After 18 NFL seasons, one thing still gets Matthew Stafford fired up

At 38 years old, and playing in his 18th NFL season, Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford has seen just about everything. He’s played through injuries, crossed oceans, survived Detroit, and won a Super Bowl in Los Angeles. And yet, there is still something about the bright lights of Monday Night Football that still gets him excited. “I love playing on Monday nights,” Stafford said on Thursday as the Rams prepared to host the New York Giants in their home opener at SoFi Stadium.“Monday Night Football has always meant something in this league.

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By clicking above you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.Never miss a story For Stafford and the Rams, Monday night also offers something else: a chance to rinse away the bitter taste of Melbourne.The Rams returned from Australia last weekend after a forgettable 27-7 Week 1 loss to the San Francisco 49ers in which Stafford and the Rams offense were never able to build a rhythm or find their footing. According to Stafford, they didn’t sustain drives, didn’t execute, performed poorly on third downs, and weren’t efficient enough.

The loss left Stafford searching for answers during the long flight home and had head coach Sean McVay wishing he was in the movie “Men in Black.”“I just want to be present now and move forward,” McVay said of the loss in Melbourne.“It’s almost like you try to do the ‘Men in Black’ thing where you say, ‘all right, I don’t remember what happened.’”McVay of course is referencing the Neuralyzer, the memory-wiping device from the movie that Will Smith’s character famously refers to as the “flashy thing.”Thankfully for McVay and the Rams, Monday Night Football offers a familiar stage and an opportunity for redemption against th...