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

...and For Worse

Of course, there is no need to get homerish about the limits of Matthew Stafford. He does not walk on water. He has been limited in each of the past three seasons due to untimely injuries. Perhaps worst of all, at 37 years old, the day when his throwing days are behind him is a growing possibility. The Rams have shown the awareness of Stafford's growing limitations by investing heavily in offensive weapons.

The team signed elite WR Davante Adams in 2025, and added durable TE Colby Parkinson to a multi-year deal in 2024. The team drafted a very talented TE Terrance Ferguson, WR Konata Mumpfield, and RB Jarquez Hunter in 2025, and drafted a very talented RB Blake Corum and WR Jordan Whittington in 2024. On paper, the team has attempted to add offensive weapons to ensure that the team is not depending entirely upon Stafford to play the hero.

The thing is, the very attributes that the Rams had fallen in love with can also translate into bad outcomes. While the defense gets dinged for points scored against the team, the Rams defense gets dinged often by touchdowns scored against them without a single defender stepping onto the football field. For one example, consider the fact that Matthew Stafford leads all active NFL quarterbacks with career pick-sixes. And when I say leads, I mean by a country mile:

This isn't new news. Matthew Stafford has thrown 3+ pick-sixes seven times in his NFL career. He has thrown multiple pick-sixes nine times in his career. And he has thrown at least one pick-six in 12 of his 16 NFL seasons. Keep in mind that he has played 10 or fewer games in an NFL season just four times, and he has played 16 NFL seasons. So the chances of Stafford tossing at last one pick-six in 2025 are overwhelmingly likely. That's what you get with a gunslinger quarterback.

And like it or not, that is the type of quarterback HC Sean McVay wants under center.