When Matthew Stafford went down with a spinal cord contusion, the Los Angeles Rams added depth to the quarterback position by claiming Baker Mayfield off waivers from the Carolina Panthers.
The former No. 1 overall draft pick struggled in seven games with the franchise but has looked rejuvenated since joining the Rams. He earned NFC Offensive Player of the Week honors for Week 14 after a memorable debut and has continued to play well.
Mayfield led the Rams to a Christmas Day blowout victory over the Denver Broncos and now looks to keep the momentum going in Week 17. “It’s been something really special,” he said after the 51-14 win.
“Obviously, timing-wise like we talked about, it’s just not how we drew it up, but it’s been really special. Especially coming off the Monday night game and not really playing well on offense, obviously I was frustrated with how I played.
“And for us to play a complete game like that speaks volumes. Everybody keeps talking about the fact that we’re eliminated from the playoffs, but this is a locker room that wants to compete and wants to win any chance you have and any opportunity that we can get. It’s been fun. It is a special locker room and I’m happy to be a part of it.”
As Mayfield noted, the Rams have shown no signs of letting up despite already being eliminated from playoff contention. The team enjoyed their most complete performance on both sides of the ball against the Broncos, scoring a season high in points and forcing four turnovers.
Cam Akers previously said the Rams are hoping to play spoiler during the final month of the regular season, and they have gotten off to a good start by winning two of their first three games.
The Rams have two remaining matchups against the Los Angeles Chargers and Seattle Seahawks before they head into an important offseason. For Mayfield, it serves as an opportunity to continue showcasing his skills with his future currently up in the air before entering free agency.
Baker Mayfield wins Nickelodeon’s ‘NVP’ after Rams win over Broncos
The Rams’ Christmas Day matchup against the Broncos was simulcast on CBS and Nickelodeon. As tradition, fans got to vote for the Nickelodeon Valuable Player (NVP), which unsurprisingly went to Mayfield.
Mayfield became the first winning quarterback to be named NVP as Dak Prescott and Mitch Trubisky both lost when they were bestowed with the award.
