The biggest question about Matthew Stafford when the Rams traded for him last offseason was whether he could win the big games against quality opponents. It was well known that the Lions struggled against the best teams in football, which is part of the reason Stafford only made the playoffs three times and never won a postseason game prior to this year.
It didn’t take him long to prove those doubters wrong by leading the Rams to the Super Bowl in his first season in Los Angeles. The Rams punched their ticket to the big game by beating the 49ers, 20-17, on Sunday night, led by Stafford’s 337 yards and two touchdowns.
It was his fifth win of the season (including the playoffs) against a team that finished with at least 10 wins. That matches his total in 12 years with the Lions.
Matthew Stafford picked up his 5th win vs teams that finished with 10+ wins this season (including playoffs).
That's as many as he had in his entire Lions career. pic.twitter.com/V2MOZKJsBr
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) January 31, 2022
It’s almost as if Stafford wasn’t the problem in Detroit as some have made him out to be. He’s been plenty successful with the Rams, showing what he can do when he has a quality supporting cast around him.
Stafford has already accomplished a ton with the Rams, but he’s now just one win away from his first Super Bowl ring – a legacy-defining victory for the veteran quarterback.