Some NFL analysts are predicting a big bounce-back year for the San Francisco 49ers. Others think Jonathan Gannon has quietly developed his Cardinals defense to the point where they can make it into the playoffs in 2025. There are even a few cockeyed optimists who think the rebuilt Seattle Seahawks are going to shock the world. Count me in that cockeyed club.
But if you asked me yesterday, I would have told you to bet big on the Los Angeles Rams to repeat as NFC West champs this year. Most oddsmakers have the Rams running about neck and neck with San Fran as the favorites. I suspect a lot of them are being swayed by the mystique of the Bay.
San Fran could certainly prove me wrong, but they are an aging, injury-prone squad that will need major contributions from unproven youngsters if they are going to return to the glory of their recent past. So I have been focused on the Rams as the likely top dog.
That was before yesterday’s news from the NFL Network's Ian Rapoport about Matthew Stafford’s back. Suddenly, the race for the division title has taken on a new dynamic.
Super Bowl-winning QB Matthew Stafford's injury could be good for the Seattle Seahawks
This is a continuation of reports from two weeks ago that Stafford has been dealing with back soreness. Apparently, it is not resolving. Sean McVay and the Rams' medical staff will allow Stafford to rest in hopes of having him fully healthy by week one.
Soreness during training camp is not exactly major news in the NFL, especially when we’re talking about a veteran. But there are a couple of things about this situation that bear closer scrutiny.
Stafford was among the toughest, most durable QBs in the league for the majority of his career. After a shoulder injury cut short his second season back in 2010, he went on to start every game for the Detroit Lions for eight straight years. Since then, despite an uptick in injuries, the QB has nonetheless played in 81 percent of his team’s games. In total, he has started 222 games in the NFL.
In other words, this is a quarterback who rarely misses games.
Sources: #Rams QB Matthew Stafford is dealing with an aggravated disc and has received an epidural to help him deal with it.
Los Angeles has called him week-to-week, being cautious, but with plans for him to be ready for Week 1. pic.twitter.com/wpj0Uqghax
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) August 6, 2025
However, since suffering a broken back in 2019, the nature of Stafford’s injuries has changed. Since 2021, he has been reported to have back-related issues on four separate occasions, not counting this latest one. Stafford just turned 37 and still plays at a very high level.
But NFL players well into their 30s rarely bounce back from bad backs as they did early in their careers. Stafford has a lot of wear and tear on his body, and at some point, those injuries catch up with and then surpass the will of the athlete.
We don’t yet know whether this is a minor blip or a sign of something more serious. But the Rams have to be concerned. With Stafford under center, they have a legitimate shot at the Super Bowl. Without him, they have Jimmy Garoppolo.
As backup QBs go, Garoppolo is a pretty good one. It wasn’t all that long ago that he led San Fran on two deep playoff runs. But he will turn 34 this Fall and has thrown just 210 passes in the past two years. If he is tasked with playing a lot of games while Stafford is out, there’s no way the Rams offense doesn’t suffer. Behind Garoppolo, Stetson Bennett doesn’t offer any additional hope.
The Rams open with four difficult games in the first six weeks of the season. One of them is against the 49ers. Depending on their QB’s status, they could dig themselves a hole early that will be hard to overcome.
If they do get off to a slow start, McVay and company can take some comfort in the fact that 10-7 won the division last year, and there does not appear to be a juggernaut ready to pull away in 2025. If they can tread water while Stafford gets back to full health, they should keep their chances for the division title alive.
Still, an injured Matthew Stafford has to give hope to the other teams in the NFC West. The Rams’ offense simply isn’t as good without him. McVay won’t be able to open his playbook without Stafford’s arm, among the best in the NFL for the past 15 years.
A back injury is tricky. Even if he suits up on gameday, this kind of setback for a veteran can cost practice time. Were he still throwing to Cooper Kupp, maybe that wouldn’t matter quite as much. But the Rams have a new receiver in Davante Adams and figure to be breaking in a new tight end in Terrance Ferguson. Practice reps could be crucial in making or breaking the Rams’ precision offense.
Which in turn could open the door a little wider for Seattle to claim the NFC West, something they have not done since 2020.
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