What Week 16 Loss Means for Matthew Stafford

The Los Angeles Rams lost a close divisional game to the Seattle Seahawks. What does this loss mean for Matthew Stafford's MVP case?

Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford (9) looks to pass against the Arizona Cardinals in the first half at State Farm Stadium on Dec 7, 2025, in Glendale, Ariz. | Rob Schumacher/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Los Angeles Rams kicked off Week 16 with the possible game of the year against the Seattle Seahawks. The game went into overtime, where the Seahawks won after scoring a touchdown and successfully converting the 2-point conversion.

Despite the loss, I still believed Matthew Stafford should be the front-runner for the MVP award. He outplayed Sam Darnold in every major category, and he didn't make any outrageous mistakes that led the Rams to their loss.

MVP Race Slipping Away

Dec 18, 2025; Seattle, Washington, USA; Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford (9) passes against the Seattle Seahawks in the first half at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Ng-Imagn Images | Kevin Ng-Imagn Images

The advantages of playing on Thursday Night are that you get a mini bye week with the amount of rest you get between games. The disadvantage is that you don't know what the week has in store for you, and with Stafford being in such a close race for the MVP award, that affects him.

Unfortunately for Stafford, when his team lost, his biggest competitor shone brighter than ever. Drake Maye led the New England Patriots to a comeback win against the Baltimore Ravens on primetime, and he did so with impressive numbers backing him.

Drake Maye:

31/44, 380 yards, 2 TD, 1 int. 102.5 rating.

89 yard game winning drive.

Two score fourth quarter comeback win.

MVP. pic.twitter.com/Mrtp4GPkEn

— Savage (@SavageSports_) December 22, 2025

The MVP is an award mired by perception. You have to look and act the part in order to win the award. Stafford has looked impressive all season long, but in the most important game of the season, he led the offense to three straight punts, a missed field goal, and another punt.

Harrison Mevis missing his first career kick can't be blamed on Stafford, but what can be is their quick three-and-outs on offense in the 4th quarter, which opened the door for a Seattle comeback. To make matters worse, he lost a game where Puka Nacua had more than 200 all-purpose yards and two receiving touchdowns.

Dec 21, 2025; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye (10) warms up prior to the game against the Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: James Lang-Imagn Images | James Lang-Imagn Images

As I said, perception plays a huge factor in who wins the award. Nobody is doing more with less right now than Maye. Comparing their Week 16 performances, Stafford has him beat by more than 75 passing yards, but Stafford also had more help from his rushing attack than Maye did. What's more is that the Patriots' leading receiver in their comeback win was Stefon Diggs, and I don't know anyone who would take Diggs over Nacua in 2025.

If the Rams had won, there'd be no debate as to who the MVP is. Stafford threw for 457 yards and three receiving touchdowns with no interceptions, and yet, it still feels like the MVP race is slipping away from him. It's the last thing missing from his career, and he may never get it at this rate.

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