How many comeback wins will Matthew Stafford give LA Rams in 2021?

Intangibles are the difference

Winning may not be everything. But over the course of the NFL regular season, it is the difference between a playoff berth and planning NFL Draft strategy weeks or even months before other teams. The LA Rams were one of the early draft planners just once in four seasons since head coach Sean McVay took over this team. Clearly, once is enough.

If you want to know the difference, the intangible leadership quality, that Matthew Stafford brings to the LA Rams this year, we have to time travel back to Week 2. The LA Rams had just gifted a fumbled punt snap to the Indianapolis Colts in the form of a touchdown. They took over on their 30-yard line and needed just two minutes and three seconds to drive the 70 yards into the end zone. It was an 11-yard pass to Robert Woods, a 5-yard run by Sony Michel, a 44-yard bomb to Cooper Kupp, and then a 10-yard touchdown pass to Cooper Kupp. Four flawless plays for the score.

Is this some new capability? Did the LA Rams somehow learn how to get open? Learn how to run for tough yards? Or even learn how to protect the quarterback for deep passes this season?  Or is it that the LA Rams have a quarterback whose intensity goes off the charts when he finds himself in need of a scoring drive? As the front office sought options to upgrade the quarterback position, did they somehow stumble upon a quarterback who offers something beyond a strong arm and rapid progression reads?

Everyone knows that LA Rams head coach Sean McVay is completely competitive-driven. He hates to lose more than he loves to win. If this were a Rambo movie, you could say that he has the eye-of-the-tiger.

As the lyrics to the song Eye of the Tiger as performed by Survivor circa 1982

"“It’s the eye of the tiger It’s the thrill of the fight Rising up to the challenge of our rival And the last known survivor Stalks his prey in the night And he’s watching us all with the eye of the tiger – written by James M Peterik / Frank Michael Sullivan"

It’s the story of survival of the fittest. That basic drive of the human spirit had led to the creation of the Olympic Games in ancient Greece, and the revival of that international competitive spirit in modern times.