Rams Film Review: Matthew Stafford's MVP statement

Completing 24 of 36 passes for 280 yards and a third consecutive game of at least four or more touchdown passes is not something to ignore. Stafford is the hottest quarterback in the league ahead of a titanic NFC West showdown against the Seattle Seahawks, so let's look at some of the throws that have helped him play his best football ever through the first nine games of the regular season.

On the first throw of the game, the Rams start the game in 13 personnel with Ferguson motioning into a wheel to the boundary and deep curls from Davante Adams and Davis Allen.

Stafford has an incredible amount of trust in rookie tight end Terrance Ferguson and gets the ball to where only his receiver can catch. The arm talent is absurd at age 37, layering this pass with excellent placement to allow Ferguson to high-point the ball, and if this were college, Ferguson has a big-time play, but it is ruled incomplete. Still, this is a tough, risky, yet incredible throw from Stafford to start the game, but a sneak peek at the rest of the game.

Throughout his entire career, Stafford has been known to be a risk-taker, and that hasn't changed, even if the current TD: INT ratio has this season.

This is another incomplete pass for Stafford, but another outstanding throw and placement, putting the ball where only Adams can attempt the grab. The 49ers send a nickel blitz while playing what looks to be a match coverage. This is a tight throw into coverage with a good play by the defensive back, though the pass invited risk with the traffic around Adams.

Players need to evolve in the NFL, but it can become trickier for long-time veterans like Stafford. He doesn't have the quality athleticism he had from Georgia as the No. 1 draft selection in 2009. However, Stafford has a little bit of magic still left in him.

One of Stafford’s all-time great traits is his ability to extend the play out of structure and make quality throws on the move, though he has never been mistaken for a mobile quarterback. Watch on this play-action rollout how Stafford uses up all of the field to be able to clear defenders out and allow space for Allen to find him for the touchdown. Stafford has done this on plenty of occasions, but it's this type of play that makes him so dangerous, just three years away from turning 40 and with lingering back issues.

Then, there are points when you have to shake your head when a quarterback of Stafford's caliber does something ridiculous in the most insane, yet incredible manner. Although 49ers cornerback Renardo Green nearly intercepted the pass, Stafford was able to get this pass off cleanly with pressure all over him on a throw that goes across his body without his head turning toward the target, speaking to the unbelievable torque and snap rotation in his hips to generate the velocity and spin to project this ball well.

The MVP is coming down to just three players with several weeks remaining in the regular season: Stafford, Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor, and New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye. If he continues to play at this high a level, look for Stafford to earn his first career MVP while giving the Rams their first since 2001 by someone named Kurt Warner. He seemed like a decent signal-caller back in the day.