Matthew Stafford is about to win his first NFL MVP — sorry, Drake Maye, but it's going to the veteran; he's just been too good. You'll get your chance again. However, the Seattle Seahawks don't, and shouldn't, care about who's winning the MVP; all they should be focused on is how to make Stafford play un-MVP-esque this weekend.
The Seahawks and the Los Angeles Rams are strongest on opposite sides of the ball. For LA, it is Stafford and the offense. For Seattle, it's the defense, which, uncharacteristically, allowed the Super Bowl champion to throw for 457 yards and three touchdowns in the regular-season rematch, which ended with the Seahawks stealing an overtime win.
Stafford was, generally speaking, sensational, and the Seahawks' defense faltered for the most part, but they still got the win. So, the question is, how does Seattle avoid another explosive game from Stafford? How do they shut down Puka Nacua and Davante Adams? There really is only one way, and unless the Seahawks' defense can achieve this one way, Stafford might get the better of them.
Matthew Stafford thrives inside the pocket, which means the Seahawks defense has to force him outside
Even though the Seahawks pulled out that miraculous win back in December, their defense actually played Stafford much better in the first Seahawks-Rams matchup in Week 11 in November. LA took that game 21-19, but Seattle's defense held Stafford to just 130 yards, albeit he did throw for two touchdowns.
Still, that 130-yard performance was Stafford's lowest passing yards in a game this season, and Seattle was in a great position to win that game, much more than they were in the second game. In fact, both games between the two NFC West division rivals were weird in how they played out.
Now, as the Seahawks prepare to face their rivals for a third time this season, stopping Stafford will be the only way the Seahawks can avoid disaster.
Even after throwing for almost 500 yards on that Thursday night game, Stafford showed considerable signs that he does not like being pressured. Then again, what quarterback does, really? It'll throw anyone's game off, no matter if you're a great QB or otherwise.
Stafford tends to approach throwing differently than Caleb Williams would, for instance, and did, when he has attackers coming for his bones. That throw from Williams while Stafford could only watch was something alien-like. Stafford is great, but he cannot do what Williams did. What the Rams forced Williams to do on that play is what the Seahawks defense must do to Stafford.
Making him break the pocket and get him moving east or west will make him uncomfortable first, because Stafford is not a mobile quarterback, and second, he is more likely to dirt the ball than make a risky throw. In that Thursday night win, when pressured, Stafford completed just 9 of 21 throws for 137 yards. He also threw a touchdown, but it's the completions and yards that should be highlighted.
Conversely, Stafford was 20 of 28 for 320 yards and two touchdowns when he had time to throw — picking apart the Seahawks defense with ease. On the drawing board, it's pretty simple: pressure, pressure, pressure, and lots of it. Of course, on the field, the drawing board doesn't always translate as planned.
That said, and again, try to forget about that Thursday night game, but if there is a defense in the NFL right now that can slow down Stafford and disrupt his passing, it's the Seahawks'. Stafford's two playoff games thus far have shown that pressure works. Against the Carolina Panthers and Chicago Bears, he was 9 of 23 for 119 yards, with no touchdowns and an interception.
The Seahawks can get pressure, there's no doubt about it, and we've seen it all year. But this is where it will count the most, against Stafford, who, if given time and freedom, has already shredded the Seahawks. Under duress, they've snuffed him. Seattle's best chance at stopping the Rams' offense is by grounding Stafford. If they do this, the Super Bowl should be just around the bend.