Matthew Stafford and the Detroit Lions were not sharp in Sunday's 37-13 loss in Chicago.
Stafford threw four interceptions -- two of which were returned for touchdowns -- sparked a skirmish between the teams, and was generally ineffective and wild in the conditions at Soldier Field while attempting a team-record 63 passes.
Stafford also played the game with a fractured right index finger, an injury he revealed after the game, saying "it's not that bad."
According to the Detroit Free Press, Stafford injured the finger during the first half of a win over the Broncos two weeks ago, the team's last game before it was on bye last week.
Stafford didn't use his finger as an excuse, but it could very well be the reason his throws were erratic. He finished 33 of 63 for 329 yards, with one touchdown. Stafford said the fact he wore gloves on both hands had nothing to do with the finger injury, but were to get a better grip on the ball in the outdoor conditions.
Stafford had been listed on the injury report as probable with right finger and ankle injuries. While the ankle injury was thought to be the major concern, the seemingly minor detail of Stafford's finger is now much more relevant following Sunday's forgettable loss that dropped the Lions into a second-place tie with the Bears in the NFC North.
