The Colts and Rams last played one another in Week 4 of the 2023 season — one of then-rookie Anthony Richardson’s first starts.
While Los Angeles had gotten out to a 23-0 lead, Indianapolis came back with 23 straight points to tie the game and send it to overtime.
But in the extra period, Matthew Stafford hit then-rookie Puka Nacua for a 22-yard touchdown to send the Rams home a winner.
It was one of the many game-winning drives Stafford has put together over the course of his career. Head coach Shane Steichen was on the sideline for that game and he’ll be there at SoFi Stadium to coach against Stafford in his next start on Sunday.
Why does Steichen think Stafford’s been so successful for so long?
“It’s a great question,” Steichen said in his Wednesday press conference. “I think he’s one of the best, probably, to ever do it. I think he has a physicality about him, like he’s tough as it gets. I mean, you see him taking shots, and he gets up and he isn’t coming out of the game — and that’s respect there right away, just seeing that.
“But I think he can make all the throws. I think he does a great job of seeing it. I mean, like I said, he makes some big plays with his arm. When you’ve got a guy that’s done it at a high level for a long time, he’s seen a lot of different looks — so getting them in and out of the right plays is huge. He’s been doing that for a long time, but I mean just the utmost respect for him.”
Through three games this season, Stafford has completed 66.3 percent of his passes for 739 yards with five touchdowns and two interceptions.
