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Sam Farmer: Former NFL quarterbacks and experts explain what makes Rams’ Matthew Stafford great
- Sam Farmer Los Angeles Times
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In preparing this week for a Q&A with new Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford, I talked to some of the people who know him and his position best.
These people did not comment in the Q&A, a Los Angeles Times exclusive — it was with Stafford alone — but their observations and insights are worth noting.
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Rich Gannon
“I don’t think he gets enough credit for his arm talent. I mean he makes some ridiculous throws, especially out-breaking routes, ball’s outside the number from the far hash. He throws the deep ball really well, he’s very accurate. Can change the launch point, he’s got pretty good pocket presence. He can fly, he can reset, he can shuffle. He can extend plays, maybe not to the extent that you see from like a [Patrick] Mahomes or [Aaron] Rodgers with that explosiveness, but he’s certainly better than average when it comes to that.
“I think part of it with him, and I don’t want to be too critical of the Lions, but you go back and look at the times he’s been sacked in his career, like each season. It’s like in a 35, 40 range every year, you know what I mean? And that takes its toll, so the protection always hasn’t been good. The offensive line has been very inconsistent. They tried to address it in recent years, they go out and get [center Frank] Ragnow, and they try and get a tackle a couple years ago. I mean they’re trying. But then who was the running back, and then who are the receivers? They went out and got a tight end. But I think Stafford has done more with less. And then at defense, it’s been never like they’ve had a dominant defense on that side of the ball. So it’s like you got to go out and score 30 points to be competitive each week.
“I look at his toughness and durability, that’s the other thing. I think he went through a stretch where it’s six or seven seasons where he played every game [eight, actually]. He’s a tough guy, doesn’t miss starts. He’ll sit in the pocket with a tough jaw, very accurate.
“And the knock on him is, when you look at what happened in Detroit, he just didn’t win. In our business, we get judged based on the wins and losses, and unfortunately for him, there’s been more losses than wins in his career. And so there’s a certain negativity that comes with that, but anyone who really looks and evaluates the position. … When I saw the Rams make that move, I’m like, they just got better, like a lot better.”
— On the combination of Stafford and Rams coach Sean McVay:
“Matthew’s got someone that he can grow with, someone that’s going to help him, someone who’s going to put together a really good game plan, someone who’s going to support him with a good running game. They’re a good screen team. They get the ball out quick. I think it’s an offense that’ll fit his skill set. I think he’s going to have more weapons, more firepower, he’s going to have a better offensive line.
“You look at Sean and you look at Matthew. ... I see some similarities to when I went to Oakland with Jon Gruden. I was at a point where I had bounced around a little bit and no one ever really. ... I mean it’s different; he was the No. 1 draft pick and I kind of had to find my way. But he’s going to a situation where he’s a got a young head coach who’s a really good play caller, very innovative, really involved in coaching that position. And that’s where Jon was with me, and we just hit it off. We never looked back.
“I think Matthew is going to buy in and be all invested and be there and be that leader. It’s not going to take Matthew Stafford a season to take ownership of that team. The minute he walks in the building, that’s going to happen.”
— On a fresh start for Stafford and the Rams:
“So I think it’s a really good situation. I think it’s a win-win situation for the Rams, I think it’s a win for Matthew. I think it was time for a change. At some point you get beaten down so long in a city where it’s almost like playing in Cleveland all those years or playing in Detroit and in Jacksonville, where he just ... it’s hard to win eight games.
“And it’s hard to be competitive. Then you look at that division and you got the Vikings and you’ve got the Packers, and the Packers went from [Brett] Favre to Rodgers. If you’re Matthew Stafford, that’s who you’re competing against every couple weeks. And you got some good defenses in that division: Chicago and Minnesota. So I give the guy a lot of credit for surviving and for overcoming what was not an easy situation.”
Leon Halip
