Matthew Stafford is first NFL quarterback to do this and still lose in playoffs

The debate for NFL fans as to whether wins or losses are a quarterback statistic rages on. And it will continue to do so long after the Los Angeles Rams versus the Seattle Seahawks NFC Championship Game is a distant memory. But as the pain of the loss subsides, will anyone recall exactly how well veteran Matthew Stafford performed in such horrendous conditions?

He completed 62.9 percent of his passes for 374 yards and three touchdowns with no interceptions. And per AP reporter Josh Dubow, it was the first time in NFL history that a quarterback threw for 350+ yards, 3+ touchdowns, 0 turnovers, and still lost a playoff game that he started.

What a horrific way to end an MVP season.

In the playoffs, Stafford completed 55.5 percent of his passes for 936 yards, six touchdowns, and just one interception. While his accuracy was lower than expected, keep in mind that he played against the wind, rain, snow, and bitter cold before facing the Seahawks. He definitely played well enough to earn another trip to a Super Bowl.

The rest of the team didn't.

MVP for Matthew Stafford? He certainly deserves it

The 37-year-old quarterback may have performed better in other seasons, but if he did, it wasn't by much. He threw for over 4,700 yards and 46 touchdowns to only eight interceptions. And he is the perfect improviser for head coach Sean McVay's offense.

The weather wasn't the problem in this one. Special teams were certainly a huge problem once again. And the team knew that it had to fire on all cylinders to scratch out a win against the Seahawks. But the team slipped at the worst time.

With no training camp, Matthew Stafford proved to the team that he's still got it. Will that change the team's draft strategy? Many fans hope that isn't the case. The team has to think beyond this moment to the foreseeable future. As well as the girl-dad quarterback performed today, he will eventually need to mentor his successor. That player is likely not on the team today.

And so, the sun sets for the LA Rams once more. Closer to the Super Bowl than 14 other NFC teams, but not quite the distance just yet. And so, the team must go all-in once more if the plan is to get Stafford to one more Super Bowl.

As always, thanks for reading.