Matthew Stafford in concussion protocol; status vs. Cardinals in question

The Los Angeles Rams could be without their starting quarterback when they take on the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday.

Matthew Stafford is in concussion protocol and didn’t practice Wednesday, leaving his status unclear for the upcoming Week 10 matchup.

“Nobody wants to be out there more than Matthew Stafford,” Rams coach Sean McVay said Wednesday. “Nobody is a greater competitor, tougher, that I’ve ever been around. However, it was in terms of some of the questions that were asked (to Stafford after the game) in terms of getting to this point.”

The Rams believe that the injury occurred during their 16-13 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 9. Stafford was sacked four times as the Buccaneers officially recorded eight quarterback hits. With the four sacks on Sunday, Stafford’s been sacked 28 times this season, which is the third-most sacks a quarterback’s taken this season as the only two players ahead of him have played one more game. It’s also only two fewer than the number of times he was sacked last season. 

Los Angeles’ inconsistent offensive line has likely played a role in Stafford getting hit so much and his drop in play this season. The Rams have had a different starting offensive line in each of their eight games this season as Stafford’s thrown for 1,928 yards, eight touchdowns and eight interceptions for an 84.9 passer rating, which would be his worst in nearly 10 seasons.

Stafford’s been one of the league’s most durable quarterbacks over his 14-year career. The 34-year-old has only missed time due to an injury once since 2011, missing eight games in 2019 due to a back injury.

If Stafford can’t go, John Wolford would likely start in his place against the Cardinals. McVay remains optimistic about Stafford’s chances of playing, though.

“(We’re) still anticipating and having the optimistic approach that there’s a possibility that (Stafford) will be ready to go,” McVay said. “John has been our backup, but the reality is we’ll take it a day at a time.”

Still, McVay knows that concussions can’t be treated lightly and that the team has to be careful with Stafford’s long-term health.

“You put the priority where it’s about the person first,” McVay said. “This is so important, but when you think about it in the big picture, it’s a temporary moment in time. He’s got a beautiful family, wife, four daughters. There’s a lot of other responsibilities that these guys have.”

The Rams fell to 3-5 on the season with their loss in Week 9 and could fall into last place in the NFC West if they lose to the 3-6 Cardinals on Sunday.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.