Per the usual suspects, the News' Niyo, Freep's Cotsonika and Mlive's Killer, Jim Schwartz has announced the beginner under center for the Lions, in what should be a Saturday afternoon laffer for the Colts.

The overweight lamb being led to slaughter is...Daunte Culpepper.

The Killer, as linked above, outlines how the game will play out under center for the lambs:

Culpepper will play about the first quarter and a half and then rookie Matthew Stafford will play the next quarter and a half.

Schwartz said that both quarterbacks will get time with the No. 1 offense, including receiver Calvin Johnson (who is seeing his first action of the preseason).

Drew Stanton will play the final quarter.

The Schwartz is adamant in claiming his naming Culpepper the beginner Saturday is in no way indicative of who will begin the season opener against the New Orleans Saints. And if you believe that, I have a lightly worn Joey Harrington jersey to sell you at the reduced rate of $150... (Uh, that's a joke! The only jersey I own is an authentic Barry Sanders #20, I would never wear something with Joey Blue Skies name...NEVER! I would never commit such sacrilege... The girlfriend has a Roy Williams jersey, but I'll cut her some serious slack. She did nurse me through my back surgery, after all.)

In his piece linked above, Cotsonika also thinks Culpepper is assured of earning the beginner assignment against the Saints, but it'll only be temporary...

The starter Sept. 13 won’t necessarily be the starter the entire season. The Lions don’t have to rush Stafford to get him the experience he needs this year.

The odds are that veteran Daunte Culpepper will start Sept. 13, but Stafford will take over at some point.

I can live with that, despite the obvious fact Culpepper really hasn't done much in his 2 exhibition appearances. He's been loathe to throw the ball downfield, as he has the lowest YPA of any of the Lions' QB's to this point (Which may change with Calvin Johnson and Brandon Pettigrew assured of playing). Without Megatron to throw to, Culpepper has struggled mightily in the Red Zone...No...in any zone, as he's led the Lions to all of 3 points in his 2 outings.

As I mentioned in my Lions Congregation piece, this has been a QB competition neither Culpepper or Stafford apparently wants to win. Stafford played very well against the Falcons, and looked every bit the raw, inexperienced rookie against the lowly Browns. Culpepper, as mentioned above, has done nothing of merit in either game. The only QB to play well in both games is Drew Stanton, and we all know there's no way in Hell he wins the beginner's job.

Beginning Culpepper is the prudent thing to do, though Stafford will ultimately take over under center. His talent, 1st overall draft status and most importantly, $45 million contract, all but guarantee it.

As for this Saturday, I already know what Culpepper can do, which isn't much. He'll scramble around, and try to dink his way down the field with underneath passes, with occasional long tosses to Johnson. I'm more eager to see if Stafford learned anything from his ugly performance in Cleveland, and seeing the Stafford to Johnson connection for the first time. Through no fault of his own, Stanton is nothing but an afterthought.

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