Matthew Stafford has found his groove, but that doesn't fix Rams' imbalance

The Los Angeles Rams worked out a mutually acceptable contract this offseason with quarterback Matthew Stafford, but that's not necessarily an indication of their confidence in him. It was merely a courtesy to give their girl-dad QB a convenient off-ramp to his NFL career without remorse or guilt for letting down his team.

Amid an inconsistent start to the season, Stafford had no lack of doubters before Monday's game against the Buffalo Bills. They were so confident that Stafford would continue to struggle, they boasted about it on social media.

Stafford came out firing and completed his first seven passes for 36 yards. Four of those receptions came from wide receiver Puka Nacua, Stafford's favorite target all night long. But by halftime, Stafford had completed 15 of 20 passes for a paltry 85 yards and a touchdown.

Even as he heated up after halftime, the Bills never had to defend the run. The Rams simply didn't run the ball enough to make them respect the ground game. While Stafford's stats were impressive, the outcome of the game was not.

Matthew Stafford was better in Week 5, but Rams still need balance

Stafford did not complete any long passes in the first half. It was clear that the Bills intended to keep everything in front of them. For much of the game, the strategy worked. But when the Rams sent Tutu Atwell on a deep route late in the third quarter, that drew double coverage and cleared the field for tight end Tyler Higbee's 28-yard catch.

Running back Blake Corum followed with a 34-yard scamper.

In any loss, every player must do some soul-searching to determine if he could have done more. Stafford is no exception. But for the first time this year, he didn't throw an interception. He finished 40-of-54 for 383 yards and three touchdowns.

It didn't help, of course, that the offense was completely pass-centric. Stafford threw 54 passes, while the offense attempted just 23 rushes. That's a problem, one of many plaguing the team.

LA played has four games on prime-time television in five weeks, and lost three of them. It's time to stop touting the Horns as the team to beat in 2026. In five games, three teams have already done so.

Stafford was back to looking like an MVP in the second half against the Bills, but it won't be enough if this up-and-down offense remains one-sided.

As always, thanks for reading.

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