The Week 10 bye came at a good time for the Los Angeles Rams, as quarterback Matthew Stafford has been dealing with a UCL sprain in his right thumb. He missed the Rams' Week 9 loss against the Green Bay Packers, but head coach Sean McVay told reporters Monday that he expects Stafford to play this week against the rival Seattle Seahawks, per ESPN.
Stafford threw the ball during individual drills in practice Monday. During an appearance on "The Pat McAfee Show" last week, the veteran signal-caller said his thumb was feeling better than he thought it would at that point. He also told McAfee that he wasn't thinking about retiring despite the injuries he's had to deal with over the past couple years.
Stafford is currently tied for 11th in passing yards per game (258.8), and has thrown eight touchdowns compared to seven interceptions in eight games played this season. The former No. 1 overall pick is just under 3,000 yards away from replacing Eli Manning in the top 10 of the NFL's all-time passing list.
The Rams opened up the 2023 season against the Seahawks in Seattle and registered a 30-13 upset victory. Stafford completed 24 of 38 passes for 334 yards, while Puka Nacua caught 10 passes for 119 yards in his NFL debut.
L.A. has fallen to 3-6 after losing three straight contests. McVay hopes the bye week and the return of his starting quarterback can spark a run for the Rams in the second half of the season.
