When Matthew Stafford's final pass attempt of the 2024 season sailed over the head of Puka Nacua into the Rams' sideline on Sunday at Lincoln Financial Field, a harsh reality started to set in.
This Rams season -- a magical one that saw them overcome a 1-4 start to reach the playoffs and win a playoff game despite it being relocated from Los Angeles to Arizona amid tragedy -- was officially over via 28-22 loss to the Eagles in the Divisional Round.
It didn't take long for everyone to start wondering what might be ahead for Stafford, who turns 37 in February.
"I'll talk about my present," Stafford said on Sunday after the game. "Obviously, proud to be associated with this group, coaching staff, front office, group of players, training staff, equipment guys and everybody. It was a hell of an effort all year to get to this point. Anytime, you play like this and get into the playoffs and get a win to keep it moving, anytime you come up short it's even tougher. That's difficult but proud to be associated with this group.
"As far as my future goes, I mean it's 30 minutes after our last game, so I'll take some time to think about it. I feel like I was playing some really good ball."
Although it ended Sunday, the Rams' playoff run coincided with a minor revival in performance for Stafford, who'd trudged through a stretch of quiet play at the end of the regular season and broke through in their wild-card win over Minnesota, leading two emphatic touchdown drives and converting in high-pressure situations to propel Los Angeles to victory. Because he only needed to push the ball downfield in the first half, his numbers from that game don't accurately illustrate how effective he was, but his output amid heavy snow on Sunday in Philadelphia -- 26 of 44, 324 yards and two touchdown passes -- fits what the tape showed.
Stafford can still sling it and showed it off Sunday, ripping a no-look pass over the middle early in the game. He led two touchdown drives of 65-plus yards, capping both with four-yard touchdown passes to tight ends. Despite a rib injury suffered in the first half, Stafford nearly propelled the Rams to a shocking comeback, positioning Los Angeles to at least have a legitimate chance of tying and potentially winning the game before a third-down sack doomed their efforts on their final drive.
"(Stafford) put us in a position to win that football game," Rams head coach Sean McVay said of his veteran signal-caller. "That's who he is and I'm not at all surprised. We all had the expectation with him leading the way that we were going to win that game."
If we learned anything about the Rams, it's that Stafford remains an essential part of this team. But Stafford wasn't that quarterback for the entire season, becoming one of the most difficult signal-callers to evaluate on a week-to-week basis because of his volatility. Prior to the start of the playoffs, he'd averaged just 153 passing yards per game in three low-scoring wins for the Rams late in the regular season and caused legitimate concern he might not be capable of elevating his team anymore.
When the lights shined the brightest, though, Stafford delivered, even if the final result fell short of the Rams' goal, proving he's still capable of playing at a high level.
"It sure feels like it," Stafford said when asked if he still has football left in him.
The Rams restructured Stafford's deal before the season in a fashion that makes it possible for them to part ways this offseason without incurring a significant salary-cap penalty. But judging by how this season ended -- and the fact they lack a legitimate replacement, unless Jimmy Garoppolo's one start in Week 18 was enough to convince general manager Les Snead -- it seems as if their time together isn't yet over, even if this season is now finished.
We'll see in the weeks and months ahead whether that proves to be true.
