The Detroit Lions lost to the Green Bay Packers in Week 14. In the process, they might have lost starting quarterback Matthew Stafford to a rib injury.
Stafford left the game after being hit near the Green Bay goal line at the end of a run. He immediately grabbed at his lower ribs and looked to be in serious pain.
Stafford’s status was the subject of several questions in Bevell’s postgame presser. The interim coach noted that Stafford was in the process of being evaluated while he spoke with the media.
“I think it’s too early to tell,” Bevell responded when asked if Stafford would miss time with the rib injury. “Matthew Stafford is as tough as they come. He’s a huge competitor. I know he’s going to want to be out there with his team, so it’s going to have to be pretty drastic for him not to be in there.”
When asked if Stafford tried to return to the game and why he made the switch to backup Chase Daniel, Bevell had this to say,
“Obviously we have got to figure out what he is capable of doing. Number one, can he protect himself? And then obviously number two, can he function? Can he throw the ball and that kind of thing? We were assessing that, and I just felt that at that time it was more important to get Chase (Daniel) out there and not put him back in that situation.”
If Stafford cannot play in Week 15 against the Tennessee Titans, Daniel would get the start. Bevell did indicate he has “the utmost confidence in David Blough”, the No. 3 quarterback. Blough started the final five games for the Lions in 2019 after both Stafford and backup Jeff Driskel were lost to injuries.
