Why doesn't Stanton get any love?

I know Stanton might not be the best out there, but how are you going to sign a QB who hasn't even practiced this season to be a starter after signing him about a week ago, that's just pathetic.

-- The Lions' new quarterback, Daunte Culpepper, arrived at the team's practice facility early Monday afternoon -- and not a moment too soon, it appears.
Culpepper, a veteran free agent who was expected to sign a two-year contract with the Lions after completing his physical Monday, likely will be the starting quarterback Sunday against Jacksonville at Ford Field.
Dan Orlovsky, who started the last four games after replacing Jon Kitna, had a removable hard cast on his right (throwing) hand Monday, protecting a sprained thumb that could keep him out indefinitely. Center Dominic Raiola also might be out because of a possible broken hand.
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Orlovsky said X-rays ruled out a fracture in this thumb -- injured on the first play of Sunday's 27-23 loss at Chicago -- but he said he didn't know whether he'd be able to practice this week.
"We'll see on Wednesday," said Orlovsky, who said he took a pain reliever to finish Sunday's game against the Bears.
Healthy or not, though, Orlovsky knew his days as a starter were numbered last week when the Lions -- after weeks of speculation -- finally brought Culpepper in for a workout. Culpepper, a nine-year NFL veteran, wowed the Lions' coaching staff with his arm and dispelled concerns about his mobility. And by Monday, his new locker stall was ready and waiting with a No. 11 nameplate -- the same number he wore as a three-time Pro Bowl selection with the Minnesota Vikings.
"It was a terrific workout -- you could see the explosion in the arm, the movement of the feet, all those things were good," coach Rod Marinelli said. "You look at it and you say it's a great opportunity to add a really good veteran player to your football team."
Culpepper, 31, announced his unofficial retirement from the NFL in early September, unable to find a suitable opportunity after abbreviated stints in Miami and Oakland the past two seasons. But two weeks ago, he changed his mind after talking to the Lions, among other teams.
"As a result of doing some research on different places to play, the Detroit Lions seemed to be the best fit for me," Culpepper wrote in an e-mail to The Detroit News on Monday, "I am encouraged by the commitment of ownership, the vision of management and the great potential of the talent that is on the team. I am grateful to the Lions organization for giving me an opportunity to both continue my NFL career and make a positive impact in the Detroit community. I hope to contribute to the team in whatever role coach (Rod) Marinelli needs for me to play."
The Lions are hoping Culpepper's signing can be more than simply a short-term fix for the NFL's lone remaining winless team. His two-year deal, which will pay him a prorated amount of veteran's minimum salary ($730,000) this season, a league source confirmed, represents a low-risk option for both sides.
But if things work out, the Lions might have found a starter for next season as well -- albeit at a much higher price tag -- and avoided having to wade into the free-agent waters to find another experienced arm.
"He's a veteran, but he's young still," Marinelli said. "So you've got to take a look because you might really find something special.
"I just think, anytime you can add a really good football player, and obviously he has been that ... I don't know how you close your eyes to a player like that."
Culpepper's arrival was met with some optimism by his new teammates.
"It felt like the organization cares about this season," defensive tackle Cory Redding said. "It's not the fact that it's a lack of confidence (in the quarterbacks), it's that we still care about this season. And regardless of what the record shows, we gotta try to make some moves and get something going. We need guys to come in and make plays."
Orlovsky did make some plays Sunday, throwing for a career-high 292 yards and two touchdowns. But he also made some mistakes, throwing a pair of interceptions as the Lions came up short again.
"I think I can be a really consistent, top-notch starter in this league," said Orlovsky, in the final year of his contract. "Watching the film that I watched today compared to the film that I watched four weeks ago, I'm not the same person. And just seeing me make throws and do things as a quarterback is verification in my mind that, 'Yeah, I can do this. I can do it well.'"
Marinelli acknowledged he'd seen improvement from Orlovsky the last few weeks, but clearly it's not enough. And with backup Drew Stanton not yet ready for prime time -- at least in the coaches' eyes -- it's now Culpepper's turn.
"In this league when you can get better," Marinelli said, "you're crazy not to."