Stafford solves playoff riddle; Brady, Bucs next for Rams

By Eric D. Williams
FOX Sports NFL Writer

INGLEWOOD, Calif. — Give the people what they want.

In the first NFL playoff game at the sparkling new SoFi Stadium, Matthew Stafford and the Los Angeles Rams delivered.

The Rams bullied the Arizona Cardinals 34-11 on Monday, advancing past their NFC West rivals into the divisional round, where they expect to face a much tougher test from Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on the road Sunday (3 p.m. ET, NBC).

Stafford released some demons by earning the first playoff victory of his 13-year NFL career.

"I think it’s good, so you guys don’t have to talk about that anymore," Rams head coach Sean McVay joked. "You can get that one out of the way." 

Stafford did not post video-game stats against Arizona, but he was efficient. The 33-year-old signal-caller finished 13-for-17 for 202 yards and two touchdown passes. He also scored a touchdown on a 1-yard quarterback sneak.

More importantly, after finishing with nine giveaways in his previous four games, Stafford finally took care of the football and did not turn it over. The Rams are now 7-0 this season when their QB doesn't have a turnover. 

Entering Sunday’s contest, Stafford had thrown for 908 passing yards, completing 63% of his passes, with four touchdowns, three interceptions and two fumbles lost in an 0-3 postseason campaign with the Detroit Lions. 

Leave it to the bumbling Cardinals to serve as soothing balm for what ailed Stafford in the postseason. Against Arizona in the regular season, Stafford completed 69% of his passes for 567 yards, five touchdowns and one interception, so he seemed comfortable going into the Monday night matchup with Arizona’s defense, even with J.J. Watt back in the lineup. 

"We had a short field a bunch, and our defense scored," Stafford said of his performance. "Those kinds of things are huge in any game, and in a playoff game, they are going to be magnified even more." 

While Stafford looked steady, Kyler Murray was shaky in his first postseason start. The third-year pro out of Oklahoma scuffled against Aaron Donald, Jalen Ramsey and the Rams’ defense, finishing 19-for-34 for 137 yards, no touchdowns and two interceptions.

Along with Stafford, the Rams’ star-studded lineup showed up and showed out as Los Angeles held the Cardinals to 40 total yards in the first half. One of Murray’s picks was returned 3 yards for a score by cornerback David Long Jr. after the QB was pressured by linebacker Troy Reeder, helping the Rams race to a 21-0 lead. 

Edge rusher Von Miller notched his sixth sack since joining the team. In his postgame interview, the Texas native wore a cowboy hat and enough bling to make Mr. T proud.

"We’re just jelling at the right time," Miller said. "We’ve been doing the same thing since I got here, and it just feels like it’s working." 

Odell Beckham Jr. continued to make explosive plays. No longer wanted in Cleveland, Beckham has plenty of gas left in the tank, and he finished Monday with four catches for 54 yards, including a 31-yarder on a fade route and a 4-yard catch for a score.

Beckham also showed off his throwing skills, completing a pass to running back Cam Akers for 40 yards on a double-pass trick play.

Even 37-year-old Eric Weddle got in the mix. After returning to the field this week two years after his retirement due to injuries, Weddle was a steadying influence for L.A.’s secondary.

The game was a physical contest that included a scary, brutal collision near the goal line by Akers, who brought his pad level down and delivered a helmet-to-helmet hit to Arizona safety Budda Baker, which appeared to leave Baker unconscious on the field.

Akers appeared to taunt Baker immediately afterward, perhaps not realizing how seriously Baker was hurt, and that caused a minor scuffle between Los Angeles and Arizona players. 

Baker was treated by medical staff and had to be stretchered off the field. According to the Cardinals, he was taken to a hospital for further evaluation, was alert and communicative and never lost feeling or movement.

"It was just a football play," Akers said of the hit. "It was nothing personal. I’ve got the utmost respect for Budda and that team in general. So I’m hoping he’s doing good." 

The bottom line is the Rams relied on running the football and defense to pad their lead in the first half Monday. They held Arizona’s offense to 40 total yards and forced four punts and two interceptions. The Rams also ran 140 yards on the ground. 

McVay needed Stafford to simply manage the game in this one. On Sunday, when the Rams travel east to face Tampa Bay, the coach will likely need to see a bit more of the playmaker for whom he gave up Jared Goff and premium draft picks if his team is to keep moving on in the postseason. 

The Rams defeated the Bucs 34-24 at home in Week 3 of the regular season. But with the heightened stakes of the playoffs, in which Brady has won seven Super Bowls, things will be different. 

The Rams are looking at an uphill climb as they continue their quest to reach the Super Bowl at SoFi Stadium in February.

"It’s just the next step in the journey," Stafford said of facing Brady. "He’s an outstanding player. He has been doing it for a very long time, and they’ve got a great football team. Their defense is really stout. They played really well this weekend, so we’ll have to go look at that. 

"I’m not playing against him one-on-one, but I understand he’s a great player, and he’s going to get his team in the end zone, so I have to do my part as well." 

Added Weddle: "He’s the GOAT. I’ve had many battles with him over my career, and I can’t say I’ve ever beat him. So let’s break that streak."

Eric D. Williams has reported on the NFL for more than a decade, covering the Los Angeles Rams for Sports Illustrated, the Los Angeles Chargers for ESPN and the Seattle Seahawks for the Tacoma News Tribune. Follow him on Twitter @eric_d_williams.