By the time Sean McVay screamed “Holy sh*t” after the Rams stunned the 49ers last September, 27-24, it wasn’t just the scoreline that had flipped. It was the entire narrative. Matthew Stafford, even without Cooper Kupp or Puka Nacua, had orchestrated a 45th career game-winning drive—this time from a 14-point hole against one of the league’s stingiest defenses. It wasn’t just improbable. It was McVay’s entire philosophy made manifest: trust the arm, trust the moment, and never blink against Kyle Shanahan.Because for McVay, beating Shanahan’s offense wasn’t about matching scheme for scheme. It was about rising above structure, especially when the game devolved into chaos. Jared Goff could hit his spots on script. Baker Mayfield showed flashes. But Stafford? He was different. In those gotta-have-it downs, like 3rd and 14 with time ticking away, McVay needed a guy who could make the throw because there was no good option. Someone who didn’t shrink when the system collapsed. Someone who could win when nothing was working.And that’s exactly what Albert Breer spelled out this week. “It’s one of the reasons why Sean McVay wanted Matthew Stafford so badly four years ago,” Breer said during an interview. “He knew that was a way to sort of break that element of being able to beat a Shanahan offense.” He explained how, when you’re behind third and long, the clock running, the defense daring you to throw, the system breaks. The only way out? A quarterback who thrives in that exact pressure. “If you get on top of them, it really puts them… it takes them—I would say it makes them fish out of water to some degree,” Breer added about Shanahan’s system when it’s trailing. That’s the wedge Stafford drives into the equation.GLENDALE, AZ – JANUARY 13: Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford 9 scrambles during the NFL, American Football Herren, USA Wild Card Playoff football game between the Minnesota Vikings and the Los Angeles Rams on January 13, 2025, at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, AZ. Photo by Kevin Abele/Icon Sportswire NFL: JAN 13 NFC Wild Card Playoffs – Vikings at Rams EDITORIAL USE ONLY Icon250113005Stafford’s performance against the Niners last season was a clinic in controlled chaos. No Kupp. No Nacua. Just a tweaked scheme (shifting to 12 personnel), a fake punt, a big return, and a deep shot that drew a penalty. That sliver of hope? That was all Stafford needed. And Shanahan knew it. “You give Stafford too much hope… it’s not a situation you want to be in,” he said postgame. Even Fred Warner admitted: “We can’t do that. Can’t beat ourselves.”Stafford was the fix. As Breer added on the interview, “It’s what separates the great ones—how do you play on third and long? How do you play when you’re playing from behind? Anybody can look great when you’re in second and four or third and one. What do you look like when it’s third and 14 and you’re down 20?” That’s where Stafford gave McVay the edge. Not when the offense was humming, but when it was desperate. The win in week 3 wasn’t just a notch on the belt. It was a moment that confirmed McVay’s long-term bet. Jared Goff was a system product. Stafford is the system breaker. As the 49ers found out the hard way, yet again.Matthew Stafford’s still the guy, now he just needs to own the momentBack in March, Matthew Stafford made it clear—he’s not ready to pack it up just yet. On the New Heights podcast, the Rams QB told Jason and Travis Kelce he’s “happy” to be back in LA for 2025, and maybe beyond. “We just had to kind of figure that out and get to that point,” he said. The Raiders and Giants poked around, but a 37-year-old QB walking into a rebuild? That’s a one-way ticket to retirement. Stafford knows where his window is. And it’s still cracked open in LA.You’ve been watching it for four years now. When Stafford’s rolling, the Rams feel like they could beat anyone. When he’s not? They nosedive into a 1-4 hole and spend the rest of the season playing from behind. That’s not just vibes—that’s data. Stafford’s second-ever Rams pass? A touchdown. By Week 8 of 2021, he led the NFL in EPA per dropback. Then the wheels came off—by week 12, he ranked dead last. Yet somehow, by the Super Bowl run, he’d climbed back to No. 4. That’s Stafford in a nutshell: hot-cold, then red-hot when it matters most.But here’s the problem heading into 2025: consistency. Not big moments. Not playoff grit. Just good, clean, week-to-week execution. Stafford hasn’t thrown for 4,000 yards since 2021. He hasn’t cracked 25 touchdowns in any of the last three years. That’s fine if you’re managing games. It’s not fine if you’re leading a team built to chase rings. And while he did outduel Josh Allen last year—yep, that MVP Josh Allen—those performances were one-offs, not patterns.Still, the Rams aren’t throwing him out to dry. They’ve gone full Madden Ultimate Team around him. Puka Nacua and Davante Adams? That’s a Sunday nightmare for any DB room. Kyren Williams isn’t flashy, but he’s functional. The O-line? Ranked fifth in the league by FTN. As Dan Fornek put it, “There is enough talent for a top-five unit in this group if they stay healthy.” So yeah, Stafford’s not being asked to carry the load alone—but the wagon moves only if he’s pulling it forward.No one’s asking him to play superhero ball. This isn’t about throwing for 50 touchdowns or leading the league in air yards. It’s about getting back to the version of Stafford that shows up for 17 games, not seven. In 2021, he threw for 300+ yards in seven games. The Rams were 6-1 in those. He’s done it seven times combined since. The Rams were still 5-2 in those. So, what would happen if we got that guy again, but for a full season? That’s what this year comes down to. They need No. 9 to be steady.The post Insider Confirms Why Sean McVay Needed Matthew Stafford to Beat Kyle Shanahan’s Offense appeared first on EssentiallySports.