AP Photo/Jed Jacobsohn
Legendary quarterback Troy Aikman raised questions over whether the addition of Odell Beckham Jr. will benefit the Los Angeles Rams and starting quarterback Matthew Stafford.
Aikman said Tuesday during an appearance on 96.7 The Ticket in Dallas (via Texans Wire’s Mark Lane) that Stafford “now feels some of the pressure that maybe Baker Mayfield felt of, Hey, we got to get this guy involved.“
Mark Lane @therealmarklane
Troy Aikman told <a href=”https://twitter.com/dfwticket?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>@dfwticket</a> that <a href=”https://twitter.com/hashtag/Rams?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>#Rams</a> QB Matthew Stafford may be feeling what <a href=”https://twitter.com/hashtag/Browns?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>#Browns</a> QB Baker Mayfield felt in having to force the ball to Odell Beckham. Aikman also wonders if the Rams’ recent acquisitions have shaken the team’s foundation. <a href=”https://t.co/WgpVYABj9j”>pic.twitter.com/WgpVYABj9j</a>
It’s premature to draw any conclusions about Beckham’s tenure in Los Angeles. He had a muted Rams debut, catching two passes for 18 yards on three targets in a 31-10 loss to the San Francisco 49ers. Stafford finished 26-of-41 for 243 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions.
His first interception came when he was targeting Beckham down the field.
NFL @NFL
Jimmie Ward intercepts the deep pass for the <a href=”https://twitter.com/49ers?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>@49ers</a> defense! <a href=”https://twitter.com/hashtag/FTTB?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>#FTTB</a><br><br>????: <a href=”https://twitter.com/hashtag/LARvsSF?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>#LARvsSF</a> on ESPN<br>????: <a href=”https://t.co/Pbh7qEl7Sy”>https://t.co/Pbh7qEl7Sy</a> <a href=”https://t.co/gTDh4f2LGu”>pic.twitter.com/gTDh4f2LGu</a>
Particularly this season, there has been plenty of conversation about whether Mayfield benefited more from Beckham’s absence than his presence on the field.
Mayfield was an efficient 14-of-21 for 218 yards and two touchdowns in a 41-16 blowout of the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 9 immediately after Cleveland signaled a desire to move on from OBJ. On Sunday, though, the Browns quarterback had just 73 passing yards, one touchdown and one interception as the team lost 45-7 to the New England Patriots.
Life without Beckham has been a mixed bag for Mayfield so far.
Aikman’s comments illustrate how some will now view his arrival as a point of demarcation in evaluating Stafford’s first year in L.A.
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