Matthew Stafford, Cooper Kupp in three-game slump entering Vikings game

Should Minnesota let Puka Nacua get his numbers while taking Kupp out of picture?

Sep 18, 2022; Inglewood, California, USA; Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Cooper Kupp (10) speaks with quarterback Matthew Stafford (9) before playing against the Atlanta Falcons at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images | Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

The last guy in the playoffs that any team wants to overlook is Matthew Stafford. The veteran gunslinger can turn a game on a dime with his arm talent and he has the receivers — Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua — to make life really hard on Minnesota's defensive backs, but there's no denying that Stafford has struggled in his past three starts.

In Weeks 15-17, Stafford, who was rested in Week 18, combined to complete 47-of-78 passes for an average of 153 yards per game. He totaled one touchdown and one interception. His numbers were that low despite not being sacked at all.

He's been especially brutal on third downs, completing 48.1% of his third-down attempts in the last three games while averaging just 3.93 yards per attempt. The Rams ranked 24th on third downs during the regular season while Minnesota's third-down defense ranked third with an opponent first-down rate of 35.6%.

That's one key to the game Monday night, but the biggest key to victory might be Minnesota finding away to take Kupp out of the game. It might be no coincidence that Stafford's struggles to put up bigger numbers have come during a three-game stretch in which Kupp has been virtually nonexistent.

Kupp totaled four catches for 54 yards and no touchdowns in those three games, and Stafford targeted him just three times in each game. While teams were taking Kupp out of the game plan, Nacua was putting up numbers.

Nacua hauled in 25 passes for 282 yards in that stretch while accounting for 53.2% of Stafford's completions, 39.7% of Stafford's attempts, and 61.4% of Stafford's pass yards.

Overall, Stafford has averaged just 5.9 yards per attempt in his last three games. That's a significant drop from the 8.2 yards per attempt he had in L.A.'s Oct. 24 win over the Vikings, when he shredded Minnesota's defense for 279 yards and four touchdowns.

Kupp, by the way, beat the Vikings for 51 yards and a toucdown on five receptions that night.

If Minnesota can take Kupp out of the game, Stafford might be staring at a fourth straight sub-200-yard passing effort.