INGLEWOOD, CA – A premier quarterback showdown is set to headline Sunday Night Football as Matthew Stafford and the Los Angeles Rams host Baker Mayfield and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at SoFi Stadium.The Rams are currently favored by 6.5 points.
This matchup carries added importance for Mayfield, who previously played for the Rams late in the 2022 season. He credits his time with head coach Sean McVay as pivotal in revitalizing his career. ”They helped me, they helped me figure out what kind of offense I really wanted to play in… It was an instrumental thing in my career and it’s something I’ll always be grateful for,” Mayfield stated this week.
Both quarterbacks enter the contest with notable statistics. Through Week 12, Mayfield has thrown for 2,365 yards with 17 touchdown passes and only 3 interceptions. Stafford leads the NFL with 27 touchdown passes, having amassed 2,557 passing yards and just 2 interceptions.He is currently the frontrunner in MVP betting, with New England’s Drake Maye second.
The mutual respect between the two signal-callers is evident. “He’s a great guy and obviously a great football player,” Stafford said of Mayfield. “A lot of things have happened to him in his career and he came out playing as well as the best. I’m always looking forward to his success.”
Mayfield reciprocated the praise, stating, “To me, he has always been one of the three or five best quarterbacks in the league and one of the best, if not the best, pure passer in the history of the NFL.”
Beyond the quarterback battle, the game will also feature players stepping up to fill the roles of several Rams stars currently sidelined due to injury, adding another layer of intrigue to the contest.
