Stafford is examining PFF’s top 10 passer rankings from the outside in after a lackluster performance against the Arizona Cardinals.
Following a scorching start to the 2023 season, Matthew Stafford has recently returned to earth. The signal caller for the Los Angeles Rams has consistently been among the top 10 quarterbacks according to Pro Football Focus (PFF) throughout season. However, following a lackluster showing in Week 12 against the Arizona Cardinals, Stafford’s passing grade has dropped to 12th.
Although Stafford was the NFL leader in PFF’s “big-time throw” rating prior to the first game against the Cardinals, he has since had difficulty finding openings for his receivers and producing outside of the offense’s structure. The veteran quarterback has only completed three big-time throws (BTTs) in the past four games, having only completed one in the second game versus Arizona. In contrast, Stafford threw 19 BTT in the team’s first six games. Although PFF did not give Stafford credit for his pick-six to DaRon Bland against the Dallas Cowboys and his interception this past weekend in Arizona, he had two plays within that same span that are worthy of turnovers.
The Rams were expected to rely even more heavily on their “weight bearing walls” (as general manager Les Snead put it) after spending the previous summer cutting loose players like Jalen Ramsey, Leonard Floyd, Bobby Wagner, and others. Stafford, whose play has declined dramatically over the past month, is expected to be one of these keystones. Although he has been in and out of the lineup due to injuries and hasn’t always been productive when he is on the field, Cooper Kupp is still regarded as another important member of the team. Even though he might not be playing at the top of his game right now, Aaron Donald has lived up to his celebrity status thus far this year.
However, even Stafford in his present status is significantly more successful than the other option, which the Rams took in the most difficult way possible when Stafford was out of the setup against the Green Cove Packers and LA had to go to previous reinforcement Brett Rypien. Despite the fact that Carson Wentz is more gifted than Rypien in basically every manner, he’s actually getting familiar with everything of the offense and isn’t reasonably better compared to Stafford as of now.
The Rams end up on the cusp of a .500 record and on the edge of the NFC season finisher picture on the off chance that they can pull off a success against the Cleveland Browns this end of the week. They’ll require Stafford to perform like the best 10 quarterback that he was recently to fight off a forceful protection that includes any semblance of Myles Garrett.
Could Matthew Stafford at any point evade the pattern and work his direction back into PFF’s main 10 passing grades on the season, or is this the start of his decay at almost age 36?