Jimmy Garoppolo will make his first appearance for the Rams when he starts in place of Matthew Stafford in playoff-bound Los Angeles’ final regular-season game against Seattle on Sunday.
Manager Sean McVay announced Wednesday the decision to rest Stafford, a 16-year veteran starting pitcher. The Rams have not yet decided which additional starters they will rest.
Los Angeles (10-6) defeated the Seahawks (9-7) on the strength of its schedule to win the NFC West title. The Rams are currently the No. 3 seed in the NFC playoff bracket, but would fall to No. 4 if they lose to Seattle and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (9-7) beat Atlanta to win the South Division.
With the wild-card seeding still in flux between Minnesota, Washington and Green Bay, McVay clearly doesn’t care whether the Rams enter the postseason as a No. 3 or No. 4 seed. do not have.
Garoppolo has yet to play for the Rams since signing as Stafford’s backup last spring. The 33-year-old veteran who led San Francisco to Super Bowl 54 missed the first two games of his first season in Los Angeles after being suspended for violating the league’s performance-enhancing drug policy.
Stafford took every snap this season for the Rams, who won nine of 11 games and reached the postseason for the third time in his four years in Los Angeles. His 3,762 yards and 20 touchdown passes are the fewest in a season of at least 15 games, but Stafford’s eight interceptions are also the fewest in nearly a full season, and his completion percentage (65.8 percent) ) has exceeded his career. average.
Stafford went 13-1 as a starter last Saturday, when Los Angeles defeated Arizona 13-9 against the Rams in December, but his offense has slumped. The Rams are currently on a five-game winning streak, scoring 21 points or more just once, and have just three touchdowns in their last three games combined.
Los Angeles’ third-string quarterback is Stetson Bennett. The two-time national championship winner and 2023 fourth-round draft pick at the University of Georgia has not yet played for the Rams, having left last season for undisclosed personal reasons. was.
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