National Pundits Disagree on Rams’ Immediate Future

Colin Cowherd says Matthew Stafford's tendency to take hits could hurt Los Angeles Rams.

Oct 8, 2023; Inglewood, California, USA; Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua (17) celebrates his touchdown scored against the Philadelphia Eagles with quarterback Matthew Stafford (9) during the first half at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images | Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

Kyle Brandt made a public service announcement Tuesday morning.

“It's almost playoff-picking time,” the entertaining analyst said Tuesday on Good Morning Football, “when you have to go as a media member or as a fan and pick your 14 playoff teams. Pick the Rams. Pick the Rams.”

Last season, Brandt correctly picked the Rams to win the NFC West, and nailed six of seven AFC playoff teams – including all four division winners. Overall, he correctly picked six of the eight division winners, so his predictions have merit.

Jan 19, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Los Angeles Rams linebacker Jared Verse (8) greets Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley (26) after their 2025 NFC divisional round game at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images | Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

But he also picked Dallas to win the NFC East, and said eventual Super Bowl champion Philadelphia would miss the playoffs. Brandt also had two NFC West teams – San Francisco and Arizona as wild-card teams (neither came close). But Brandt remains bullish on the Rams, primarily because he’s not worried about Matthew Stafford, and Los Angeles added Davante Adams.

“I think he's going to have 90 catches this year,” Brandt said. “I think it's going to be a huge success. I am not very concerned about Matthew Stafford right now because, check the date, it is Aug. 5, and when I see back soreness on an old veteran quarterback, and Matthew Stafford is at that age where you can injure yourself sneezing, I'm not worried about that. When he starts the season, he'll be starting the season like the Matthew Stafford that we know.”

Colin the contrarian

Colin Cowherd disagrees. The FS1 personality said Monday he’s not only concerned about the back soreness preventing Stafford from practicing in training camp, but also the history of quarterbacks once they reach 37 years old.

• “Matt Stafford is the last old quarterback that sits in the pocket that extra half second and gets drilled,” Cowherd said Monday on The Herd. “He has been a guy that's taken a lot of shots. And so, he's banged up. His old demeanor isn't the same as the old Tom Brady.

• “Tom Brady had Dante Scarnecchia (former Patriots offensive line coach). Tom Brady had much better protection. Tom Brady had much better coaching. Tom Brady at 45 was probably in better shape than Matt Stafford is at 36, 37 years old. So, he played behind a lot of bad lines. He's always been a guy that just sits in that pocket.”

Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford and Patriots quarterback Tom Brady shake hands after the Lions' 26-10 win on the game Friday, August 25, 2017 at Ford Field in Detroit MI. Kirthmon F. Dozier/Detroit Free Press | Kirthmon F. Dozier, Detroit Free Press

Brady averaged 24.7 sacks per season after he turned 37 years old (222 sacks over his final nine years). By comparison, Stafford has averaged 29.3 sacks per season over his first four years (2021-24) in Los Angeles. And one of the Rams’ primary concerns entering the season is, indeed, protecting Stafford.

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