LA Rams QB Matthew Stafford ‘It’s rude!’ getting sacked by Aaron Donald

The LA Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford is saying all the right things, but one of the most authentic answers in his introductory press conference was the fact that he is happy to no longer face All-Pro defensive tackle Aaron Donald. That makes sense. Is there any quarterback out there who can say that they enjoy facing Aaron Donald?

Well, if they are, they are not talking. But Rams new quarterback Matthew Stafford certainly is. And like any actor who does the talk show circuit to promote a new movie, Stafford is making the rounds now, talking to NFL sports show hosts and analysts about the upcoming season as the LA Rams quarterback.

It’s a tough spot to be in. As an actor, they’ve read the script and done the scenes, and it’s simply a matter of selling what they know.  But as a quarterback of an NFL team with clear aspirations for a great season? It’s tough to bullshit your way through any tough questions.  But it was clear that he has already been reaching out, talking to receivers, and more critically, offensive linemen.

How can Matthew Stafford talk about his relationship with Rams head coach Sean Mcvay, when he really does not have one yet? So it’s a set of stock feel-good answers.

But it gets real when he talks about no longer facing Rams defensive lineman Aaron Donald, who is referenced in the interview as getting six quarterback sacks on Matthew Stafford over his career. When asked what it’s like to get sack by Aaron Donald, Stafford doesn’t pause to reply: “Oh, it’s rude!”

Stafford recalls them all, even down to the point of recalling two strip-sacks suffered at the hands of Aaron Donald. And now that he will be protected by a red jersey, he won’t have to face Donald’s pass rush any longer.

Of course, that will no longer be the case for former LA Rams’ quarterback Jared Goff. How well will Stafford play without Donald in his face, and how well will Goff play with Donald in his face may be significant when the two teams face off in 2021.