What do the Broncos have to gameplan for when matching up against Matthew Stafford?

The Denver Broncos have faced plenty of talented quarterbacks over the past two seasons. Patrick Mahomes. Josh Allen. Jalen Hurts. The league is stocked with elite passers who test defenses in different ways.

But the opponent walking into Denver on Sunday night might be the most complete of them all, and he just won the MVP to prove it.

On a recent edition of “Stokley and Evans, with Mark Schlereth” on 104.3 The Fan, the hosts turned their attention to the Week 3 matchup against Matthew Stafford and the Los Angeles Rams.

Stafford is coming off a season that cemented his place among the greatest of his generation, 4,707 yards, 46 touchdowns, and just 8 interceptions. His career totals now stand at a staggering 64,998 yards and 427 touchdowns on a 63.5 percent completion rate. In his 18th professional season, Stafford isn’t just surviving. He’s thriving at the highest level.

Mike Evans asked Schlereth to identify what makes Stafford so dangerous.

“Stink, you’ve done some Matthew Stafford games. What is his superpower?” Evans asked.

Schlereth’s answer wasn’t one thing. It was everything.

“One, from the neck up, man, he knows exactly what he’s looking for. He knows exactly where he wants to go with the football at all times. So he’s expectational that way,” Schlereth said.

He then moved to the physical traits that make Stafford’s mental processing so lethal.

“Unbelievably accurate from multiple platforms. And he’s still more athletic than you think, as far as avoiding pressures, moving around in the pocket,” Schlereth said.

The combination of intelligence and accuracy is what separates Stafford from most quarterbacks who have played the position at a high level for as long as he has. But Schlereth wasn’t finished.

“Just deadly accurate. Really, super smart. Great job of looking people off and throwing, you know, looking one way, throwing the opposite way. Being on target with that stuff,” Schlereth said.

He then identified the trait that makes Stafford truly unique, and truly terrifying for defensive coordinators.

“And I will say this, not afraid to fit it in. That dude will throw it in, I mean, the tiniest of windows,” Schlereth said.

That willingness to challenge tight coverage is the difference between a good quarterback and a great one. Most passers see a tight window and check down. Stafford sees a tight window and fires with the accuracy and arm talent to make it work more often than it should.

Schlereth closed with the summary that encompasses everything.

“He’s got all those things, man. There’s a reason he’s a (future) Hall of Famer. And he still has big-time arm talent,” Schlereth said.

The Broncos defense has the talent to compete with anyone. Pat Surtain II, Nik Bonitto, Zach Allen, the pieces are in place. But Sunday night’s challenge is different from anything they have faced in the first two weeks.

Stafford isn’t going to beat himself. He isn’t going to make the mental mistakes that lesser quarterbacks make under pressure. And he isn’t going to shy away from throws that most quarterbacks wouldn’t attempt.

Denver needs to be disciplined, physical, and relentless in its pursuit of the quarterback. Because if Stafford gets comfortable in the pocket with time, with clean reads, with the kind of windows he has spent 18 years fitting footballs through, the Broncos defense is going to have a very long night under the Sunday Night Football lights.

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