Rams coach Sean McVay and quarterback Matthew Stafford need to produce more points to support a young, growing defense. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
During his first 15 NFL seasons, Matthew Stafford’s teams experienced scheduled off weeks at various junctures.
Three times they arrived as early as Week 5; once as late as Week 10.
With the Rams 1-4 after an Oct. 6 defeat to the Green Bay Packers, their star quarterback was asked if their Week 6 time off was coming at a good time.
“I don’t know,” Stafford said. “We’ll see.”
That’s a perfect mantra to accompany the Rams through their remaining 12 games.
On Sunday, when they play the Las Vegas Raiders at SoFi Stadium, we’ll see if coach Sean McVay devised a workable plan to once again turn around a team on the brink of falling out of the playoff race.
Read more: Rams have hopes Cooper Kupp will return and Matthew Stafford’s sore back heals
We’ll see if receivers Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua and offensive linemen Steve Avila and Joe Noteboom are ready to return from injuries that left the Rams shorthanded against the Detroit Lions, Arizona Cardinals, San Francisco 49ers, Chicago Bears and the Packers.
We’ll see if defensive coordinator Chris Shula made scheme and personnel adjustments that will elevate the Rams from their statistical position at or near the bottom of the league.
One thing is certain: The Rams cannot expect Stafford to produce miracle comebacks every week.
Sure, he did it for the 36th time in victory over the 49ers at SoFi Stadium.
McVay, Rams and fans no doubt anticipated a repeat when Stafford engineered a fourth-quarter touchdown drive against the Packers that pulled the Rams within five points. Stafford got the ball back with less than three minutes left and had the Rams on the move but his fourth-down pass in Packers territory fell incomplete.
Stafford, 36, has persevered despite a still-patchwork offensive line and the injury-related absence of star talent at receiver.
During the…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/matthew-stafford-asked-week-6-100056004.html
Author : LA Times
Publish date : 2024-10-14 10:00:56
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