LA Rams Wednesday Walkabout Diner Fare 2.0

LA Rams

The LA Rams gave up a lot for QB Matthew Stafford. Was he worth it? How does he improve or change the LA Rams offense, particularly one that has found it more and more difficult to score points?

Jay: After the shock-and-awe factor subsided and a little time has passed to allow the blockbuster trade to percolate in my noggin a bit, I think it was a win-win for both teams. I like the deal for the Lions because they realized it was the right time to move on from Stafford. They take a flyer on Goff.

They get a windfall of picks with two first-rounders, a third, and some compensatory picks to come later. And for the Rams, they get rid of that awful contract for Goff and they get the player they obviously liked in Stafford to step i. He’s definitely an upgrade over Goff. And Stafford gets to play with the No. 1 defense in the NFL, a luxury he never enjoyed in the Motor City.

I like the deal for what it adds to the Rams offense. Stafford’s strong should deliver more big plays downfield than Goff and hopefully adds a bit of a new dimension to McVay’s play-calling You can call it pop, sizzle, or explosiveness. Stafford can heave the pigskin, something I think McVay covets in his offense.

Stafford’s big arm can (cliche alert ) “take the top off a defense” and that was just not Goff’s forte. Stafford brings the deep-ball threat to this offense. He will also have a rushing attack with his new home in LA, another thing he never seemed to have in Detroit, Because the Lions defense was so porous, they were often playing from behind in the first quarter and Stafford had to throw a lot. Now, he can turn and give it to Akers. The Rams offense he will be joining is much more play-action pass-oriented than the one he had in Detroit and I’m hoping he excels in it.

The Lions’ new GM Brad Holmes knew exactly what he was getting in Goff. After all, he signed Goff. Seems to me both teams got the man they wanted. It’s just a shame it couldn’t have been a one-for-one trade, instead of the four-for-one trade price it ultimately cost the Rams. The Rams surely did give up a lot, but that just underscores what an albatross of a contract deal they were saddled with for a QB their coach had lost confidence in.

There’s just something inherently likable about the Rams aggressiveness with this deal that I like, too. They are telling the rest of the NFC West we will not sit still and we are serious about winning and damn the torpedoes, all ahead full.

Bret Stuter:

The LA Rams know that the key to the 2021 season will be to restore their offense’s ability to score a lot of points on offense. After all, can the team truly count on another first-year defensive coach to lead the NFL in defense for the second consecutive year?

Rather than bank on a second miraculous development, head coach Sean McVay knew that he needed to fast forward at the quarterback position. Stafford is Jared Goff, six years from now. Why is that good?

The Rams offense is a custom fit for what Stafford does well. Stafford can throw a deep pass, evade pressure in the pocket long enough to make the correct throws to an open man. He is more than a guy who is avoiding turnovers. He places a go-for-the-throat mentality under center.

Ignore detractors who point to no playoff wins. I’ve argued plenty of times that one player does lose games, nor does one player win them. The Rams offense, whether the head coach, the players, or the quarterback himself, is confident once more. That means that the entire offensive playbook is open for business once more. The Rams know it had to be now. After the loss to the Green Bay Packers, the LA Rams MVP Aaron Donald broke down on the sidelines, wondering if this is as good as the Rams will ever get.

It’s not. They got better. Forget the draft picks surrendered. The Rams needed to win now, and now have a field general who is quite capable of that very thing.