Matthew Stafford started the year with five interceptions and three touchdown passes in his first four games. Those were hardly impressive numbers, but he was certainly playing better than the stats indicated.
Entering Week 17, Stafford has 23 touchdown passes and only nine interceptions in 14 games, a stark contrast from the beginning of the season. That’s because in the last five games, he has 14 touchdown passes and only one interception.
Even as impressive as Stafford’s stats are this season, Sean McVay says they don’t do his play justice. He’s performing even better than the stats suggest.
“I don’t even think the stats do justice to what an impact he’s making on our team and that’s saying a lot because I know the stats are really impressive,” McVay said Wednesday. “But just the level of play, the confidence that he breeds with everybody else, the command, the leadership, the things that he enables us to be able to do offensively that you wouldn’t be able to do with other quarterbacks, it’s all of those things. And so he’s always brought that to the table but I think like anything else, when you work at something the right way with an intentful approach, you’re going to get better. And I think he’s getting better and I think he’s elevating people around him. I mentioned it to you guys, he’s elevating coaches and players and there’s so much confidence that he earns because of his preparation, his weekly rhythm, and his ability to be able to connect and communicate with his teammates and then ultimately be able to go execute on game day. But he’s done a great job and he’s certainly has been at the center of a lot of good things for this team.”
Turnovers have been a problem for Stafford throughout his career, including his Super Bowl-winning season in 2021 when he led the NFL with 17 interceptions. However, he’s cut down on the giveaways this year, throwing just nine interceptions with zero total fumbles.
The Rams would not be in position to make the playoffs this season if not for Stafford. We saw just how awful this offense was without him in Week 9 when they were crushed by the Packers, 20-3, with Stafford on the sideline due to a thumb injury.
The Rams may not be among the Super Bowl favorites this year like they were in 2021, but you could argue Stafford is playing better now than he was two years ago – and that has the Rams in great position with the playoffs approaching.