big lefty throwing Scott Mitchell had one big year for the Lions, and that’s enough to rank him #1.  The Lions were 27-30 (47.4%) in games started by Mitchell.  Mitchell played in 57 games (all starts) for the Lions and he completed 1,049 of 1,850 passes (56.7%) for 12,647 yards with 79 TD passes and 57 INTs (79.2 QB Rating).  Mitchell also carried the ball 132 times for 324 yards (2.5 ypc) with 10 TD runs for the Lions.

 2. Erik Kramer – Erik Kramer must have been too good for the Lions to give the full-time starting job at QB to.  The Lions were 10-5 (66.7%) when Kramer started at QB.  Kramer played in 25 games (15 starts) for the Lions and he completed 281 of 509 passes (55.2%) for 3,488 yards with 23 TD passes and 19 INTs (75.5 QB Rating).  Kramer also carried the ball 57 times for 65 yards (1.1 ypc) with 1 TD run for the Lions.

 3. Dave Krieg – Like Kramer, Krieg must have been too good to play for the Lions.  The Lions were 5-2 (71.4%) when Krieg started at QB.  Krieg played in 14 games (7 starts) for the Lions and he completed 131 of 212 passes (61.8%) for 1,629 yards with 14 TD passes and 3 INTs (101.7 QB Rating).  Krieg also carried the ball 23 times for 35 yards (1.5 ypc) for the Lions.

 4. Gary Danielson – Gary Danielson was 16-22-1 (42.1%) for the Lions as a starting QB in the 1980′s.  He played in 55 games (39 starts) in the 80′s for the Lions and he completed 711 of 1,233 passes (57.7%) for 9,146 yards with 50 TD passes and 49 INTs.  Danielson also carried the ball 127 times for 573 yards (4.5 ypc) with 7 TD runs for the Lions.

 5. Charlie Batch – Charlie Batch started his long NFL career with the Lions.  The Lions were 19-27 (41.3%) under Batch as the starting QB.  Batch played in 48 games (46 starts) for the Lions and he completed 743 of 1,326 passes (56%) for 9,016 yards with 49 TD passes and 40 INTs (76.9 QB Rating).  Batch also carried the ball 125 times for 560 yards (4.5 ypc) with 5 TD runs for the Lions.

 6. Jon Kitna – The Lions were only 10-26 (27.8%) when Jon Kitna started at QB but it wasn’t all his fault.  Kitna played in 36 games (all starts) for the Lions and he completed 795 of 1,277 passes (62.3%) for 9,034 yards with 44 TD passes and 47 INTs (79.6 QB Rating).  Kitna also carried the ball 65 times for 253 yards (3.9 ypc) with 2 TD runs for the Lions.

 7. Rodney Peete – The Lions were 21-26 (44.7%) under Rodney Peete when he started at QB.  Peete played in 47 games (all starts) for the Lions and he completed 641 of 1,125 passes (57%) for 8,164 yards with 38 TD passes and 49 INTs (72.9 QB Rating).  He also carried the ball 171 times for 884 yards (5.2 ypc) with 13 TD runs for the Lions.

 8. Shaun Hill – Shaun Hill was acquired from the 49ers for a 7th round pick in the 2010 NFL Draft.  It turned out to be a great deal for the Lions.  The Lions were only 3-7 (30%) when Hill started at QB but it wasn’t nearly all of his fault.  Hill has played in 11 games (10 starts) for the Lions and he has completed 257 of 416 passes (61.8%) for 2,686 yards with 16 TD passes and 12 INTs (81.3 QB Rating).  He also has carried the ball 22 times for 123 yards (5.6 ypc) for the Lions so far.  Hill has the potential to move up this list if Matt Stafford continues to get hurt.

 9. Matt Stafford – The Lions are only 3-10 (23.1%) with Stafford starting at QB in his first two years with the Lions.  Stafford has played in 13 games (all starts) for the Lions and he has completed 258 of 473 passes (54.5%) for 2,802 yards with 19 TD passes and 21 INTs (67.1 QB Rating).  He has also carried the ball 24 times for 119 yards (5.0 ypc) with 3 TD runs for the Lions.  Stafford has the potential to easily make it all the way to the top of this list if he can just stay healthy.

10. Gus Frerotte – The Detroit Lions were 4-3 (57.1%) in games started by Frerotte.  Frerotte played in 14 games (7 starts) for the Lions and he completed 168 of 280 passes (60%) for 2,084 yards with 12 TD passes and 8 INTs (85.5 QB Rating).  Frerotte also carried the ball 32 times for 73 yards (2.3 ypc) with 2 TD runs for the Lions.

