ClutchPoints
The Los Angeles Rams and New England Patriots are both gearing up for what they hope will be a prosperous playoff run after strong regular seasons.
The Rams lived up to high expectations this year, finishing with a 12-5 record and comfortably reaching the postseason despite not winning the NFC West. Meanwhile, the Patriots soared above expectations in their first season with Mike Vrabel as head coach, finishing 14-3 and earning the No. 2 seed in the AFC.
Both teams are led by explosive offenses, and quarterbacks Drake Maye and Matthew Stafford are right at the center of it. The two have been the top two MVP contenders for many weeks now, but with the regular season in the rearview, it’s time to pick a winner.
Who should get the league’s highest individual honor? Let’s break down the cases and pick a winner.
If you look at the counting stat leaderboards, Stafford is the clear-cut winner. He is the NFL’s passing champion with 4,707 yards and also led the league in passing touchdowns with 46. Despite 597 attempts on the season, Stafford only threw eight picks and was arguably the best pure passer in the NFL.
The Rams had the best offense in the league by most numbers, and Stafford was a big reason for it. Los Angeles led the league in total offense and scoring offense, sitting as the only team to average more than 30 points per game. Stafford is a big reason why, despite being a wild card and staring down a gauntlet of road games, the Rams are still considered one of the favorites to win the Super Bowl.
On top of that, Stafford has played some of his best football against the best teams on Los Angeles’ schedule. He notably carved up the elite Seattle Seahawks defense in Week 15 in prime time to the tune of 457 yards in an overtime loss. He also had monster games against the Lions, 49ers and Jaguars, all three in wins.
Taking out the stats, Stafford’s ability to push the ball downfield and attack the middle of the field, especially in the intermediate area, is the single biggest reason why the Rams are able to be both efficient and explosive on offense. He is an expert at moving defenders with his eyes and fitting the ball into tight windows down the field.
In the eyes of some voters, this could be somewhat of a career achievement award for Stafford, who has only made three Pro Bowls and never been selected to an All-Pro team while playing in a loaded quarterback era. While he does have a Super Bowl ring with the Rams and is chasing a chance to win a second one, some voters may lean in his direction to add to a trophy case that currently doesn’t do his amazing career justice.
Stafford detractors will tell you about the players and coaches around him and the fact that some of his...
