Revisiting the LA Rams trade package for QB Matthew Stafford

Rams package

I suppose it’s a bit misleading to refer to one NFL player as a package, even if that player is the Super Bowl-winning quarterback, Matthew Stafford. But what the hey? Since the Detroit Lions’ compensation in that 2021 trade qualifies as a package, let’s be even about it.

It’s truly not fair to compare Goff’s number to Stafford’s numbers, but we will anyway. Not to rank how much better Stafford is, but rather to establish a baseline of what the Rams quarterback position had delivered, and whether or not the Rams truly did get ‘more’ from the position with Stafford under center.

Under Goff, the Rams averaged 4,270 yards, 25 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions per year. He averaged 11.8 yards per completion and 7.5 yards per attempt.  Goff also averaged two game-winning drives per season. But in the playoffs, a different Goff emerged. Goff averaged 217 yards per playoff game, completed just 57.4 percent of his passes, averaged two touchdowns every three games, and one interception every three games.

Stafford sizzles for the LA Rams

While Matthew Stafford only has one season in the LA Rams offense under his belt, the numbers are pretty impressive. He passed for 4,886 yards, 41 touchdowns, and just 17 interceptions. He also completed 67.2 percent of his passes, but the yards per completion came in at a 12.1 average, while yards per attempt averaged 8.1.

Where Stafford really showed his sizzle was the NFL Playoffs, In four games, Stafford averaged a 70 percent completion rate, 297 yards per game, 2.25 TDs per game, and less than one interception per game. In four games, he had three game-winning drives and two fourth-quarter comeback victories.

This was in just his first season with the team, and the LA Rams roster by the time the NFL Playoffs arrived was decimated at the receiver, running back, and tight end positions. Despite all of those depleting injuries, Stafford got hotter.

Which side ‘wins’ this trade? In all honesty, both sides can claim that their team is better off as a result. The Lions have a number of promising young players who can truly become NFL starters. For the Rams? They rolled the dice on the hope that veteran QB Matthew Stafford could win playoff games and bring them a Lombardi. He did all of those things in his first season with the Rams.