ALLEN PARK -- Matthew Stafford was the fastest quarterback to 20,000 passing yards in NFL history. He was the fastest quarterback to 25,000 passing yards. And you're never going to believe this, but he was the fastest quarterback to 30,000 passing yards.

He just celebrated his 30th birthday in February, and already owns every major passing record in Lions history.

Those are some big numbers. Yet he remains a polarizing figure in this town because of another: Zero.

As in, the number of playoff games he's won.

Stafford hears the haters, too. He's not bothered by them, but he is also looking to prove something to himself as he begins his 10th season in Detroit.

"There's that mind-set to go out and prove people wrong, all that kind of stuff," Stafford said. "I just want to prove myself right, that I put in all this work for a reason. I'm not doing it to prove anybody else wrong, I'm doing it to prove myself right and understanding what I do is for the betterment of this team, this organization. That's the positive spin I go for, and that works for me."

Stafford made the comments Thursday as veterans reported to Allen Park for the start of training camp. Except he was so eager to get going that he couldn't wait. So he reported a few days early, and did so in great shape.

"I feel as good as I've felt coming into a camp in a long time," he said. "I feel really healthy and ready to go."

Stafford is playing as well as he has in a long time too. He ranked among the six best quarterbacks in the league by every major statistic last year, despite being supported by the league's worst running game (again) and an offensive line that allowed him to sacked more than everyone except Jacoby Brissett.

Now he should enjoy some bolstered protection by the addition of first-round pick Frank Ragnow at left guard, plus the hiring of new offensive line coach Jeff Davidson. He just might have a bit of a running game to support him, too, with the signing of LeGarrette Blount in free agency and the selection of Kerryon Johnson in the second round of the draft.

Throw in the return of his top four receivers, and there's serious reason to believe Stafford could be even better in 2018.

"I'm always trying to find a way to be better, and I don't see myself as a finished product really ever," he said. "Every year you go back and kind of go through your game with a fine-tooth comb and just pick out one little thing here. 'Hey, I was working on this going into last year, did I get better at it or not? Do I still need to work on it even more?'"

Stafford also will benefit from the return of Jim Bob Cooter, who survived the coaching change largely because of how good he's been for the former No. 1 overall pick.

In 41 games since Cooter was named playcaller, Stafford has completed 66.3 percent of his passes for 11,169 yards, 73 touchdowns, 24 interceptions and a QB rating of 98.2. In the previous 41 games, Stafford completed 60.5 percent of his throws for 11,488 yards, 66 touchdowns, 42 interceptions and a QB rating of 85.3.

The scheme has undergone some cosmetic changes this offseason, especially in the blocking schemes up front, but the overall system remains in place for a third-plus season, and that kind of continuity usually helps a quarterback.

"The fact that we've been in same system going on three, four years now, whatever it is, being able to have quite the shorthand that we have to talk about plays - it doesn't take a big, long explanation for Stafford and I to communicate about a play - we can sort of dive right into it," Cooter said. "That's really valuable."

There's no doubt Stafford is the most valuable player to the Lions, and just how far he climbs likely will determine just how far they go -- including winning that elusive playoff game, something they've done just once since 1958 and not at all since 1991.

Just ask Matthew Stafford. And he's out to change it.

"Nobody has higher expectations than we do in our locker room," he said.