The Rams Should Unapologetically Go After Matthew Stafford's MVP

WOODLAND HILLS, Ca. When the Los Angeles Rams took on the Arizona Cardinals earlier in the season, Matthew Stafford was vintage. He threw for 281 yards, three touchdowns, and zero interceptions in the Rams' 45-17 victory.

On Sunday, the Rams will take on the Arizona Cardinals at the exact same time the New England Patriots take on the Miami Dolphins in their regular-season finale.

While the odds point towards Patriots' Drake Maye as the MVP winner, I disagree. You break down every stat, every argument, every metric, and they all lead to the same conclusion, and that conclusion is that there is no conclusion. So let's go to a playoff.

The Patriots need a win if they want to have a chance at the one seed, while needing a win to maintain the two seed. The Rams need a win to clinch the fifth seed. The Patriots are playing one of the worst teams in their division with a defense that gives up points and so are the Rams.

Both teams are playing at home. Both teams are playing teams that are using backup quarterbacks. The playing field is even; let's see who wants it. This is the showdown, and in a duel to end the debate, the Rams should fire as many shots as possible.

The Argument to Let Stafford Bombard Arizona

Obviously, winning the ball game should be the first priority for the Rams but if the ball is at the two and the call is goal line fade or halfback dive, take the fade. The Rams need this, they need to restore the feelings of the early season and getting Stafford an MVP would be that catalist.

Dec 29, 2025; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford (9) passes against the Atlanta Falcons during the second half at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images | Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

There's a famous scene in the critically acclaimed television show titled The West Wing where President Jed Bartlet is getting ready to debate Florida Governor Richie before his bid for re-election.

Bartlet, played by the legendary Martin Sheen, is saying his peace with his staff before he attempts to do the early 2000s version of locking in. Sheen, the brilliant, Notre Dame alum American President, fears his high-class style does not resonate with the people, unlike the simple-minded Richie, played by veteran actor James Brolin.

After Bartlet's staff leaves, his wife Abigail, a prominent doctor in her own right, drops the facade of being the first lady to be his partner. Abigail, played by the incredible Stockard Channing, talks about how she regrets not helping more with the preparations.

Bartlet, nervous and incensed on why she would bring this up now, turned to see Abigail use scissors to cut Bartlet's tie. The reason? Four years before, when Bartlet was first running for office, there was an incident that needed a last-minute costume change from Bartlet as he approached the debate stage.

Bartlet believed having that juice of the walk, the feeling of panic and then the feeling of locking in to solve it, the feeling of being that unstoppable force won him the debate. Thus, Abigail cut the tie to induce the panic, and Bartlet would crush Richie and win the election that night.

That's what the Rams need. Last season, they were one play away from the Super Bowl. The way the Rams were playing, they had the defensive line to corral Jayden Daniels and Patrick Mahomes, and the offense to win the Lombardi. They didn't have the core pieces and the experience needed. The Rams have it now.

But they don't have the juice that took Sam Darnold down and the Philadelphia Eagles to the brink. To end the 2024 season, the Rams desperately rallied off wins with a stout defensive effort that bonded the team. That was their tie, and the pursuit of Stafford's MVP needs to be their tie this week.

The Rams have lost their never-say-die attitude and thus the production has suffered. Sean McVay knows it and the Rams do too, they are about to waste this season and as someone who covered every step since OTAs, there have been too many special things to occur for this journey to end in less than two weeks.

The Rams have two awards up for grabs. Stafford's MVP and Offensive Player of the Year for either Stafford or Puka Nacua. The Rams are ready to follow "nine" into hell and back every week. Why not have him be the Bartlet that guides the franchise back to the Lombardi? Wouldn't be the first time a Rams award winner won a Super Bowl.

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