10 encouraging Matthew Stafford stats from Twitter this week

It is beyond exciting to write about a great quarterback, if you get the privilege to write about the NFL. By all accounts, when the LA Rams traded for Matthew Stafford in January, they got received a great quarterback.

Talk has been worthless though and the only thing that will make a definitive statement about Stafford’s true abilities will be witnessing what he does on the field. We’ve now had eight quarters worth of opportunities to watch Stafford throw — something that Bucs head coach Bruce Arians considers to be like a night out at the movies — and he’s somehow exceeded most expectations in the early going.

Most won’t consider this book closed until well after we’ve seen the mark that Stafford leaves on the playoff Rams, but here are 10 stats from Twitter that show how he’s done so far with the regular season Rams.

#1 - Matthew Stafford is fourth in the NFL in EPA/play

Estimated Points Added per play. Stafford ranked third after Week 1, and he’s third after Week 2. Will he move up or down after Week 3?

#2 - Only 2 QBs have had more money bet on them to win MVP this year

Tom Brady and Josh Allen. That Josh Allen money isn’t looking so hot through two weeks, either for bettors or the Bills.

#3 - Only Baker Mayfield has a higher EPA per play action dropback

Per Kevin Cole on Twitter, Stafford has the highest second EPA on play action. Stafford is second in the NFL in play action passing yards through two games.

#4 - Matthew Stafford is second in the NFL in yards after catch per completion

Thank you, Cooper Kupp!

#5 - Stafford LOVES throwing to Cooper Kupp

Over 38% of his attempts this year have gone towards Kupp, who has been targeted 21 times in two games. Will Stafford continue to look that way or mix it up as the season goes on?

#6 - The Lions have lost 19 straight and 26 of their last 27 games without Matthew Stafford on the roster

Detroit went 0-8 without Stafford in 2019, his first game action missed since 2010, but the stat here is that the Lions also went 0-16 the year before drafting Stafford and are 0-2 this season. Adding in one game from 2007, that’s 19 straight losses. However, they’ve also lost 10 in a row just in games that Stafford hasn’t started.

Jared Goff, by the way, is 0-9 without Sean McVay.

#7 - Stafford is fourth in Completed Air Yards per Completion

Stafford is airing it out, and doing a great job of it. That’s a new sight in LA.

#8 - Stafford is second in Average Depth to Throw over the last 2+ years

Again, Matthew Stafford has the strength, talent, zip, and decision-making to go downfield as much as any QB in the NFL.

#9 - Stafford has actually played much different than his predecessor this year

Though Stafford and Goff has some similar totals, the rate stats show that the Rams are in much more secure hands with Stafford.

#10 - Matthew Stafford ranks 1st in DVOA

And is highly ranked in other things too, as you can now see.