The 5 best quarterbacks Saints will face in 2024, and how New Orleans can beat them

4. Matthew Stafford - Los Angeles Rams

Many Saints fans remember Matthew Stafford tearing apart a formidable Saints defense this past year. In Week 16, Stafford completed 70.6% of his passes while throwing for 328 yards, two touchdowns, and no turnovers. He may be aging, but Stafford is still a great quarterback in the NFL who the Saints should be worrying about facing next year.

In that Week 16 game, the pass rush was seemingly non-existent. They only had 10 pressures and one sack. Stafford was able to comfortably sit in the pocket and tear apart the Saints defense. For the Saints to stop Stafford and this Rams offense, generating a pass rush is a necessity. However, that is easier said than done.

According to PFF, it took Stafford an average of 2.77 seconds to get the ball out of his hands, which is, astonishingly, one of the slower times for him in the season. Stafford getting the ball out of his hands that fast makes it challenging for opposing edge rushers to get him on the ground. This is an instance where the addition of a speed rusher, such as Chase Young, should make a huge difference.

Contrary to Jayden Daniels, the Saints need to make Matthew Stafford move in the pocket. They must make him uncomfortable. They still have to be smart and contain him, but allowing Stafford time to process and read the Saints defense is detrimental to their success.