Matthew Stafford Gets Good News Before Rams Square Off Against Saints
Matthew Stafford and the Los Angeles Rams received good news on multiple fronts ahead of their Week 9 matchup against the New Orleans Saints. It starts by getting his top playmaker,
It does not stop there, though.
The Rams are 2-2 coming out of the bye week with Stafford. They are 5-3 with head coach
Matthew Stafford Gets Good News Before Rams-Saints
Stafford was effective against the Jacksonville Jaguars without Nacua, passing for 182 yards on 63.6% completion, but also setting an international record with 5 touchdown throws.
The Rams were also without
“He’s feeling good. And I think what’s important, … is his style of play. You want him to feel as good as possible just because of all the different things that we ask of him for his game to fully come to life. He’s done a great job working with our group, with [Rams vice president of sports medicine and performance
“He’ll be ready to roll, and he’s looked good.”
He still leads the NFL in targets and first-down receptions, but he led the league in receiving yards before suffering his injury.
Stafford threw 3 TDs to Davante Adams during Nacua’s absence, and the veteran quarterback avoided taking a sack in a game for the first time this season against the Jaguars. Now, they face a Saints team that ranks 15th overall and 24th in scoring defensively.
Rams Super Bowl Champion Returns to Field
GettyRob Havenstein #79 of the Los Angeles Rams looks on during the game against the Philadelphia Eagles.
Stafford’s protection will get a boost from the return of Rams starting right tackle
Havenstein upgraded to a full session to cap the week of practice and shed his designation, just as Nacua did. Havenstein was a member of the Rams’ Super Bowl team in 2021. He has been sidelined since Week 4, when he and the Rams defeated the
McVay lauded Havenstein and the veteran’s fill-in, Warren McClendon.
“It’s great to be able to have Rob back out there,” McVay said. “He’s a fighter, man, and he battles, and he’s got great experience. Just his wisdom, his leadership.
“I feel really good about what Warren McClendon has done. Just the maturity, the play, and all that. I think that’s a tremendous credit to Warren, but also to Rob, and Rob has looked good. We’re glad to be able to have Rob back out there, and I think he’s feeling good as well.”
Rams Secondary Takes Hit
GettyDarious Williams #31 of the Los Angeles Rams reacts after a win against the Tennessee Titans.
McVay did say Rams cornerback Darious Williams is doubtful for this game. The Rams will trot out trade acquisition
Ahkello Witherspoon is on injured reserve with a broken collarbone.
Even with the Rams’ strong pass rush, Stafford and the offense could need to keep their foot on the gas to make up for and even protect their pathwork secondary.
Dan Campbell’s brutally honest assessment of Lions should scare rest of NFL
The Detroit Lions have been one of the best teams in the NFL this season. Even after losing both of their coordinators this offseason, Detroit seemingly hasn't lost a step. They come out of their bye week with a 5-2 record, scoring key wins against some of the top contenders in the process.
If the Lions are to be believed, they still aren't playing to their full potential. Head coach Dan Campbell believes that Detroit still has another gear this season. The Lions HC said that they could stand to be better at playing complementary football over the course of the season.
“I really believe we haven't played our best ball yet collectively in all three phases,” Campbell said, per Eric Woodyard of ESPN. “And that's really what we're trying to get to here is how can we sharpen ourselves. We know it's going to take every phase. Every game's different, and one unit may have to pick up the slack, but we need to start playing complete ball across the board. And just keep improving — like with all these teams that we're in the race with right now. So, that's where we're at.”
The Lions have highlighted four key areas for improvement during their bye week. That includes their third-down efficiency on both sides of the ball. Detroit is ranked 22nd in third-down conversion rate this season with just 37.7%, far below their 47% rate last season. On the other side, they're allowing a similar third-down conversion rate on defense, which is higher than their 32.5% rate last year.
The two other areas that the Lions focused on during the bye week are their red zone defense and Jameson Williams' involvement on offense. While Detroit's defense has been generally solid this season, it's allowing a whopping 63.6% of its opponents' red zone trips to end in a touchdown. On the other hand, Williams has had an up-and-down season thanks in large part to his fluctuating target rate. Detroit's offense is at its best when the threat of Jamo downfield opens up the rest of the offense. Finding ways to get him in space is going to be crucial for this team moving forward.
The Lions open the second half of their season with a matchup against the Minnesota Vikings at home. Will Detroit apply what they've installed during the bye week in their next games?
