Could a healthy Matthew Stafford be the best starting QB in the NFC?

[AvengerRam]

Tom Brady? Retired.

Aaron Rodgers? Headed for NY, apparently.

Russell Wilson? Long gone.

Matthew Stafford is now the last of the old guns in the NFC. Is he the best of the bunch at QB?

Certainly, Jalen Hurts gets some consideration, coming off an MVP-type year, but will he sustain that level?

Others have put up good years, but is anyone taking Kurt Cousins, Dak Prescott, Daniel Jones or Jared Goff over Stafford in crunch time?

We’ve got a lot of roster issues, but we may very well have the best QB in the conference.

That’s a pretty good thing, no?

 

[GoodBadUgly]

Yes. If healthy, no question in my mind he COULD be the best.

Will he deliver the requisite numbers, even if healthy? That depends on how this remodel/rebuild/retool goes.

 

[Tumak61]

I think McVay feels the Offense will return to being a very good unit group and they are beginning a different approach on Defense. I think the Rams will rebuild the D thru the draft. Stafford should return to form this year.

 

[Rams8821]

YES 100%.

People have such short memories, how good was this guy in 2021 and the playoffs.....

 

[socalrams90]

This is what is bothering me the most about our steep fall off. Last year was still there for the taking and this year the NFC is even worst. A lot of our previous teams from the last five years would have gone to the Super Bowl in last years NFC.

 

[Psycho_X]

At this point in time I'd rate Hurts #1 and then Stafford with Goff closing in on him. Prescott and Jones are two sides of the same coin underneath them and Cousins is there somewhere farther down.

 

[oldnotdead]

IMO Stafford's health is his biggest limiting factor. I'm worried about his elbow more than his neck. With luck and time his neck will heal as much as it's going to, i.e. he probably will always be susceptible to re-injury. It's his tendonitis in his elbow which is likely to be a chronic issue. His deep ball was clearly impacted. McVay needs to restructure his passing play designs. More short and intermediate throws will help prolong his elbow. Save his elbow for the playoffs.

Stafford with Goff closing in on him.

Is that an admission the Rams should have kept Goff and McVay should have played to Jared's strength? I always said that and Campbell proved it was true. But Goff isn't Stafford and Stafford isn't Goff. Goff has a different skill set. Goff takes what is given and Stafford is a gunslinger. I find it interesting all those that criticized Goff's INTs say nothing about Stafford's, who throws more INTs. You can win with both and you need to accept the strengths and weaknesses of both. If Holmes continues to build around Jared watch the fuck out. The Lions could be good for a long time. Flipside, the clock is ticking on Stafford. Personally, I have doubts Stafford plays in 2025. I will be surprised if he gets through the 2023 and 2024 seasons without his injuries cropping up. What worries me about Matt is he is one hard hit away from retirement. For cap reasons, the Rams must play Stafford this year. But from next year on they can carry his dead cap if it's post June 1.

So do they draft a QB2 like Tune this year and then sell the farm for someone like Penix next year? It's an interesting thought to have an inexpensive QB for 5 years. Blows that SB window wide open.

 

[Psycho_X]

Is that an admission the Rams should have kept Goff and McVay should have played to Jared's strength?

Not sure what I'm admitting since I've always been a heavy Goff supporter and would have been perfectly happy with keeping him. Think you got me confused with someone else. But we won a SB with Stafford with some heroic throws down the stretch so I can't exactly be upset about it. Said the Lions were going to slowly become dangerous over a three year span and look forward to cheering them on when it doesn't negatively effect the Rams.

 

[Tano]

I was going to humorously say Goff but if he plays as well as he did last year again, he may be the best QB in the NFC if Stafford doesn't get healthy. And I am really concerned about Stafford's neck this year. He may need to sit out the entire year to get healthy if some rumors are correct.

Another reason why this year may be a pass for me. I could not watch Wolford or Perkins be starting QBs again.

It would definitely be 2009 all over again.

 

[I like Rams]

IMO Stafford's health is his biggest limiting factor. I'm worried about his elbow more than his neck. With luck and time his neck will heal as much as it's going to, i.e. he probably will always be susceptible to re-injury. It's his tendonitis in his elbow which is likely to be a chronic issue. His deep ball was clearly impacted. McVay needs to restructure his passing play designs. More short and intermediate throws will help prolong his elbow. Save his elbow for the playoffs.