11. Don Majkowski – Don Majkowski was 1-1 (50%) as the starting QB for the Lions.  He played in 13 games (2 starts) for the Lions and he completed 70 of 122 passes (57.4%) for 715 yards with 4 TD passes and 3 INTs (75.0 QB Rating).  Majkowski also carried the ball 23 times for 39 yards (1.7 ypc) for the Lions.

12. Eric Hipple – Eric Hipple was 28-29 (49.1%) as the Lions’ starting QB.  He played in 102 games (57 starts) for the Lions and he completed 830 of 1,546 passes (53.7%) for 10,711 yards with 55 TD passes and 70 INTs (68.7 QB Rating).  Hipple also carried the ball 145 times for 550 yards (3.8 ypc) with 13 TD runs for the Lions.

13. Joey Harrington – Joey Harrington was just another in the long line of first round busts at QB for the Lions.  The Lions were 18-37 (32.7%) in games started at QB by Harrington.  He played in 58 games (55 starts) for the Lions and he completed 986 of 1,802 passes (54.7%) for 10,242 yards with 60 TD passes and 62 INTs (68.1 QB Rating).  Harrington also carried the ball 109 times for 345 yards (3.2 ypc) for the Lions.

14. Bob Gagliano – Bob Gagliano somehow managed a winning record (6-5, 54.5%) as the starting QB for the Lions.  Gagliano played in 20 games (11 starts) for the Lions and he completed 204 of 391 passes (52.2%) for 2,861 yards with 16 TD passes and 22 INTs (66.2 QB Rating).  Gagliano also carried  the ball 87 times for 337 yards (3.9 ypc) with 4 TD runs for the Lions.

15. Drew Stanton – Drew Stanton is currently the Lions’ #3 QB.  He is 2-2 (50%) as the Lions’ starting QB.  Stanton has played in 13 games (4 starts) in his career with the Lions and he has completed 104 of 187 passes (55.6%) for 1,158 yards with 5 TD passes and 9 INTs (63.1 QB Rating).  Stanton has also carried the ball 30 times for 166 yards (5.5 ypc) with 2 TD runs for the Lions.

16. Chuck Long – Chuck Long was a complete bust as a pro QB for the Lions.  Long was 4-17 (19%) as the Lions’ starting QB despite being a first round pick.  Long played in 23 games (21 starts) for the Lions and he completed 330 of 602 passes (54.8%) for 3,743 yards with 19 TD passes and 28 INTs (64.8 QB Rating).  Long also carried the ball 34 times for 88 yards (2.6 ypc) for the Lions.

17. Joe Ferguson – The Lions were just a pit stop for Joe Ferguson near the end of his career.  The Lions were 2-3 (40%) in games started by Ferguson.  Ferguson played in 14 games (5 starts) for the Lions and he completed 104 of 209 passes (49.8%) for 1,305 yards with 9 TD passes and 10 INTs (64.0 QB Rating).  Ferguson also carried the ball 9 times for 37 yards (4.1 ypc) with 1 TD run for the Lions.

18. Mike McMahon – Mike McMahon was a running QB who couldn’t hit the broad side of a barn when passing the ball.  The Lions were 1-6 (14.3%) under McMahon when he started.  He played in 20 games (7 starts) for the Lions and he completed 135 of 308 passes (43.8%) for 1,709 yards with 10 TD passes and 13 INTs (55.0 QB Rating).  McMahon also carried the ball 48 times for 291 yards (6.1 ypc) with 4 TD runs for the Lions.

19. Daunte Culpepper – Daunte Culpepper was a disaster for the Lions.  The Lions were 0-10 in games started at QB by Culpepper.  Culpepper played in 13 games (10 starts) for the Lions and he completed 149 of 272 passes (54.8%) for 1,731 yards with 7 TD passes and 12 INTs (64.4 QB Rating).  He also carried the ball 30 times for 116 yards (3.9 ypc) with 1 TD run for the Lions.

20. Dan Orlovsky – Dan Orlovsky was 0-7 as the starting QB for the Lions in the year they didn’t win any games.  Orlovsky played in 12 games (7 starts) for the Lions and he completed 150 of 272 passes (55.1%) for 1,679 yards with 8 TD passes and 8 INTs (71.3 QB Rating).  He also carried the ball 7 times for 29 yards (4.1 ypc) for the Lions.

