National Football League

Matthew Stafford's UCL sprain could be major blow to Rams' playoff hopes

Published Oct. 30, 2023 7:12 p.m. ET

Matthew Stafford has an injured thumb, and another season appears to be slipping away for the Los Angeles Rams.

Stafford hurt himself while fighting for extra points on two plays in the Rams' 40-23 loss at Dallas on Sunday. The Rams didn't give an official update on his condition early Monday, but a significant absence for their franchise quarterback would seriously imperil any hope of avoiding their second straight losing season under Sean McVay.

That's because the Rams (3-5) have lost two straight measuring-stick games to Pittsburgh and Dallas, two opponents that appear to belong in the playoff race. That's where the Rams thought they could be last month before they were brought back to reality by the consequences of their offseason roster gutting.

Instead, the Rams have lost five of their last seven games, beating only Indianapolis and Arizona. They were blown out by the Cowboys, falling behind 26-3 before they had even touched the ball four times.

Stafford's backup is Brett Rypien, who joined the club in May. The Rams don't have a third quarterback because fourth-round pick Stetson Bennett has been away from the team since the preseason for undisclosed reasons, and McVay decided not to sign another quarterback in the meantime.

Even with Stafford in their lineup, the Rams' shortcomings on the offensive line and throughout the defense have been made increasingly obvious in the last month when their opponents had more game film to digest. The early-season optimism has given way to the reality that the Rams don't have enough top-level players and coaching acumen to make up for their talent deficiency across the roster.

Reporting by The Associated Press.

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