Matthew Stafford ice cold efficiency fits LA Rams high octane offense.
By Bret Stuter
Stafford is stupendous, so far
How did the Rams do so far in that trade? Well, itās a little bit like winning the grand prize in a prime-time game show. Letās start small and work our way up.Ā After three games, Stafford has thrown one interception. Thatās ball security, and one of two key areas that the Rams needed to address in the off-season. That was a step in the right direction.
The second minor but significant improvement is the change that has allowed the LA Rams offensive line to flourish.Ā The Rams are using less play-action and more shotgun formations. That has allowed the Ramsā offensive linemen to have better space and angles to maintain their blocks. Meanwhile, despite throwing further downfield than any time in recent history, gets rid of the ball very quickly.
Those small changes have allowed the offensive line to surrender just three quarterback sacks so far this season. That is tied for the fewest in the NFL so far. Contrast that with 15 sacks allowed in three games by the Chicago Bears and New York Jets.
Weekly Spiral did an excellent analytical video, which we will share here:
One of the third level-ups that the Rams have gotten so far is the ability for Stafford to make instantaneous progression reads. Now, weāre not saying that heās perfect. But he is finding the open receiver when or even before he separates from the defender. That has been incredibly helpful to distribute the ball, as the Rams layered route trees will create an open receiver somewhere in the secondary.
The only problem is, that the open receiver will appear in different locations on the football field, depending upon how the secondary reacts. For Stafford, who can survey the entire field quickly, itās not a problem to find and throw to an open man. He does that with great consistency.