Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford is coming off a profession yr and is the reigning MVP. But Professional Soccer Focus rated him solely the fifth-best starter heading into the 2026 season, suggesting he continues to be disrespected by the media to some extent.
PFF’s Dalton Wasserman and Max Chadwick’s rankings of the NFL’s 32 starters are based mostly on PFF passing grade, Wins Above Alternative (WAR) and EPA per dropback from the final three seasons. Stafford was positioned behind Josh Allen, Joe Burrow, Lamar Jackson and Patrick Mahomes, regardless of main the league with a 91.7 PFF passing grade and 4.49 Wins Above Alternative. He was additionally the NFC’s highest-ranked QB, forward of Jordan Love at No. 6.
One of many principal causes for his lower-than-expected rating needed to do with the crew round him. Yep, you learn that proper:
“That said, the 2025 MVP enters 2026 in one of the NFL’s most favorable situations. Rams head coach Sean McVay remains one of football’s premier offensive minds, and the Rams’ dominant rushing attack consistently forces defenses to respect the run, creating favorable passing opportunities. Stafford has also had the luxury of throwing to Puka Nacua and Davante Adams, giving him one of the league’s best wide receiver duos.”
So, now we’re punishing a participant for his or her success as a result of they’re in a good scenario? Are we severe? When Stafford was unable to win a playoff recreation throughout his 12 years in Detroit, the discourse round him was that he couldn’t win the massive one. That was regardless of not having the crew infrastructure to ever advance previous the Wild Card Spherical. Now that he’s in a greater spot, it’s principally the scenario round him that’s permitting him to play properly. Make it make sense, and give up shifting these rattling goalposts!
Plus, whereas Puka Nacua is at present acknowledged as one of many NFL’s greatest receivers, that wasn’t at all times the case. He needed to develop into that function with a quarterback prepared to present him loads of alternatives.
Stafford has accomplished precisely that, because the BYU product is the fourth-most focused wideout since 2023 with 432 targets. That’s behind Ja’Marr Chase (505), Amon-Ra St. Brown (477) and CeeDee Lamb (450). He additionally ranks third in receptions in that span with 313, with Chase (352) and Brown (351) simply forward of him, and he has the second-most receiving yards behind Chase. Nacua made certain to present Stafford his flowers after the veteran gained MVP.
See, PFF, recreation acknowledges recreation. I suppose by their defective logic, we’ll blame Stafford for buying and selling for Myles Garrett, too, proper? Curse you Matthew, how dare you attempt to maximize what’s left of your profession! What’s mistaken with you?!
Then, PFF chimed in on interception variance, which is as dorky as you’d anticipate:
“Stafford threw just nine interceptions in 2025 despite 21 turnover-worthy throws, with opposing defenders dropping nine potential interceptions (seven of them on genuine turnover-worthy throws). That wasn’t a one-year anomaly, either. His 2024 and 2025 campaigns rank as two of the three luckiest quarterback seasons on record, making it unlikely those breaks continue to fall his way in 2026.”
Even when these unlikely breaks don’t proceed to fall his means this season, except there’s a important uptick in interceptions, who truthfully cares? Actually. Interceptions are sadly part of a quarterback’s recreation. Whether or not it’s their fault or the move catcher’s, they will occur, and the extra you will get away with it, the higher. Undecided why that’s essentially a nasty factor.
And if PFF is seemingly punishing Stafford for his final two years of fine fortune, why have they got an issue rapidly? In accordance with their article on the hidden story behind QB interceptions in Might, the Rams’ sign caller has the second-luckiest profession of the final decade.
Professional Soccer Focus
Out of these 10 luckiest gamers, Stafford had probably the most dropped interceptions by far, and the second-most interceptions on turnover-worthy performs. Once more, all I’ve received to say is oh properly. Higher luck subsequent time protection, and possibly work in your butterfingers — 49ers followers studying this seemingly cringed as I stated that.
Merely put, Stafford goes to be disrespected to some extent for the rest of his profession. It continued to linger after he guided the Rams to the Tremendous Bowl title in 2021 after which after he gained MVP earlier this yr.
Heck, the disrespect will be felt in Vegas as a result of even after successful the coveted prize, he has the fifth-best odds to earn MVP honors and defend his crown. Allen (+600), Jackson (+750), Drake Maye (+850) and Burrow (+900), per FanDuel Sportsbook.
Quarterbacks face probably the most scrutiny out of any place, and Matthew Stafford continues to face the brunt of it regardless of having a profitable second act in Los Angeles. Although he’s not going to win over everyone, the media ought to actually put extra respect on his title after he guided L.A. to a different deep playoff run final season and is aiming to do it once more in 2026.
