This will be Matthew Stafford's second year in Sean McVay's offense, and Stafford will look to improve on what was already a very excellent first year in that scheme. Is this going to lead to another Super Bowl run? What about making an appearance in the Pro Bowl? Let's take a look at some Matthew Stafford predictions for the 2022 NFL season.
Few quarterbacks have ever played as effectively, for as long, and for as little postseason pay as Matthew Stafford did in his 12 years with the Detroit Lions. At the same time, few people have ever put a stop to their dissatisfaction as swiftly and spectacularly as Stafford did in his debut season as a Los Angeles Ram.
Stafford went from having no career playoff wins to becoming the hero of the Rams' title run last winter. He led late-fourth-quarter drives to victories over Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the Divisional Round, the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC Championship Game, and the Cincinnati Bengals in Super Bowl LVI at SoFi Stadium.
Stafford, now finally a bona fide winner, has no intention of stopping.
Having said that, here are three audacious predictions for Rams standout Matthew Stafford's 2022 NFL season.
Matthew Stafford is just 5 yards away from matching Drew Brees for the fewest games to 50,000 passing yards in #NFL history (183 games).
Stafford plays in his 183rd game Thursday night. #Rams #RamsHouse pic.twitter.com/uUt1ZCAr5g
— Jeff Kerr (@JeffKerrCBS) September 5, 2022
3. Stafford makes the Pro Bowl
Matthew Stafford passed for 4,886 yards and 41 touchdowns last season. He also completed 67.2 percent of his passes, which was a career-best. Stafford was stellar, so how come he was not named to the Pro Bowl despite his phenomenal play?
Stafford's inability to make the Pro Bowl in 2021 has pretty much been due to the competition as much as it was to his own performance. Recall that both Aaron Rodgers and Tom Brady enjoyed MVP-caliber seasons, leaving the Los Angeles Rams quarterback battling for just one other position, which fell to Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray.
While it's reasonable to argue that Stafford should have gone in ahead of Murray, especially given how the two quarterbacks separated in the final quarter of the season, it should be a moot question this coming season. Stafford should have no trouble getting his due, especially with all he has accomplished. Of course, this is assuming he sustains his sharp performance and high-level production from last year.
2. Stafford throws for 4,700+ yards and 40 TDs
Matthew Stafford is your classic, retro, sit-in-the-pocket quarterback. Last season, in fact, he had only 43 yards on the ground. In 2021, the Rams passed the ball 59 percent of the time, which bodes well for Stafford's passing numbers.
Additionally, Cooper Kupp is still around, so that's all that really counts. Stafford and Kupp were a fantastic duo last season. On one hand, it's fair to give Kupp a lot of credit for Stafford's outstanding season. On the other hand, one can argue that Kupp would not have gotten so many targets if not for Stafford. Their mutually beneficial pairing will continue to be elite in 2022.
Article Continues BelowHaving said that, the Rams did suffer the loss of Robert Woods and Odell Beckham Jr. To compensate, however, they signed Allen Robinson. They also welcome back Tyler Higbee, Van Jefferson, and a healthy Cam Akers. To summarize, this offense will likely function just as it did last season, which means Stafford's lofty passing stats should be sustained.
There is a caveat, however. Remember that Stafford played through an elbow injury last season, though he was alright for the most part. The Rams did, after all, win the Super Bowl. Still, it would be silly not to be worried that Stafford continues battling with the problem despite an offseason treatment designed to help clear it up.
In all likelihood, however, Stafford should have another very strong passing year. Look for him to net more than 4,700 passing yards and to throw 40 TDs anew.
1. Stafford throws 15 INTs or more
The Rams went 12-5 in the regular season, as Matthew Stafford finished with 4,886 yards and 41 TDs. He also had a league-leading 17 INTs. That's really Stafford's biggest weakness, and it will likely get magnified even more in 2022.
Keep in mind that the loss of Andrew Whitworth raises concerns about the offensive line. The running game has also been disappointing at best. In times when things get tricky, McVay and his staff must temper Stafford's penchant for playing ‘hero ball.' That's precisely when mistakes are made, and well, no QB is more prone to picks than Stafford.
I mean, let's spew out some facts. Take note that Matthew Stafford has never led the league in major passing stats like touchdowns, yards, rating, and completion percentage.
He has, however, led the league in interceptions. He has also led the NFL in pick-sixes — four times!
Stafford's career record is 86-95-1, with a touchdown-to-interception ratio of 323/161 and a passer rating of 91.1. By all intents and purposes, Stafford will still be a top-level, Pro-Bowl-material QB, but let's not pretend he's perfect. He'll make a ton of great plays, but he'll also get picked a ton in 2022.