Why isn’t anyone talking about LA Rams Matthew Stafford effect?

If you’ve been an LA Rams fan, or have read many of our articles in the past (thank you so much for the support, by the way!), you will undoubtedly be very familiar with the impact caused on defense by All-Pro defensive lineman Aaron Donald. Coined the Aaron-Donald effect by many, it is the term used to describe how the focus upon Donald by the offense and specifically, the offensive line, allows other players to have huge boosts to their production thanks to getting a steady diet of one-on-one blocking.

It explains how outside linebacker Dante Fowler Jr. became a force to be reckoned with after arriving at the LA Rams, and also how he plunged to anonymity as soon as he signed on with the Atlanta Falcons for a lot of money. The same held true for his teammate Cory Littleton, who was one of the hottest inside linebacker properties in the 2020 NFL Free Agency market, but whose production plunged in the Aaron-Donaldless-defense of the Las Vegas Raiders.

The Rams pass defense gets quite the boost from All-Pro defensive back Jalen Ramsey as well. In a video breakdown of the defense, HOFer Kurt Warner emphasizes repeatedly how the sheer ability of Jalen Ramsey to neutralize a receiver allows the Rams safeties to focus upon the other receivers.  That talent level on the field converts the multiple-choice guesswork of which receiver the quarterback will throw to from three receivers to two receivers. With fewer bonafide options, the Rams’ defensive backs can play above and beyond their raw talent level. That is the Jalen Ramsey effect.

So here we go adding one of the more versatile and prolific passers from the current NFL by almost every standard in veteran quarterback Matthew Stafford. He hasn’t made much noise for the Detroit Lions, and as is far too often the case, he has been judged as guilty by association.

While he is undeniably the reason for some of the Lions’ mild success, some attribute his presence as the reason why that same team has failed to win a single playoff game with him at the helm. He has been 0-3 in three attempts. And you may have a point. But let’s work this on the other side of the street for a moment. Here is why the Matthew Stafford effect will be part of the LA Rams vocabulary at the season’s end.

Ball security

Oh, the best-laid plans of mice and men often go awry. No matter how surefire the offensive play is drawn up on the whiteboard, head coach Sean McVay cannot execute the play himself. Unfortunately, when the plays translated from the chalkboard/whiteboard to the football field, there was a problem. The Rams offense was not-so-hot at ball security. In fact, the Rams turned over the football 25 times in 2020.

Los Angeles Rams

How bad is that? It was bad enough to be the seventh-most generous team in the NFL. And to make matters worse, only the Rams and the Washington Football Team made the NFL Playoffs and were among the 10-worst NFL teams to control the football. Washington ended the season at 7-9 in 2020, so that small select club is nothing to take pride in.

While it’s never wise to point the finger at one player, the facts are that Jared Goff was the source of an overwhelming share of the team’s turnovers. While some interceptions are to be expected, the sheer volume of 13 interceptions and seven fumbles was a tremendous handicap. Not only did it put the defense back onto the field with almost no rest, but it placed opposing offenses within scoring distance from the moment that they took the field. Over the past two seasons, Jared Goff has averaged a 2.5 percent interception average.

Now here comes Matthew Stafford, and without the benefit of a running game to worry about, as sustained an interception average below 2.0 percent over the past five seasons. Not only that but he has stiffened up his ability to hold onto the football over his time in the NFL, yielding just two fumbles in 2020.

Drive killer. Stupid play. Gift wrapping the football. Butterfinger ball. However you call it, the results are the same. Turning over the football takes points off the board for the offense, crushes drives, hurts the time of possession, changes the momentum, hurts the defense, and puts points on the board for the opposing team. While I may stress the point, this one factor alone could mean the difference between winning a Super Bowl, and not even earning a playoff berth. It’s that important.

Deep ball passes

Over time, it appeared as though the most successful defenses against the LA Rams offense learned to crowd the box and overwhelm the quarterback with too much pressure. Too much pressure equated to hurried throws, and hurried throws equated to ‘What the hell was he thinking there?’ reactions from the fans.  Over time, the Rams offense contracted because the ball didn’t make it downfield often enough to threaten defenses.  Even when receivers were wide open downfield and flailing their arms to get noticed, it didn’t work. sigh.

Well, there is a new sheriff in town, and you can bet that some things will be changing rapidly as a result. One of the first differences you will notice in this Rams offense is that wide-open receivers who are downfield will get noticed, pretty quickly. The Rams receivers are some of the best at creating separation. Matthew Stafford is one of the best quarterbacks at connecting with receivers who struggle to create separation. See where this is going?

It’s impossible to know what the full potential of quarterback Matthew Stafford will be in the LA Rams offense because until now he was been Aladdin without the magic lamp genie.  Now that he’s gotten head coach Sean McVay designing and calling his plays, he ain’t never had a friend like that. This symbiosis goes both ways. McVay loves to take shots downfield. Now, he can do exactly that.

McVay is so darned thrilled about Stafford as his quarterback for one specific reason – he can hurl the ball downfield on a rope and that opens up the LA Rams’ entire playbook better than ever before. If defenses opt to the Cover-Zero that paralyzed the offense in 2020, this version of the offense will hit the hot receiver (look for DeSean Jackson) who will blow their doors off for a quick touchdown. Gambling defenses will pay the price now, and that will open up the running game, the short routes, and the intermediate routes.

Supercomputer under center

If you can do so, go back and check out video footage of exactly how Matthew Stafford plays quarterback. If you don’t have instant access, then head on over to this Kurt Warner video series where he breaks down both the plusses and minuses of what Stafford brings to any offense.  We covered each video on a separate slide and offered a quick analysis of what to expect in each video.

The LA Rams are one of the most elaborate and prepared offenses to enter an NFL game. The problem in the past is that if the defense doesn’t follow the script, the game is all but lost early on. The plan was everything, and improvisation and innovation on the field were just not happening.  That’s not a dig on anyone. It just wasn’t the Rams’ offense in the past because it was truly not needed.

Yet defenses learned, planned, strategized, and realized that if they oscillated their defensive strategy until they got it right, they could frustrate the Rams offense all day. Well, they could. Now? Not so much. The LA Rams have traded for one of the most improvisational quarterbacks in the NFL. Matthew Stafford can read his progressions through the first four or five options and hurl the ball even before the receiver makes his break to get open. And he can do that while launching the football from multiple platforms and off-schedule too.

Stafford is the old family cookbook after 12 years of playing in the NFL. It has it all in there. So far, it’s been sitting on the shelf collecting dust. But just as McVay can full usage of his playbook with Stafford, Stafford will likewise be able to open up his entire complement of innovative strategies. After all, he knows what defenses are trying to do as soon as the ball is snapped, and knows where to go with the football.

Stafford can process what he sees before the ball is snapped instantly. That allows him the option to audible out of the called play to a more effective alternative. That has not been exploited for this Rams offense. Nor has the rushing game, as Goff was more apt to ask permission. Stafford clearly owns a mindset where he is the field general and will ask for forgiveness rather than ask for permission.

Yes, this could all go horribly wrong. If Stafford and McVay clash, this offense will spiral down. If the Rams offense is suddenly devastated with crippling waves of injuries, the team will struggle. For now, as this offense stands, the balance of McVay’s playbook and Stafford’s creative talent seem like an ideal match. Who knows? By season’s end, we may be talking about the Matthew Stafford effect on this offense.