Matthew Stafford has been nothing short of spectacular this season. The veteran quarterback has delivered one of the finest campaigns of his career-earning a spot on the AP First Team and positioning himself as the frontrunner for league MVP. His arm talent, leadership, and ability to elevate the Rams’ offense have all been on full display, and it’s no stretch to say he’s been the engine behind Los Angeles’ postseason push.
But just as the Rams began their playoff run with a Wild Card win over the Panthers, Stafford’s health suddenly became a storyline. Late in the game, he suffered a finger injury-something that, at first glance, didn’t seem catastrophic but certainly raised eyebrows.
“I got a finger bent back,” Stafford said after the win. “They saw it on 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-toughing it out, downplaying the pain, and keeping his eyes on the bigger picture. The adrenaline clearly helped in the moment, and he managed to finish the game without a noticeable drop-off in performance.
Fast forward to midweek, and there was encouraging news from the Rams’ practice facility. Stafford was a full participant on Wednesday, and it sounds like the team’s medical staff acted quickly to get ahead of the issue.
“We did a good job of jumping on it, wrapping it before the plane and all that stuff,” Stafford said. “Whatever was there is gone now. It feels good.”
That’s a huge sigh of relief for the Rams, who are counting on Stafford to lead them deep into the postseason. But while Stafford’s trending in the right direction, the depth behind him just got a little shakier.
Backup quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo was a surprise addition to the injury report on Thursday with a back issue. He didn’t practice, and if he’s unable to go on Sunday against the Bears, that would leave second-year quarterback Stetson Bennett as Stafford’s primary backup.
Garoppolo’s absence isn’t just a footnote-it’s a real concern. While Bennett has shown flashes in limited action, he’s untested in the postseason, and the Rams would much prefer to keep him on the sideline. If Stafford were to aggravate his finger or take another hit, the margin for error shrinks dramatically without a proven veteran behind him.
The Rams haven’t officially ruled Garoppolo out, but missing a Thursday practice this late in the week is usually a red flag. That puts even more pressure on Stafford to stay upright and healthy, especially with the stakes getting higher each week.
As for the fans, social media lit up with reactions to Garoppolo’s injury-some humorous, others more concerned. But the bottom line is this: the Rams’ playoff hopes rest squarely on the shoulders (and now fingers) of Matthew Stafford.
If he’s able to play through the discomfort and keep delivering at the level we’ve seen all season, Los Angeles is still very much in the hunt. But if that finger becomes a bigger issue-or if Bennett is called into action-the road gets a lot tougher.