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By Anne Erickson
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Matthew Stafford keeps giving people reasons to doubt him.
Maybe it's his age. Maybe it's the lingering back injury he's managing as he heads into his 18th NFL season. Or maybe it's simply because people keep waiting for Father Time to catch up.
It still hasn't happened. Instead, Stafford is coming off one of the best seasons of his career. The Rams quarterback threw for more than 4,700 yards with 46 touchdowns and just eight interceptions, putting together an MVP campaign that reminded everyone he can still play at an elite level.
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He's not winning games with his legs. He's winning them before the ball is even snapped.
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Few quarterbacks read a defense better than Stafford. His ability to diagnose coverages, change protections and make adjustments at the line of scrimmage has become one of the defining parts of his game. Years of experience have made him one of the NFL's smartest quarterbacks, and that football IQ continues to separate him from the pack.
Then there's the arm. Even after all these years, Stafford can still make throws that most quarterbacks wouldn't even attempt. He has the arm strength to fit passes into tight windows, stretch the field vertically and drop the ball over defenders with outstanding touch. His accuracy and ball placement remain among his biggest strengths, allowing him to keep defenses guessing even when they know what's coming.
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The mobility isn't what it used to be, and that's no surprise. At this point in his career, Stafford isn't going to beat anyone by scrambling around the pocket. He doesn't have to. He's learned how to win from inside it, trusting his experience, quick decisions and elite arm talent to do the heavy lifting.
Every season brings another round of questions about whether he's nearing the end. Then Stafford goes out and reminds everyone why he's still one of the NFL's toughest quarterbacks to stop.
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