INGLEWOOD — If there have been actually any doubts that Matthew Stafford can be prepared for the Rams’ opening day, I think he didn’t share them.
For a lot of coaching camp and the preseason, Stafford’s again was an important subject, and when he was supposed to start throwing however didn’t, those that care concerning the Rams have been on excessive alert. However that appears to have been extra of a case of slow-playing his exercise to ensure he’d be prepared.
And prepared he was Sunday afternoon, in L.A.’s 14-9 victory over the Houston Texans. He didn’t essentially gentle up the scoreboard; Kyren Williams‘ 1-yard scoring run gave the Rams a 7-6 lead lower than a minute earlier than halftime, and Stafford discovered tight finish Davis Allen with a 13-yard landing move early within the third quarter to make it 14-9. A lot of the remainder of the afternoon consisted of managing the sport whereas the Rams’ protection saved C.J. Stroud and his Houston teammates out of the top zone.
However in finishing 21 of 29 for 245 yards, a landing and a passer score of 109.1, Stafford additionally made historical past. With a easy 6-yard completion to Puka Nacua in the fourth quarter, he turned the tenth quarterback within the historical past of the NFL to surpass 60,000 passing yards for a profession.
“He got here to me and s
support, ‘Man, I’m glad the ball went to you,’” Nacua stated. “And I used to be like, ‘Oh, yeah, thanks for the like. I used to be fairly certain the ball was supposed to return to me.’
“After which I search for on the massive display screen and it says, ‘Matthew Stafford’s at 60,000. And I’m like, ‘I’m so sorry. I perceive (now) why you stated that.’”
Stafford just isn’t but prepared for lifetime achievement awards, per se; there are nonetheless video games to win and Tremendous Bowls to pursue. However 60,000 – 60,054 by sport’s finish, to be exact – did present him a chance to mirror on how he bought right here.
“It brings again loads of recollections,” he stated.
“You realize, I’ve been blessed to play this sport for a very long time with a bunch of nice gamers. The cool factor about (taking part in) quarterback and my considered it’s, you recognize, I can’t throw for any of these yards with out each different participant on the sphere, ten different guys which can be doing their jobs. And so it’s actually cool that I share it with so many individuals and so many teammates and a bunch of coaches, you recognize, and my household and all people that’s helped me get there.”
There wasn’t time for a full reminisce, however contemplate: Stafford’s first season with the Detroit Lions was 2009. He didn’t turn out to be a full-time starter till his third season. He led the league in makes an attempt solely twice, his first two seasons because the starter in 2011-12, and in completions solely in 2012. And most of the groups for which he performed throughout these 12 seasons in Detroit have been, to be charitable, not good. Solely two have been above .500, the final of these in 2014.
The commerce that introduced Stafford to the Rams for Jared Goff earlier than the 2021 season has been useful for all 4 entities: the 2 quarterbacks and the 2 groups. The significance right here is that Stafford’s first season as a Ram resulted in his first Tremendous Bowl championship, the franchise’s second general and first in L.A.
The three seasons that he’s been totally wholesome, the Rams have reached the postseason, they usually have been inside just some yards and perhaps a play or two of beating the eventual champion Philadelphia Eagles in final season’s second spherical. So whereas the Rams might have protected themselves within the offseason by bringing in Jimmy Garoppolo as a veteran backup, it’s evident that in the event that they’re going to play for a championship, Stafford goes to be the quarterback who will get them there.
“For him to go over 60,000 yards, it’s unbelievable,” coach Sean McVay said. “Actual testomony to the consistency of what he’s performed.”
McVay talked concerning the resilience and psychological toughness of this roster, as proven by its potential to remain within the struggle and make the important thing performs when wanted. And so I requested him if, on this case, that toughness begins with the quarterback.
“I believe loads of it,” he stated. “I believe your leaders find yourself embodying and turning into actually the persona that the staff takes on. And so, actually grateful to have any person that’s as resilient, as regular, as calm within the midst of the chaos as what he’s. However he’s additionally bought this fireplace and this competitiveness that I believe is nice for this sport.
“We bought loads of guys like that. However definitely with Matthew, (it’s) the rationale why he’s mainly voted unanimously as a captain 12 months in and 12 months out since he’s been right here. And so we’re actually grateful to have him cleared the path.”
That resilience most likely additionally helped him cope with that at occasions balky again. He stated he wasn’t antsy through the run-up to the season – “I believe I used to be simply excited to get again on the market and play, glad to (have) been on the follow discipline now for I believe three weeks, one thing like that,” he stated – and he stated that after below heart in an actual sport Sunday he didn’t entertain any considered what may go incorrect bodily. You possibly can’t, actually, particularly on this sport.
“Possibly that’s silly,” he stated, drawing laughter. “However, you recognize, I simply go on the market and play. There’s some performs that I believe I could be higher and attempt to keep away from some extra negatives for us and do a greater job there. Nevertheless it felt nice to get again on the market. It’s been a very long time coming – and never just for myself,” he added, mentioning left sort out Alaric Jackson, who missed a lot of the low season and preseason work with blood clots in his decrease leg however was within the lineup Sunday.
It’s value noting those who preceded Stafford in the 60,000 club: Tom Brady (89,214), Drew Brees (80,358), Peyton Manning (71,940), Brett Favre (71,838), Ben Roethlisberger (64,088), Philip Rivers (63,440), Aaron Rodgers (63,196, together with his 244 yards for the Steelers Sunday), Matt Ryan (62,792) and Dan Marino (61,361).
Of these, Brady, Brees, Favre and Rodgers all performed 20-plus seasons; Rodgers is in his twenty first.
Stafford’s in his seventeenth. He’s bought time to zoom up that record.
jalexander@scng.com
