No-look throws from Matthew Stafford have change into one thing of a norm, fairly than an exception.
Evidently at the very least as soon as throughout a Los Angeles Rams sport, if no more, the veteran quarterback pulls off some wizardry within the pocket along with his eyes and his arm. All of us bear in mind the no-look throw from Tremendous Bowl LVI, coming late within the fourth quarter because the Rams closed in on a title. However that is only one instance from what’s turning into a fairly lengthy record.
And Stafford added to that record on Sunday evening.
Through the Rams’ blowout win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Stafford threw three touchdowns passes within the first half as Los Angeles raced out to a 31-7 halftime lead. And the second of these touchdowns, a rocket to Colby Parkinson, is one other instance of Stafford no-looking a throw in the midst of the sector.
However as you will notice in a second, the choice to make a no-look throw on this spot truly issues, and is greater than only a fancy little bit of quarterback play.
On the landing, the Rams run an identical idea to the instance from Tremendous Bowl LVI. Parkinson runs a deep in reduce, with Puka Nacua operating an beneath route on the aim line. Stafford locks his eyes on Nacua beneath, which pulls a pair of defenders to the broad receiver, and opens up the throwing lane to Parkinson on the in-breaking route:
From the tip zone angle you’ll see why this really issues. Watch security Tykee Smith, No. 23. Smith is in beneath assist protection, and on the snap he slides to his proper, placing him within the throwing lane between Stafford and Parkinson. However when the quarterback snaps his eyes to Nacua, Smith breaks on the WR.
Which is when Stafford delivers the rocket to Parkinson.
Now, you may surprise why Stafford doesn’t get his eyes again to Parkinson earlier than the throw, and fairly than making a no-look move to the tight finish reset his eyes on the goal. The principle cause? Time. All the things within the pink zone, and specifically this near the aim line, occurs quick. If Stafford takes any additional time, even the split-second it could take to get his eyes again to Parkinson, the tight finish may run out of actual property in the long run zone.
The opposite cause? Possibly it’s as a result of it seems to be cool and offers folks like me one thing to write down about to kick off a vacation week.
But it surely’s in all probability the primary one.
