Ranking the NFL Starting Quarterbacks
#5 Matthew Stafford (Los Angeles Rams)
Matthew Stafford has some stones. That’s the best way I can describe him. It was clear from his first season in Detroit, when he threw a game-winning touchdown just one play after separating his left shoulder.
It’s clear every time he steps on the field. You can see it in his ability to consistently sit in the pocket until the last possible moment, willing to take a big hit if it means a completion:
You could see it in the 2021 NFC Divisional Playoffs against Tom Brady and the Buccaneers. With 27 seconds remaining in a tie game, Stafford delivered a perfect pass for a 44-yard completion with Ndamukong Suh in his face to set up the game-winning field goal:
You could see it in the Super Bowl that same season, when Stafford completed a “no look” pass on the biggest drive of his life with the Rams trailing by 4 and just over 3 minutes remaining:
The no-look pass wasn’t something Stafford was just doing for fun, by the way. And this is where we get into one of the many reasons why Stafford is a top-5 quarterback. He has an assortment of ways to create completions. High on the list is his ability to move, hold, or otherwise manipulate defenders.
On that now-famous completion, for instance, Stafford initially looked left at the snap and eyed backside linebacker Logan Wilson (#55) during his drop. This kept Wilson from becoming a factor on the in-breaking route to the other side:
Then he manipulated Von Bell (#24) using his head and shoulders as he climbed the pocket, creating a big enough opening to complete this pass:
Again, the man has stones.
There also isn’t a throw that Stafford can’t make. He’s got the arm strength, the accuracy, the arm angles, and the vision:
He can anticipate too. Check out how early Stafford released this perfectly-thrown ball:
Phenomenal.
The theme I hope you’re sensing is that Stafford doesn’t need things to go perfectly to be an effective quarterback. He can perform in the face of pressure. He can create windows where there don’t appear to be any. He can succeed from the pocket late in the play.
He’s a rare talent in the NFL because of these traits.
Stafford has been an outstanding quarterback throughout his career. It shouldn’t have taken a Super Bowl win for him to be seen as a top-tier signal-caller. The traits, the football IQ, and the moxie have always been there.
I wouldn’t be surprised to see the Rams playing late January/early February football again this season.
Check out the rest of the rankings here:
#32 Bo Nix (Denver Broncos)
#31 Drake Maye (New England Patriots)
#30 J.J. McCarthy (Minnesota Vikings)
#29 Gardner Minshew (Las Vegas Raiders)
#28 Will Levis (Tennessee Titans)
#27 Deshaun Watson (Cleveland Browns)
#26 Anthony Richardson (Indianapolis Colts)
#25 Bryce Young (Carolina Panthers)
#24 Daniel Jones (New York Giants)
#23 Jayden Daniels (Washington Commanders)
#22 Caleb Williams (Chicago Bears)
#21 Geno Smith (Seattle Seahawks)
#20 Russell Wilson (Pittsburgh Steelers)
#19 Derek Carr (New Orleans Saints)
#18 Baker Mayfield (Tampa Bay Buccaneers)
#17 Kyler Murray (Arizona Cardinals)
#16 Trevor Lawrence (Jacksonville Jaguars)
#15 Jared Goff (Detroit Lions)
#14 Tua Tagovailoa (Miami Dolphins)
#13 Kirk Cousins (Atlanta Falcons)
#12 Jalen Hurts (Philadelphia Eagles)
#11 Brock Purdy (San Francisco 49ers)
#10 Jordan Love (Green Bay Packers)
#9 Dak Prescott (Dallas Cowboys)
#8 C.J. Stroud (Houston Texans)
#7 Justin Herbert (Los Angeles Chargers)
#6 Aaron Rodgers (New York Jets)
#5 Matthew Stafford (Los Angeles Rams)
#4 Lamar Jackson (Baltimore Ravens)
#3 Joe Burrow (Cincinnati Bengals)
#2 Josh Allen (Buffalo Bills)
#1 Patrick Mahomes (Kansas City Chiefs)