The Los Angeles Rams are heading to Melbourne this week to face the San Francisco 49ers, and if history is any indication, Matthew Stafford might just be about to put on a show. This isn’t Stafford’s first rodeo on foreign soil, and his past international performances have been absolutely wild. He’s got a knack for delivering when the scenery changes, and the Niners defense should definitely be taking notes.
Stafford Went OFF In London Against The Jaguars
Remember last year? October 2025? Stafford led the Rams to a dominant 35-7 smackdown of the Jacksonville Jaguars in London. What’s absolutely bonkers is the box score: the Rams only tallied 271 yards of offense, but somehow, they dropped five touchdowns on the Jags. Get this: all five of those scores came directly from Stafford’s right arm, the dude who was the NFL’s Most Valuable Player. He only averaged 5.5 yards per attempt and racked up 182 total passing yards, which sounds low, right? But he was surgical, hitting Davante Adams for three touchdowns, plus one apiece to Terrance Ferguson and Konata Mumpfield.
And here’s the kicker: they did all of that without first-team All-Pro wide receiver Puka Nacua! Stafford completed passes to a whopping 10 different receivers, just spreading the love and carving up that defense. Oh, and one more thing about that game that should make the 49ers sweat: Stafford faced a season-high 55.9% blitz rate against the Jaguars. What did he do? He threw all five of his touchdowns against that relentless blitz, tying Patrick Mahomes and Baker Mayfield for the most TD passes against the blitz in any game since 2016. That’s insane production under pressure!
The Legendary Lions Comeback Across The Pond
You gotta rewind over a decade to find Stafford’s other international appearance, but it was a classic. Picture this: Detroit Lions vs. Atlanta Falcons in London. The Falcons absolutely owned the first half, up 21-0. Everyone thought it was over. But Atlanta didn’t score another point, because Stafford engineered one of his NFL-high five fourth-quarter comebacks that season. He had Matt Prater hitting three field goals, including the game-winner as time expired, but Stafford made it happen with his arm too. He connected with Golden Tate in the third quarter and Theo Riddick in the fourth for crucial touchdowns that fueled that epic comeback. That entire season was one of Stafford’s best in Detroit, earning him a Pro Bowl nod and leading the Lions to the postseason. That game, in particular, was a signature moment.
So, the Rams are heading to Melbourne this week. Can Stafford channel that international magic again? He’s proven he can absolutely ball out when he’s thousands of miles from home, even when facing crazy blitz rates and missing key players. The 49ers need to be ready for anything, because Stafford has a history of making things happen when the lights shine brightest overseas.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Turf Show Times.
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