ALLEN PARK — Matthew Stafford hasn’t played a snap in the first two preseason games, but it apparently has nothing to do with his back which he injured late last season.
On Monday the Detroit Lions quarterback said he had no offseason surgery and is not doing extra rehab for the back.
“I’m just practicing. I do a little core routine,’’ Stafford said. “I feel good. When they tell me to go play I’ll play, I’ve played a lot of football …whenever coach tells me to go play I’ll play.’’
Stafford and the Lions were back at it on Monday after taking a break after their second preseason game — a 30-23 loss at the Houston Texans on Saturday night.
Stafford said there’s no definitive time on how much he wants to — or should — play in the preseason games. After all, he faces “live bullets” every day at camp.
“We probably lead the league in forced situations in practice, I would imagine we do,’’ Stafford said. “We do 2-point plays in the middle of practice — two-minute, a random fourth-and-8 where you have to throw it in there no matter what, all that kind of stuff,’’ Stafford said. “We’re put in situations all over the place at any given moment in practice and it’s good to practice it and force yourself to be aware of those situations when they come up.’’
He was positive about the two sessions of joint practices they had in the last few weeks with the Patriots and Texans.
“I don’t prefer either way, to be honest with you but I know the work we get in those practices is great,’’ Stafford said. “Really able to push our limits schematically to see what’s working and what’s not.’’
It’s difficult to evaluate just where the offense is with new coordinator and after two preseason losses.
“I think we still have a lot of things to clean up, a lot of details, as does every team in the preseason,’’ Stafford said. “I’ve been a part of some preseasons where I feel like we were lighting it up on offense and maybe the season didn’t go that way. And I’ve felt the opposite and you know we were struggling to put points up, then you go put a lot of points up in the season.
“The biggest thing is we have a great group of guys pushing to get better every day. Whether you have a great preseason or you don’t or a great week 1, it’s all got to be pushing toward peaking at the right time.’’
The Lions host the Buffalo Bills on Friday night at Ford Field for their third preseason contest. Typically starters see the most time in the third preseason game, but there’s no guarantee Stafford will play on that night.
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