Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford talks about having an All-Pro season at age 37, credits his teammates and coach Sean McVay for his success and says his primary focus is on advancing in the playoffs.
Rob Maaddi, host: Welcome to On Football, I鈥檓 Rob Maaddi. We鈥檙e down to eight teams in the running for the Super Bowl. Only eight get a chance to lift the Vince Lombardi Trophy. We will break down all of the NFL divisional-round games in Pro Picks coming up. Our guest this week, LA Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford. Matthew, last week, was named first team Associated Press All-Pro for the first time in his 17-year NFL career. He had a very cool reaction when I shared the news with him. So did Puka Nacua, Will Anderson, and a bunch of other guys. If you missed it, check out my social, AP social. All of those reactions, very cool. It鈥檚 always great to see guys react to wonderful news.
Matthew Stafford is the only one of the eight remaining starting quarterbacks in the playoffs who has actually won a Super Bowl, but no one has more pressure than Josh Allen. Last week in Jacksonville on the road, he willed the Bills to victory. He kept getting knocked down, took a physical beating and carried them to the finish line. Got the W and this week they鈥檙e on the road against Denver. We鈥檒l break down that game, coming up. But for whatever reason, it seems that Josh Allen is held to a higher standard. A lot of analysts, especially former players, are so eager to see him fail, and they want to put all of Buffalo鈥檚 hopes squarely on Josh Allen. So if receivers drop the ball, running backs fumble, defense gives up 50 points, they鈥檙e ready and eager to blame Josh Allen for the loss. Football is the ultimate team sport and while the quarterback and someone of the magnitude of Josh Allen is gonna have a lot of input on how the game plays out, it鈥檚 still a team sport, and you gotta wait to see how it plays out before you dish out the blame for a loss that didn鈥檛 even occur. It just doesn鈥檛 make any sense.
Matthew Stafford had his best season at age 37. I spent a few minutes chatting with him last week about being a first team All-Pro, playing for coach Sean McVay and more. I鈥檓 down here in Tampa, so I got to see the tail end of Tom Brady, what he did at 43, 44, 45. What you did this year at 37 is right up there with the greatest seasons of all time. I appreciate that. What鈥檚 it take to be able to get that done, man?
Matthew Stafford, Los Angeles Rams quarterback: Great teammates, to be honest with you. A lot of hard work and dedication to try and keep myself upright and out there for those guys because that鈥檚 who I care about. But I鈥檓 lucky to play with a bunch of great players that, you know, help me along the way, make my job easy, and you know my job is just to get them the rock and as best I possibly can. So it鈥檚 been a whole lot of fun, a lot of people involved in keeping me healthy and going, but it鈥檚, it鈥檚 been a great year. It鈥檚 been fun.
MAADDI: How much do you appreciate playing for a guy like Coach McVay?
STAFFORD: I love it. He鈥檚 close in age to me. We鈥檝e got a lot of great shared experiences now throughout the years. And just my appreciation for him is huge. I just love playing for him. Love getting to spend time with him. Love the way he coaches our team, me in particular, He鈥檚 as steady of a human being as I鈥檝e been around. And I appreciate that about him.
MAADDI: I know you鈥檙e all about team goals and you鈥檙e trying to win another Super Bowl, but do you set time aside at all? Do you, are you able to reflect about the personal things, the personal accomplishments? Is there any, like you want to check off, check this, I did this, I got that, you know, anything like that.
STAFFORD: Um, you know, I think I鈥檓 just so in the middle of it right now, you know, and, and there鈥檚 so much to do and so much to, uh, you know, to accomplish as a team. I really want to keep my focus on that. Obviously, I do understand and appreciate, um, you know, the importance of, uh this game and, and, uh you know what it鈥檚 meant throughout the years and the history of it, but at the same time, I just want to do everything I can to be the best teammate I can and help our guys continue, to continue this journey because it has been so fun. We鈥檝e got such a great group. I want to make sure that I do everything in my power to make sure that we get to come back to work next week and do it again.
MAADDI: How special would an MVP be if that were to happen?
STAFFORD: It would mean a lot. I think it would be an unbelievable team award because especially the way I play the game as quarterback, I鈥檓 not running around holding the ball for forever. I鈥檓 getting it to guys that are making great plays and doing unbelievable things. So many guys to thank if that ever did happen. But it is… It鈥檚 a special one. It鈥檚 one that means a lot. I understand the history of this game and so many great players before me and to be mentioned in any kind of breath with those guys would mean a lot.
MAADDI: Well, Matthew. Here鈥檚 one you don鈥檛 have to wait on. We鈥檙e gonna announce on Saturday The Associated Press All-Pro rosters. You are the first-team quarterback.
STAFFORD: Oh, hell, that鈥檚 amazing. I appreciate that. I did not know that was coming. Man, played a lot of years. A lot of respect for this game. A lot respect for the other guys that do what I do. It鈥檚 not an easy thing to do. So, it means a lot. I really appreciate that, thank you.
