Matthew Stafford reacts to MVP chants from Rams fans on Sunday night

Matthew Stafford checked a big box in his first season with the Los Angeles Rams by winning the Super Bowl right away. This season, he might check another box: league MVP.

After 11 games, Stafford has emerged as the favorite to win the coveted award for the first time in his career. He’s unquestionably playing better than everyone else, too, throwing a league-high 30 touchdown passes with only two interceptions.

He continued his hot streak during Sunday night’s 34-7 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, throwing for 273 yards and three touchdowns with zero picks. Fans have appreciated how well he’s playing right now and showered him with “MVP” chants at SoFi Stadium.

Stafford was asked after the game if he heard those chants and he appreciated them.

“Yeah, I did. That was cool. That was awesome,” he said before quickly deflecting praise and complimenting the fans for their energy. “It was a great atmosphere out there today. Our fans did a great job showing up. Obviously, both sides of the ball gave them something to cheer about early and often, which was really cool. But they were loud. It was a tough environment, I feel like, for Tampa, and we appreciate that, so it was great.”

Stafford and Drake Maye have been dueling in the MVP race for a couple of weeks but the Rams QB is pulling ahead with a remarkable stretch of 27 straight touchdown passes without a single interception.

The Pats might have one more win than the Rams, but Stafford is playing better than Maye right now – something no one can argue with a straight face. And as important as wins are in the MVP race, individual play is weighed more heavily in voters’ eyes.

As long as Stafford doesn’t fall apart in the last six games, he’ll be well on his way to being crowned the NFL’s most valuable player.

This article originally appeared on Rams Wire: Matthew Stafford reacts to MVP chants from Rams fans on Sunday night