Post Game Press Conference – Rams QB Matthew Stafford
RAMS QUARTERBACK MATTHEW STAFFORD
POSTGAME PRESS CONFERENCE
November 17, 2024
Q: What did you make of the offense’s performance overall today? Obviously, 4 touchdown passes, you had a big part in that, but what did you make of it overall?
MS: I thought it was good. Obviously, things we want to clean up. First couple drives, we had some opportunities to convert on third down and didn’t quite do it. I thought the offensive line played really solid today. Obviously, our backs did a nice job in the run game, and they kept me clean the majority of the game. That’s a recipe for success when you play on offense. So, big shoutout to those guys up front; I thought they played great.
Q: In the third quarter, particularly, what did you see from Kyren [Williams] and how he was seeing some of the levels that were opened up for him and how he was hitting those?
MS: Yeah, I’ll have to go back and look at it, but I thought obviously, it starts up front. Our guys on the perimeter did a nice job blocking, and then it seemed like the run was over, and then I would look up and he’d get five more. That’s the kind of back that he is, that Blake [Corum] is. I mean, those guys are really good football players. When you give those guys space, good things are going to happen for us.
Q: You described the momentum change at the start of the third quarter on that zero blitz. Describe what you saw, and does Cooper [Kupp] make the adjustment in what you were seeing?
MS: Yeah, I mean, it was an off-the-ball kind of base defense, late-hitting zero a little bit. They’re trying to hold it and get to us. I kind of alerted right away to Coop [Cooper Kupp]. That’s kind of the route that he’s running; he didn’t change it too much. He did a really nice job of just kind of making something happen at the top of it. You don’t really run a seam route versus zero very often in NFL football. So, I thought he did a great job of kind of giving me an indicator, I put it to a good spot and then he did the rest.
Q: You have 10 touchdowns in the last four games combined. Does that speak to a comfort level or a confidence level?
MS: Just trying to play good football. You look at it today, it’s all things, right? Coop made a great play on that play, Puka [Nacua] made a diving catch on another one. Colby [Parkinson] did a great job of keeping his feet down in the back of the end zone on another. It takes everybody. It was just a good offensive day. We left points out there a few different times, but continue to try to get better and better.
Q: You were pretty specific about your memories of the last trip here for you. These memories will be better, I guess –
MS: Yeah.
Q: How does it feel to move up the career passing touchdown list?
MS: Yeah, obviously a better day today than we’ve had in the past. Similar type defense, not as many nuanced things, but it was a better day for us on offense. Then moving up the list, it’s humbling. It is every week, obviously, if something happens. It’s a really cool thing to be a part of. I love this game, love the history of it, have so much appreciation for the guys that came before me and really the guys that are coming after me. So, just a humbling thing.
Q: What did you see from Puka on the touchdown catch?
MS: It was a great route. Great route and went and made a great catch. It was kind of right in the sunspot. The first two touchdowns were right there, but Coop and Puka did a nice job of bringing those in. Obviously, ran a great route and then finished it off like he always does.
Q: You guys were 3-of-4 in the red zone today. What was different?
MS: Just execution, right? It’s no secret. We were up against the clock on the one drive when we were down in there, so it makes it a little bit difficult to do kind of do everything you really want to do on that two-minute drive, but just guys making plays. That’s what it is. We had some opportunities to make them. I’d try to give them chances, and those guys made them.
Q: Sean [McVay] was saying this game was like the start of the second half of the season. How do you feel about that? What do you guys have to do to be more than a .500 team?
MS: Yeah, you’ve got to string wins together. That’s what you’ve got to do. You’ve got to try to build off momentum, things that you do positively, and find ways to get better at the things that maybe didn’t go your way in the game. Each game is a different one, and it’s going to have a different flow to it. You’re going to have to find a way to win it, which is the most important thing, but continue to try to be as good of a football team as we can be. Then, when those opportunities arise in games to finish people off, we’ve got to do a good job of finishing people off.
Q: What are your thoughts on Drake Maye?
MS: Yeah, a really talented player. I’ve watched a little bit of crossover tape just from games, but a really talented kid. Obviously, he can move great in the pocket. I thought he stood in there a few times today and made some really nice plays on third down. He’s got a bright future.
Q: How did Beaux [Limmer] handle this week coming back into the starting lineup, and how did he handle tonight’s game?
MS: He did a nice job. There’s always going to be ones that we want back. I think of the third down kind of on their sideline, I had to flip one out to Coop and really, I should have gotten us straightened out there a little bit better. But I thought handling the different looks, different personnels that they wanted to try to play against us, I thought he did a nice job, but I’ll have to go see.
Q: What did you see on the seam route on the zero blitz?
MS: I just hadn’t had a lot of opportunities to run that kind of a play against a zero pressure. I’m just glad he was on the same page I was on and did a nice job at the top.
Q: Is that a different play than Tampa Bay in the playoffs?
MS: I would say the likelihood of getting the ball is higher today than it was in that Tampa one, but as far as the look went, no, it was similar. Kind of hit it on the run same kind of way, a little bit off the ball, and he did a nice job.
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