Los Angeles - 28, Detroit - 19
MATTHEW STAFFORD: It was a good game for sure. I mean, you know, all the fakes and just some possessions stolen there. You know, great plays by them. But, you know, just kind of had a weird feel to it.
Didn't touch the ball too much in the first half. But when we got our opportunities, we scored with it. Which was good. You know, it was a team win.
You know, special teams came back and made a big play with Matt at the end of the game with Matt making that field goal to ice it. Jalen making a great play late in the game to get us the pick.
You know, I thought we did some decent stuff on offense scoring with the football. So a team win. Detroit's a tough out. Always has been, probably always will be. You know, just happy to get one.
Q. Before kickoff, was it emotional for you at all when you were kind of chatting with some of your friends and former teammates?
MATTHEW STAFFORD: No. Just good to see them. I just haven't seen those guys in a while. I talk to them, you know, on text and all that kind of stuff. But just good to see their face, see those guys.
Spent a lot of time with a lot of those people over there and have some really good relationships. So it was good to see those people again.
Q. (No microphone.)
MATTHEW STAFFORD: Yeah, I saw Sheila. Yeah, she was here. Her husband was here. So it was good to see -- Martha wasn't. But got to see, you know, her, Rod Wood, all those people. So it was good to see them.
Q. Matthew, what did you feel or how did you feel about -- I mean, there were a lot of Detroit fans and a lot of them were wearing your nine jersey. How did that make you feel?
MATTHEW STAFFORD: It was humbling. You know, it was really nice to see. You know, driving into this stadium today, I saw a few walking around and I thought to myself, That was pretty cool.
You know, I really appreciate it. I've said it a bunch of times, and I truly mean it, I loved my time there. I love, you know, all the people there that treated me, my family, my wife, with a ton of respect and a ton of grace for a long time.
So, you know, it was cool to see that. Once the ball was snapped, it was football time. I was ready to go play. But it was cool to see some of the stuff going on around.
Q. Being your former team, you hear players at least ahead of time say that they're inspired to perform -- it may be extra special or extra special performance. You just said once the ball was snapped, it was a football game. But was there a sense that, you know, you're performing in front of friends, against friends, that you just wanted to have a really good game?
MATTHEW STAFFORD: No. I want to have a really good game every time I step out there. There was nothing extra, to be honest with you. I just wanted to do whatever we had to do to help us win. And that's how, you know, I kind of approach it every single week.
Each game is going to unfold a little bit different. You know, today was as strange of an opening, you know, part of a game as I've been a part of. But I thought we were even keel.
I think that started from our head coach all the way down. Everybody did a great job in weathering the storm and knowing that if we went out there and executed what we were supposed to do, we were going to be in a good place and finally got the opportunities to do that and went and did it.
Q. Was there any reason why there was a slow start in the first half?
MATTHEW STAFFORD: We scored 17 points on three possessions. You know, we had two touchdowns and a field goal. So, I mean, that's not perfect. I'd love to have 21, but I'll take 17 on three possessions. So...
Q. You were able to connect with your receivers, especially with Kupp and Jefferson. How good did it feel to have that success?
MATTHEW STAFFORD: You know, I'm just happy for our guys on the outside. They work so hard. You know, our guys are running every day at practice, doing everything they can to be as good a receiver as they possibly can be. And it shows on Sundays. I thought all of our guys on the outside did a great job.
You know, Higgs had a big catch on a third and ten. Robert Woods had some big catches on third down, had some great feel in there. Cooper did some great stuff. Van went up and, you know, played huge and made a great catch on a third down to score.
I mean, those are huge plays in a game. And I just can't say enough about those guys. They work their tail off and I'm just happy that that work is paying off for them on Sundays and they're getting to go out there and shine.
Q. (Question concerning Cooper Kupp.)
MATTHEW STAFFORD: It's good. You know, I think we spend a lot of time together, we spend a lot of time talking about the game of football. I really do that with all of our receivers.
I'm lucky in that regard that our guys love the game, love the Xs and Os, love the little tiny parts that make the passing game really good or just okay.
And so, you know, I'm just happy and blessed to work with those guys. I feel lucky to do it, you know? And just trying to make the most of it.
Q. Has this been on your calendar for a while and is there a part of you that's that happy that it's over now?
MATTHEW STAFFORD: I don't know. You know, I had so many things changing in my life, you know, going on, that -- you know, I knew this one was out there but I wasn't sitting there thinking about it. I had plenty of other stuff to think about, to be honest with you.
You know, it's been a little bit of a whirlwind. I'm just trying to be as prepared as I can to help us win. And, you know, am I happy it's over with? Yeah.
You know, I got a lot of great friends, a lot of people I care about that are on that team or from that city, and just glad to have this one over with. Can put the story lines away and just go out and play football the rest of the year and just enjoy it.
Q. You guys came into this game really -- very blunt about how you had been on third down the previous two weeks. And then improved remarkably today. What was that week like within, first of all, the designs and the different things you guys went out and the execution in the game?
MATTHEW STAFFORD: I thought Sean gave us an opportunity to be great on third down today. He does every week. It comes down to execution. It comes down to me doing my job, our guys upfront doing their job, and receivers getting open and catching the football.
We hadn't done that at a rate that I think we're capable of and Coach thinks we're capable of. And I agree with him. You know, the last couple weeks -- it was nice to get out there and do it again today.
Were we perfect? No. On fourth down, just -- somebody tell me to run the dang thing. (Laughing.) I mean, it's so open, I just don't know what the hell to do in space. So I got to run that thing, get the first fourth, keep us on the field.
There's definitely plays I want back, that being a big one. So still a lot to improve on. But I'm proud of our guys for making an concerted effort on some, being able to stay on the field.
Our defense was on the field a lot early because of those, you know, onsides and fake punts and stuff, and it was big for us to kind of convert some third downs early in the game just to give them a little bit of a break, you know, not be two, three-play drives.
Q. How does it feel to be one of 12 guys that have thrown for 300 passes? You tied Elway today. What does that mean for you?
MATTHEW STAFFORD: It means a little bit. You know, I grew up watching John and I was a huge fan. I wore No. 7 in high school and college because of John. And I was a huge fan of the way he played the game, the way he threw the ball, all of that.
It's pretty cool. I'm sure I'll appreciate it probably more when I'm done playing. But along the way, it's nice to get that done with a win.
If we had not won the game, I would probably be feeling a little bit different about it. But being able to play the game and do something like that, it's pretty special.
Q. The Lions have been involved in a lot of fourth quarter comebacks. What did it feel like to be -- it's your 33rd fourth-quarter comeback just kind of against the Lions and how important was that to you?
MATTHEW STAFFORD: I didn't even think about that until you just said it. But I'm just trying to do whatever it takes to win the game, you know? And if that's -- ball's handed with me with however much time's left to go out there and try and do something, I'm going to try and do it.
It was a team effort at the end today. You know, it may go on my record as a quarterback or whatever. But Jalen gets a pick, Matt Gay hits a field goal to really ice the thing.
Yeah, we had a touchdown in there, too, but that's a team fourth quarter right there. That's all phases coming together. I mean, that play by Jalen is unbelievable, you know?
I mean, that's a long drive. They're going down there, they're about to get seven and make it really tough on us. And he just comes out of nowhere and makes the play of the day. So I'm happy to be on the team with a guy like that. And I'm just happy we came away with a win.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports