LA Rams Matthew Stafford may end 2021 among Top 15 franchise QBs
By Bret Stuter
You would think that over the course of the LA Rams’ long and storied franchise history, there would be a long list of star NFL quarterbacks leading the team. But to be honest, the All-Time list of LA Rams franchise quarterbacks starts to lose its shimmer after the Top-10. In fact, if Matthew Stafford has an impressive first season out of the gates, he could land among the Top-15 LA Rams All-Time quarterbacks after just one season.
To do so, he will need to pass for more than 4013 yards over the course of the 17 game season. With an extra game played this season, his performance in previous seasons, and the number of weapons that he has at his disposal in the LA Rams offense, he should be favored to do so this year. To land among the franchise All-Time Top-15 passes, Matthew Stafford needs to average just 237 yards per game over the 17 game season. He should be able to do so handily with this Rams offense.
But if he has a better season? He could push for 14th place on the team’s All-Time list, or perhaps even 13th place. To surpass 13th-place quarterback James Harris, Stafford will need to average 309 passing yards per game over the course of the 2021 NFL season. To surpass 14th place Chris Miller, Stafford will need to average 279 yards per game over the 17 game season.
Top-10 Rams passer possible in two years
To crack the LA Rams All-Time franchise passing Top-10, Stafford will likely need to start 17 games over both the 2021 and 2022 NFL seasons. Tenth-place is held by former LA Rams quarterback Pat Haden and stands at 9,296 yards. To surpass that record, Stafford would need to average approximately 275 yards per game over each of the next two 17-game seasons.
Why talk passing records before the first game is played? Simply stated, because the yards could pile up rather quickly this season. Stafford has a strong arm, and the Rams offense has certainly added weapons to customize the offensive options to suit Stafford’s ability to stretch the field.
Ex Rams quarterback Jared Goff stands as the fourth most proficient passer on the team’s All-Time list. He amassed 18,171 yards over a span from 2016-2020. Will Stafford have enough time and be good enough to do better? We’ll soon find out. He starts the campaign against the Chicago Bears in just five days’ time.