Why Rams’ Matthew Stafford still has more interceptions than touchdown passes

Matthew Stafford is not going to go right into a “Monday Evening Soccer” matchup towards the San Francisco 49ers driving an apparent wave of manufacturing.

The Rams quarterback didn’t throw a landing cross in final Sunday’s victory over the Arizona Cardinals, the primary time for the reason that 2020 season — when Stafford performed for the Detroit Lions — that the 14th-year professional was shut out.

However Stafford and coach Sean McVay are hardly involved.

For the primary time in three video games, Stafford didn’t have a cross intercepted. And at the least one potential landing was botched by a receiver.

“My predominant aim is put up as many factors as we will and win the sport,” Stafford stated Thursday. “There have been some alternatives that I may have executed slightly bit higher job, so I’ll strive to verify I do this and get us ultimately zone extra typically.”

Stafford has handed for 4 touchdowns, with 5 interceptions.

He’s finishing 72.6% of his passes, which ranks second within the NFL behind Seattle Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith (77.4%). Stafford, New England’s Mac Jones and New Orleans’ Jameis Winston are tied for many interceptions.

Now Stafford is getting ready to face a 49ers staff that ranks second within the NFL in whole protection, first in cross protection, third in scoring protection and fourth in speeding protection.

The 49ers characteristic defensive finish Nick Bosa, linebacker Dre Greenlaw and security Jimmie Ward, amongst others.

“Rather well-rounded protection,” Stafford stated of a unit that has eight sacks and three interceptions, “tremendous bodily.”

Stafford, 34, was sacked seven instances in a season-opening loss to the Buffalo Payments. However with Stafford working behind an offensive line reconfigured due to accidents, the Atlanta Falcons and Cardinals sacked him solely as soon as.

Stafford continues to handle tendinitis in his proper elbow. He stated it felt “fairly good” because the Rams (2-1) put together for the 49ers, who fell to 1-2 after an 11-10 loss to the Denver Broncos.

“Persevering with to get higher,” he stated.

In final Sunday’s 20-12 victory at Arizona, Stafford accomplished 18 of 25 passes for 249 yards. The Rams misplaced an virtually sure landing when receiver Allen Robinson let a brief cross sail between his arms.

In contrast to Buffalo’s Josh Allen and Kansas Metropolis’s Patrick Mahomes, Stafford just isn’t considered a quarterback who usually extends performs after contact. However towards the Cardinals, he made the play of the sport within the third quarter when he averted a sack by spinning after which throwing a sidearm cross to receiver Cooper Kupp. The play ignited a slumbering offense and led to a landing.

“There have been a pair performs that not many individuals on the planet could make,” McVay stated of Stafford this week, including, “What we’ve realized, particularly during the last couple weeks, is that the stats don’t even start to inform the overall story.

“It’s about successful the soccer recreation. In plenty of cases, I believed he led us offensively with an opportunity to have the ability to rating 35 factors, however we didn’t, we scored 20.”

In three video games towards the 49ers final season, Stafford handed for six touchdowns, with 5 interceptions. And the Rams acquired a break within the NFC championship recreation when 49ers security Jaquiski Tartt dropped an virtually sure interception that may have enabled the 49ers to shut out a victory.

Final November, in a 31-10 Monday evening loss at Levi’s Stadium, Stafford accomplished 26 of 41 passes for 243 yards and a landing, with two interceptions, together with a decide six by Ward.

Within the season finale at SoFi Stadium, Stafford was 21 of 32 for 238 yards and three touchdowns, with two interceptions, together with one in extra time that sealed a 27-24 defeat.

Three weeks later, within the NFC championship recreation at SoFi Stadium, Stafford accomplished 31 of 45 passes for 337 yards and two touchdowns, with one interception.

After Tartt dropped a protracted, fourth-quarter cross meant for receiver Van Jefferson, the Rams tied the rating with a area aim. Stafford then engineered a successful field-goal drive for a 20-17 victory that ended a six-game dropping streak towards the 49ers and despatched the Rams to the Tremendous Bowl.

The sport Monday evening would be the fourth between the groups in lower than a 12 months.

“They know us,” Stafford stated, “we all know them.”

And so forth.

Rookie cornerback Derion Kendrick (concussion) was restricted however McVay stated he anticipated Kendrick can be accessible Monday towards the 49ers. Cornerbacks David Lengthy (groin) and Cobie Durant (hamstring) and security Jordan Fuller (hamstring) didn’t observe.