News Article
Published
Oct 19, 2026 at 02:30 PM EDT
One writer wants the Los Angeles Rams to take drastic measures after Sunday's latest shortcoming.
The Rams fell to 2-4 with a stunning 18-16 home loss to the Arizona Cardinals. The heavy preseason Super Bowl favorites sank to last place in the NFC West and are already one loss away from matching last season's tally.
A Rams writer offered a bold reaction to the disappointing start. JB Scott of Turf Show Times argued that Los Angeles should bench Matthew Stafford for rookie quarterback Ty Simpson.
"Matthew Stafford won’t be back in 2027. He looks like a shell of his MVP form from a year ago. Stafford can’t mitigate pressure, be consistently accurate, take care of the football, or complete a deep pass to save his life," Scott wrote. "Tiptoeing around Stafford’s mulled retirement in order to avoid rocking the boat does not help the team. Learning what Simpson is capable of and whether he is a viable long term option is of the utmost importance.
"Simpson is the future. Stafford was at his best a decade ago. It’s time for change."
Stafford hasn't played up to last season's MVP standard, posting a 91.7 quarterback rating with six interceptions in as many games. Yet most observers wouldn't call him the team's biggest problem, as Stafford has still thrown for an NFL-leading 1,794 passing yards.
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The 38-year-old amassed 384 yards and three touchdowns in a rough Week 5 overtime loss to the Buffalo Bills before completing 25 of 33 passes for 222 yards and two touchdowns on Sunday. Stafford hasn't played poorly enough to merit serious conversations about his job security, but a down season could fuel more speculation about whether he'll retire after the 2026 campaign.
The Rams already put a succession plan into place by drafting Simpson with the No. 13 overall pick in April. While the former Alabama star wasn't selected to play this season, he could receive a brief look down the stretch if the Rams slip out of the playoff picture.