3 concerns about LA Rams QB Matthew Stafford nobody mentions

Mobility

Okay, let’s get right to it. Matthew Stafford is a pocket passer. Let’s put that into comparative terms that you might understand.  Jared Goff pulled the ball down 51 times in 2020 and rushed for 99 yards, 12 first downs, and four rushing touchdowns. In sharp contrast, Matthew Stafford pulled the ball down 29 times, rushed for 112 yards, 12 first downs, and no rushing touchdowns. Goff fumbled seven times, while Stafford fumbled just two times.

Los Angeles Rams

But where it shows up is the quarterback sack totals. Goff was sacked 23 times in 2020. Stafford was sacked 38 times in 2020.  Was it all poor offensive line play? I’m not convinced, but the time-to-throw statistic of NFL Next Gen Stats seems to support that position.

Stafford needed just 2.65 seconds to throw the ball, while Jared Goff needed 2.76 seconds to get the ball out of his hands.  Combine that with the fact that Stafford threw to targets nine yards past the line of scrimmage, while Goff was much more conservative only throwing to targets an average of  6.5 yards past the line of scrimmage.

Neither Stafford nor Goff would win games running it in for a touchdown.  The problem is that fans were well aware of Jared Goff’s limitations.  Will they be comfortable with another stick-in-the-mud mobile quarterback? While there is compelling evidence to support believing that Stafford will get rid of the ball faster and throw it farther than Goff did, there is likely to be no change in his ability to avoid a pass rush or run with the ball.