The MVP whispers around Matthew Stafford are getting louder.
The Rams quarterback threw four touchdowns with no turnovers on Sunday to lead Los Angeles in a 42-26 romp in a critical NFC West matchup against the San Francisco 49ers.
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NFL history for Stafford
Stafford is the first quarterback in NFL history to throw four touchdowns with zero interceptions in three consecutive games, according to ESPN Research. He also achieved the feat in wins over the Jaguars (182 yards, 5 TDs, 0 Ints) and Saints (281 yards, 4 TDs, 0 Ints) in Weeks 7 and 9.
Stafford joined eight other quarterbacks with 400 passing touchdowns as he bumped his career tally to 402. And he leaves Sunday among the midseason favorites to win NFL MVP.
With Sunday’s win, the Rams improved to 7-2 for a 1 1/2 game cushion over the now 6-4 49ers in the NFC West. And it sets up a showdown for first place in the division next week against the equally impressive and 7-2 Seattle Seahawks.
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The Rams are looking like Super Bowl contenders, and they have Stafford to thank in large part why.
Stafford keeps getting better
Stafford entered Sunday leading the NFL in touchdown passes (21) and yards per game (268.4). He added to both tallies while completing 24 of 36 passes for 280 yards and his four passing scores.
His effort led the Rams to a 21-7 halftime lead. And when the 49ers put pressure on after halftime, Stafford and the Los Angeles offense kept on the gas to ensure that San Francisco would not threaten the Rams’ lead.
[More on the Rams: L.A. team feed]
For a moment, Sunday’s game looked like a runaway Rams win as they opened the game with three touchdowns in three possessions. Kyren Williams cracked the scoreboard first with a first-drive rushing touchdown. Stafford then found Puka Nacua on a screen pass for a 22-yard touchdown and 14-0 lead.
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For his second touchdown of the day, Stafford bought time under pressure for tight end Davis Allen to get open in the back of the end zone. He then threw a pinpoint sideline pass out of the reach of 49ers defenders that Allen hauled in for a 21-0 lead early in the first quarter.
Stafford, Rams fend off 49ers rally
But the 49ers didn’t quit.
They scored a touchdown late in the first half, then opened the second with a scoring pass from Mac Jones to Luke Farrell to cut the Rams’ lead to 21-14.
But the Rams responded with a 64-yard drive that ended with a Stafford pass to Davante Adams.
When the 49ers scored again, the Rams responded with another touchdown drive capped by Williams’ second score of the day. And Stafford iced the game with a 16-yard touchdown pass to Colby Parkinson for a 42-20 lead late in the fourth quarter.
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It was the type of effort from Stafford to fuel MVP chatter in what’s been a wide-open race through the first 10 weeks of the season. Stafford made easy work of San Francisco’s defense to build a big early lead, then made the plays that mattered down the stretch. And the Rams came away with a critical win over a division rival.
Next week’s showdown against Sam Darnold and a swarming Seattle defense could go a long way in determining Stafford’s MVP bona fides.
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