Matthew Stafford's 40th Comeback Win Wasn't Pretty — but It Just Might Save the Rams' Season

The Los Angeles Rams entered Week 4 staring down a 1-3 start and the uncomfortable reality that their "Super Bowl or bust" offseason had produced a whole lot of bust through three games. Then Matthew Stafford authored the kind of fourth quarter that made the Rams' 2-2 record feel like a floor rather than a ceiling.

Trailing 20-10 at halftime in Philadelphia, Stafford led two fourth-quarter touchdown drives to steal a 24-20 win over the Eagles. It was the 40th comeback victory of his career — a milestone that would have felt hollow if the Rams had dropped to 1-3 against a Philadelphia team that, by the end of the day, looked every bit as shaky as the Rams had.

The numbers from the game itself were a mixed bag, and that's the theme of this Rams season so far. Stafford threw two first-half interceptions that directly produced 10 Eagles points. He finished with 317 passing yards but zero touchdowns and those two picks. On the season, he now sits at 1,189 yards, six touchdowns, six interceptions and an 80.5 passer rating across four games — a stat line that doesn't scream "contender" even as his team claws its way back to .500.

The bigger development was Puka Nacua's return. After missing two games with hip and groin issues, Nacua caught nine passes for 125 yards on 12 targets in Philadelphia. His presence reshaped the offense in ways the box score only partially captures: with Nacua on the field, Stafford had a reliable chain-mover and the Rams controlled the clock when it mattered. Nacua's 14 catches for 199 yards in four appearances understate how central he is to everything Sean McVay wants to do — and his absence coincided with the ugliest stretch of the young season.

It helps explain why the offense ranks where it does. The Rams average 427.2 yards per game — the good news — but only 21.2 points, which tells you this group has moved the ball and then failed to finish. A team that racks up yardage but can't score is the definition of a 2-2 club.

Now comes the test that will tell us whether Philadelphia was a turning point or a reprieve. Buffalo visits SoFi Stadium on October 12, and the Bills (3-1) arrive averaging 31.8 points per game while surrendering 26.8. That's the highest-scoring offense the Rams will have faced and a genuinely gettable defense — the kind of matchup that will expose whether Los Angeles' red-zone problems are schematic or just a matter of Stafford and Nacua needing more reps together.

The Rams are themselves a modest home favorite in the early market, with the total sitting at 54.5. Given how both offenses have moved the ball and how both defenses have given up chunk plays, that number reflects two teams capable of a shootout — and neither side's defense doing much to discourage one.

The injury picture remains the wild card. Davante Adams has been a fixture on the practice report all season with a rotating list of ailments, Kyren Williams and Nacua have both dealt with ankle and hip issues, and cornerback Jaylen Watson's Week 3 shoulder dislocation thinned a secondary that can ill afford it against Josh Allen. The Rams have been patching holes on the fly, and the margin for error shrinks with each name added to the list.

Which is what makes the Philadelphia win so important. It bought the Rams time. A 1-3 hole in a division with a 4-0 San Francisco team would have been close to disqualifying. At 2-2, with Nacua back and a home game against a beatable Buffalo defense on deck, the season is very much alive.

Stafford's 40th comeback didn't fix the Rams' problems. It just made sure they still have a season in which to solve them.