NFL MVP favorite Matthew Stafford sparks health concerns after suffering ‘not pleasant’ injury in playoff win
Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthews Stafford admitted that he is concerned about the finger injury he sustained in his team’s dramatic playoff win over Carolina Panthers.
Near the end of the first half, Stafford stubbed a finger on the forearm of Panthers defensive lineman D.J. Wonnum and went down in pain. It wasn’t clear exactly what the specific issue was but it was unquestionably hindering Stafford.
At the time of the incident, he had completed nine throws from 13 but ended on 24 completions from 42 passes thrown. That still added up to 304 passing yards and three touchdowns, though.
Speaking after the game, the leading MVP conternder Staffordtold reporters: ‘I didn’t obviously know exactly what had happened.
‘It wasn’t pleasant. It wasn’t great. We’ll see what it is.’
But he insisted that whatever the medical examinations show, he should be able to keep on playing through it.
Matthew Stafford will have tests on the finger injury sustained as the Rams beat the Panthers
The 37-year-old Stafford admitted the issue ‘wasn’t great’ but was confident of playing on
‘I was obviously able to finish the game and throw it decent. Once the ball is snapped, the adrenaline is pretty good. So, we’ll hopefully just keep it going,’ Stafford added.
His head coach, Sean McVay, added: ‘You could see him shaking it. But he delivered a pretty damn good throw on the next play.’
Stafford ended the game the hero, finding his tight end Colby Parkinson through a perfectly placed 19-yard pass with just 38 seconds remaining on the clock for the touchdown that sealed a 34-31 win.
‘You see him out there, he just has the best composure of anyone I have ever seen,’ Parkinson said of his quarterback. ‘He knows that we are going to go make it happen and we completely trust him.
‘I knew he was going to have to throw a back-shoulder ball – and that was a perfect ball. Like perfect. It couldn’t have been placed any better.’
Stafford credited his calmness to his 17 years of NFL experience.
‘I have been in that spot a lot in my life – and I love that spot,’ he said. ‘I would rather be me having to go out there with our offense and do it then watch from the sideline.
‘You can make it stressful or you can make it calm and collected, and think the latter is what we were today.’
