RAMS OFFENSIVE line protects quarterback Matt Stafford and opens lanes for runners (Brevin Townsell/Rams).

By Greg Beacham/AP Sports Writer

LOS ANGELES (AP) – Although most NFL teams are exponentially better when their starting quarterback is upright and healthy, it`s been particularly true for the Los Angeles Rams over the past three seasons.

Matthew Stafford has been safe and comfortable in the pocket lately, and it`s no coincidence the Rams are on their longest winning streak since their Super Bowl triumph.

Stafford has been sacked only once during the Rams` three straight victories since their bye week. He has barely been touched at all in the past two weeks, with Arizona and Cleveland registering just five combined quarterback hits and no sacks.

Meanwhile, the Rams (6-6) have jumped into an NFC playoff race that appeared to be out of their reach only a month ago, thanks to this stretch of exceptional protection and smart play-calling designed to keep their franchise quarterback doing what he does best.

“It`s always a goal,” coach Sean McVay said Monday. “The guys have done a great job of executing. I think Matthew has done a great job of distributing the ball. … You always want to be able to keep your quarterback clean, pick and choose your spots, but ultimately it`s a credit to Matthew and the offensive line`s execution.”

Stafford and McVay were quick to send praise to Los Angeles` much-improved offensive line Sunday after Stafford`s second straight no-sack outing in a 36-19 victory over the Browns, who couldn`t get Myles Garrett and his teammates anywhere near Stafford on most snaps.

That freed Stafford to hit the NFL`s top-ranked pass defense for 279 yards and three TDs, highlighted by a spectacular 70-yard scoring pass to rookie Puka Nacua.

“My guys were balling today, so I was so fired up,” Stafford said. “That’s a hell of a rush (from Cleveland). They were bringing pressures, they were rushing four, they were doing all sorts of stuff to us, and our guys to step up there and protect the way they did today was amazing.”

The offensive line was one of the Rams` decided weak points last season, and Stafford suffered the consequences. He was sacked 29 times in just nine games in 2022 before he was declared out for the season with a bruised spinal cord almost certainly caused by those hits.

Stafford has been sacked only 20 times in 11 games this season, and six of those were in one early season game at Cincinnati. He has been sacked only four times in five games since mid-October.

“I thought we had a great plan, but shoot, we threw the rock,“ Stafford said of the Browns game. “We weren’t sitting there just (blocking) those guys up front. We were just saying, ‘Let’s go play our game and have a lot of confidence in those guys.'”

“(Stafford) got the ball out quickly at times, and then when they held it, protection seemed to be holding up and (they) found some deep balls,” Cleveland coach Kevin Stefanski said.