3 takeaways: Matthew Stafford isn’t only star who should be shutdown

There’s always next year to regroup

Seemingly every week this season, the Los Angeles Rams have made life miserable for their fans. F them picks? More like F this season.

Following a fourth straight loss for LA, a regular season which was already on life support going into the Saints game can finally be unplugged. Let this miserable season come to a close and drift into the flames of the eternal dumpster fire of football despair. The Rams now belong to a group of the worst defending champs in recent memory.

I’m sure there are others, not that anyone needs to dive into that depressing history at the moment. Instead, I’ll be diving into even more depressing takeaways from this game with a special suggestion at the end that I hope someone in the Rams organization reads before next week.

LA should shut down Matthew Stafford for rest of season along with other stars

Matthew Stafford left Sunday’s loss with possibly another concussion scare. Stafford sat out last week’s matchup against the Cardinals due to a concussion. Sean McVay is unsure whether to shut down his quarterback for the rest of the season but I think the decision is an easy one to make.

Repeatedly putting your QB behind the worst offensive line in the sport should earn McVay a ring for coaching ineptitude. Quit kidding yourself Sean, you have no reason to continue risking your QB1 in a meaningless game in a miserable season. LA has nothing to play for at 3-7, soon to be 3-8 after what should be a demolition in Kansas City next week.

I’ve previously written about hypocrisy surrounding NFL safety guidelines and considering Stafford’s concussion history, it’s time to actually show courage in the face of malpractice. If McVay cares one bit about Matt’s health, he would shut him down in a heartbeat. This isn’t a difficult decision for anyone with an ounce of compassion and intelligence.

As much as I’d love to see Stafford flip a switch and lead a magical run, his health should be far and away more important. There’s no cinderella run coming out of this team. If Sean McVay is the genius that everyone touts him to be, he has to accept that it’s over.

Stafford shouldn’t be the only star shut down for the season. A lot of the vets who led this team to a Super Bowl title should be benched as well. Cooper Kupp will probably not see another snap this year so why risk the safety of anyone else? See what the young guys can do and whether there’s a spot for them on next season’s roster.

LA doesn’t exactly have a rosy future in terms of draft capital. Their veterans are the present and with little time to worry about the near future, it’s time to make the most with what the Rams have currently. Why not preserve them for a season that’ll hold more promise?

Where are the targets for Tutu Atwell?

In one of the lone bright spots in this game, wide receiver Tutu Atwell FINALLY got his first NFL touchdown.

Atwell only has two receptions on the season, but they’ve both been massive plays as he sports an average of 58 yards per catch. So why did someone who can clearly blow the top off a defense not see another target the rest of the game? Beats the Aaron Donald out of me.

With Cooper Kupp out indefinitely, now is the perfect time to see what young guys like Tutu can do. While Atwell has been the subject of criticism since being drafted in the 2021 draft, there’s some potential for him in the offense if he’s able to see the field more. At this point, what does LA really have to lose besides the rest of their games?

Defense lit up by backup QB for second week in a row

Another week, another backup looking like Tom Brady.

New Orleans was a mess on offense going in, not that the Rams knew that.

Andy Dalton carved up LA’s defense, throwing three touchdowns and a near-perfect 149.6 passer rating. This performance came just a week after Arizona’s Colt McCoy completed 70 percent of his passes in a 27-17 win.

The Rams were already a dreadful second half team but a game they led 14-10 at the half quickly evaporated with 14 points given up in the third quarter.

LA’s offense performed noticeably better this week with Stafford back under center but even then, the defense obviously has to make a stop. The statistics for this unit have been misleading all year. The Rams apparently have one of the best defenses in the league even though they have been a letdown for much of this campaign. They typically can’t make stops when needed and have let mediocre offenses like the Saints look elite at certain points.

Once the final day of the regular season hits, there will be a massive overhaul in the coaching staff. It wouldn’t be surprising at all if Raheem Morris was among the first to go.

Bonus: Rams should forfeit next week’s game against the Chiefs already

I’m only half joking here but I’m fully expecting LA to get tomahawk chopped into tiny little pieces next Sunday against Patrick Mahomes. Just remember that viewer discretion is advised. Keep the young kiddos out of the room for this one because it’s going to get nasty.