Matthew Stafford, the L.A. Rams and separating fact from fiction

The Los Angeles Rams quarterback was lights out vs. the red-hot Buffalo Bills. The same cannot be said about the quarterback in Atlanta.

For years, this is when he took a sip of truth serum and the results were ugly. The holidays were reserved for an abrupt Matthew Stafford regression that’d vaporize any two- or three-game cushion his Detroit Lions held in the NFC North. It was clockwork. Late in the fourth quarter, Stafford sidearmed an interception into heavy traffic. Aaron Rodgers smelled blood. Detroit faded.

All fun, all thrilling wins the previous three months proved to be nothing more than a sick mirage.

Even when he joined the Los Angeles Rams — with a loaded roster and 17 adoring fans — the quarterback appeared destined for the same sad conclusion on Nov. 28, 2021. At Lambeau Field, down 13 points with 1:52 remaining in the third quarter, Stafford telegraphed a third-and-7 ball directly into the chest of Rasul Douglas. The Packers cornerback high-stepped to the end zone, Pogo’d into the stands and Sean McVay’s club appeared to lose more than just one game.

In this moment? It felt like the boy wonder coach and GM Les Snead lit their draft capital on fire. No bold trade at any position means a thing if your quarterback is bound to throw the ball to the other team when the pressure ratchets up.

All Stafford did next — with an assist from Jaquiski Tartt — was completely redefine himself. Those Rams won nine of their next 10 games, including Super Bowl LVI in their own stadium. He was clutch on the 15-play, 79-yard drive to win.

This microwaved roster was swiftly torn down and all Stafford’s done is further assert himself as one of the most dangerous December players in football. The best game of the weekend was easily Los Angeles’ 44-42 vertigo-inducing win over the Buffalo Bills. Stafford was exceptional in completing 23 of 30 passes for 320 yards with two touchdowns and no picks.

Douglas was on the field again, too. Stafford had no problem throwing his direction repeatedly.

Only four games remain in the regular season.

This is when we separate what’s real from what’s a mirage at the quarterback position. Week 14 supplied clarity.

Kirk Cousins is flaming out. Fast.

Sam Darnold is earning himself tens of millions of dollars each week.

Stafford turns 37 years old in February, but you’d never tell. Nobody should be surprised if he steers the Rams right back to a playoff rematch against his former team.