Ramblin' Fan
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With a gunslinger like Matthew Stafford, fans have to take the bad with the good

He will frustrate fans on occasion, but he will take this team further than anyone else.
ByBret Stuter|
Los Angeles Rams OTA Offseason Workout, QB Matthew Stafford
Los Angeles Rams OTA Offseason Workout, QB Matthew Stafford | Ric Tapia/GettyImages
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The Los Angeles Rams renegotiated the contract to stay in the Matthew Stafford quarterback business through the 2025 NFL season. As Rams GM Les Snead termed it at the time, the team and Stafford renewed their vows. It's a perfectly suited description and analogy over what the team and player did in the offseason, as it also infers the phrase that is most appropriate for this article. The Rams and Stafford are staying together.

But it's time to reset expectations.

The Rams offense is designed for veteran quarterback Matthew Stafford. With the team having to navigate a significant number of injuries every season since winning Super Bowl LVI, it's easy to ignore just how good Stafford can be when healthy and protected. But Stafford has not had luck on his side of late. In 2022, he suffered a bruised spinal cord and was shut down. In 2023, the thumb on his throwing hand was injured, and he narrowly missed a disastrous need to reconstruct his thumb. And in 2024, he suffered a painful rib injury that hampered his range of motion over multiple games.

So while the Rams offense has faltered in recent years, the truth is that the team has had serious matters impacting the helmsman of the offensive ship. Just imagine what this offense could do with a fully healthy quarterback over an entire season.

Stafford is still elite enough to lead the Rams back to Lombardi Land. Even without a stable offensive line and continuity at the wide receiver positions, he continues to find ways to win. While the team does not always generate style points, Stafford's record with the Rams is 34 wins to 23 losses, while his postseason record with the Rams is 5-2.

While records may not be quarterback statistics, it does measure the effectiveness of the team's leadership, and the quarterback is the offensive leader on all 32 NFL teams. So the team will naturally be pinned to the quarterback. Does that mean good things for the Rams this season?

The word is already out. The Rams offense appears to be powered for the 2025 NFL season. But should Rams fans be concerned over the durability and performance potential for one of the oldest quarterbacks in the NFL? I don't see Stafford hitting the wall this year. Here's why:

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