Freelancing is sometimes necessary, and the best quarterbacks are good enough to find their receivers even when they're covered, but it's also true that plays are designed with a series of reads for a reason. Now Stafford is taking what the defense gives him and it is paying dividends. He is on pace to throw for similar yardage as last season, around 4,200 yards, but this year, he is doing it much more efficiently. Stafford is only on pace for 565 passing attempts this season, and while that might still seem high (565 would have been the 11th most among quarterbacks last year), it would be the fewest passes Stafford has attempted since his injury-riddled seasons of 2009 and 2010. Also consider this: Over the course of the last five seasons, the Lions have averaged 1,537 rushing yards per season, but this year they are on pace for just 1,389. In other words, while Stafford is having his best year in terms of efficiency, it is not because the ground game is helping him relieve some of the pressure. The Lions' frequent comebacks have been impressive, and due in large part to Stafford's maturity, command and, yes, his "grace under pressure."