'Stafford Swagger!' QB Health Vital To Rams Success

Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford was limited to nine games last season with an elbow injury. Avoiding that fate again might be the fastest way to get good again.

Injuries are a part of football, but there's a big difference between a backup punter getting hurt versus a star quarterback.

Just a year after Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford threw for the third-most yards and tied for the most passing touchdowns in his career, he was limited to nine games. We've made the point here often that a healthy Stafford could lift the Rams from above all the negative 2023 projections. And there are some who agree. On "Good Morning Football," host Sara Walsh named Stafford's health as the most important factor in a successful Rams season.

"There was a serious slump after the Super Bowl. We want to see (Sean) McVay get his swagger back and the Rams get their swagger back, and obviously that starts with the man up top," Walsh said. "Stafford stays healthy, got to have it on the checklist. He played just nine games last year, and in more than a decade, it was the fewest yards, the fewest touchdowns he's thrown."

Stafford missed most of last year with an elbow injury, but he has been a full participant in minicamp and offseason workouts, as we know. In his limited action in 2022, Stafford completed a career-high 68 percent of his passes for 2,087 yards and 10 touchdowns.

Walsh mentioned the importance of wide receiver Cooper Kupp and the offensive line remaining healthy this season as well.

"That's sort of this triumvirate up top about those guys staying healthy," Walsh said. "But it starts with Stafford, who will be 35."

In addition to getting healthy, Stafford's got to take better care of the football, throwing eight interceptions last season and recording his second-highest interception percentage of the previous nine seasons.

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You can follow Casey Smith on Twitter @casey_smith2419

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