The Los Angeles Rams are headed into a cold-weather showdown in the Divisional Round, and all eyes are on Matthew Stafford - not just for what he can do with the football, but how well he can grip it.
Stafford, the veteran quarterback who's been the steady hand guiding this Rams offense, is nursing a finger sprain on his throwing hand. The injury came during last week’s Wild Card win over the Carolina Panthers - a game where Stafford, true to form, gutted it out and kept the offense humming. You might’ve seen the moment on the broadcast: a finger bent awkwardly on the sideline, Stafford wincing but staying in the game.
“I got a finger bent back,” Stafford said after the game. “They saw it on the TV, on the sideline or whatever.
I didn’t, obviously, know exactly what had happened. It wasn’t pleasant.
It wasn’t great. We’ll see what it is.
Was obviously able to finish the game and throw it decent.”
That’s classic Stafford - understated toughness. He didn’t miss a snap, and while the throws weren’t always pristine, he kept the Rams in rhythm and did enough to get the win.
Adrenaline, as he mentioned, certainly helped. But now it’s about recovery, and how that finger holds up when the adrenaline fades and the wind chill kicks in.
Fast forward to midweek, and the tone around Stafford’s injury has shifted in a positive direction. On Wednesday, he was a full participant in practice and sounded optimistic about his status heading into Sunday’s clash with the Bears.
“Great,” he said when asked how the finger was feeling. “I think it should be good.”
Stafford credited the Rams’ medical staff for acting quickly postgame. “We did a good job of jumping on it, wrapping it before the plane and all that stuff,” he said.
“Whatever was there is gone now. It feels good.”
That’s encouraging news for a Rams team that will need every ounce of Stafford’s arm talent and experience in what’s expected to be a brutally cold environment in Chicago. The elements will be a factor - they always are this time of year in the Windy City. Freezing temps can wreak havoc on a quarterback’s grip, especially with a recently injured throwing hand.
But if Stafford says he’s good to go, history suggests you can take him at his word. He’s built his career on playing through pain and showing up when it matters most. The Rams will be counting on that again this weekend - because in a game where every possession counts, having No. 9 under center, even at less than 100%, gives them a fighting chance.