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Matthew Stafford vs Joe Burrow: Strengths & weaknesses of Super Bowl LVI QBs

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We’ve got ourselves a QB matchup for the ages in Super Bowl LVI: Matthew Stafford vs Joe Burrow. While not having Tom Brady or Patrick Mahomes at this stage could be a bummer for some, true football fans know this will also be a treat to watch.

Matthew Stafford vs Joe Burrow comparison

Both the Los Angeles Rams and Cincinnati Bengals trust their gunslinger to call their own plays. They don’t hesitate to put pressure on their shoulders, and they’ve delivered with MVP-caliber seasons. Fortunately, we could think of at least a dozen worse Super Bowl-winning QBs than any of these guys.

One has youth on his side, the other has more than plenty of experience, but they’re both first-timers at this stage. So, who’ll end up writing his name in the Super Bowl winners’ list? Who has the QB edge in this matchup? Let’s break it down.

Accuracy: Joe Burrow

Ever since his days at LSU, Joe Burrow made a name for himself for his efficiency and accuracy. He’s got a 68.2% completion percentage per his career and completed north of 70% of his passes this season. Considering how terrible his offensive line is, that’s even more impressive.

Matthew Stafford has completed 63% of his attempts throughout his career. He tends to miss his receivers when he tries to go for the home run and often underthrows the ball. His throws into double-coverage are sometimes a pick in the making.

       

Arm strength: Matthew Stafford

Joe Burrow has a strong arm and hasn’t hesitated to let it rip from distance. Then again, Matthew Stafford has one of the strongest arms in the NFL. Sometimes, Stafford’s arm strength hasn’t exactly gone in his favor, as the ball has bounced off his receivers’ hands or he’s overthrown it.

Burrow has connected with his receivers in stride and has shocked rival defenses by going for the endzone from midfield. But Stafford has a bazooka for an arm and is one of the few players who could consistently complete a Hail Mary.

Big plays: Joe Burrow

Matthew Stafford has completed some big-time throws in his career. He’s got the grittiness and toughness of a guy who’ll play through injury and pain and has had some iconic moments and game-winning drives during his days in Detroit.

But Joe Burrow has also proved to have that ‘It’ factor despite his brief stint in the league. From his epic performances in the SEC to his ability to break through tackles, shake off pressure, and even scramble and extend plays give him the nod here.

Clutchness: Matthew Stafford

Despite his lack of success in the playoffs, Matthew Stafford has proven to be one of the all-time great clutch performers. He’s got 34 fourth-quarter comebacks (which is tied for fifth with Johnny Unitas) and 42 game-winning drives in his career.

While Joe Burrow has also put together some impressive late-game performances, he hasn’t been around for that long to beat Stafford in this regard. Also, Matthew Stafford did it in a historically-struggling franchise with not much help besides Calvin Johnson.

       

Experience: Matthew Stafford

Experience will be a huge factor to weigh in when making Super Bowl LVI predictions. And, I mean, it takes a lot of guts to be at your best when the Vince Lombardi trophy is at stake, which is why most people don’t trust the young Bengals to get the job done.

Joe Burrow has been in the spotlight for quite some time. He’s got the chance to be the first player to win Heisman, the NCAA National Title, and the Super Bowl, so it’s not like he’s not used to the pressure. But Stafford has been around for 13 years now.

Mobility: Joe Burrow

While neither of those QBs is exactly Lamar Jackson, Joe Burrow is way more mobile than people think. He can take off when the defense gives him a lane and he’s made some big plays with his feet since entering the league, including five rushing touchdowns.

Matthew Stafford has never been much of a speedster and rarely extends plays on the ground. He’s big, strong, and difficult to knock down just like Josh Allen but he’s not that fast, especially at this point in his career. He’s never needed to be mobile, though.

Talent: Joe Burrow

And last but not least, we have to give the edge to Joe Burrow here. Obviously, both being former first-overall picks, they have the whole package when it comes to being franchise quarterbacks, but Burrow is still one-tier ahead of Stafford in that regard.

Burrow is a generational talent. He turned a 2-14 team and a perennial playoff-hopeful into a legit Super Bowl contender in his first full season as a starter. He rises under pressure and never ceases to amaze, and the best part is that he’s just getting started.

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