There is a different kind of buzz around the Rams right now, and most of it starts with the quarterback. Matthew Stafford just carved up the Buccaneers for 273 yards and three touchdowns in a 34-7 win, drawing MVP chants from the SoFi Stadium crowd while Sean McVay joked that his 37-year-old passer could keep going “for about 10 more years.”
Stafford did not bite on the timeline, but he made it clear he is healthy and enjoying himself, and his numbers back that up: 2,830 passing yards, 30 touchdowns, and only two interceptions so far this season.
According to Rams reporter Stu Jackson on X, McVay said the team will open wide receiver Tutu Atwell’s 21-day practice window this week and that they “expect him to be ready to roll” Sunday on the road against the Panthers. That would give Stafford another trusted weapon just as Los Angeles tries to extend its winning streak and keep pressure on the rest of the NFC.
Atwell’s return matters because of how he changes the geometry of the field. His vertical speed and quickness on motions force safeties to respect the deep ball and linebackers to hesitate on play-action, which in turn creates cleaner throwing lanes for Davante Adams and Puka Nacua underneath. He also brings experience in McVay’s system, which is no small thing for a team that leans heavily on timing and option routes out of similar formations.
All of this is happening while the offense is nowhere near full strength. Right tackle Rob Havenstein and tight end Tyler Higbee are both on injured reserve with ankle issues, and safety Quentin Lake is sidelined after elbow surgery, yet the Rams have kept rolling by leaning into Stafford’s command and Adams’ red-zone dominance.
Dropping Atwell back into that mix gives Los Angeles one more way to stay multiple, protect its veteran quarterback, and keep that MVP conversation simmering as the schedule tightens in December.
