The Atlanta Falcons will host the Los Angeles Rams in Week 17, which will provide Raheem Morris with a highly-anticipated reunion on primetime. Before returning to Atlanta, Morris served as the defensive coordinator for the Rams, which dated back to their Super Bowl-winning campaign in 2021.

The Falcons are entering Monday night with no shortage of momentum following back-to-back wins, but the Rams are no easy foe. Their 11-4 record is tied for the second best in the NFC, and Matthew Stafford and one of the NFL’s most potent offenses is the main reason Morris knows it’ll be a tall task.

Raheem Morris ended his press conference by saying Rams QB Matthew Stafford — who he called Weapon X — “Is a problem … He’s probably MVP.”

— Will McFadden (@willmcfadden) December 22, 2025

While addressing the media on Monday afternoon, the 49-year-old referred to Stafford as “Weapon X” and confirmed that he’ll be a problem, but his praise of his former player didn’t end there. Morris doubled down in his praise of the 37-year-old signal-caller, saying Stafford is atop his MVP ballot.

And if the numbers are any indication, he might not be the only one who is all aboard the Stafford MVP train.

Raheem Morris isn’t the only person promoting Matthew Stafford’s MVP campaign

The two-time Pro Bowler leads the NFL in passing yards (4,179), passing touchdowns (40), and passer rating (112.4) this year, which is no small feat. While it helps to throw to Puka Nacua and Davante Adams, but the way Stafford has elevated the Los Angeles offense has been unmatched.

Zac Robinson on Matthew Stafford: “Arguably the most talented and natural thrower in the history of the game.” #Falcons

— Marc Raimondi (@marcraimondi) December 24, 2025

The Rams are also one of the league’s biggest Super Bowl favorites, which is partially due to Morris’ old boss Sean McVay, but the Georgia product is enjoying his best statistical season in over a decade. And even though Seattle is ahead of them in the NFC West standings, a win against the Falcons will only help.

Despite the clear argument in the veteran quarterback’s favor, the MVP race is far from open and shut. Stafford seems like the favorite, but another strong performance from Trevor Lawrence, and Drake Maye’s breakout season have two younger quarterbacks bridging the gap in the award race.

The Rams are also leading the league in total yards per game this year, so Morris is right to be scared. And given he spent time practicing against Stafford and the offense and is well aware of the offense Sean McVay runs, that level of familiarity could quietly be advantageous on Monday Night Football.

Thankfully, Morris isn’t treating the game any differently despite the familiar opponent, which is a positive development. But that doesn’t change the fact he knows Jeff Ulbrich’s defense will have its hands full in slowing down a high-octane Rams’ offense led by the supposed MVP frontrunner.