- Quarterback Matthew Stafford is making a strong case for league MVP, throwing for 273 yards and three touchdowns in the game.
- Stafford now has 30 touchdown passes and only two interceptions on the season.
- The Rams have the longest active winning streak in the NFC with six straight victories.
INGLEWOOD, California — A national primetime game was the perfect setting for the Los Angeles Rams (9-2) to make two statements.
The Rams are playing like the best team in the NFL. While quarterback Matthew Stafford is making the case to be league MVP. The Rams showcased both during a 34-7 demolition of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday night.
Stafford completed his first 12 passes as the Rams built a comfortable 21-0 lead in the first half. The Rams had an insurmountable 31-7 lead at halftime.
Stafford tossed three touchdowns in the first half, including two to wide receiver Davante Adams. The quarterback passed for 273 yards and three touchdowns in the victory.
Stafford joined Tom Brady, Patrick Mahomes and Aaron Rodgers as the only players in NFL history with at least 30 touchdown passes and five-or-fewer interceptions in their team’s first 11 games of a season. He’s thrown 27 straight touchdowns without an interception, tying Brady (2010-2011 seasons) for the most consecutive passing touchdowns without an interception all-time.
“Hall of Famer, MVP of the NFL this season,” Rams running back Kyren Williams told USA TODAY Sports of Stafford. “The best quarterback in the world. There’s not really any other way to describe him, besides the best.”
Stafford’s leading one of the NFL’s most prolific offenses. He tops the NFL with 30 touchdown passes and only has two interceptions.
“I think it feels like the game is slowing down,’ Rams coach Sean McVay said. ‘I feel like he’s in total command. I think he’s got a lot of trust in the teammates that he’s playing with. There’s a true ownership. I think he’s just totally and completely present, and he’s really just enjoying the opportunity to compete week in and week out.”
Stafford has registered a 117 passer rating or better in four of the past five contests.
“He’s a fine wine. He’s getting better with age,” McVay added. “He’s playing really well. He’s in total command.”
Stafford’s performance this year has made an offseason filled with uncertainty seem like a distance memory.
Remember when the Rams granted Stafford’s agent permission to speak to other teams about a trade? Or the aggravated disk in his back that caused him to miss most of training camp?
Stafford does.
It’s made him appreciate the game even more.
“It’s a whole lot of fun. My situation during training camp, with the injury that I was going through, and not being able to really do much of anything for about 4 to 6 weeks, whatever it was. Sometimes being without something, lets you know how much you really love doing it. And I love playing this game. I appreciate it,” Stafford said. “When you’re without something like that, and then you get the chance to go back and do it. It sure is a whole lot of fun. And obviously it’s a lot of fun winning ball games.”
Most importantly, though, the Rams have now won six straight games, the longest active winning streak in the NFC.
The winning streak should put the rest of the league on notice.
The Rams defense is rounding into form. The unit forced four turnovers versus the Seattle Seahawks in Week 11 and held the Bucs to just one touchdown in Week 12.
On offense, Stafford is in the midst of an MVP campaign, Puka Nacua is a matchup nightmare for opposing secondaries and Davante Adams has a league-leading 12 touchdown catches.
“I’m having the most fun playing that I’ve ever had,” Adams said. “It’s just one of those teams where we just have a lot of fun together. … Sean’s always talking about being totally, and completely present, and that’s really where we are. I mean, it’s not really nobody’s thinking about the third quarter. Nobody’s thinking about the end of the game. It’s more about just enjoying where our feet are and going out and playing the biggest team sport that there is. Together and coming out, obviously, on top of a lot of these games, that helps the feeling of a lot as well.”
The Rams deserve to be feeling good. The surging Rams are atop the NFC. The No. 1 seed is a suitable spot for them at this juncture in the regular season, because they are playing like the best team in the NFL right now, and Stafford is performing like an MVP.
Follow USA TODAY Sports’ Tyler Dragon on X @TheTylerDragon.
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