Matthew Stafford has been placed on the Lions' reserve/COVID-19 list, the team announced on Wednesday, leaving the quarterback's status for Sunday's game against the Vikings in jeopardy. According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, Stafford is considered a "high-risk close contact" from a non team member. That last contact came on Monday, which means it's possible Stafford could come off the reserve/COVID-19 list on Sunday and play against the Vikings. Even if that does happen, he will not be able to practice all week.
According to Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network, the Lions will have to fly Stafford on a private plane to Minnesota because he will still be in the five-day isolation window when the team departs on Saturday. If Stafford can't play, Chase Daniel, an 11-year veteran, is in line to start for the Lions. In 65 career games, the 34-year-old Daniel has completed 68.3% of his passes for 1,430 yards with seven touchdowns and five interceptions. Daniel, who has yet to appear in a regular season game with the Lions, is 2-3 as a starting quarterback in the NFL.
Stafford, who missed the final nine games of the 2019 season due to an injury, is completing 61.3% of his passes with 13 touchdowns and five interceptions through seven games. The Lions, at 3-4, are currently 1.5 games behind the Rams for the seventh and final spot in the NFC playoffs.
On Sunday, the Lions will face a 2-5 Vikings team that is 29th in the NFL in points allowed, 30th in passing yards allowed, fifth in third zone efficiency and eighth in red zone efficiency.
