Matthew Stafford was in a celebratory mood when speaking with reporters following Sunday’s game at SoFi Stadium. But as the soon-to-be MVP candidate reflected on what his team did well, he tipped his cap to a player donning the jersey he once wore.
In a Week 15 game that mattered for both teams’ playoff hopes, Stafford threw for 368 yards and two touchdowns to help the Los Angeles Rams win 41-34 and secure a playoff spot.
One big reason the Rams got their 11th win of the season was making all three of their fourth-down tries. But when asked about how well they did there, Stafford first talked about where they could have done better, and also gave a little credit to Lions pass rusher Aidan Hutchinson.
“Obviously, we had some chances on some third downs and didn’t get it done, but I thought we clutched up, made some plays on fourth down, and were able to get some points out of it,” Stafford told reporters after the game. “Playing a good offense like Detroit has, you’ve got to stay with them. Obviously, we moved it good in the first half, had the turnover.
“Aidan made a great play, and looked like he was the primary receiver on the damn play. It was a hell of a play, and then it made me look silly in space. But yeah, I mean, we moved it good enough to put points on the board. I obviously didn’t connect on a couple there to get the touchdowns that we needed, but those fourth downs were big.”
On the Rams’ first drive, Stafford and his team easily moved the ball against the Lions’ defense, reaching Detroit’s 20-yard line after starting at their own 33.
But when Stafford tried to connect with Colby Parkinson, Hutchinson intercepted him, taking the ball back 58 yards to set up a 17-yard touchdown pass from Lions quarterback Jared Goff to Amon-Ra St. Brown for the game’s first score.
Wolverine with HANDS@aidanhutch97 | #ProBowlVote pic.twitter.com/uZEQFlIp9G
— Detroit Lions (@Lions) December 14, 2025
On the Rams’ second drive, Stafford helped with two of those important fourth-down plays. The first was on fourth-and-four at Detroit’s 45-yard line, where Stafford threw a short pass to Puka Nacua for six yards before Lions linebacker Alex Anzalone made the tackle. A few plays later, Stafford threw to Nacua again, this time for 10 yards to reach Detroit’s 27-yard line.
These two fourth-down plays helped Kyren Williams finish the drive with a four-yard touchdown run, tying the game at 7-7 after Harrison Mevis made the extra point.
“(Puka) did a great job. Obviously caught the one versus a mask,” Stafford said. They’re trying to show me man coverage and then popped out into a Tampa 2, prevent quick defense. Puka did a nice job settling in a hole there, and I just tried to put it on him, and he did a great job falling forward. The next one, they showed us the man look, stayed man, and Puka did a nice job winning and then catching at the catch point.”
The Rams’ last fourth-down try happened with 11:14 left in the third quarter. Down by seven points, the Rams faced fourth-and-one on Detroit’s 25-yard line. Stafford gave the ball to former Michigan star Blake Corum, who ran one yard to get the first down. This play kept the drive going and set up Mevis, who later kicked a 44-yard field goal to bring the Rams within four points.
Without those important fourth-down plays, it’s unclear if the Rams could have come back to win and secure their place in the playoffs while hurting the Lions’ chances. The win also ends the Rams’ two-game losing streak against the Lions that started with last season’s home opener at Ford Field.
Chiefs’ Patrick Mahomes Gets Realistic Recovery Timeline on Torn ACL: Insider
The Kansas City Chiefs’ 2025 season is over, and all eyes are now on 2026 and recovery timeline news for superstar quarterback Patrick Mahomes, who suffered a torn ACL injury against the Los Angeles Chargers.
NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport provided an initial injury update on Mahomes on the morning of December 15, which relayed the following Chiefs news.
“A left knee injury, a torn ACL that was confirmed with an immediate MRI last night,” Rapoport began. Continuing: “Had a second opinion to see what other damage there is, and if there is more, obviously we will bring it to you. But the most important thing is that Mahomes is now done for the season. Gardner Minshew is the backup quarterback; he’ll be the guy throughout the next several games.”
That’s when Rapoport got into Mahomes’ expected recovery timeline.
“[Mahomes] obviously faces a long road ahead,” the insider went on. “It is, right now, the middle of December. Nine months from now is the middle of September. That obviously raises the possibility that Mahomes is not ready to start next season.”
“[He] has a chance to be ready,” Rapoport added. “Sometimes quarterbacks — a little different position than most — can be ready, but it is not a guarantee. [Mahomes] faces a long road of recovery.”
So, there you have it. As most initially estimated, this torn ACL will likely keep Mahomes out for nine months from the time of his surgery.
That’s a flexible estimate, and the recovery could potentially take a little longer or a little shorter, but nine months is the current projected timeline for Mahomes. Needless to say, it’s not the way the Chiefs wanted to head into 2026 — even if they did fall short of making the playoffs.
Chiefs Will Be on the Hunt for a Veteran QB After Patrick Mahomes Injury News
GettyGardner Minshew will get the first opportunity to replace Patrick Mahomes as the Kansas City Chiefs’ starting quarterback for the remainder of 2025 and beyond.
As of December 15, it’s unclear if Mahomes will be ready for Week 1 of the 2026 season, but one thing is very clear. No matter how quickly Mahomes appears to be recovering, the Chiefs will surely be on the hunt for a quality veteran quarterback this offseason.
The frontrunner for the job is likely Minshew, but these next few weeks will be important for the former starter as he officially states his case for the role.
Minshew signed a one-year contract in 2025, so there are other complications here, too. If Minshew does play well down the stretch, another franchise may offer him a starting job, or at least a chance to compete for a full-time role with a first-team offense.
He could also play poorly, and perhaps KC decides to go in another direction in that scenario. So, the QB2 role is far from determined.
Either way, the Chiefs will cast a wide net with their veteran QB search, considering that player could be starting meaningful games for Kansas City early in the year. Minshew will get the initial audition, but you can bet that general manager Brett Veach is already forming a list of potential candidates.