New York Giants defensive coordinator Wink Martindale sang Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford’s praises, saying that he should be in the MVP conversation.
In an article from Pro Football Talk, Martindale explains why he thinks Stafford is among the best in the league this year.
“I think that Stafford is playing at a Hall of Fame-type level and each team, we’ve talked about it here, each team jells and they have jelled offensively. I think that Matthew is — I mean, he’s making throws that you just sit there and go, ‘wow,’” Martindale said. “From all different kind of arm angles, no looks, all those things you’ve heard about, you’re seeing him do it and they’re playing at a very high level.”
Martindale also went on to express the difficulty in stopping the offense that head coach Sean McVay has created. After a slow start to the season, the Rams and McVay figured out how to attack teams in the air and on the ground.
“So, they put you in a bind of what you want to try to do and how you’re going try to do it, but Stafford is playing unreal,” Martindale said. “I mean, he’s a great football player, but I think that he and Lamar [Jackson] should be up for the MVP candidate. That’s the kind of year he’s having, and they’ve scored over 30 points a game since you when you were talking about [since their bye].”
Wink Martindale has two decades of NFL experience, so his Matthew Stafford MVP statement is not unfounded
Wink Martindale started out in the NFL as the linebackers coach for the Oakland Raiders in 2004. He has since been the defensive coordinator for the Denver Broncos as well as the Baltimore Ravens, before arriving in New York.
Martindale was a part of the Super Bowl winning Baltimore Ravens in 2012. As the linebackers coach, he was in command of NFL legends like Ray Lewis and Terrell Suggs.
Martindale coached against all sorts of NFL legends at the QB position. He was the defensive coordinator in a division with Phillip Rivers, who has over 60,000 career passing yards. He was also in a division with Super Bowl winning quarterback Ben Roethlisberger during his time with the Ravens.
Martindale had Super Bowl-winning Baltimore-legend Joe Flacco on his own team, who is continuing to light up NFL defenses for the Browns this year in a bid for Comeback Player of the Year.
Martindale, who compared Stafford to Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson, was on the same team as Jackson when he won the MVP the first time. Martindale knows what he is talking about when it comes to the MVP award as well as when it comes to Jackson as a candidate.
Matthew Stafford and the Los Angeles Rams have seen an amazing turnaround since the bye week
As Martindale mentioned, the Rams scored over 30 points per game since the bye week. They gave the Baltimore Ravens a closer game than the Super Bowl favorite San Francisco 49ers. The 49ers were playing from behind for the majority of the game, while the Rams and the Ravens went to overtime.
Stafford has 23 touchdowns this season with 3,648 yards passing. He has completed 62% of his passes, and has thrown just nine interceptions on the season. Stafford has more touchdowns through the air, and more passing yards than Jackson this season.
Stafford has also played a part in a legendary rookie season for Rams rookie wide receiver Puka Nacua. Nacua is just eight receptions away from the all-time record for receptions by a rookie. He is on pace for 109 receptions, while the record is 104 (Jaylen Waddle, 2021).
WHAT A DIVING CATCH BY PUKA pic.twitter.com/q4lmBu2088
— EdgeSports (@EdgeSportsApp) December 10, 2023
That’s a 5th round pick rookie, stepping into a starting position and catching 10 passes for over 100 yards.
Hats off to Puka Nacua! This 3rd down catch was one of the plays to help seal the game pic.twitter.com/IZSLxb8FOS
— RAMS ON FILM (@RamsOnFilm) September 10, 2023
Nacua is also on pace to beat the record for receiving yards in a season by a rookie. The current record, held by Houston Oilers wide receiver Bill Groman, is 1,473 yards. Nacua has 1,327 yards receiving thus far, and is on pace for 1,503 yards receiving.
The Rams started out 3-6, but Stafford’s play since the bye has them vying for a playoff spot. The Rams only have one loss since the bye, and will have to take on the Super Bowl Favorite 49ers along with Martindale’s Giants to close the season.
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