THE Los Angeles Rams asserted their dominance in the NFC with a huge win over the San Francisco 49ers.
The win only further cemented Matthew Stafford’s case as an MVP quarterback, and put the league on notice.
Sign up for the Sport newsletter
Thank you!
Matthew Stafford put in another impressive performance against the San Francisco 49ersCredit: Getty
The game ended with a score of 42-26, with the Rams in complete control from the very start.
Five different players scored touchdowns for the Rams, with Stafford leading the way by delivering four passing touchdowns.
Does this win make the Rams Super Bowl favorites? Will Stafford take home the MVP award this season?
Those questions and more were answered on this week’s episode of The U.S. Sun Sport’s Football Xs and Os.
SAT DOWN
NFL announces major Daron Payne suspension punishment decision after punch
SALUTE TO SERVICE
Terry Bradshaw tells Rob Gronkowski to speed up in Fox NFL Sunday stunt
VETERANS DAY
Stafford continued his spectacular campaign with another four-touchdown day.
It was his third four-touchdown game in a row, setting an NFL record.
“He’s aging like fine wine,” NFL expert David Scott said.
“It’s week after week after week that Matt Stafford is very composed with the football, he’s very safe with the football.
Most read in American Football
“But at the same time he’s having no trouble driving it down the field hitting guys deep, hitting tight windows.”
So far this season, Stafford has 2,427 yards, 25 touchdowns, and two interceptions.
His yardage is 4th in the NFL, he leads the league in touchdowns, and his two interceptions is second-best among starting quarterbacks.
“He’s your MVP right now,” host Ryan Sanudo said.
“He has to be. There’s other quarterbacks that have good stat lines, but Matthew Stafford… this is someone that needs an MVP on his resume.”
SCREEN BREAK
Puka Nacua continued his spectacular season with another great game on Sunday.
This play in particular showed off his run after the catch abilities as he took a screen pass for a 22-yard touchdown.
Stafford swung the ball to the right side of the field, allowing Nacua to run behind two blockers and evade tacklers before getting into the end zone.
“This really speaks to Puka Nacua’s skill set as an all-around player,” Scott said.
“He can get down the field deep, he can make contested catches, or he can use his legs to get you some yards after the catch.”
Nacua hauled in five passes for 64 yards and a touchdown against the 49ers.
He now has 775 receiving yards and four touchdowns on the season.
“Puka is the complete package,” Sanudo said.
“I don’t know how he fell so far in the draft.”
FLAT OUT UNSTOPPABLE
“This has become a very repetitive sight of Matthew Stafford throwing red zone touchdowns to Davante Adams,” Scott said.
“This is a special connection.”
Davante Adams is quickly becoming a favorite target of Stafford’s.
Once the Rams get into the red zone, Stafford can’t help but find Adams in the end zone for a touchdown.
The two have now linked up for eight touchdowns in the red zone, the most among any wide receivers.
On this play specifically, Stafford allowed Adams to run up to his cornerback before he broke left to the edge of the end zone.
Once Adams hit his corner, Stafford released the ball and allowed Adams to run and find it.
With this play, Adams finished the day with six receptions for 77 yards and a touchdown.
He now has 568 yards and nine touchdowns on the season.
TIGHT END SLAY
Rams head coach Sean McVay loves using his tight ends.
In fact, no one runs 13 personnel — a formation using three tight ends — more than McVay does.
In this scenario, McVay once again rolled out multiple tight ends with some play action deception.
Colby Parkinson, the tight end who scored here, engaged in a block and release route.
That is when a player engages like a blocker, but then slips off and runs a route.
This worked especially well because Parkinson completely won his blocking rep, leaving him wide open on his route.
From there, he waltzed into the end zone for an easy touchdown.
DOUBLE TROUBLE
It is pretty much unquestionable that the Rams have the best wide receiver duo in the NFL.
Nacua and Adams have combined for 1,343 yards and 13 touchdowns, and the Rams still have eight more games to play.
This is an offense that can go up against any team and win big, and that was especially apparent against the 49ers.
“A lot of quarterbacks don’t get a group like this. A lot of quarterbacks don’t get just one of these guys,” Scott said.
PAY UP
Will you qualify for Trump’s $2,000 stimulus check? Everything we know so far
LOOK BOTH WAYS
Most dangerous street revealed as US state ranked deadliest for pedestrians
“Stafford’s got two of them, so that’s really helping him in his MVP case because he’s got two top wide receivers to throw to.”
The Rams offense is among the best in the league, and it’s the reason why they are favorites to make the Super Bowl.