Rams' Matthew Stafford and Buc's Ndamukong Suh have a problem
There seems to be a problem between the Rams' Matthew Stafford and the Bucs' Ndamukong Suh. Whatever the case, Stafford's wife doesn't like it one bit.
As their teams battled it out in the NFL Divisional Round, two players took center stage when things seemed to boil over.
Matthew Stafford and Ndamukong Suh don't like each other
If there is one thing that's clear after last Sunday's game between the Rams and Bucs - aside from the fact that the Rams were superior - it's that there is definitely no love to be found between Matthew Stafford and Ndamukong Suh. Why that is remains a mystery, but it would be reasonable to assume that it may have something to do with the period between 2010 and 2014, when the two were teammates with the Detroit Lions. Whatever the case, when the two met as opponents in the NFL divisional round last weekend, the animosity was plain to see. Indeed, one could say that things almost got out of control.
What happened between Stafford and Suh
To the casual observer it would have seemed like a standard pressure and QB hit when Suh tackled Stafford to the ground. There was, however, a flag on the play for taunting as Suh could be seen pointing at the Rams' quarterback while yelling at him, but that seemed to be it. Unfortunately, that was not it at all. Suh was actually heard on the referee's mic accusing Stafford of playing dirty on the takedown. "You see him kick me?!" Suh shouted. Incidentally there was no penalty called against Stafford, on the other hand the 15 yards awarded to the Rams as a result of Suh's actions eventually led to a touchdown for the team from Los Angeles.
Speaking recently on the situation between the two players, Kelly, wife of Matthew Stafford said she was confused as to what the issue between Suh and her husband was, however, she noted it was not new. "Not really sure why Suh doesn't like Matthew, but Suh doesn't like Matthew," she said on her podcast 'The Morning After with Kelly Stafford.' "And it has become this weird dynamic in the past couple years - like Suh will come out in the media and stay stuff. Whatever, it doesn't even matter. It doesn't phase Matthew, it is what it is.
"... I see Suh in his face ... I look at the replay in the suite, I realize it's Suh and I'm like, 'Huh, this is interesting.' And he's in Matthew's face saying, 'I'm gonna [expletive] you up, I'm gonna [expletive] you up.' Those were his words. And to be honest, if I was Matthew, I'd be like 'I'm [expletive] terrified because you are a monster and you could really do some harm.'"
What was Matthew Stafford's stance?
Regardless of exchange, if there was one take away it was that Stafford wasn't bothered. Instead he simply got down to business as the Rams put the Buccaneers to bed in a way that few could have expected before kickoff. The Bucs it must be said, tried to force overtime and did in fact come close when defensive coordinator Todd Bowles called a Cover 0 blitz at Stafford, however, the Rams' QB responded in sensational fashion with a 44-yard bomb to Cooper Kupp which in turn set up kicker Matt Gay for the game-winning field goal. With that the Rams now prepare themselves for the the NFC Championship game, which is to say Stafford probably has other things on his mind. That being said, his wife Kelly still has a few things to say
"Obviously, when I saw that, I was like, 'Oh, eff you Suh. Like what is wrong, relax dude, it's football.' And I have no idea what just triggered that. So then I asked Matthew and he was like, 'Honestly, I don't really know what happened. I didn't really know who tackled me. But I remember getting put to the ground and someone on me and got him off me to try to get to the next play, and then Suh was in my face telling me he was going to [expletive] me up.' ...And I was like, 'What? I don't understand.' He's like, 'Who's gonna understand it, whatever, it doesn't matter.'"
What does matter In the end, however, is that the Rams and Stafford do everything they can to avoid being beaten by the San Francisco 49ers for the third time this season. With the small matter of a place in the Super Bowl on the line the Rams' QB will need to be focused on nothing else as he prepares to make his first NFC Championship appearance.