What does ‘a level up’ mean for LA Rams with QB Stafford?

Summary

Okay, so what does any of this prove? No, not that I have a vivid imagination.  It simply shows that the LA Rams 10-6 season could have been that 14-2 or 13-3 year that everyone hoped for if the offense had been able to protect the damned football. It’s just that simple.

No, we are not claiming that Stafford must hurl multiple hail-mary touchdowns 100 yards downfield with four defenders hanging on him in each game. Nor must Stafford light up the skies with a 5000 plus passing yards season. He simply must not throw interceptions or fumble twice, thrice, or four times in a game. That’s all.

Using a pretty simple re-cast of the LA Rams 2020 season, the Rams may have ended 14-2. Had that happened, the Rams would have had the bye week, would have had home-field advantage, and likely would have gotten at least to the NFC Championship game.  Would the Rams have been able to defeat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers twice in one season? Well, that’s where I happily deplane from this what-if? scenario.

You can argue whether or not this analysis, as speculative as it has been, missed on a game or two. But if you look at the LA Rams game by game, it’s far easier to be optimistic about what the arrival of Matthew Stafford can mean for the LA Rams in 2021. Stafford truly can do what LA Rams head coach Sean McVay wants an NFL quarterback to do in his offense. Will Stafford throw two interceptions and fumble the football twice in one game?  I can’t see it.

To win consistently, the LA Rams need to focus on ball security and durability this offseason. An injured player on the bench will not help this team. And if the offense moves the football 90 yards but turns the football over in the end zone, it was no better than a three-and-out punt. Putting ball security back into the quarterback position is a great start to the 2021 NFL season. Now the LA Rams simply need to round out the roster.