ALLEN PARK -- Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford had a rare achievement during the 2011 regular season.

Stafford threw for 5,038 yards prior to the playoffs. He is only the fourth player to ever throw for over 5,000 yards in a season. New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees has done it twice, (2008 and 2011), while New England's Tom Brady (5,235 yards in 2011) and former Miami Dolphins quarterback Dan Marino (5,084 yards in 1984) are on that list.

Last season, Stafford played three games with a fractured finger, making his achievement even more impressive.

Well, impressive to everyone but Marshall Faulk, an analyst for the NFL Network.

Faulk, a Hall of Fame running back who played with former NFL quarterback Kurt Warner, recently said he was unimpressed by Stafford's 5,000-yard season in 2011. Instead of giving Stafford praise, he said those type of numbers are now the norm in today's NFL.

"Throwing for 5,000 yards in the NFL right now is nothing," Faulk said. "I don't want to take anything away from it. As much as people throw the football now, you better have 5,000 (yards) if you have Calvin Johnson."

While Stafford was among three players to pass for over 5,000 yards during the regular season, New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning (4,933 yards), Green Bay's Aaron Rodgers (4,643 yards) and San Diego's Philip Rivers (4,624 yards) were close to that mark.

Meanwhile, Dallas' Tony Romo (4,184 yards), Atlanta's Matt Ryan (4,177 yards), Pittsburgh's Ben Roethlisberger (4,077 yards) and Carolina's Cam Newton (4,051 yards) passed for over 4,000 regular season yards.

Do you agree with Faulk's observation or is he just another talking head spewing madness?