For a quarterback who has won the Super Bowl more recently than most of the NFL, Matthew Stafford has been relegated to the outside looking in on many rankings and assessments. Much of that comes from his participation in the team’s 5-12 2022 season as well as his slow starts in 2023 and 2024.
However, a new pattern is emerging for the Los Angeles Rams, and depending on how the last two weeks go, the quarterback’s recent resume could offer a counter-argument to anyone claiming he is declining.
Matthew Stafford’s Production Opportunity
With two games to play, Stafford has the chance to beat out two of his most important 2023 numbers. In 2023, Stafford threw for 24 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. Currently, he has 20 touchdowns and eight interceptions.
If he can throw for at least five touchdowns and two or fewer interceptions in the next two games, he can finish with around 25 touchdowns and eight interceptions. This, compared to his production in 2023, would point toward an trend upward — something that doesn’t happen often for quarterbacks over 35.
However, when also compared with his 2022 numbers, this would mark two consecutive positive trends for the age-36 quarterback.
Of course, if he can match this with two wins, his Rams will have improved in their final record for the second consecutive season as well, beating out their 10-7 2023 record.
At that point, also having won the NFC West, for the first time since 2021, over the Seattle Seahawks, Stafford would be on a level as close to his Super Bowl-winning self as he has been since then. Of course, there still would be a wide gap having thrown for 41 touchdowns, but the signs are encouraging.
That said, at age 36, Stafford can’t continue to make marginal improvements forever. At some point, there will be regression. As of now, the Rams have no succession plan at the position. A sharp decline from Stafford in the vein of countless other QBs of his age could foretell an implosion of the Sean McVay-led Rams
However, in 2024 one might have no choice but to whisper that the Rams are back.