Sean McVay puts Matthew Stafford's back concerns to rest with bold play call

How tough is Los Angeles Rams starting quarterback Matthew Stafford? Well, before you answer that, let’s revisit the game for just a moment. The Houston Texans arrived at SoFi Stadium hoping to pull off an upset. These two teams have been successful in both 2023 and 2024, and both showed up with formidable defenses that were committed to bringing their A-game.

This was a low-scoring game, the type fans witnessed quite often as the 2024 NFL season drew to a close. The team has invested copious amounts of money into the offense, but it seems more and more often that the game falls upon the defense to shut the door and preserve the thinnest margin of victory possible.

Only two touchdowns showed up on the scoreboard, both from the home team. The first was a typical touchdown plunge by featured running back Kyren Williams. The second score was the lone touchdown pass thrown in the game, a strike from Stafford to seldom-used tight end Davis Allen. And just like that, the Rams put up just enough points to claim a win. But was Stafford sharp in this one? Well, he was sacked three times but still managed to complete 21 of 29 passes for 245 yards and one touchdown. But he nearly shocked everyone in SoFi Stadium in the first half.

Final Score

Houston Texans 9
Los Angeles Rams 14

Rams refuse to bubble-wrap Matthew Stafford in Week 1

Despite the threat of re-injuring his back, the team’s 37-year-old veteran quarterback showed no signs of being gun-shy or hearing footsteps. He stood tall in the pocket and, despite early struggles to get the offense going, continued to look downfield and test the Texans’ secondary.

It was a defense-dominated game from start to finish. Professional football is often described as a game of inches. In this one, that was especially true. Inches, injuries, penalties, and turnovers all vied for top billing. But the one play that placed the team’s concern over Stafford’s back on full display occurred with 1:41 remaining in the first half. On third down and goal to go, the offense attempted a quarterback sneak.

The only people not shocked by the attempt were the players on the Texans’ defense, who stopped the play for no gain. Was it a wise gamble? Readers are left to make up their own minds. The offense scored on the next play, vindicating the coaching staff. And no injuries to the quarterback resulted from the play.

The play may not have scored a touchdown, but it did send a clear message to fans and to the NFL at large. This offense is led by veteran QB Matthew Stafford, and the team is so confident in his health that they called on him to execute a quarterback sneak. If anyone expected the offense to play it safe in Week 1, they got the message.

As always, thanks for reading.

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