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ALLEN PARK, Mich. -- Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford is playing without retired receiver Calvin Johnson and is still putting up some of the best numbers of his career.That leads to this question: Is Stafford a better quarterback now, without one of the best receivers in NFL history, than he was last season with Johnson?I think hes a growing and developing quarterback, so yes, I do think he was better than he was the last year, two years ago, three years ago, Lions offensive coordinator Jim Bob Cooter said Thursday.Hopefully were all getting better every year. I think he falls into that category too. But I think hes doing a really good job with what were asking him to do and so are the receivers, tight ends and backs.Stafford, through five games, is on pace for the best completion percentage (68.0), passer rating (99.6) and QBR (66.4) of his career. The Lions have replaced Johnson with a multitude of options, but the biggest addition was Marvin Jones, who is the NFLs leading receiver with 519 yards.Stafford is also seeing things differently this season, and part of that is due to Johnsons departure.Stafford said Wednesday that hes not seeing as many crazy kick-to-Calvin coverages, when defenses would sometimes come up with special packages just to try to contain Johnson.Stafford said he will see different wrinkles each Sunday, but more than ever he is seeing the defensive coverages he watches on film during the week. That was something he anticipated might happen after Johnson announced his retirement in March.But more than anything else, Stafford might appear to be a better quarterback because of what Cooter is asking of him.Hes really just trying to throw it to the open guy. Its as simple as that. It sounds overly simple, but its a really big deal, Cooter said. You know, when you have Calvin Johnson out there, one of the all-time great receivers, going to the Hall of Fame as soon as you can get him in there, it makes a lot of sense to try and throw that guy the ball. Sometimes you might override your read to do that.Sometimes its easier for a quarterback [when] you have your reads, you have your progressions, you have your thought processes and you just go around throwing it to who gets open. Hes doing a good job of doing that. Nick Bosa Youth Jersey . Instead of dwelling on the negative, Oates focused on what was good about the clubs recent play. It worked. Dee Ford Jersey . The CFLs leading rusher kept adding to his gaudy numbers this season and scored the winning touchdown with just over two minutes to play. The New Westminster, B.C., native plowed three yards into the end zone for the last score of a heated, see-saw battle between the two teams with the best records in the CFL. http://www.thesf49ersshoponline.com/Youth-nick-bosa-49ers-jersey/ . But now that hes in the NHL, the Calgary Flames centre showed big improvement in that department by scoring the winner in the eighth round of a 5-4 shootout victory over the Winnipeg Jets on Monday. Mike McGlinchey Youth Jersey . The Hall of Fame defenceman told Landsberg that he believes fighting still has a place in todays game, but thinks staged fighting needs be outlawed. Frank Gore 49ers Jersey . "Theyve both been real good," said Babcock. "Havent changed our minds." A decision has seemingly been made - Sundays Group B-deciding tilt against Finland ahead - but it could not have been an easy one. Price opened the tournament with a sturdy 19-save performance against the Norwegians, yielding just one goal.The Mississauga Steelheads traded goaltender Tyson Teichmann to the Kitchener Rangers in exchange for a conditional draft pick. Teichmann was acquired by the Steelheads last August from the London Knights in exchange for a conditional sixth round pick in 2013. The Belleville, Ontario native appeared in 33 games for the Steelheads this past season, posting a 2.dddddddddddd77 goals against average and .908 save percentage during the regular season. This coming season, Teichmann will be entering his 5th OHL season as an over-ager with the Rangers. ' ' '