Analysis: As Stafford, Burrow gets Super opposites to attract
Matthew Stafford and Joe Burrow had almost nothing in common before Sunday, except they were top overall picks in the NFL draft.
Now, they are both Super Bowl quarterbacks.
Their journeys are almost opposites since each left an SEC powerhouse.
Stafford was the first selection in the 2009 draft out of Georgia and spent a dozen years trying not to get punched in Detroit. It is always considered a good player on a bad team — Detroit is that rare franchise that existed when the Super Bowl was created but never has been to it — Stafford was rescued by the Rams last year. In his first season as their Q.B., he’s helped them to the big game, his connection with unanimous All-Pro receiver Cooper Kupp something extraordinary. And seemingly unstoppable.
“Couldn’t be more grateful for Matthew Stafford,” coach Sean McVay said after Stafford went 31 of 45 for 337 yards with two T.D. he Passes in the 20-17 victory over San Francisco for the NFC title.
To say Stafford is a vast improvement over Jared Goff, the No. 1 overall choice in 2016. Stafford has a better arm, better technique, a better handle for pressure — statistically, he’s the top NFL passer against blitzes — and better command of the most critical position on the field. Yes, Goff got to the Super Bowl with the Rams in 2018, when they lost to New England with a wretched offensive performance. But Stafford in a lot of ways took the Rams to the big game rather than being along for the ride.
“You can’t write the story any better,” Stafford said. “I’m at a loss for words. I’m just having a blast playing ball with these guys, and, shoot, we’ve got one more at the home stadium. Let’s get it done.”
The Rams (15-5) had blasted right into the Super Bowl in two weeks when for the second straight year after it never occurred in the 54 previous editions, they will host it in their stadium. Tampa Bay turned that trick last season.
With the weapons on offence (Kupp and Odell Beckham Jr., most notably) and stars on defence such as unanimous All-Pro tackle Aaron Donald and linebacker Von Miller, a 2015 NFL champion with Denver, Stafford is in an excellent position to turn his first season in L.A. into a Lombardi Trophy celebration.
But he’ll have to get by Burrow, in his second pro season, and the Bengals (13-7).
Like Stafford, Burrow went to a struggling franchise. Oh, Cincinnati made the playoffs often enough in this century. It just bumbled its way to seven consecutive postseason defeats under Marvin Lewis. When the Bengals went 2-14 in 2019 while Burrow was winning a national championship and setting records at LSU, it was an easy choice in the draft.
Still, his knee injury after ten games (2-7-1 as a starter) seemed appropriate for the Bengals—another potentially good thing gone wrong.
Except so much has gone right in the last month, and here Burrow is, guiding the team to its first Super Bowl appearance in 33 years.
The injured good thing has turned into a sure healthy thing, with the brightest futures.
“I wouldn’t call it surreal; I would say it’s exciting,” Burrow said. “I think if you had told me before the season that we’d be going to the Super Bowl, I probably would have called you crazy. Then, you know, we play the whole season, and nothing surprises me now.”
It’s never surprising when a surpassing talent like Burrow succeeds in the NFL. But it’s also not shocking when one like Stafford languishes in a bad situation.
Take a look at Q.B.s, who were first overall selections, and you get Peyton and Eli Manning, but you also get David Carr and JaMarcus Russell. For every John Elway, there is a Sam Bradford. Going further back, there’s a Troy Aikman in 1989 and a Jeff George in 1990.
No matter what happens at SoFi Stadium on Feb. 13, consider this: Only once before have two overall No. 1 drafted Q.B.s met in a Super Bowl, six years ago when Peyton and the Broncos beat Cam Newton and the Panthers. Either the long journey of Stafford or the quicker trip for Burrow will end with hoisting the Lombardi Trophy — exactly what top draftees are supposed to accomplish.
Recardo Mendez
Sports Reporter
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