Is that an admission the Rams should have kept Goff and McVay should have played to Jared's strength? I always said that and Campbell proved it was true. But Goff isn't Stafford and Stafford isn't Goff. Goff has a different skill set. Goff takes what is given and Stafford is a gunslinger. I find it interesting all those that criticized Goff's INTs say nothing about Stafford's, who throws more INTs. You can win with both and you need to accept the strengths and weaknesses of both. If Holmes continues to build around Jared watch the fuck out. The Lions could be good for a long time. Flipside, the clock is ticking on Stafford. Personally, I have doubts Stafford plays in 2025. I will be surprised if he gets through the 2023 and 2024 seasons without his injuries cropping up. What worries me about Matt is he is one hard hit away from retirement. For cap reasons, the Rams must play Stafford this year. But from next year on they can carry his dead cap if it's post June 1.

So do they draft a QB2 like Tune this year and then sell the farm for someone like Penix next year? It's an interesting thought to have an inexpensive QB for 5 years. Blows that SB window wide open.

I think McVay got a reality check in November of the 2021 season. Alot of people, including myself, and McVay put alot of blame on the shoulders of Goff for his down fall at the end of the 2020 season. But we saw Staff, a vet qb, make the same bone headed mistakes that Goff made the season before in november of 2020. I noticed a little humility in McVays demeanor after that, and I think he realized that maybe it wasn't all on Goff in 2020.

 

[Tano]

I think McVay got a reality check in November of the 2021 season. Alot of people, including myself, and McVay put alot of blame on the shoulders of Goff for his down fall at the end of the 2020 season. But we saw Staff, a vet qb, make the same bone headed mistakes that Goff made the season before in november of 2020. I noticed a little humility in McVays demeanor after that, and I think he realized that maybe it wasn't all on Goff in 2020.

I felt Goff got too much of the blame in 2020. However, Goff's confidence level was shattered at the end so Goff had to go. He was never going to be a good QB with McVay as head coach. I am not blaming McVay either. Sometimes two people are not going to work out and need to go their separate ways.

 

[Loyal]

Matthew Stafford of 2021 was the best and if that guy show up in 2023 he is the best. The quality of the 2021 Oline also has to show up in 2023 with new members. Kupp has to be Kupp, Van Jefferson has to be better and hopefully Bijan likes playing for us (*flexes guns). Even @AvengerRam likes Bijan, I hear,,,,

 

[Loyal]

I felt Goff got too much of the blame in 2020. However, Goff's confidence level was shattered at the end so Goff had to go. He was never going to be a good QB with McVay as head coach. I am not blaming McVay either. Sometimes two people are not going to work out and need to go their separate ways.

McVAy hater!

 

[Tano]

McVAy hater!

Now you are just going too far

 

[Giles]

No way I put Stafford ahead of Goff or hurts based on last year. Stafford was just horrible and he was bad from the jump.

 

[Rams8821]

No way I put Stafford ahead of Goff or hurts based on last year. Stafford was just horrible and he was bad from the jump.

Its body of work, all the QB's will move to their mean and ill take Stafford over either.....

 

[snackdaddy]

If they do something about that offensive line then yes, he could be considered at least top 3. You'll have debate on who is best with Prescott, Hurts and Stafford. One thing Stafford proved, he is capable of clutch play late in big games. If the line is at least serviceable then he should be much better this season. He'll have to be with a diminished defense.

 

[PARAM]

I felt Goff got too much of the blame in 2020. However, Goff's confidence level was shattered at the end so Goff had to go. He was never going to be a good QB with McVay as head coach. I am not blaming McVay either. Sometimes two people are not going to work out and need to go their separate ways.

I agree. The oddity there was he looked good in 2017 and better (great?) in 2018. 2019 was a rough season for all and then he broke his thumb in 2020. I liked the kid and thought he had terrific potential. He sure seems to be proving that in Detroit. But in the end, trading him won us a Lombardi. So that's the bottom line. Personality clashes suck.

 

[gabriel18]

No

 

[Merlin]

Possible yes. Likely no. And it is not likely because the quality of the 11 overall.

First problem is our OL of course. Second is our lack of speed threat at wideout. I think wideout could surprise with the same guys, if we see big improvement from Jefferson & Tutu. But outside of that we're gonna lack speed which means a lot of possession and less quick scoring which generally means you won't be the top performing QB.

But what could be exciting is if they simply get the OL sorted. Just that. Keep Stafford mostly clean, and give him a solid (not amazing) run game. That would put him in the conversation, with him undoubtedly being one of the better NFC QBs. And more importantly we'd win a lot of games which matters to me more than Stafford being in the mix for accolades.