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Matthew Stafford dominated Seahawks, but an unfortunate career first ruined game
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- Matthew Stafford dominated Seahawks, but an unfortunate career first ruined game
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The Los Angeles Rams suffered a crushing defeat in the NFC Championship on Sunday night. LA lost 31-27 against Seattle , allowing their division rival to represent the NFC in Super Bowl 60. One Rams player accomplished a shocking career low despite playing a great game against an elite Seahawks defense .
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Rams QB Matthew Stafford had an unfortunate career first in Sunday's loss against the Seahawks .
"From ESPN Research: Matthew Stafford failed to complete a pass on third or fourth down for the first time in his career (252 games across regular season and playoffs), going 0-for-7 on those throws," ESPN's Sarah Barshop wrote on social media after the game. "The Rams were 1-for-8 on third down and 1-for-2 on fourth down."
It is shocking to hear that Stafford could not complete a pass on a pivotal down during the NFC Championship. That is hard to believe because, overall, Stafford played a great game.
Stafford went 22-of-35 for 374 passing yards with three touchdowns. He had a whopping passer rating of 127.6 and was only sacked one time. Stafford also became the first quarterback to throw for 350+ yards, three or more touchdowns, and no turnovers but still lose a playoff game.
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Unfortunately, his inability to generate big plays on third and fourth downs ultimately cost the Rams.
Stafford and the Rams' offense do not deserve all of the blame for Sunday's loss. LA's defense surrendered 31 points and their special teams unit was a problem once again.
Ultimately it was a complete team loss for the Rams.
Now Stafford's future in LA is an open question . The 37-year-old quarterback played an MVP level in 2025, but his age makes questions about retirement entirely natural.
Stafford did not want to talk about it after Sunday's loss.
"I can't generalize six months of my life ten minutes after a loss," Stafford replied to questions about retirement after the game.
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He may not want to talk about it, but Stafford's decision about playing in 2026 is now the most important topic of the offseason for the Rams.
Rams fans may have to be patient before they get an answer from their veteran quarterback.
Related: Rams QB Matthew Stafford's NSFW message to Cooper Kupp in viral moment after NFC Championship
Related: Rams' Sean McVay credits Seahawks' 'fortuitous bust' for pivotal 4th-down stop
