Can Matthew Stafford to Cooper Kupp outdo their 2021 debut?

Instant chemistry

Stafford makes receivers great. Well, not in a vacuum. But receivers who can become great realize their full potential when Stafford takes up position under center. While he has not had much success in terms of wins and losses, Stafford has ever been one of the most competitive quarterbacks in the NFL.

He just needed a competitive team around him. I think he’s found that.  I’m almost certain that he believes that he’s found that as well.

While the LA Rams offense has not exactly delivered on any competent running game, the team certainly grated Stafford among one of the most effective passing offenses in the NFL. Surrounded by veteran and young pass catchers, Stafford found himself gunning at receivers who could convert his strong-armed passing into a lawn mower that shreds opposing defenses.

Have a Kuppa sensational

No one was better at that than Cooper Kupp. In their first three games together, Kupp caught 25 of 33 passes for 367 yards and five touchdowns. Does that seem like an unsustainable pace? While the touchdown rate would slow, Kupp would go on to finish the season at 145 of 191 catches (a 75.9 percent catch rate) and 16 touchdowns. Not bad for their first season together, eh?

Kupp has had that foundation of becoming an elite receiver all along. He is a receiver who does it all and does it well. From running jet sweeps to blocking defensive ends, to clearing out passing zones for teammates, to making a clutch possession catch, to stretching the field with a 50+ yard touchdown reception, Cooper Kupp is the swiss army knife of NFL wide receivers. With Stafford, his full range of skillsets was unlocked.

In short, as good as Stafford was in the LA Rams offense, Kupp matched him stride for stride.