When looking at the weather for the impending matchup between the Los Angeles Rams and the Baltimore Ravens in Week 14, all signs point toward there being a lot of rain throughout the contest. With Sunday’s game expected to be a wet one, Matthew Stafford spoke on playing in rainy and other weather conditions.
“I’ve had coaches do it both ways, but I don’t know,” Stafford said. “You can’t simulate those conditions here, you have to go see what the conditions are and then go play accordingly in my opinion. Like you can squirt the ball with water and then inevitably in a game you’re going to get some snaps where you’re like, ‘Oh, the ball is pretty dry, I can throw it here,’ and other times you’re going to get it and you’re like, ‘I can’t,’ you know? You just kind of got to go play each play as its own and you can’t expect for it to be perfect every single time but you do get a good grip on it every once in a while and try to put it in a good spot. And if not, then figure out a way to get around it. But it’s more philosophical than… how do you want to go play the game? How are they going to play the game? How are we going to play the game? Find a way to win it because you can practice all you want, but it’s not going to replicate exactly sideways rain out there.”
While the temperature is expected to be in the 60s in Baltimore on Sunday, the weather reports are calling for rain for the entire game. Games in rain tend to lead to more fumbles and turnovers, so it will be crucial for Stafford and the Rams to take care of the football.
Simulating rain when you play in sunny Los Angeles isn’t the easiest thing to do in practice. But even with expected rain in the forecast, Stafford isn’t concerned after having to play in colder conditions throughout his career, especially when he was with the Detroit Lions.
“I mean all the weather conditions are different, right? I feel like I have more of the snow cold games when I was playing in the NFC North. Played in a game in Philly, forget what year it was early 20-teens, it was like six inches of snow on the ground, felt like a walkthrough. Everybody was moving so slow except for (former NFL RB) LeSean McCoy. I played in that one. Played in some rain games before. We’ll see what it is. Whatever the weather is, both teams got to play in it. Got to figure out a way to try to win the football game. If it’s better than expected, would love it. If not, let’s go play and figure out a way to win the game.”
The Rams would see a drastic shift in their odds to make the playoffs with a win on Sunday versus the Ravens. In a game where both teams will have to deal with potential rain, it could come down to which team avoids turning the ball over on the offensive side of the ball.
