At 38 years old, and playing in his 18th NFL season, Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford has seen just about everything.
asserted
Stafford → play → 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.
asserted
him → play → Football
“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.
asserted
Rams → play → Stadium
“Monday Night Football has always meant something in this league.
asserted
Football → mean → league
We all grew up watching it and it’s fun to be a part of it.”
asserted
it → grow → it
For Stafford and the Rams, Monday night also offers something else: a chance to rinse away the bitter taste of Melbourne.
asserted
night → offer → 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.
asserted
Stafford → return → footing
According to Stafford, they didn’t sustain drives, didn’t execute, performed poorly on third downs, and weren’t efficient enough.
uncertain
they → accord → downs
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.”
asserted
he → leave → Black
“I just want to be present now and move forward,” McVay said of the loss in Melbourne.
asserted
McVay → want → 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.’”
asserted
what → ’ → thing
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.”
asserted
character → reference → thing
Thankfully for McVay and the Rams, Monday Night Football offers a familiar stage and an opportunity for redemption against the New York Giants.
asserted
Football → offer → Giants
“Those guys, they play with their hair on fire.
asserted
guys → play → fire
They really get after it,” said McVay of the Giants defense.
asserted
McVay → get → defense
“We have to match that or exceed that energy and that edge.”
asserted
We → have → energy
Stafford has been around long enough to understand the bill eventually comes due.
asserted
bill → understand → ?
“Obviously, the scheduling part of it is a little unique and a little difficult,” Stafford said.
asserted
Stafford → say → it
“You get an extra day on the front end, but it cuts into the following week and your recovery time for the next game.
asserted
it → get → game
Stafford has taken thousands of hits, thrown thousands of passes and accumulated enough NFL mileage to make Monday night feel like just another day at the office.
asserted
night → take → office
It’s still Monday Night Football.
asserted
It → ’ → ?
The nationally televised game when everyone is home from work and ready to watch some football.
asserted
everyone → televise → football
The theme music hits, the stadium lights burn brighter and for three hours
asserted
lights → hit → hours
, there’s only one game that owns the stage.
asserted
that → ’ → stage
Stafford grew up as a kid from Texas watching those games and dreaming to be a part of them.
asserted
Stafford → grow → them
Nearly two decades into his own NFL career, and he’s still fortunate enough to play in them.
asserted
he → ’ → them
And frankly, after what happened last week in Australia, he couldn’t ask for a better stage to hit the reset button.
asserted
he → happen → button
The Aporia
