Aaron Rodgers' injured toe has dominated the headlines, but his counterpart on Sunday will be playing through several significant injuries. Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford will play on Sunday despite dealing with pain in his throwing arm, his elbow, a sore ankle and chronic back pain, according to ESPN's Dianna Russini. Stafford did not appear on the Rams' Week 12 injury report.
Stafford has not missed a game since the 2019 season, when he missed the second half of the season after he was diagnosed with non-displaced fractures in his upper thoracic spine. Before that, Stafford had played in 136 consecutive games, the sixth-longest stretch for a quarterback in NFL history.
The 33-year-old quarterback is enjoying a successful first season in Los Angeles. Through 10 games, the longtime Detroit Lion has thrown for 3,014 yards with 24 touchdowns and 8 interceptions. His play has helped the Rams jump out to a 7-3 start. Los Angeles is currently 1.5 games back of the Arizona Cardinals for first place in the NFC West.
With Stafford physically limited, the Rams may lean more on running backs Darrell Henderson and Sony Michel to move the ball against Green Bay's defense. Henderson leads the Rams with 593 yards and five touchdowns, while Michel is second on the team with 291 yards on 76 carries. The Rams are also expected to get Odell Beckham Jr. more involved in the offense after Beckham was targeted three times in his Los Angeles debut.
Sunday's game may go a long way in determining who gets the NFC's coveted playoff bye. Green Bay (8-3) would be the No. 2 seed if the playoffs started today, while the Rams would be the fifth seed.