21. Jeff Garcia – Jeff Garcia looked washed up with the Lions who were 1-4 (20%) in games he started at QB.  Garcia played in 6 games (5 starts) for the Lions and he completed 102 of 173 passes (59%) for 937 yards with 3 TD passes and 6 INTs (65.1 QB Rating).  Garcia also carried the ball 17 times for 51 yards (3.0 ypc) with 1 TD run for the Lions.

22. Frank Reich – Frank Reich was just another veteran QB making his way through Detroit.  The Lions were 0-2 in games started by Reich.  Reich played 12 games (2 starts) for the Lions and he completed 74 for 140 (52.9%) for 889 yards with 5 TD passes and 6 INTs (66.6 QB Rating).  Reich  also carried the ball 10 times for -1 yard (-0.1 ypc) for the Lions.

23. Jeff Komlo – Jeff Komlo was only 2-14 (12.5%) as the Lions’ starting QB.  Komlo played in 23 games (16 starts) for the Lions and he completed 214 of 429 passes (49.9%) for 2,554 yards with 12 TD passes and 27 INTs (51.6 QB Rating).  Komlo also carried the ball 36 times for 110 yards (3.1 ypc) with 2 TD runs for the Lions.

24. Andre Ware – Andre Ware was probably the biggest bust of the Lions’ first round QBs in the last 30 years.  The Lions were 3-3 (50%) when Ware started at QB.  Ware played in 14 games (6 starts) for the Lions and he completed 83 of 161 passes (51.6%) for 1,112 yards with 5 TD passes and 8 INTs (63.5 QB Rating).  Ware also carried the ball 38 times for 217 yards (5.7 ypc) with the Lions.

25. Rusty Hilger – Rusty Hilger was one of  the most inaccurate QBs in Lions’ history, and that’s really saying something.  The Lions were 3-6 (33.3%) when Hilger started for them.  Hilger played in 11 games (9 starts) for the Lions and he completed 126 of 306 passes (41.2%) for 1,558 yards with 7 TD passes and 12 INTs (48.9 QB Rating).  Hilger also carried the ball 18 times for 27 yards (1.5 ypc) for the Lions.

26. Ty Detmer – The Lions were 1-3 (25%) in games started at QB by Detmer.  Detmer played in 5 games (4 starts) for the Lions and he completed 92 of 151 passes (60.9%) for 906 yards with 3 TD passes and 10 INTs (56.9 QB Rating).  Detmer also carried the ball 9 times for 26 yards (2.9 ypc) for the Lions.

27. Stoney Case – Case was another awful QB that passed through Detroit for a short stay.  The Lions won Case’s only start at QB.  Case played in 5 games (1 start) for the Lions and he completed 56 of 91 passes (61.5%) for 503 yards with 1 TD pass and 4 INTs (61.7 QB Rating).  Case also carried the ball 16 times for 117 yards (7.3 ypc) with 1 TD run for the Lions.

28. John Witkowski – Witkowski lost his only start for the Lions.  He played in 5 games (1 start) for the Lions and he completed 13 of 35 passes (37.1%) for 210 yards with 0 TD passes and 0 INTs (58.0 QB Rating).  Witkowski also carried the ball 8 times for 33 yards (4.1 ypc) for the Lions.

29. Todd Hons – Hons was 1-2 (33.3%) as the Lions’ starting QB during the 1987 players’ strike.  Hons played in 3 games (all starts) for the Lions and he completed 43 of 92 passes (46.7%) for 552 yards with 5 TD passes and 5 INTs (61.5 QB Rating).  Hons also carried the ball 5 times for 49 yards (9.8 ypc) for the Lions.

So there you have it, the whole disgusting list of Lions’ starting QBs the last 30 years.

The Detroit Lions didn’t have a lot of picks last April, but they made the ones they had count.  The Lions were shocked to see DT Nick Fairley fall to them at #13.  That had no choice but to take him and team him with last years Defensive Rookie of the Year Ndamukong Suh inside.  No one will run inside on the Lions for the forseeable future.  The Lions then turned to offense in the second round in nabbing WR Titus Young and RB Mikel Leshoure.  Both of those guys are going to be high impact players for the Lions’ offense starting in 2011.  OLB Doug Hogue and OL Johnny Culbreath came to the Lions late in the draft and they will need time to develop.

PROJECTED GRADE:  A