Matthew Stafford: Cooper Kupp is about as overlooked as anybody in the league

[profootballtalk.nbcsports.com]

Matthew Stafford: Cooper Kupp is about as overlooked as anybody in the league
Posted by Myles Simmons on September 20, 2021, 10:39 AM EDT

Los Angeles Rams v Indianapolis Colts
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It’s only been two games, but the connection between Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford and receiver Cooper Kupp seems strong.

In Week One, Kupp caught seven passes for 108 yards with a touchdown. In Sunday’s victory over the Colts, Kupp had nine receptions for 163 yards with two touchdowns. He’s had only one game with more yards in his five-year career.


“He understands the game really well. I think it’s probably just more of a testament to him than anything,” Stafford said in his press conference. “He’s one of those guys that’s about as overlooked as anybody in the league. He’s extremely talented, does everything that we ask him to do, whether it’s blocking for his other guys on the team, whether it be receivers or running backs, running down the field making big plays, catching the ball behind the line of scrimmage and going for big plays. He’s a really talented player, and I’m just happy that I get to work with him.”

Kupp said Stafford did a good job of taking what Indianapolis’ defense gave him on Sunday. But even though Kupp has been plenty productive in the season’s first two weeks, he feels like there’s plenty for L.A. to correct.

“Like I’ve touched on before, it’s obviously making the most of the reps we get,” Kupp said postgame. “In the short time or OTAs, training camp — we get the most of every rep we have, but also some time between to refresh on and be able to talk through the reps that we don’t get to have. What we are seeing and how we would do things and get and add those mental reps to the physical reps that we are doing — you can get a lot done.

“Still a lot to fix. You know there was the third down there that we weren’t on the same page and that’s really my fault, not being clear with how I run that route and that signal in terms of what I was thinking. Really comes down to me just being able to execute better for him on that. That’s still a lot of stuff that we can improve on, but that’s really what it is. It’s just that time between.”

Kupp and Stafford will have another tough test in Week Three, taking on the Buccaneers in Los Angeles.