8 optimistic observations from LA Rams opening loss

Optimistic Observation IV: Matthew Stafford broke the 50,000 yards passing barrier

LA Rams starting quarterback Matthew Stafford needed 5 passing yards in Week 1 to reach the 50,000 passing yards plateau. He ended the night with an unofficial 50,235 yards. For that matter, he holds the Rams franchise single-season passing record of 4,886 yards in one season.

Based on what we saw from Week 1, he has a strong chance of breaking that record this year.

To do so, he needs to average just 290 yards per game. The LA Rams do not appear to have any blowout game potential this season, which will ensure that Stafford will see 17 games of full action this season.

We know that the LA Rams will need great things out of Matthew Stafford this season. I don’t think much in Week 1 can qualify as ‘great things’ just yet. But this is still the LA Rams offense, and that is still Stafford under center.  Until they played a game, the Rams starters had zero experience in live football action since Super Bowl LVI.

Stafford is ‘streakish’. He can play the hero, and he can play the villain. He will throw for plenty of touchdowns, but will sprinkle in the occasional pick-six. And yes, that will anger fans and trigger plenty of criticisms from post-game wrap-ups.

But he is also the comeback kid. His competitive nature is baked in, and the same characteristics that get him into trouble will get him a win as time runs out. Today, Matthew Stafford is the 12th-ranked NFL Career passing leader of All Time. By year’s end, he will be the 11th-ranked NFL Career passing leader of All Time.