If Matthew Stafford winds up winning MVP by leading the Lions to the playoffs, he'll do so despite suffering an injury to the middle finger of his throwing hand.
According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, Stafford tore ligaments in the middle finger of his right hand and suffered a "proximal interphalangeal joint dislocation." Schefter added that Stafford will be forced to wear a glove on his throwing hand for the remainder of the season.
Here's how ESPN's.com's Michael Rothstein described the injury:
The top of Stafford's finger is now bent downwards at a 90-degree angle and he has no control over the top part of it.
Yeah, that's not ideal for a quarterback.
Stafford suffered the injury in the early part of the Lions' 20-17 win over the Bears on Sunday. He managed to play through the pain and overcame two awful interceptions in the second half, leading the Lions on a decisive drive that culminated in a 7-yard rushing touchdown. That come-from-behind win marked Stafford's eighth fourth-quarter comeback this year, which set a new single-season record that was previously held by Peyton Manning.
Despite the final result, Stafford didn't play well, averaging 6.4 yards per attempt and posting a 64.3 passer rating. That might've been because of his injury. He told reporters after the game that the glove impacted his grip on the football.
"Was just trying to figure out what was the best way to manage it," Stafford said. "You know, the training room guys, the equipment staff, everybody did a great job. Got me all ready to go, and then I just, I haven't thrown with one in a long time. Trying to get the feel back was a little difficult."
At 9-4, the Lions are atop the NFC North and in a prime position to earn a postseason berth. But if they're to close out the Packers and Vikings, and then make some noise in January, they'll need Stafford to get used to that glove quickly.
