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znModerator20 yd completion to Puka. Insane difficulty on this throw. Did it all season. Routinely. Nobody throwing the ball better than Stafford. Nobody. pic.twitter.com/2rgdhPSXCZ
— Louis Riddick (@LRiddickESPN) January 22, 2026
znModeratorJeff Howe and Austin Mock
NFC
No. 1 Seattle Seahawks (14-3, 1-0 playoffs) vs. No. 5 Los Angeles Rams (12-5, 2-0 playoffs)The Seahawks have already won the NFC West once this season. They’ll essentially have to do it again to reach the Super Bowl.
The Seahawks and Rams split their two regular-season meetings, and their Week 16 clash might have been the game of the year. The Seahawks won 38-37 in overtime on “Thursday Night Football” to seize control of the NFC West.
Two years ago, Seahawks general manager John Schneider was at mass and prayed the Baltimore Ravens would lose in the AFC Championship Game so he could meet with defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald for their head coaching vacancy. Now firmly entrenched with the Seahawks, Macdonald already has them back in the NFC title game for the first time in 11 years.
The Seahawks beat the brakes off the 49ers, 41-6, in the divisional round for a second consecutive high-stakes victory against that NFC West foe — they also beat San Francisco in the regular-season finale to clinch the NFC’s top seed. The Niners’ last two wins were against the Bears in Week 17 and the defending champion Eagles in the wild-card round, but they looked thoroughly overmatched in two losses to the Seahawks, who appear to still be improving.
Seattle has won eight in a row, including four consecutive wins against playoff opponents by a combined 119-56. Quarterback Sam Darnold has played well when he has limited turnovers, but he has gotten a massive boost from a rushing attack that’s averaged 172.3 yards over the last four games.
They’re built on Macdonald’s defense, of course. The Seahawks sacked quarterback Brock Purdy twice, intercepted him once and recovered two fumbles against the 49ers. In the regular season, the Seahawks led the NFL in points allowed and ranked third against the run, sixth in takeaways (25) and tied for seventh in sacks (47).
Matthew Stafford is a different challenge, though. The MVP candidate hasn’t played up to his standard in the Rams’ two playoff wins, including their 20-17 overtime thriller against the Bears in the divisional round, but he has done enough.
The question is whether the Rams can match the Seahawks’ ascension. While Seattle has looked thoroughly impressive during its late-season run, the Rams are just 5-3 since Thanksgiving, and they haven’t played with the same gear they had displayed for much of the season.
Perhaps, there’s something to be said for collecting scars along the way. And they won’t care one bit about the NFC West T-shirts if they can topple the Seahawks to get back to the Super Bowl.
znModeratorBtw, Brady shows several Stafford passes in that list of best throws.
w
vYeah that vid’s also in the Stafford thread (it’s fine if it’s in 2 places). Here’s the times on it: Brady gets to Stafford at 7:24 and then 10:19 in.
znModeratorOK, I stuffed this AFC Championship Game preview with stats. I tried to go back into Jarrett Stidham's starts from 2022-2023. I looked at Patriots blitz rates. I asked where the Broncos defense has a weakness. All kinds of stuff.https://t.co/UvO3OdOdg4
— Aaron Schatz 🏈 (@ASchatzNFL) January 22, 2026
znModeratorThey get to the Rams/Seattle game at 3:29 in.
znModeratorThey do the Rams/Seattle game at about 20:39 in. Interesting, they also talk about Caleb Wms and the divsional game at 16:03 in. Cosell is not as impressed with CW as the rest of us.
January 22, 2026 at 12:33 am in reply to: Chicago game…tweets, plays, highlights, commentary #161564znModeratorznModeratorOT Warren McClendon’s cousin is a WR coach for Tampa:
Matt Zenitz@mzenitz
The Falcons have submitted an offensive coordinator interview request for Buccaneers wide receivers coach Bryan McClendon, sources tell @CBSSports.znModeratorThe public is riding with the Seahawks over the Rams on @DKSportsbook 😳 pic.twitter.com/1i3kGtG4fm
— ESPN BET (@ESPNBET) January 22, 2026
January 21, 2026 at 10:43 pm in reply to: Chicago game…tweets, plays, highlights, commentary #161561znModeratorHas there been a ‘better’ pass-and-catch by a Ram ?
Well, it’s not like that catch was on a drive that ended up tying a game.
So how impressive is it, really?
January 21, 2026 at 8:41 pm in reply to: The Stafford thread…update 12/31: huge S.I. article #161558znModeratorBrady Ranks the Best Throws of the Season
He gets to Stafford at 7:24 and then 10:19 in.
znModerator
znModeratorznModeratorfrom PFF, Secret Superstars: https://www.pff.com/news/nfl-secret-superstars-underrated-players-2025?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=dhtwitter&utm_content=null
Los Angeles Rams: DI Poona Ford
Ford proved to be one of the league’s most impactful offseason additions after signing a three-year, $27.6 million contract with the Rams in free agency. He is the Rams’ highest-graded defender with an 88.1 PFF overall grade, bolstering an already vaunted defensive line. Ford also posted an 80.9 PFF run-defense grade, and 24.8% of his run-defense snaps resulted in a positive grade, the highest rate on the team.
znModeratorI’m just putting this up cause of the early clip of Durant and the Bears TE on the great GW tying TD pass.
"They gonna give us one."
