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Sarah Barshop, ESPN Staff Writer
SANTA CLARA, Calif. — With a victory Sunday against the San Francisco 49ers, the Los Angeles Rams clinched the No. 6 seed in the NFC and will face the Detroit Lions in the first round of the playoffs.
It’s a meaningful opponent and location for quarterback Matthew Stafford, who was drafted by the Lions in 2009 and played in Detroit for 12 seasons before he was traded to Los Angeles.
Stafford, who did not play Sunday because the Rams had already clinched a wild-card spot, said going back to Ford Field is “exciting,” as is the fact the Rams are in the playoffs.
“Exciting for this team just to get to where we are right now, to be honest with you,” Stafford said. “So many people out there didn’t think we’d get to this point, and the ability to get to this point is a true testament to everybody in this locker room — coaches, everybody. It’s awesome.
“The opportunity happens to be in Detroit, which is fun for me on a personal level. … I know it’s going to be rocking there. Haven’t had a playoff game there about 30 years or whatever it is. So it’ll be a great atmosphere. It’ll be a tough task for us, but definitely excited.”
In Week 16, the Lions clinched the NFC North, winning the division for the first time since 1993. Stafford played in three playoff games during his 12 seasons in Detroit, all losses.
And though Stafford acknowledged there “will be a lot of stuff beforehand,” he added that a “football game is a football game once the ball is snapped.”
“It will be fun to see some of the people that I haven’t seen in a while, that I know are still around the building,” Stafford said. “And obviously it’ll be a different scenario and won’t be wearing their colors. But still, appreciate so many of the people there that gave me my start in this league and took care of me for 12 years, too.”
Quarterback Jared Goff will also be facing his former team next Sunday. The Rams traded up to draft Goff at No. 1 in 2016 and he took them to Super Bowl LIII.
Rams coach Sean McVay said that while “all those narratives are fun,” the game will be “about the Lions vs. the Rams.”
“They’ve done a great job earning a home playoff game, winning their division,” McVay said. “They’re excellent in all three phases. And like I said, I’m really excited about Matthew leading us. He’s done a great job this year. Proud of this football team and let’s see if we can put together our best game plan, put together a great week of preparation and then let’s see if we can go put it together for all four quarters, let it all hang out and see what the hell happens.”
