The Denver Broncos took down the Los Angeles Rams 30-26 on Sunday, and even though reigning NFL MVP Matthew Stafford piled up 390 yards and two touchdowns, it was far from his best game.
Stafford’s Week 3 Woes Are More Than Just a Bad Game
Seriously, this wasn’t some minor hiccup for the MVP. Stafford completed only 54.5% of his passes, and it took him a whopping 55 attempts to get those 390 yards. Inefficient! Then came the two interceptions, both in the fourth quarter. One was a pick-six that cratered the Rams’ win probability, swinging it by a massive 55.4 percentage points thanks to Talanoa Hufanga’s 66-yard return. The other pick was on the very last snap of the game, a real gut punch to close out Week 3. Advanced stats back up the struggle too: Stafford only hit .03 EPA/play and had a success rate of just 43%. His PFF grade sits at a flat 60.0 through three weeks, dead average, which honestly, matches what we’re seeing on the field. The “eye test” and numbers are in sync.
The OL Needs to Step Up, Like, Yesterday
Here’s where it gets wild: the difference in Stafford’s play when he’s clean versus when he’s under duress is absolutely insane. When the pocket held up, he was a different quarterback, going 25-of-35 for a huge 329 yards and both his touchdowns, plus that final desperation pick. That’s 9.4 yards per attempt when kept clean! But when those Broncos defenders got in his face? Yikes. Stafford was a dismal 5-of-18 for just 61 yards, coughed up his first interception, and got sacked four times. We’re talking a brutal 3.4 yards per attempt under pressure. You just can’t win football games like that! The Broncos clearly sniffed this out, cranking up the heat by pressuring Stafford on a staggering 57.7% of his second-half dropbacks, a huge jump from just 23.5% in the first half. The protection for their MVP needs to be way, way better if they want to turn this season around.
So yeah, the Rams dropped a tough one, and it’s clear where the biggest issue is. You can’t expect any quarterback, even the reigning MVP, to dominate when he’s getting hit that much. That kind of pressure disparity is a flashing red light for their season in Week 3. The offensive line has to find a way to give Stafford more time in the pocket, especially against top defenses like the Broncos. They have to clean this up, and fast. The stakes are already high.
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.
Leave a Reply