Giants DC shares huge claim about Rams' Matthew Stafford

New York Giants defensive coordinator Don "Wink" Martindale believes that Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford should be mentioned alongside Baltimore Ravens star signal-caller Lamar Jackson for the the NFL Most Valuable Player Award.

"I mean, he’s a great football player, but I think that he and Lamar should be up for the MVP candidate," Martindale said while speaking about Stafford during a news conference, per Myles Simmons of Pro Football Talk. "That’s the kind of year he’s having..." 

While Stafford has the 8-7 Rams holding a wild-card playoff spot ahead of Sunday's game at the Giants, Jackson and the 12-3 Ravens currently sit atop the AFC standings. According to ESPN stats, Jackson began Friday ranked eighth with a 63.0 adjusted QBR on the season. He also leads all quarterbacks with 786 rushing yards. 

To compare, Stafford is fourth with a 65.8 adjusted QBR. Perhaps more importantly, he's won five of his last six starts to help put the Rams in position to make the playoffs.

As of early Friday afternoon, DraftKings Sportsbook listed Jackson as the betting favorite at -190 odds to earn MVP honors. Stafford was at +12000 odds at that same time, but Martindale indicated the 35-year-old deserves a bit more respect from Vegas. 

"I think that Stafford is playing at a Hall of Fame-type level, and each team, we’ve talked about it here, each team jells and they have jelled offensively," Martindale noted. "I think that Matthew is — I mean, he’s making throws that you just sit there and go, 'Wow.' From all different kind of arm angles, no looks, all those things you’ve heard about, you’re seeing him do it, and they’re playing at a very high level."

On Friday, DraftKings had the Rams as 5.5-point favorites to defeat the Giants at MetLife Stadium.