Detroit Lions QB Matthew Stafford: ‘I’m not counting myself out’ vs. Tennessee Titans

Dave Birkett
 
| Detroit Free Press

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The day after Matthew Stafford injured his thumb in a Week 10 loss to Washington, the Detroit Lions quarterback sat confidently through a television interview and assured everyone, “I like my chances” of playing in the following Sunday’s game.

There was no such bravado from Stafford on Wednesday, as he offered an honest assessment of where he stands with the painful rib injury he suffered in last week’s loss to the Green Bay Packers — he does not know.

“I really have no expectation at the moment, to be honest with you,” Stafford said. “Just taking it day-by-day, trying to see if I can get to feeling a little bit better.”

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Clearly in pain after he was tackled awkwardly near the goal line on a 6-yard scramble against the Packers, Stafford appeared to be in only slightly less discomfort Wednesday.

He praised the toughness of teammate Frank Ragnow, who finished the Packers game despite a fractured throat. He joked he would “maybe tape a pillow to my ribs or something” if he was cleared to play Sunday against the Tennessee Titans.

And he said he remains “on the rest train,” waiting for nature to take its course.

“Sunday I did not feel good,” he said. “Obviously, just wasn’t able to function. That was the biggest thing. I was kind of spasming, locking up a little bit and I wasn’t able to throw. That’s basically what it boils down to, so when I wasn’t able to do that, felt like our best chance was to let Chase (Daniel) go out there and operate. I obviously don’t ever like coming off the field, but I didn’t feel like I could help us anymore. Been doing everything I can to try and make it feel better from then on out.”

That includes heat and ice and stretching, but mostly it includes rest.

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Daniel took first-team reps at practice Wednesday, as he said he has done more frequently since Stafford partially tore a ligament in the base of his right thumb against Washington.

He is preparing to start against the Titans, but also has been around Stafford long enough to know that he might not see the field.

“I mean, knowing him, he tries to play, there’s no doubt about it,” Daniel said. “In my mind, like I said, I’m definitely preparing to play. But nothing would surprise me with Staff. The dude is tough as nails.”

Stafford said he hopes to throw a football later this week, but interim Lions coach Darrell Bevell said he is “totally comfortable” with starting Stafford against the Titans even if he misses the entire week of practice.

“I’ve seen him do it,” Bevell said. “So like I said, we’ll just take that till the end of the week (to decide).”

Stafford threw for 211 yards and one touchdown in a Week 9 loss to the Minnesota Vikings, when he missed the entire week of practice while on the reserve/COVID-19 list due to contact tracing.

He left that game in the fourth quarter to be evaluated for a concussion, and has been battling injuries ever since.

With three games left in the regular season, and the Lions’ thin playoff hopes in danger of being dashed for good with a loss, Stafford said he needs to “feel good enough to start the game and hopefully be able to finish it” in order to play against the Titans.

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Short of that, he will miss time in December for the second straight year.

“I think I just need to be able to function,” Stafford said. “I need to be able to play and play at a high level, so it’s going to take some time, I’m going to have to rest but I’m not counting myself out and just try to see how it progresses throughout the week.”

Contact Dave Birkett at dbirkett@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @davebirkett.