Matthew Stafford has played just about every elite quarterback during his time in the NFL so he knows talent when it presents itself. During his time in Detroit and Los Angeles, Stafford has had the opportunity to play Josh Allen twice.
It’s funny how similar both player’s careers have been. Both are former first-round picks selected by struggling franchises with historic backgrounds and both have often had to will their teams to victory. Both have big arms, are tough, and have battled through injuries, too.
Despite being in different conferences, Stafford has actually seen a lot of Allen, watching his early development as a member of the Lions.
Ahead of the Rams’ matchup with the Bills on Sunday, Stafford talked about his initial thoughts on Allen from when he first came into the league.
“We used to play those guys in the preseason a bunch when I was in Detroit, so I got a bunch of chances to watch him play in preseason environments and then obviously played against him,” Stafford said. “It’s incredible to see what he was able to do. I remember (him) jumping over linebackers in Minnesota and doing all sorts of stuff. He’s as physically talented of a runner at quarterback that I’ve seen. He does it a little bit differently. He’s a big and physical guy but can still get away from you and run. He’s made some throws that, throughout the years are as impressive as they get.”
Stafford continued to praise the Bills quarterback, who’s the front-runner to win NFL MVP this year.
“He’s ultra-talented, a great competitor, can make all sorts of plays, can sit in the pocket and beat you, can break outside the pocket and make plays, both with his legs and with his arm when he breaks the pocket,” he said. “I’ve been really impressed by him his entire career. Obviously, he’s been playing at a really high level this year and doing a great job for them.”
Having seen him in practice and as an opponent, Stafford knows firsthand the type of damage Allen can do to opposing defenses. In those two games between Allen and Stafford, the Bills quarterback had over 550 total yards of offense and five total touchdowns.
For a Rams team looking to stay competitive in the NFC West, the matchup against the Bills is a perfect test of how competitive the Rams could be if they get into the postseason. As for Sunday, it’s win at all costs.