Matthew Stafford was always seen as a really solid quarterback while he was with the Detroit Lions, often finishing in the top 10 for passing yards and touchdowns. But since joining the Los Angeles Rams last year, he’s improved his resume and shown that he can win big games, as he did four times in the playoffs.
ESPN polled NFL executives, coaches, players and scouts to find out where they rank the best quarterbacks in the league and despite putting together a strong 2021 campaign, Stafford didn’t move up the rankings. He came in at No. 6 last year and is still ranked sixth in this year’s poll.
One voter put him third, which was his highest ranking, but his lowest was outside the top 10, so it was a mixed bag. One NFL coordinator was impressed by his no-look pass in the Super Bowl, calling Stafford a “special player making a special play.”
“A lot of those no-looks you see are on the move, out of the pocket; but this was in the pocket, looks like he’s going to throw the ball in the flat, throws it in the curl and the safety (Cincinnati’s Vonn Bell) was frozen,” an NFL coordinator said. “That ain’t coaching. That’s a special player making a special play.”
Stafford did throw 17 interceptions, which tied for the most in the NFL, but he cleaned up some of those ball-security issues in the postseason throwing nine touchdowns and only three interceptions in the Rams’ four wins.
He’s always been a high-risk, high-reward quarterback, but if he can cut down on some of those picks and fumbles, he’s going to be even better in 2022.
