2021 NFL Quarterback Power Rankings: How far ahead is Patrick Mahomes?
By Randy Gurzi
12. Matthew Stafford, Los Angeles Rams
For the past 12 seasons, Matthew Stafford has been the face of the Detroit Lions and for the majority of that time, they have been coming up short. In 165 games, the former Georgia Bulldog who was taken No. 1 overall in 2009 has a record of 74-90-1.
Detroit has had two seasons with 10-or-more wins with Stafford under center and two more with 9-7 records. But overall, they have struggled mightily and he’s also gone 0-3 in the playoffs.
Having said all of that, it’s not all on Stafford. Sure, it was mentioned earlier that the quarterback gets the credit and the blame when it comes to wins but that’s not always fair simply because it happens. And in the case of No. 9, he has been dealing with a lot of dysfunction in the front office — so much that they saw Calvin Johnson walk away at the top of his game much like Barry Sanders did.
The good news for Stafford is, he now has a chance to prove that he’s better than the record he enters this season with. That’s because he now joins the Los Angeles Rams who will finally surround him with a much better roster — not to mention a coach who is renowned for his play calling in Sean McVay.
Los Angeles might have overpaid for Stafford since they don’t have a first-round pick for years but they are contenders with him which could make it worth the payment in the end.