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theramswire.usatoday.com] Matthew Stafford considers himself lucky to play with Cooper Kupp: 'I pinch myself every day'
Cameron DaSilva
December 5, 2021 6:00 pm PT
Cooper Kupp is exactly the type of receiver every quarterback would love to have on his team. He’s evolved from being strictly a possession receiver out of the slot and become a dynamic threat who can win at every level of the field.
He can run short, quick routes to pick up first downs, run deep crossers that gain big chunks of yardage or block on the edge when the Rams run the ball, making him a do-it-all receiver for Los Angeles.
Matthew Stafford has helped take Kupp’s game to another level this season, but Kupp has also done a ton to help Stafford get settled in with the Rams, too. After Sunday’s win over the Jaguars, Stafford said he feels lucky to play with a guy like Kupp, pinching himself every day.
“I mean, he does everything right, you know?” Stafford said. “People probably watch him on TV and think he’s 5-10 and runs 4.6 and all that kind of stuff. He’s 6-2, 210 and runs great. He’s got great feel for the game. He’s a great competitor. He understands the game, does everything right. He leads that receiver group in the right way. I pinch myself every day just happy I get a chance to play with a guy like that and have a lot of respect for how he goes about his business and how he goes about attacking each opportunity, whether it be practicing or games. And then he’s great on game day: run after the catch, getting open versus man, feeling voids versus zone. He’s got a great feel for the game of football.”
Kupp caught another eight passes from Stafford in the Rams’ 37-7 win over Jacksonville, gaining 129 yards and scoring one touchdown – his 11th of the season. He’s the first player in NFL history to catch at least 100 passes with 10 touchdowns in his team’s first 12 games, which shows how special this season has been for Kupp.
Kupp might be lucky to have Stafford as his quarterback now, but Stafford is equally lucky to have a trustworthy receiver like Kupp at his disposal. These two haven’t missed a beat all season long and they’re well on their way to having one of the best campaigns ever by a Rams duo.
