The Los Angeles Rams are gearing for an East Coast battle on Sunday morning against Aaron Rodgers and the New York Jets. Matthew Stafford and the Rams are seeking their fourth consecutive win and to maintain their place atop the NFC West, meaning Sunday’s bout has some more importance for the Rams than the Jets.
The Jets have been eliminated from postseason contention after a disastrous 2024 season. Despite Rodgers being available for most of the year, the Jets have been unable to overcome self-inflicted wounds en route to a 4-10 record. They have looked better the last couple weeks, but their only purpose at this point in the year is playing spoiler and potentially building towards 2025.
So as Stafford prepares to face off against Rodgers, he spoke about the immense respect he has for the MVP quarterback, but how his focus is on getting a much-needed win for L.A.
“I’m just excited to go up there and play,” Stafford said. “Obviously, meaningful football in the month of December is an awesome thing to be a part of. We’ve earned that and we’ve got to continue to earn that opportunity to play games that matter. This just happens to be the next one on the list.
“I have a ton of respect for Aaron and have competed against him a bunch of times in my career. He’s a hell of a player and does a great job. He’s still doing a really good job for them. He played fantastic in the last couple of weeks. He looks to be healthy, moving around and doing his thing.”
Stafford has faced Rodgers 17 times over the course of his career, so he had some difficulty picking out a favorite matchup with the soon-to-be Hall of Famer.
“I’ve had too many to even think about, to be honest with you. It’s always a good battle. [I have] a ton of respect for him. [He’s a] great player in this league, an all-time great, has unbelievable talent and has accomplished a bunch. It’s always a challenge going against him.”
The Rams should have the advantage against the Jets, even as they fly across the country to the eastern time zone. But Stafford is not one to overlook any opponent, and his respect for Rodgers should keep him more than focused on the task at hand for L.A.
Rams take over first place in NFC West
The NFC West race has been heating up the past few weeks and there’s a new leader atop the standings as the Rams moved into first place after the Sunday slate of games in Week 15 ended.
The Rams kicked off the week on Thursday Night Football, beating the San Francisco 49ers in a rainy 12-6 affair. Los Angeles swept the regular season series against San Francisco, but more importantly improved to 8-6 to position themselves to win the division.
The Seattle Seahawks entered the weekend atop the NFC West, but their loss to the Green Bay Packers dropped them to 8-6 and in second place. The Rams beat the Seahawks earlier in the season in Week 8 26-20 and thus own the tiebreaker. However, the two teams will play one more time in Week 18 and that could carry heavy playoff seeding ramifications.
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