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Green Bay Packers: 3 Lessons from win vs L.A. Rams

By Tadhg Flynn

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - OCTOBER 17: Aaron Rodgers #12 of the Green Bay Packers calls a play in the huddle against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field on October 17, 2021 in Chicago, Illinois. The Packers defeated the Bears 24-14. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - OCTOBER 17: Aaron Rodgers #12 of the Green Bay Packers calls a play in the huddle against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field on October 17, 2021 in Chicago, Illinois. The Packers defeated the Bears 24-14. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images) /
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NFL 2021
INGLEWOOD, CA – NOVEMBER 07: Head coach Sean McVay talks with quarterback Matthew Stafford #9 of the Los Angeles Rams before the game against the Tennessee Titans at SoFi Stadium on November 7, 2021 in Inglewood, California. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images) /

2. Stafford performances are becoming a problem for L.A.

The Green Bay Packers should be lauded for their excellent form. They are moving into the business end of the season with poise and precision, and they are starting to look like a team that is ready for the playoffs. Not every team in the NFC can say that, none more so than the L.A. Rams.

In a season that started so well, the Rams are making fans sweat. They are on a three-game losing streak, only the second time this has happened in Sean McVay’s coaching tenure. The underperformance of such a talented group will inevitably lead to a large portion of the blame falling on the quarterback.

Matthew Stafford is becoming a cause of concern. Early season MVP hype has faded as the mistakes pile up. Stafford is undeniably talented, but he was noticeably off the pace on Sunday. He completed 21 of 38 passes for 302 yards and 3 touchdowns, but he looked stiff in the pocket and was easily crowded out of space on a number of occasions.

The elusiveness and his surety in off-platform situations that Stafford had displayed in abundance to start the season have deserted him. The Rams offense looked incohesive and out of sync at times against the Packers, and it’s difficult to see what Stafford can do to arrest this decline.

Through the past three games, he has listed a 27.8 QBR, ranking 30th in the NFL. He has been playing through significant pain according to reports, but this is nothing new for the notoriously tough and durable Stafford. This level of play is unacceptable, especially considering the assets that have been sunk into Stafford through his trade acquisition.

The biggest issue to Stafford is the Rams’ over-reliance on the passing game. Cam Akers was ruled out for the season before a ball was kicked. With Darrell Henderson Jr. and Sony Michel splitting time at the position and ranking 26th in the NFL for yards after contact, the ground game is not there for the Rams.

With a lack of rushing to alleviate pressure, and defensive adjustments making life more difficult for the Rams, Stafford needs to turn around his performances and fast for a team that is openly all-in for a Super Bowl this year. There will be difficult questions ahead for the franchise if he can’t.

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