Despite spending a lot of time studying Matthew Stafford up close, Los Angeles Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald continues to be surprised by some of the throws the quarterback makes.
Although Stafford has been making spectacular throws into confined spaces all season, his season started slowly in terms of statistics. However, Stafford has thrown 10 touchdowns in the Rams’ last three games, which ties him for the second most in his career during a three-game stretch.
“He just looks like Matthew Stafford.” Donald remarked. “I believe he’s playing confident, good football right now. It appears that he is enjoying himself immensely outside. And it’s evident. Performing some incredible throws, some of which I find shocking even now. I’m just relieved that he is a member of our team and that I feel at ease with him. We always have an opportunity to win when we have that guy in the game.”
With three straight games of three or more passing touchdowns, Stafford comes into Sunday’s game against the Washington Commanders. It’s tied for the longest streak of his career, and just one game short of the longest by a Rams quarterback since the merger, according to ESPN Stats & Information.
“He’s playing at a really high level right now [with] his understanding of the offense, his mastery and ownership of what we’re trying to get done [and] how we’re trying to attack defenses,” Cooper Kupp, the wide receiver, said.
Stafford had a 55.3 total quarterback rating through Week 8, the week he sprained his right thumb’s UCL and the Rams lost 3-5. He had also thrown eight touchdowns and seven interceptions. Stafford’s QBR is 70.3 in the four weeks since he returned from his thumb injury. He has thrown 11 touchdowns and two interceptions.
Stafford played through a hip contusion in addition to his thumb injury, which he sustained in Week 4 against the Indianapolis Colts.
Although offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur stated that Stafford is “statistically, performing better than he was pre-bye,” he also made the observation that the improved play of the rest of the offense is not a coincidence.
“The consistency level of all 11 guys that have been out on the field [has improved],” LaFleur stated. It hasn’t been flawless by any means since the bye. We’ve experienced both highs and lows. That’s how football works. It has, on the whole, been more steady. Generally, you play a little bit better when the person next to you is playing better.
“Practices as a group have improved over what they were. For some reason, we have slightly more energy now. These guys are very confident, and it comes through.”
Stafford was sacked 19 times in the season’s first eight weeks. He has only been fired three times since then. After the bye, the Rams received a boost from the return of starting running back Kyren Williams from injured reserve. Coach Sean McVay stated that Williams’ presence “very different, in a positive way,” to the offense.
“If I’m playing well, that means the guys in front of me are blocking,” Stafford stated. “The guys outside are opening up and grabbing hold of it. We’re using efficient ball movement. It’s an amazing sport for teams. Everyone is required to complete the task. Just knowing that the guys around me are all fighting for the same thing—trying to win the game—means that I’m just trying to make sure that when everything is right around me and my number is called, I go out there and do my job as best I possibly can.”
The Rams, who had won three straight following their Week 10 bye, were losing in overtime on Sunday to the AFC’s top-seeded Baltimore Ravens, but their improved play has come at a crucial time. The Rams’ chances of making the playoffs could increase from 40% to 49% if they defeat the Commanders this Sunday, per ESPN Analytics. A loss would cause that percentage to drop to 14%.
Although Stafford made it apparent that he is not ignoring any NFL team, the Commanders’ defense is ranked 32nd in the league. The Cleveland Browns and the Baltimore Ravens were the top two defenses he faced in his previous two games, during which he scored six touchdowns. Although “anybody can beat anybody at any point in time” in the NFL, Stafford acknowledged this.
“You don’t really control who you play, you just control how you play,” Stafford stated. “Let’s go out there and play the best football game we’ve recorded this year. That’s the big thing for us. That is our weekly objective. For us, this week won’t be any different.
“Each defense, each team creates unique challenges each week, and that’s something that as a coaching staff and as players, we try to go out there and solve and then go out there and execute on Sunday.”