Matthew Stafford successfully helped guide the Los Angeles Rams to a season-opening win over the Houston Texans. The win was gritty and the perfect way for L.A. to kick off a new NFL campaign. Stafford has a chance to beat a team in Week 2 that has had his number throughout his career, and he can make some more history should the Rams come away victorious.
The veteran quarterback has never beaten the Tennessee Titans, going 0-4 against them between his time with the Lions and Rams. If L.A. wins on Sunday, Stafford will become the seventh quarterback to defeat 31 of the league’s 32 teams.
According to Pro Football Reference, the other six include Ben Roethlisberger (spent entire career with Steelers), Aaron Rodgers (will face the Packers in Week 8), Alex Smith, Russell Wilson (he’ll never beat the Seahawks), Kerry Collins and Patrick Mahomes.
Los Angeles played Tennessee in Stafford’s first season, which resulted in his worst-ever performance against the Titans.
In front of a national audience on Sunday Night Football, Stafford completed 31-of-48 passes for 294 yards, had a 1-2 touchdown-to-interception ratio and a 71.0 passer rating. He was sacked five times as the Titans jumped out to a 21-3 lead before halftime en route to a 28-16 win. That game marked the beginning of a three-game losing streak before the Rams got their act together and won the Super Bowl.
His other losses came in a 44-41 classic from the 2012 season, which had a fourth quarter that had to be seen to be believed, a 16-15 thriller in 2016 where the Titans scored 13 points in the final frame and won on a 9-yard Andre Johnson touchdown, and a 46-25 blowout in Stafford’s last season in the Motor City.
Given how poorly the Titans played in the season opener, Stafford should feel good about his chances to come away with his first win over them. Rookie Cam Ward didn’t receive much help from his supporting cast, and you’d have to think the Rams’ defense will tee off on the young signal caller. However, as we know, nothing is ever guaranteed in the NFL. Tennessee will likely play better in Week 2, as they’ll be at home for the first time this season.
Assuming the Rams come away with a win, there will only be one team left that Stafford’s never beaten: the Pittsburgh Steelers. L.A. isn’t scheduled to play the Steelers until the 2027 campaign, so who knows whether Stafford will be playing by then. Either way, he can still take care of business this weekend.
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