Biggs: Culpepper to start for Lions

Daunte Culpepper will start today for the Detroit Lions at quarterback, the NFL Network has reported, against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Ford Field.

Rookie No. 1 overall draft pick Matthew Stafford will miss his first game as a professional with a right knee injury suffered last week at Chicago. Culpepper made five starts for the Lions last season, all losses in the 0-16 train wreck, but he was greatly overweight.

Culpepper battled Stafford for the starting job in training camp but lost out. It remains to be seen how long Stafford will be sidelined. Coach Jim Schwartz has said nothing about the injury, and it’s been reported to be a dislocated knee cap that might just have him out a week or two. Bears defensive end Adewale Ogunleye was fined $7,500 for the play that injured Stafford, as the NFL ruled it was a violation of the horse collar rule.

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