Los Angeles Rams Quarterback Matthew Stafford Expected to Miss Week 9

The Los Angeles Rams could be without their franchise passer for Week 9's showdown with the Green Bay Packers. According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, quarterback Matthew Stafford is unlikely to play on Sunday due to a thumb injury.

Rams’ QB Matthew Stafford, listed as questionable for Sunday due to his thumb injury, is unlikely to play vs. the Packers, though the team is giving him all the time it can before it has to make any final decisions about his availability, per sources.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) November 5, 2023

Stafford injured the thumb on his throwing hand in Week 8's 43-20 loss to the Dallas Cowboys. He completed 13 of 22 passes for 162 yards, one touchdown, and one interception before exiting the game. He was replaced by Brett Rypien, who completed five of 10 passes for 42 yards.

Stafford rewarded the Rams with a career season and a Super Bowl win after the team dramatically traded for him in 2021, but injuries and diminished surrounding talent have seen him fall back to earth the past couple of years. Over his past 17 games, he has netted a mere 223.8 passing yards per game due in large part to a colossal 7.6% sack rate.

Despite his issues, Stafford's unavailability will be a major setback for the Rams in what is beginning to look like another lost season. At 3-5 and with tough games remaining against the Seattle Seahawks, San Fransico 49ers, Baltimore Ravens, and Cleveland Browns, the Rams will struggle to finish the year with a winning record. Playing Rypien for any extended period of time will all but doom them; his 62.8 passer rating, 5.7 interception percentage, and 5.11 net yards per pass attempt over his 140 career pass attempts are completely untenable for any team looking to compete.