'Coming Right Back to Him!' Rams' Stafford Trusts in Van Jefferson

Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford has quieted doubts about his leadership, as seen with an interaction with receiver Van Jefferson.

Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford dismissed the drama regarding leadership concerns on a young team during camp. In Week 1, he put those rumors to rest.

The Rams visited the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday and won, 30-13. They cruised in a lopsided second-half, boat racing Seattle 23-0 in the latter 30 minutes. It was a huge divisional win for the second-youngest team in football, but it was not without hiccups.

Los Angeles missed out on a big play opportunity when receiver Van Jefferson dropped a wide open deep pass from Stafford. Missing out on 35+ yards incited some frustration from the quarterback, which he addressed on Wednesday.

Sean McVay was playing the hits vs Seattle on Sunday. Jefferson has gotta come down with this one, could've also had a bit of a better ball by Stafford too pic.twitter.com/4NJwZ16r4y

— JP Acosta (@acosta32_jp) September 12, 2023

“Yeah, just tell him I’m coming right back to him and did later in the game,” Stafford said. “Obviously, he’s disappointed, I’m disappointed, we had a chance at making a big play.”

The Rams scored on that drive anyway, and even that may not have mattered. The Seahawks gained just 12 yards in the second half. Still, Stafford made sure to put his frustration into context.

© Steven Bisig-USA TODAY Sports

“There’s going to be a time this season when he’s running free and I’m going to miss him,” Stafford said. “That’s part of football. It’s an imperfect game, it’s played in the gray.”

Stafford finished his day with 334 passing yards to seven different receivers. Jefferson caught his remaining four targets for 24 yards, including one on third down. Don’t expect the Week 1 gaffe to linger.

“I have a ton of trust in Van Jefferson and his ability to go out there and make plays,” Stafford said. “Excited to see how he shows up and shows out on Sunday.”

The Week 2 test at SoFi Stadium may prove to be more difficult than the opening affair.

The San Francisco 49ers will come to Los Angeles riding a dominant 30-7 win against the Pittsburgh Steelers. The 49ers boast an elite defense and the prowess of head coach Kyle Shanahan, meaning the Rams will likely have to overcome adversity once again. Fans can feel a little better about their resilience after Week 1.

Kickoff for that game will be at 1:25 p.m. (PT).