At his Friday morning press conference, Detroit Lions coach Matt Patricia ruled quarterback Matthew Stafford out for their Week 12 matchup at Washington.
The Jeff Driskel era continues.
Stafford fractured his back in Week 9 against the Oakland Raiders. This will mark the third game Stafford will have missed, which shouldn’t be a surprise given it was reported his injury could last up to six weeks.
Stafford insists he does not want to be shut down for the season, but for the previous two weeks of practice, he has only been able to observe and advise Driskel on how to execute the Lions’ game plan.
It’s possible Stafford could find his way back to the practice field next week, but with the Lions hosting the Chicago Bears on Thanksgiving, the odds are stacked against him. At this time, it appears the earliest Stafford could return is Week 14, when the Lions travel to Minnesota to take on the Vikings.
What happens over the next two games could go a long way toward determining the rest of Stafford’s season.