McVay rallied the troops in OT, and Curl clutched up 😤 @RamsNFL#NFLTurningPoint on ESPN+ | @LRiddickESPN pic.twitter.com/qlpxACDmSn
— NFL Films (@NFLFilms) January 21, 2026
znModeratorPARAM
Since the NFL expanded in 2002 and went to 4 divisions in each conference, this is just the 6th time (in 48 CCG) that division rivals have matched up. What is really strange is the NFC West has had 3 of them (3 of the last 4 times it’s happened). The others are Philly/Washington last year, Green Bay/Chicago in 2010 and Pittsburgh/Baltimore in 2008. Weird.
2025 Rams/Seattle
2024 Philly/Washington
2021 Rams/San Francisco
2013 Seattle/San Francisco
2010 Green Bay/Chicago
2008 Pittsburgh/BaltimoreznModeratorHoward Balzer@HBalzer721
There have been 6 games decided by 4 points or fewer, tied with 2021 and 2006 for the most in postseason history. Sunday has the top 3 scoring offenses (L.A. Rams, New England, Seattle) & 3 of the top 4 scoring defenses (Seattle, Denver and New England) from the regular season.znModeratorScott Kacsmar@ScottKacsmar
Matthew Stafford has take Mike Macdonald’s defense to overtime in 3-of-4 meetings since 2023.znModeratorRyan Fitzpatrick: "If you wanna be a quarterback in the NFL, go outside and try to make one of those two throws. Good luck, I can't do it either."
Matthew Stafford vs. Caleb Williams last weekend was a pure MASTERY of the QB position 💯 pic.twitter.com/qerkLVE6No
— Fitz & Whit (@fitzandwhit) January 21, 2026
znModeratorRyan Fitzpatrick: "If you wanna be a quarterback in the NFL, go outside and try to make one of those two throws. Good luck, I can't do it either."
Matthew Stafford vs. Caleb Williams last weekend was a pure MASTERY of the QB position 💯 pic.twitter.com/qerkLVE6No
— Fitz & Whit (@fitzandwhit) January 21, 2026
znModeratorPuka ain't done yet😤 pic.twitter.com/WWgVd8GdV6
— NFL GameDay (@NFLGameDay) January 20, 2026
znModeratorNate Atkins@NateAtkins_
Rams S Quentin Lake won’t practice due to an illness. They’re hopeful it’s a small bug.OLB Byron Young will rest his sore knee. They’re being careful with him.
CB Emmanuel Forbes Jr. will be limited with the shoulder.
Just a walkthrough today.
znModeratorSo the official NFL MVP thing is still pending.
The league MVP is announced at the NFL Honors ceremony, which is usually the Thursday night before the super bowl.
znModeratorAdam Grosbard@AdamGrosbard
Rams QB Matthew Stafford has been named NFL MVP by the Pro Football Writers AssociationznModeratorThe Rams defense sure had some stout plays throughout the game that helped lead to 4th down turnovers (on downs) and simply momentum shifting plays. Jared Verse & Nate Landman highlighted here
In tough climate games like this, max effort is needed! The hungry dog gets the bone pic.twitter.com/EnEz2c8mzc
— RAMS ON FILM (@RamsOnFilm) January 21, 2026
January 21, 2026 at 10:44 am in reply to: Chicago game…tweets, plays, highlights, commentary #161529znModeratorYep. I thought the game was over when Williams turned his back to the line of scrimmage and ran the other way. The most talked-about tying TD pass of all time didn’t trigger a sinking feeling in me at all. I couldn’t even be mad about it. It was too spectacular to respond negatively.
And, anyway, the Rams won in large part because Williams got greedy the next time he had the ball. He had the RB open as a safety valve that would have moved the Bears 5 or 6 yards to make it 3rd and 2 or 3. Instead, Williams threw the ball to where only Curl could catch it. Williams believed he was magic. He learned that he is not.
I agree with those 2 observations. Or, as the kids like to say, “+1”
I included CW’s stats from that game, but Stafford was not that different.
He too got 6.1 per throw, same as CW. He was 20 of 42 while Wms was 23 of 42, but then (I assume you saw the game), when Rams were in range for their first FG, he kept throwing it out of the endzone. I took it he was under orders to play it safe and not do anything that jeopardized the FG, so he just threw it away 3 times in a row. Stafford got 133 yards in YAC, CW got 134.
The cold got to them both,Then, though, CW’s WRs had 4 drops and the Rams had one (previously it was said the Rams had none but PFR has it as 1). Stafford was sacked 4 times–though he faced a lower pressure rate than CW (19.6% v. 24.4%). But the big deal was 3 INTs.
January 21, 2026 at 10:19 am in reply to: Chicago game…tweets, plays, highlights, commentary #161524znModeratorA birds-eye angle on the miracle-throw
The most talked-about tying TD pass of all time.
In that game CW was 23 of 42 for 257 yards and a 6.1 avg. per throw, w/ 2 TDs and 3 INTs, and a qb rating of 59.3. The cold got to him too. His season averages were 27 TDs & 7 INTs.
But he did throw the most talked-about tying TD pass of all time.
I of course acknowledge that play, and even in a perverse way am glad I saw it in real time because it really was spectacular, but as a Rams homer I also like that Stafford was clutch when it counted.
January 20, 2026 at 10:49 pm in reply to: Chicago game…tweets, plays, highlights, commentary #161518znModerator.@RamsNFL @ChicagoBears @_Nate_Landman in this new Netflix Special….Landman….from Zimbabwe to LA…the man in the middle….know how to find the ball….Ya gotta binge watch this guy. #BaldysBreakdowns pic.twitter.com/yHFdH4ETx0
— Brian Baldinger (@BaldyNFL) January 21, 2026
znModeratorMike Garafolo@MikeGarafolo
From The Insiders on @nflnetwork: John Harbaugh sometimes got players he wanted with the #Ravens and sometimes didn’t (he pushed hard for Puka Nacua in the Draft process) -
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