We’re not in for a repeat of that disaster, are we?
Matthew Stafford’s injury has been a concern for the Los Angeles Rams this offseason. The 37-year-old quarterback is characterized as “week-to-week,” with the ultimate goal being ready for the Texans in Week 1. It’s probably not me, but Stafford’s injury is giving shades of 2022.
Please, for the love of things holy, tell me we are not about to relive that disaster. No fan deserves to suffer through that hell again.
However, the parallels between this offseason and the ‘22 one are striking.
First, leading up to the season that should not be named, the Rams were coming off a Super Bowl title. There were serious talks of a repeat, similar to any defending champ. Leading up to that campaign, Stafford underwent an elbow procedure, which seemed to impact his play for the early part of the year.
Los Angeles went only 3-6 in his starts before an injury sidelined him for the remaining eight games. The Rams were nowhere close to being the contender that they were projected to be entering the year, but Stafford didn’t play as sharply as he had the previous season.
Now, L.A. is once again a title contender, and the veteran signal caller is dealing with nagging back issues, an injury that is always difficult to project. There isn’t much concern from the front office or coaching staff at the moment, yet they must be holding their breath, as it’ll be a topic of conversation if Stafford plays poorly to kick off the year.
This is what happens when a team has an aging starting quarterback. When you put all your championship aspirations on a QB that is pushing 40, you should be expecting the worst, even if it never happens.
Let’s just pray to the football gods that the Rams won’t repeat history, or you can kiss this season goodbye.
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