Pushing the eventual Super Bowl champion Eagles to the limit in the divisional round, the Los Angeles Rams entered the offseason right back in the NFC’s contender tier. But the question hanging over the franchise isn’t about talent at wide receiver or depth on the defensive line — it’s all about quarterback.
ESPN’s Ben Solak recently ranked the Rams as the fifth least watchable team in the NFL, and the reasoning boils down to one stark reality: Matthew Stafford makes them must-see, while Jimmy Garoppolo drags them toward unwatchable.
Los Angeles Rams Become Unwatchable If Jimmy Garoppolo Is Under Center
“The Rams with Matthew Stafford at quarterback are extremely watchable,” Solak wrote. “Everyone loves watching Stafford. Big arm, making tough plays, gritty dude, no-look passes, side-arm releases. Think about how fun that Rams team was to watch down the stretch last season, with fourth-quarter drives against the Eagles in the snow and the defensive line takeover moments.
“The Rams with Jimmy Garoppolo at quarterback are still watchable, just in a much more grotesque way. Watching an offensive mastermind squeeze a functional offense out of Garoppolo lost its shine in the early 2020s, when Kyle Shanahan was authoring playoff runs that eventually ended when Garoppolo got hurt or exposed. Can McVay do the same four years later? I’m curious to find out, even if I’d prefer one last stouthearted Stafford year.”
That “stouthearted Matthew Stafford year” nearly didn’t happen. Trade rumors swirled this offseason as Los Angeles gave its veteran quarterback permission to explore relocation. The Giants and Raiders floated nine-figure guarantees, and Tom Brady even joined the Raiders’ pitch. Ultimately, Stafford stayed — with the Rams, boosting his guarantees while preserving a future escape hatch if his back injuries catch up with him.
The team also re-signed Garoppolo in March, one day after landing Davante Adams, raising eyebrows given Adams himself had publicly soured on the quarterback in Las Vegas. For the Rams, Garoppolo is a high-floor contingency plan. For Solak, he’s the very reason L.A. lands in the bottom five of watchability rankings.
The Rams’ supporting cast is championship-caliber: Adams, Puka Nacua, and Kyren Williams headline the offense, while a reshaped defense looks to reestablish its identity without Aaron Donald. But the entire season hinges on Stafford’s health. If he’s on the field, Los Angeles is dangerous and entertaining. If not, LA slides from ‘contender’ to ‘grotesque’ curiosity — a phrase that may haunt them all year.
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