Matthew Stafford has made a believer of Wink Martindale. New York's defensive coordinator sang Stafford's praise ahead of Sunday's game between the Giants and Rams.
Martindale said that the Rams' 35-year-old quarterback is playing at a "Hall of Fame" level, according to the New York Daily News. He didn't stop there, though, stating that Stafford should be considered for the highest season award a player can receive.
"He and Lamar deserve to be up for MVP," Martindale said.
Martindale's praise is telling, considering that he used to practice against Lamar Jackson on a daily basis during his time as the Ravens defensive coordinator. Like Jackson, Stafford has enjoyed immense success this season which has had a direct impact on his team.
After a 3-6 start, the Rams have won five of their last six games, with the lone loss occurring in overtime in Baltimore back in Week 14. A big reason for L.A.'s recent success has been the play of Stafford, who has thrown 14 touchdowns against just one pick over the Rams' last five games.
Stafford is enjoying one of his finest seasons after missing more than half of the 2022 season due to injury. Making his success this season more impressive is the fact that Cooper Kupp, his favorite receiver, has missed four games with an ankle injury. With Kupp limited, Stafford has developed a strong rapport with wideout Puka Nacua, who is the runaway favorite to win Offensive Rookie of the Year.
Will Stafford win league MVP? It's not likely, as he is not even a current betting option to win the award (Caesars Sportsbook currently has Jackson, Christian McCaffrey, Brock Purdy, Tua Tagovailoa, Josh Allen, Tyreek Hill, Dak Prescott, Jalen Hurts, Patrick Mahomes and Jared Goff as the current betting favorites).
MVP or not, Stafford's big season will surely boost his legacy, especially when it comes to his future Hall of Fame argument. He will most likely earn his second Pro Bowl berth and will further cement his place as one of this era's top quarterbacks if he can lead Los Angeles to a surprising playoff appearance.
