'Crazy One!' Matthew Stafford Reacts to Los Angeles Rams' Nail-Biter in Week 17
It seems the Los Angeles Rams’ best effort on Sunday was their ability to keep a game entertaining for 60 minutes. All they had to do was come into MetLife Stadium and beat the New York Giants – that they did. But boy, was it close.
Los Angeles struggled to escape a feisty New York team, ultimately winning on a missed field goal from former Rams kicker Mason Crosby, who was elevated for the Week 14 loss to the Baltimore Ravens. Los Angeles won 26-25.
Dec 31, 2023; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford (9) is sacked by New York Giants safety Isaiah Simmons (19) during the fourth quarter at MetLife Stadium.
© Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
Nevertheless, a win is indeed a win, and the Rams advanced to 9-7 on the year, solidifying their playoff positioning. After the game, quarterback Matthew Stafford reacted to the turbulent win.
“That was a crazy one, golly,” Stafford said. “Obviously we didn’t play our best on the offensive side of the ball. Our defense did a great job getting some critical stops there late. Special teams was a huge factor in the game on both sides. That was a crazy game. Not the cleanest of football, but we found a way to win the game.”
Perhaps the biggest reason for Los Angeles’ struggles to pull away was its loss in the turnover battle.
Stafford was intercepted twice – both times by safety Dane Belton. He finished the day completing 24 of 34 attempts for 317 yards, one touchdown, and two interceptions. Against a blitz-happy Giants defense, he was sacked four times.
“Man, are there plays I wish I had back, absolutely,” Stafford. “Felt like I was seeing it really well, just obviously made two mistakes with throwing the football, just poor throws to be honest with you. The rest of the day felt pretty solid. So a lot to clean up, but a win is a win, and we’ll take it.”
Stafford elaborated on the turnovers keeping things close but gave credit to a defense that stepped up when it needed to, even if giving up 389 yards against a lowly offense fell short of internal expectations.
“We turned the ball over basically four times on offense: three turnovers, two picks, a fumble, and a fourth down that we didn’t convert,” Stafford said. And we still found a way to win the football game. That’s a resilient group. Just proud of the guys for keeping on fighting.”
The win puts Los Angeles temporarily ahead of the rival Seattle Seahawks and can clinch a playoff spot with a Seattle loss. For now, the Rams will relish in the win, no matter how close it came to turning their playoff hopes upside down.
