The Los Angeles Rams schedule for 2026 sets Matthew Stafford up with a great opportunity to win back-to-back MVP awards thanks to more exposure in primetime and the opportunity for him and Sean McVay to build on the narrative that he’s the most valuable quarterback in the NFL.
MVP voters are often criticized for being too fixated on a quarterback popularity contest, heavily relying on passing stats, team win-loss records, and winning big games in front of a national audience in primetime. Criticized
or not for ignoring non-quarterbacks and talented passers on losing teams, all the advantages lie in Stafford’s court thanks to seven primetime games … and counting.
The Rams quarterback has never been more primed to win MVP, even including for the season that he won MVP.
Primetime Exposure
Most NFL fans believe that they can rank one quarterback over or under another quarterback without even watching full games. They see highlights, the read expert commentary, they follow the narratives, they see the stats. You have seen Odell Beckham, Jr.’s one-handed catch more times than you can count on 50 hands.
That one impression of OBJ cemented him as “one of the greats” to millions of fans for the next decade.
Many fans still think of Stafford as the quarterback who had an 0-3 playoff record while he was toiling away over 12 years with the Detroit Lions. The only time a national audience saw him play was in the annual Butt Kicking Bowl on Thanksgiving against the Packers.
Highlights of Stafford were relatively rare because the Lions were losing so many games, so when you did see him on ESPN or a game recap, it was probably of him throwing an interception. Not the no-look passes.
Not enough to see there to change anyone’s mind about Stafford being “the reason” the Lions lost.
But now playing in some of the biggest and most important games of the NFL season, “Matthew Stafford to Puka Nacua” or “Matthew Stafford to Davante Adams” has become a common phrase for Al Michaels and Mike Tirico and Joe Buck. He’s going to have a record number of primetime opportunities in 2026.
Rams OWN primetime in September
The Rams have four of their first five games of the season featured in primetime. This is how Stafford can start the season on a high note: It’s sort of like when a college football team starts the season ranked number one and gets a leg up on their competition without even having to do anything.
Stafford could build an immense MVP race lead from Week 1, and that’s huge for an award based on voter consensus.
Week 1 – vs 49ers on THURSDAY
In the two games against the Niners last year, Stafford threw for over 600 yards and seven touchdowns with zero interceptions. In the second meeting alone, a road game, the Niners had no answer for the Rams’ 13 personnel offense they were seeing for the first time and Stafford threw four touchdowns on his way to the team putting up 42 points.
Looking ahead to next season, Raheem Morris replaces Robert Saleh as defensive coordinator, a move many see as a downgrade. With the whole offseason to draw up some new plays, I can’t wait to see what Sean McVay has come up with for Kyle Shanahan this time.
Week 2 – vs NEW YORK GIANTS ON MONDAY NIGHT
The Giants have been quietly accumulating some decent players over the past two years, but they traded Dexter Lawrence and did nothing to replace him. Their defensive line took another hit this week with Roy Robertson-Harris blowing up an Achilles. They drafted linebacker Arvell Reese to join an already daunting linebacker group, but what sort of an impact will he have in Week 2?
The more obvious change to the Giants is John Harbaugh as the new head coach. Along with Harbaugh is an almost completely new group of coaches including Dennard Wilson as the new defensive coordinator. With so many new components, I can’t see them being completely cohesive in Week 2.
Week 3 – vs DENVER BRONCOS ON SUNDAY NIGHT
This should be the stoutest test yet for the 13 personnel scheme. The Broncos were being touted as one of the best defenses in the league last year but I’m a bit skeptical based on the opponents they faced. We almost saw Rams-Broncos in the Super Bowl, will this game live up to the hype that that game would have had? I see this as being Stafford’s opportunity to show voters he’s not afraid of the Broncos defense.
Week 5 – vs BUFFALO BILLS ON MONDAY NIGHT
The Bills have a new head coach with offensive coordinator Joe Brady being promoted, and also a new defensive coordinator: Jim Leonhard.
He intends to switch the Bills from a 4-3 defensive base to a 3-4. Leonhard spent the last two seasons in Denver working under Vance Joseph, where the Broncos had the 4th highest blitz rate since 2023, consistently sending five or more rushers. As we know, Stafford excels against the blitz which should make for another interesting game.
If Matthew Stafford bests Josh Allen in front of the world in Week 5, he’s got an enormous early lead in the MVP race.
Stafford’s Best case scenario
I think there’s a perfect storm brewing in which the combination of the Rams tight end-heavy offensive scheme and their early season opponent’s going through so many changes that McVay and Stafford continue to steamroll. The Rams have averaged almost 35 points per game since leaning into the new offense and I see no reason that number will decrease over these games. Stafford has a great opportunity to shine and in doing so he’ll pick up some new believers and MVP votes.
That’s the type of first impression he would love to make in 2026.
