Sean McVay is now in Year 9, and for the last four seasons, he’s leaned heavily on one man—Matthew Stafford. But 16 NFL seasons take a toll. And now the signs of strain are ringing bells across the league for the quarterback. And it sure does not help that Stafford is out of training camp with back soreness and is predicted to miss a substantial amount of time. McVay, in an attempt to control the narrative, has insisted there’s a “plan in place” but won’t say when the 37-year-old quarterback will return. Around the league, analysts aren’t buying the optimism. To them, he’s already boxed in—“old man Matthew Stafford with the bad back.”

According to them, McVay should be spiraling over his offensive lineup. In the August 1 episode of Yahoo Sports, analysts Nate Tice, Charles McDonald, and Matt Harmon broke down Matthew Stafford’s situation. And the mood turned grim fast. Charles McDonald opened up the segment with a pointed concern. “I’m concerned that Stafford at this point has deteriorated when under pressure,” he said. “I think as an NFL community, we see the highs of Stafford. The last time we saw him, we did get a lot of high moments out of him. And we forget that the lows are getting lower for him. I’m concerned that if the line is not good, that’s going to fall apart.” The trust in Stafford’s consistency is fading, especially with his protection still in question.

Injuries have haunted Matthew Stafford since his rookie season in 2009. From concussions and torn ligaments to shoulder separations and even a fractured tailbone, the list stretches longer each year. As he approaches his 17th season, questions linger over whether anyone can maintain elite form while carrying that kind of physical toll. Analyst McDonald offered a stinging metaphor that captured the mood. “When the cheese goes bad, it doesn’t get unbad,” he said. His point? Stafford is no longer the reliable game-winner without a solid offensive line.

The once-sharp edge now looks dulled by injuries. Yet Stafford is not without his upside. He’s led the Rams to the playoffs in three of four seasons and brought them a Super Bowl in 2021. But since then, the injuries have mounted. He missed time in both 2022 and 2023. The Rams even signed Jimmy Garoppolo as insurance, hinting that faith in Stafford’s durability is wavering.

Hence, McDonald’s words carried a somber weight. “So I absolutely hate myself uh and I want to be wrong on this but yeah I did leave them out of the top 10.” And Stafford’s back isn’t McVay’s only concern. With injuries seeping into the core of the roster, the Rams may be walking into the 2025 season on borrowed time.

Sean McVay’s crumbling offensive core

The Rams face a fresh wave of concern on the offensive line this offseason. Left tackle Alaric Jackson is once again battling blood clots, marking the second time since 2022 he’s dealt with this serious health issue. On the August 1 Yahoo Sports episode, Charles McDonald addresses it bluntly. “I will just admit to being really bothered by the Eric Jackson blood clots thing,” he said. Rams head coach Sean McVay echoed the concern. But he added that he’s “hopeful” Jackson can play, emphasizing that his health remains the top priority. He remains rather too hopeful about the return timeline of his injured players.

There had been optimism about the Rams’ 2024 offensive unit. McVay had reason to believe in a fully healthy Matthew Stafford and Cooper Kupp. He expected more breakout flashes from Puka Nacua and Kyren Williams. And with what was supposed to be a beefed-up O-line, the offense looked promising. But that promise crumbled quickly. By Week 2 last season, McVay was left scrambling to keep the offense functional. Patching holes with whatever personnel he could find.

Charles McDonald offered little faith that 2025 would bring a different result. “I don’t love the like Coleman Shelton, you know, Bo Li like battle at center,” he said. “I’m not convinced like that that a good thing’s going to come out of that.” He was particularly critical of Shelton. “Coleman Shelton was terrible at the Rams.” Yet even through the criticism, McDonald admitted that McVay remains one of the league’s “best” offensive minds.

Still, McVay’s confidence in his offense often stands in stark contrast to what analysts are seeing. While the coach stays upbeat about his unit’s potential, many believe this team may need more than Kevin Dotson’s flashy split-dyed Rams blue hair to distract from a fragile offensive core that seems one setback away from collapse.