In what turned out to be a weather battle, Matthew Stafford (14-19), finished with 110 yards, one touchdown, and one interception against the Jets at the MetLife Stadium on Sunday. Despite Stafford’s struggles, the Rams registered a 19-13 win, which helped them edge close to the playoffs (9-6) with their 4th straight victory.
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Looking back at the Week 16 game, Stafford’s wife Kelly broke down her husband’s on-field struggles in The Morning After Media podcast, where she cited the extreme weather and lack of ball possession, as the prime reasons for his dismal show.
“At the beginning of the game, it was a little dicey, and it was one of those like, Matthew had the ball like not very long at all, so it was for me and Rams fans a little boring. Like I was like, can you get the ball, please? Threw his first pick in a while, which he just was like, yeah, that sucked. Nothing it is what it is…But, yes, he was absolutely freezing.”
The Jets game was a humbling experience for Matthew as he averages an impressive 238.4 yards per game this season. His rival QB, Aaron Rodgers, even had better numbers (28-42, 252 yards, and 1 touchdown), albeit in a losing cause.
Importantly, the game took place in New Jersey, where temperatures hit too low and strong wind gusts made for a freezing game. As a result, the Metlife Stadium witnessed temperatures around 10-11 degrees Celsius. And Matthew struggled, similar to what happened against the 49ers (12-6), in adverse weather. He finished that game with 160 yards, and no touchdowns.
Amid her husband’s struggles, even Kelly could not stay for the entire game. She revealed,
“I did not stay. I came home. I had a lot of Christmas, like, it’s hard during the holidays. I had a ton of Christmas stuff to do. I’m actually still in my Christmas pajamas because I woke up late.”
Adding further, Kelly noted how she warned Matthew before the game that teams like the Jets (4-11), who have got nothing to lose, can be a stumbling block for their playoff hopes.
“He said it was freezing. But teams like that, teams who are eliminated and have nothing to lose, are scary. Because you know what, on fourth and four, they’ll go for it. Or, in their own territory, they don’t care.”
At present, the Rams have an 86 percent chance to qualify for the playoffs. While a win against the Cardinals in week 17 would increase their chances to 99 percent, a loss would keep it down to 58 percent.
The weather projection for the game is 16 degrees Celsius, at SoFi Stadium, which is more favorable for Matthew Stafford compared to the Jets game.
