Matthew Stafford is LA Rams Week 3 secret weapon

NFL Top QBs clash in Week 3

Stafford is Brady’s equal in 2021 so far.  Although they play on very different teams and very different offensive philosophies, they have several commonalities. Both are veteran quarterbacks who are starting over on new teams after playing for one NFL franchise for the majority of their careers. Both have a very impressive arsenal of offensive weapons to work with. And both face-off at SoFi Stadium in Week 3.

Tom Brady has passed 86 times so far this year. Had Matthew Stafford passed that often, he would have completed 60 passes for 921 yards, eight touchdowns, and 2 interceptions. Bucs QB Tom Brady has 655 yards, nine touchdowns, and 2 interceptions. Stafford has a ton of more yardage in his throws. Brady has one more score.

A balanced offensive attack

The LA Rams offense is loaded with weapons, which is one of the reasons why the players have never flirted with a Top-3 ranking. The Rams offensive philosophy continues to be a balanced attack. That has been the modus operandi of head coach Sean McVay since he took over the helm of the Rams in 2017.

The Rams had two tight ends in Tyler Higbee and Robert Woods. The Rams have two wide receivers who should push 1000+ yards this year in Robert Woods and Cooper Kupp. So far in 2021, the Rams have shown an uncharacteristically lopsided emphasis on targeting Kupp 21 times so far this season.  That’s nearly 40 percent of the passes.  Will that remain the case in this one?

I don’t think so. The Rams have been mysteriously underutilizing wide receiver DeSean Jackson, tight end Tyler Higbee, and even second-year wide receiver Van Jefferson. In 2020, the LA Rams found Kupp for 145 yards, Woods for 130 yards, and a touchdown.  But the Rams also scored a touchdown on one seven-yard pass to Van Jefferson, and another four-yard pass to running back Cam Akers out of the backfield. In 2020, Goff passed 51 times. That would practically double the pass attempts by Stafford this year.