Matthew Stafford's thumb injury cost him nearly half of the Rams' Week 8 loss. Whether his absence continues into Week 9 remains to be seen.
Stafford suffered a sprained UCL in his right thumb and is considered day to day, Rams coach Sean McVay announced Monday.
Stafford first appeared to sustain a thumb issue when he hit it on a helmet during the game against Dallas, but didn't exit until he caught a pass and landed on the affected thumb during a successful two-point try. Backup Brett Rypien replaced him for the remainder of the 43-20 loss to the Cowboys.
With a bye week coming in Week 10, it would make sense for the Rams to hold Stafford out of their Week 9 game at Green Bay. At 3-5, though, the Rams don't have a ton of time to get back on track before they find themselves in too deep of a hole.
Stafford has enjoyed a resurgent 2023 season, displaying sharp accuracy and a return of his arm strength while helping previously unknown receivers Puka Nacua and Tutu Atwell rack up over 1,100 combined receiving yards and five touchdowns. Stafford currently owns a 59.7 completion percentage, 2,070 passing yards and an 8-7 TD-INT ratio.
If the Rams decide to follow a cautious route with Stafford, their fans can prepare for a weekend spent watching Rypien handle the role. We'll see how Stafford progresses through the week.