The Los Angeles Rams have enjoyed a legendary season from star quarterback Matthew Stafford, who earned a spot on the AP First Team and is widely expected to claim MVP honors this year. However, Stafford’s quest for a second Super Bowl ring took a hit when he suffered a finger injury during Los Angeles’s Wild Card round victory over the Carolina Panthers.
“I got a finger bent back,” Stafford said after the win. “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. I was obviously able to finish the game and throw it decent.
“You know, once the ball’s snapped, the adrenaline’s pretty good. So we’ll hopefully, you know, just keep it going.”
By Wednesday, Stafford reported feeling much better. “We did a good job of jumping on it, wrapping it before the plane and all that stuff,” he said after participating fully in practice. “Whatever was there is gone now. It feels good.”
Unfortunately for the Rams, their backup quarterback situation looks uncertain. Jimmy Garoppolo was a non-participant in Wednesday’s practice due to a back injury, according to Josh Alper of Pro Football Talk, greatly reducing his chances of playing in Sunday’s game against the Chicago Bears.
“Jimmy Garoppolo was added to the injury report on Thursday because of a back injury. Garoppolo did not participate in practice and his absence on Sunday would leave Stetson Bennett as the backup to Stafford,” Alper reported.
Fans quickly reacted to the news on social media. “Getting hurt on the bench is hilarious. Classic Jimmy,” one fan wrote on Twitter. Another added, “They’re in trouble if Bennett has to go lol.”
With Stafford managing a finger injury and limited backup depth behind him, it will be interesting to see if he ends up playing through discomfort that might have otherwise sidelined him. The Rams’ postseason hopes could very well depend on it.
https://thecomeback.com/nfl/rams-jimmy-garoppolo-back-injury-fans-react.html
