Matthew Stafford was staring down another dire situation as the Los Angeles Rams found themselves trailing late against the Carolina Panthers during Wild Card Weekend.
Stafford has made a living on fourth quarter and overtime game-winning drives, and he needed to dig deep into his bag to lead the Rams to another come-from-behind victory. Los Angeles beat Carolina 34-31 thanks to the quarterback, who led the game-winning drive with several clutch throws.
On the game-clinching possession, Stafford spread the football out to all his receivers before lofting a beautiful pass to Colby Parkinson in the end zone.
Davante Adams was involved on the drive and before it began, he revealed what Stafford told him on the sidelines, via Stu Jackson of TheRams.com:
Before the Rams took the field with 2:34 remaining in the fourth quarter, quarterback Matthew Stafford told wide receiver Davante Adams, “Let’s go snatch these guys’ hearts.”
“That was pretty cold, just to hear that,” Adams said, recalling the moment postgame. “And I actually literally smiled in the moment, because I thought that was like one of the most gangster things you could say in that moment, honestly. And to hear him say that, and the look on his on his face, and then throw the touchdown, and then the look on his face after that, was just MVP stuff.”
Stafford has alluded to going to a dark place in clutch situations and this was no different given what was on the line. Los Angeles entered the matchup as massive road favorites, but saw a lapse in play on both sides of the field that nearly cost them its season.
At his age and with all the years of experience under his belt, the moment wasn’t too big for Stafford who calmly sat back in the pocket and threw to whoever he needed to to move the chains. That level of poise and confidence is a large reason why the Rams quarterback is considered one of the MVP favorites alongside New England Patriots star Drake Maye.
Now, Stafford and Adams get to continue their partnership together in the NFC Divisional Round where another tough test awaits.
Matthew Stafford and Puka Nacua named AP First Team All-Pro
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