For far too long, Matthew Stafford has been a top quarterback, so he doesn’t really give a damn about what supporters, analysts, or even rivals think of his performance.
The Los Angeles Rams are in the thick of the NFC playoff race, and although Stafford is having one of his best seasons of his fifteen-year career, he isn’t about to change his approach of graciously ignoring any compliments or criticism from anyone outside of his locker room.
“If I´m playing good, that means the guys in front of me are blocking, the guys on the outside are getting open and catching it, and we´re running the ball efficiently,” Stafford said on Wednesday. It’s an amazing team sport. Everyone is required to complete the task. I simply want to make sure that I go out there and do my job as best I can when my number is called and everything is around me.”
This season, Stafford has performed admirably, especially in the last three weeks when he has thrown 10 touchdown passes and only one interception. For the fifth time in his career, he has completed three straight games with at least three touchdown passes.
In those three games against Arizona, Cleveland, and Baltimore, he has completed 63% of his passes for 802 yards and a 111.0 quarterback rating.
However, Stafford’s play during the last few games of this season was extraordinary, even though he was limited to just nine games during the Rams’ Super Bowl championship defense due to serious injuries sustained the year before.
Even while facing the elite defenses fielded by the Browns and Ravens, Stafford has been smart, elusive, anticipatory and generally superb in the pocket while setting up targets Cooper Kupp, rookie Puka Nacua and Kyren Williams for prolific performances.
Sean McVay, the coach of the Rams, said, “He’s played like Matthew.” He is an excellent player, and it’s evident that he is in good health. He’s doing a fantastic job passing the ball around. There is fierce competition between guys around him and for him, but he has excellent control over what he sees. (The previous two opponents) are unquestionably among the best defenses in the country. Looking at the fourth quarter in Seattle (Week 11) and the final 12 quarters when Arizona, Cleveland, and Baltimore are combined, I believe he’s played really well.”
After taking 29 sacks in a half-season the previous year, Stafford had already missed the entire season due to a severely bruised spinal cord. This year, Los Angeles’ pass protection and offensive line have improved tremendously, and Stafford has only been sacked four times in the last five games. This season, he has only missed one game because of a thumb injury.
The 35-year-old Stafford’s skills were on full display last weekend in the rain at Baltimore. He displayed his amazing array of arm angles, signature misdirections, and love of the occasional risk-it-all throw into a defense, looking as comfortable as Aaron Rodgers with his occasional sidearm throws.
While his best pass of the game may have been an impeccably timed throw through a narrow window to Nacua for a 23-yard gain in the fourth quarter, he also connected with Super Bowl MVP Kupp and star rookie Kupp on a string of crucial passes against Baltimore’s formidable defense.
Even though the Rams were defeated by the Ravens on a contentious overtime punt return, Stafford had one of his best games during his three-year tenure in Los Angeles.
Stafford accomplished many of the same things in an impressive victory over Cleveland one week prior. In one of the most memorable plays of his career against the Browns, Stafford called an audible, stepped up to the line, and then hit Nacua with a breathtaking long pass that he caught in stride for a 70-yard touchdown.
Regarding the audible, Rams offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur stated, “That was not going to put any stress on our players, because Matthew has no stress. You witnessed the outcome of his calm demeanor when he completes those tasks. It was truly awesome.”
Stafford dismisses the previous few weeks with the assurance of a quarterback who already owns a Super Bowl ring but is still eager to win another since he doesn’t care about recognition or criticism.
“I´m always trying to improve, trying to get better week to week,” Stafford stated. “What is expected of me in each game is different. I always have to go out there and play at a high level during that week, but sometimes it’s not like that. Simply pleased with the guys”
Observations: RT The Rams’ light practice featured absences from Rob Havenstein (groin) and wide receiver Tutu Atwell (concussion protocol), and McVay is unsure if either starter will play this weekend. Both sustained injuries during the game last week. Both TE Tyler Higbee (neck) and LB Michael Hoecht (knee) had limitations.