'Competing My A** Off!' Rams’ Stafford Focused On Camp, Not Legacy
Fourteen seasons, 52,082 yards, 333 touchdowns and a Super Bowl victory. That's the career that Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford has put together.
Stafford said on "Inside Rams Camp" that he's not thinking about after his playing career concludes. He believes he still has "a lot left" in the tank, and his main focus is how he wants "to attack each day."
"Being out here practicing is a whole bunch of fun. I have a blast doing it. I love competing," Stafford said. "Training camps get harder and harder every single year and mostly it's the meeting time and that kind of stuff, installing things that I feel like I know pretty well, but it's been fun to try to teach guys, help guys along.
"When we get out between the lines on the grass, man, I have as much fun as anybody. So, I think that's the biggest thing for me is enjoy the moments that I get. You don't know how long you get them, but I'm going to compete my a** off and try to help us out."
Stafford's legacy is still being written, but it feels as though his career has been a little underappreciated.
He played eight-consecutive seasons with the Detroit Lions and has suited up for every game in 10 of 14 seasons. Stafford has thrown for at least 4,000 yards in nine seasons, including a 5,038-yard year in 2011 while tossing at least 30 touchdown passes three times.
One stat where Stafford needs more credit is fourth-quarter comebacks. He is currently sixth all-time, trailing NFL greats Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, Ben Roethlisberger, Matt Ryan, and Drew Brees with 34 fourth-quarter comebacks. Stafford needs three fourth-quarter comebacks to pass Brees for fifth.
The first overall pick in 2009 said fourth quarter preparation starts in training camp.
"Third down, fourth quarter, red zone, all those kind of things, two-minute drills, that's where we make our money, and I know a couple of years ago we were playing at a high level in the fourth quarter, so trying to get us to that point," Stafford said. "Some of that starts right now, kind of pushing through those last periods of practice. Everybody's kind of tired, can you execute when you're tired? Can you do the simple things at the end of the game when everybody's kind of exhausted?"
The Rams lost three leads in the fourth quarter last season, so that preparation will need to be swift and it starts with play from Stafford.
You can follow Casey Smith on Twitter @casey_smith2419
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