SANTA CLARA, Calif. — Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua saw quarterback Matthew Stafford get up after his last touchdown pass Sunday against the San Francisco 49ers and hit “a little bit of a shimmy shake.”
“That’s pure enjoyment right there,” Nacua said after the Rams won 42-26 for their fourth consecutive victory. “I think you see that, and that’s how he’s feeling.”
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Though Stafford has entered the MVP conversation because of his recent play, wide receiver Davante Adams said he thinks the quarterback has been at that level all season.
“It’s looked like MVP play to me all year, to be honest,” Adams said. “I mean, even certain games … the pick he threw against Tennessee and the way he bounced back after that; that’s how an MVP plays to me. Just to rally a team and continue to lead at a high level after things don’t go your way, I think that’s what really shows what an MVP is about.”
Stafford is the second favorite for MVP, according to ESPN BET. He is at +325, behind New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye at +250.
“I feel like when you’re on a heater, you don’t touch whatever he is doing,” Nacua said. “I’m like, you can do whatever. You can walk on water right now. So, I’m like, I just try to stay out of his way as best as I can and when he communicates, I listen.”
Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford became the first quarterback in NFL history to throw four or more touchdowns in three straight games and have zero interceptions. AP Photo/Jed Jacobsohn
Though Stafford has played well all season, he has had significant success in his past three games as the Rams’ offense has tallied 111 points in that span. On Sunday, he became the first quarterback in NFL history to throw four or more touchdowns and have zero interceptions in three straight games.
Stafford also has 20 passing touchdowns and zero interceptions in his past six games, making him the first quarterback in NFL history to have 20 or more passing TDs and no interceptions in a six-game span within a season, according to ESPN Research.
“He’s been awesome,” coach Sean McVay said. “He’s just been in total command. … He’s just playing really confident. It looks like the game is really in slow motion to him right now.”
Stafford is accomplishing this in his 17th NFL season. On Sunday, he threw his 400th career regular-season touchdown, becoming the ninth quarterback in NFL history to accomplish that feat.
Stafford said he doesn’t “pay too much attention” to conversations about him being in the MVP race.
“I’m trying to just continue to find ways to be a good football player for this team, lead this team, and try to get us in the end zone as much as I can, do my job as best I can,” Stafford said.
