Few weeks have featured better quarterback play than Week 14. But for the Atlanta Falcons, the reverse played out once more.
The Los Angeles Rams and Carolina Panthers, however, had to be thrilled with their signal-callers. At SoFi Stadium, Matthew Stafford led a 44-point effort to beat the Buffalo Bills, while Bryce Young took Carolina to the brink of a massive upset on the road against the two-loss Philadelphia Eagles.
We start in Los Angeles, though, where Stafford showed why he might end up in the Hall of Fame one day.
Matthew Stafford and Puka Nacua hooked up for the perfect play
Leading 17–14 midway through the second quarter, the Rams were looking to strengthen their grip on the game against the Bills.
On second-and-10 from the 50-yard line, Los Angeles came out in a condensed formation. Motioning receiver Tutu Atwell (No. 5) to the right side before the snap, coach Sean McVay was creating an isolation on the left side for Nacua (No. 17) with star corner Christian Benford (No. 47).
Buffalo was in its traditional zone defense, this time playing a Cover 4 shell with three underneath defenders.
As Stafford hit the top of his drop, Nacua wasn’t coming out of his break. Giving his receiver time, Stafford hitched up before cocking his arm to throw the deep out route.
However, Stafford had two problems. One was big Ed Oliver (No. 91), who had defeated his block on the interior and was about to crash into Stafford at full speed. The other was Benford smoothly flipping his hips, allowing him to see the throw as it was being made.
With Benford having eyes on the pass, the throw needed to be perfectly placed to the outside where only Nacua could get it. Of course, that also meant putting the ball in a spot that would allow Nacua to stay in bounds.
The result is one of the best plays you will see all season. A perfect strike against perfect coverage, and a great catch with enough control to get two feet down.
This might be the best pitch-and-catch I've seen this year. Matthew Stafford hangs in and takes a wicked hit from Ed Oliver, and delivers a PERFECT ball to Puka Nacua.
— Matt Verderame (@MattVerderame) December 10, 2024
Christian Benford had great coverage. He also had no chance. pic.twitter.com/XKDRypWUUd
Everything that’s right with the Vikings, and wrong with the Falcons
It’s been a brutal month for the Falcons and quarterback Kirk Cousins. Atlanta has lost its last four games and in those contests, Cousins has zero touchdowns and eight interceptions.
On Sunday against the Minnesota Vikings, Cousins trailed his former team 35–21 with 6:34 remaining in the fourth quarter but had a first-and-10 at the Minnesota 25-yard line. Pre-snap, it was the easiest read imaginable. The Vikings brought a seven-man, all-out blitz, leaving Atlanta with four man-to-man choices.
Upon the snap, Cousins took an abbreviated drop and looked for tight end Kyle Pitts (No. 8), who was in the slot to the right of the formation, lined up against corner Camryn Bynum (No. 24).
Bynum, likely expecting a quick throw, and perhaps an adjusted route from Pitts based on Minnesota’s blitz, sat down anticipating such a play. Instead, Pitts ran down the seam, apparently what Cousins thought he would do. The ball needed to go towards the middle of the field, giving Pitts an open area to run into.
Instead, Cousins threw high and toward Pitts’s outside shoulder. By doing so, corner Byron Murphy Jr. (No. 7) had enough time to fall off his responsibility and make the one-handed interception, all but finishing the competitive phase of the game.
Kirk Cousins has played well at times this year. Right now, he's in a major funk. This play is a good example.
— Matt Verderame (@MattVerderame) December 10, 2024
The Vikings aren't playing coy. It's a full-on Cover 0 blitz. Cousins has to see space in the middle of the field and put the ball inside. Instead, it drifts. pic.twitter.com/TNMHwb9jJe
Bryce Young is starting to show his stuff
The 2024 Panthers aren’t going to be remembered as a good team. But, they might be remembered as the start of one.
Although Carolina is 3–10, progress is being made under first-year coach Dave Canales. That can be seen in Young, who almost pulled off the year’s biggest upset. Entering Sunday as two-touchdown underdogs against the Eagles, the Panthers had the ball with 1:23 remaining in regulation, trailing 22–16.
On fourth-and-7 from the Carolina 49-yard line, the Panthers came out in a three-by-one set with veteran receiver Adam Thielen (No. 19) lined up in the left slot. Philadelphia matched the look with man coverage and a deep safety while blitzing six.
On the snap, the Eagles got immediate pressure with linebacker Zack Baun (No. 53) and edge rusher Nolan Smith (No. 3) screaming in on Young. The second-year passer had little time to make a decision but saw Thielen starting to win his out route on rookie defensive back Tristin McCollum (No. 36).
Young had to overcome a couple of things. First, he was about to get hit by two different players coming from opposite directions. Second, making an anticipatory throw with a rush in his face.
Young did both, keeping hope alive for a Panthers team that suddenly doesn’t look like the easy out they’ve been for years.
Bryce Young is really starting to play quality football.
— Matt Verderame (@MattVerderame) December 10, 2024
Look at the pressure he's facing on this do-or-die fourth down. Three rushers crashing down on him, and he makes the right read quickly, and throws an excellent ball to keep hope alive. Well done. pic.twitter.com/MHLehZHYMA
This article was originally published on www.si.com as Inside Matthew Stafford’s Best Game of the Season.