MAADDI: Good luck down the road and hope to see you maybe in San Francisco.
STAFFORD: Hey, I appreciate it, Rob. Thanks, man.
MAADDI: Time for some Pro Picks, we were 5-1 straight up last week, 4-2 against the spread, my best bet one didn鈥檛 cover, upset special was money again. The 4-pack was a 2-pack last week because I just didn鈥檛 love the games. This week we鈥檙e back to a full four-pack, which is 53-20-1 overall, 45-28-1 against the number that start with the best bet and again I鈥檓 looking at the LA Rams, 13-5, at Chicago. The Bears are 12-6. The Rams are 3.5 point road favorites. Matthew Stafford had to rally LA after they blew a 14-0 lead against Carolina in a game that shouldn鈥檛 have been that close. Ended up winning 34-31. The Ram鈥檚 are going to need an effort out of their defense. Over the last five games, LA has averaged giving up 30 points. Meanwhile, the Bears are the comeback kids. They were down 21-3 at halftime against Green Bay. Caleb Williams led them to their seventh fourth-quarter comeback win this year. They just can鈥檛 continue to do that. You鈥檝e got to play a full four quarter game or else at some point it鈥檚 going to catch up to you and I think that鈥檚 this week. I鈥檓 taking the Rams, 30-23. For my upset special, which they are 14-5 straight up, 15-4 against the spread this season, I鈥檓 looking at Houston at New England. Texans are 13-5, Patriots are 15-3, New England is a 3-point favorite, Houston has the No. 1 defense in the NFL, and they showed it against Aaron Rodgers and the Steelers. Ended Mike Tomlin鈥檚 coaching career in Pittsburgh, dominated that game, scored two touchdowns on defense. They have an All-Pro edge rusher in Will Anderson Jr. Their cornerback Derek Stingley is an All-Pro. They just need CJ Stroud to protect the football this week and I think he will. The Patriots also, last week against the Chargers, they relied on defense, they won 16-3, they shut down Justin Herbert. Drake Maye led the team in rushing. He had a great season in his second year in the NFL. They鈥檙e gonna need him to be outstanding, elite against this defense, against Houston, the best in the NFL. I see the Texans sneaking in, 17-16. Next, the Saturday games. Buffalo, 13-5, at Denver, 14-3. Broncos are just a one-point favorite. Josh Allen, as I said earlier, he did everything last week. Now he鈥檚 gonna face the number two defense. He鈥檚 going to need more help from his teammates. Rushing champion James Cook had only 46 yards against Jacksonville. He鈥檚 got to get going this week. The Broncos, they鈥檙e also stacked on defense. They鈥檝e got an All-Pro in the interior of the line, Zach Allen. Nik Bonitto on the edge is a monster. Patrick Surtain at cornerback was the defensive player of the year last year. They had 68 sacks, franchise record this season on offense. Bo Nix, they鈥檝e also been comeback kids. He鈥檚 led seven fourth-quarter comebacks. He鈥檚 going to go against the NFL鈥檚 number one pass defense. But the Broncos are the number one seed. They were home, they were off last week. Meanwhile, the Bills played on Sunday. They got a little bit of a shorter rest. I like the Broncos, 24-22. Lastly, San Francisco, 13-5, at Seattle, 14-3. The Seahawks are 7.5-point favorites. It鈥檚 the third time these two teams meet. They played for the NFC鈥檚 number one seed in Week 18 in San Fran. Seattle won that 13-3. 49ers beat the Seahawks earlier in the season on the road. Last week, the Niners lost George Kittle and still found a way to beat the Eagles, eliminate the defending Super Bowl champions. Christian McCaffrey had two touchdowns, Brock Purdy made all the plays. They keep losing star players, whether it鈥檚 Nick Bosa and Fred Warner earlier in the season, and they continue to find ways to be resilient to win, to be in this position. Meanwhile, Seattle, number one seed, they were off last week, they鈥檙e at home. They鈥檙e gonna need Sam Darnold not to make mistakes. The Niners have to make Sam Darnold beat them They鈥檝e got to try and to shut down that run and put it all on Sam Darnold. I do not like the fact that the 49ers played a Sunday game on the East Coast and now have to play on a Saturday. Terrible decision-making by the NFL schedule makers They could have put Seattle and San Fran on Sunday because the Bears and the Rams played on Saturday, so they get an extra day rest. And the 49ers get the shaft. I think all of those injuries, the travel, the time, everything catches up to them. I鈥檓 taking the Seahawks, 23-20. That鈥檚 it for this week. Thank you to Matthew Stafford.
Thank you for watching and listening to On Football and thank you to Haya Panjwani and Mike Hempen for producing this episode. Please check out AP海角社区app.com for all of the Pro Picks, On Football analysis and more NFL news.
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