Matthew Stafford’s right elbow is officially on the Rams’ injury report, but the quarterback insists it’s nothing more than the kind of wear and tear that comes with being 38 and still slinging it every week.
The issue first drew attention after Sunday’s game against the Chargers, when reporters noticed ice on Stafford’s throwing arm. Sean McVay addressed it Monday by calling it “ soreness ” and leaving the rest to Stafford. By Wednesday, Stafford was ready to answer for himself.
“It feels good,” Stafford said when asked about what the team listed as a right elbow injury. “Full practice as I have been all year and hope to continue to be that way.”
He also brushed off the attention around the ice pack.
“You guys have been blind,” Stafford said with a laugh and a smile. “I feel like I’ve been icing my arm every day out here walking around.
That’s on you guys. You all are the ones that are out there reporting that I have ice on my arm.
Listen, I’m 38 years old trying to keep up with these young bucks. A little bit of soreness and stuff that is not uncommon this time of year.
Again, I haven’t missed a rep at practice. I haven’t missed a rep in a game and I feel good.
I’m not too worried about it.”
Still, the fact that the Rams listed the elbow on their first injury report before the Week 9 game at Washington makes it worth watching. If it truly is no big deal, the disclosure raises questions. And if it is something more, the Rams have at least put it on the record.
There’s also precedent for teams trying to keep elbow problems quiet. In 2019, the Steelers hid Ben Roethlisberger’s elbow issue before he eventually suffered a season-ending, non-contact elbow injury in Week 2. The team and Mike Tomlin were later fined, $75,000 and $25,000, respectively, for failing to disclose it.
For now, Stafford’s situation appears to be more about monitoring than alarm. But elbow soreness is unusual this late in the season, especially for a quarterback who throws far less in practice once the games start. As Simms pointed out on PFT Live, that kind of problem is more likely to show up in training camp than in November.
The Rams may also be feeling the effects in how they’re calling games. Stafford threw 55 passes in Week 3, 51 in Week 4, and 54 in Week 5. Since then, the volume has dropped to 33 in Week 6, 29 in Week 7, and 25 in Week 8.
Even if the elbow isn’t keeping him out of practice, it could still be affecting how much force and velocity he can put on the ball. And if that’s the case, it’s the kind of issue that can snowball.
Stafford has played through plenty of injuries before, and the expectation is that he’ll keep doing it now. Unless, of course, the elbow gets to the point where he physically can’t.
In Other News...
Rams Punt Return Decision Could Reveal What They Really Trust
The Rams latest roster shuffle says a lot about how they are trying to balance immediate needs with special teams stability. By moving Alex Bachman to the practice squad to create room for cornerback Cam Lampkin on the active roster, Los Angeles opened up a question it has been carrying quietly for a while: who do they actually trust to handle punt returns if the game turns on field position?
For now, the options are all familiar ones. Bachman remains in the mix, Brennan Presley is waiting on the practice squad, and Tutu Atwell is still a possibility as a receiver who can add return value. The Rams could also look outside the building for someone who offers both return ability and offensive help, which would be a sign they want more certainty than the current group provides. [Read more 🡒]
Justin Herbert Just Became The Face Of The Chargers' Latest Embarrassment
The Chargers rough start has become impossible to ignore, and it has only added another layer to the pressure surrounding Justin Herbert. Los Angeles is off to an 0-7 record, the offense has gone cold, and the team has failed to score a touchdown in its last two games, making every mistake feel magnified as the losses pile up.
Quentin Lake added to the chatter this week when he took aim at Herbert on a podcast, pointing to the quarterbacks interceptions in a recent game. Herbert has thrown 10 interceptions against five touchdown passes this season, a jarring line for a player expected to steady the Chargers through this kind of stretch, and the criticism is only going to grow louder until the offense shows some kind of answer. [Read more 🡒]
Rams Face One Big Defensive Question Against Surging Commanders
The Rams head into their matchup with Washington riding a two-game winning streak and sitting tied for second in the NFC West, a stretch that has helped steady them as the division race tightens. The Commanders, meanwhile, are coming off a statement win over the Philadelphia Eagles and are trying to string together consecutive victories for the first time this season, so this one carries a little more weight than a typical early-November meeting.
Injuries are part of the backdrop on both sides, with several key players getting back on the practice field in limited fashion while others remain out after surgery or lingering ailments. For Los Angeles, the bigger concern is how its defense handles a Washington team that has found some momentum and is starting to look more dangerous by the week, especially with both clubs trying to keep pace in crowded division races. [Read more 🡒]