Sean McVay Hit With Unsettling Concern Right After Matthew Stafford Sounds Sure of His Health

The Rams had big plans for their offense with Davante Adams. However, none of it would work without Matthew Stafford, who spent the last few weeks dealing with a back injury. Sean McVay finally breathed a sigh of relief when the starting QB returned to practice. Soon, however, another issue threatened the peace for the coach and the Rams.

The thing about Stafford is that even after his return, some believe his injury and age might become a hurdle while playing a full 17-game season. Tyler Dragon, in his interview on Bleav, raised valid concerns. “Back injuries don’t necessarily get better, especially, when you a bulging disc or a hernia…they don’t get better over the course of the season. And when you accumulate all those hits and all those sacks, you can easily re-aggravate it,” he said. Repeated hits can easily impact a quarterback’s mechanics, throwing power, and pocket movement.

The coaches and staff had long kept Stafford away from practice to allow him to heal properly. Even after his return, McVay didn’t reveal a timeline for the regular season. However, the coach recently announced that Stafford will start in Week 1. Despite that, the Rams are still cautious in managing their QB. It was only on August 18 that he began showing up for practice sessions and gradually improved.

Before that, Stafford even had to take an epidural to deal with his “aggravated disc.” He missed quite a few games, raising concerns about how he would team up with Adams to execute the offense the coaches had been working on. The two didn’t get as much practice time together this summer as they would’ve liked, but they still found ways to build chemistry.

Whether it was breaking down plays on the sideline, pointing out video replays, or just talking through adjustments, they made the most of those “mental reps.” Now that Stafford is back at practice, the two are finally getting live reps together. While they are still improving their game, the two believe that they’re in a good spot heading into Week 1, just like Stafford, who is confident about his ability to perform.

Matthew Stafford Is Rearing to Get Back on the Field, No Matter What

Despite all the chatter about his performance, Stafford looks good. He has continued to get better at it during training camp. In an interview, he said that he would play at any cost. “Oh, I’m going to go play the game,” Stafford said.

“Whatever happens, happens. I’m playing like I always play. I got no issues with a physical game. Obviously, would love to stay as clean as possible, but I’m not thinking twice about that at all. I’m out there ready to go play,” Stafford further elaborated on his desire to get back on the field as soon as possible.

And, the right approach for the Rams is to be cautious with their quarterback. Other analysts and experts have echoed the same sentiment as Dragon, that Stafford’s injury might reappear. They’ve suggested that the team will need to monitor him carefully throughout the season. While the organization does not expect it to sideline him for long or affect his early-season performance, the concerns mentioned by the experts and analysts cannot be ignored.

Stafford is expected to push through and complete the season, yet it might not always be a smooth ride. In his absence, backup Jimmy Garoppolo kept the offense moving efficiently. He will have to step up if the injury bug were to bite the QB again. Moreover, the coach is also aware that an injury could flare up unexpectedly. As for now, the team and fandom hope for the QB to pave the way for another Super Bowl win.