On Sunday, Matthew Stafford threw the pass that gave him the Los Angeles Rams‘ touchdown record. It was his third touchdown pass in a 35-21 win over the Las Vegas Raiders. The record is clear, and the question it raises is harder.
Does it make him the NFL’s best quarterback right now?
The record-setting pass went 11 yards to Puka Nacua, who had been listed as questionable before the game but played and caught the pass for the score. It was Stafford’s 155th touchdown pass as a Ram, one more than the old record.
Is Matthew Stafford the Best Quarterback Right Now?
Matthew Stafford Now Holds Records for Two Teams
That 155th score gave Stafford the Rams’ record. He already held Detroit’s record with 282 touchdown passes. He is the first quarterback to hold that record for two current NFL teams, according to an NBC Sports report.
The pace behind the number sharpens the case. Stafford needed 81 games to reach 155 touchdown passes for the Rams. Roman Gabriel needed 130 games to build the mark that just fell.
The two records cover a career that has changed shape. Stafford spent 12 seasons with Detroit. After the move to Los Angeles, he led the Rams to a Super Bowl win.
Then came 2025, when he led the NFL with 46 touchdown passes and won the MVP award. He also threw for 4,707 yards that season. That year left him seventh on the NFL’s career passing touchdown list, with only Aaron Rodgers ahead of him among active quarterbacks.
That MVP season stands as proof that Stafford can be the best player in the league. However, it cannot decide this year’s race. For that, the 2026 season counts more than the record he just set.
Other Quarterbacks Still Have a Case
Stafford played well against Las Vegas, completing 23 of 29 passes for 195 yards. He threw three touchdowns and one interception. The Raiders matchup gave him a chance to turn his record day into a strong team win.
Through seven games this season, Stafford has 14 touchdown passes and seven interceptions. The touchdowns help his case. The seven passes caught by opposing players weaken it. His NFL stats show both sides of his up-and-down season.
Before Sunday’s game, NFL.com ranked Stafford 14th among quarterbacks. Josh Allen was first and Brock Purdy second. That list covered only the first six games, so it did not count the three-touchdown day against Las Vegas. The ranking is a useful starting point, not a final ranking after Week 7.
Allen can beat a defense with his arm and with his legs. He and Stafford already met in a Week 5 game between the Rams and Bills. The Rams lost that one 37-34 in overtime on October 12, even though Stafford threw three touchdowns without an interception.
Purdy’s case runs a different way. Through six games, he had thrown 14 touchdowns and only two interceptions.
Those numbers came before his Week 7 game, so they do not offer a full comparison with Stafford’s current totals.
The Last Word
Stafford’s record makes him the top touchdown passer for two teams. His MVP season shows he can lead the NFL. However, the record does not make him the best quarterback this year.
Through seven games, he has 14 touchdown passes and seven interceptions. He played well against the Raiders, yet Allen and Purdy have strong cases of their own. The win moved the playoff-hopeful Rams to 3-4, and the race is still open.
If Stafford keeps throwing touchdowns and cuts down on interceptions, his case gets stronger. For now, the record puts him in the debate, but it does not settle it.
Main Image: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images
