The Los Angeles Rams are moving on, hearts still pounding from a Wild Card win that felt less like a football game and more like a survival story. Their 34-31 win over the Carolina Panthers came down to the final seconds, a last-gasp touchdown with only 38 seconds left on the clock, and while it kept the Rams’ postseason dreams alive, it also left them holding their breath about the health of the man who made it happen.
Is Matthew Stafford Dealing With an Injury As the Rams Are Entering the Divisional Round?
Veteran quarterback Matthew Stafford walked out of that game with more than just another comeback. He walked out with a sprained finger on his throwing hand, and now, the Chicago Bears are waiting in the Divisional Round on Sunday.
The injury happened in a moment that felt deceptively ordinary, just another throw in the middle of a game that would soon become unforgettable. Late in the first half, Stafford released a pass toward wide receiver Puka Nacua. In the follow-through, his hand clipped a defender’s arm, and his index finger bent backward in a way fingers absolutely should not.
It was the kind of instant that makes you wince before the replay even rolls. And yet, Stafford stayed in. He finished the game with 304 passing yards, 3 touchdowns, and 1 interception, completing 24 of 42Â attempts. He has a score of 84.4 on PFSN’s QBi, with a B grade
Afterward, he said the finger had bent back on contact, but he did not sound shaken. If anything, he sounded like someone who has seen worse and kept playing anyway.
According to ESPN, coach Sean McVay gave an update on Monday, describing Stafford “as tough as it gets” and assuring everyone that the quarterback will be ready for Sunday’s contest against Chicago. X-rays on the finger came back negative, confirming it’s a sprain rather than anything more serious. McVay added that he doesn’t expect Stafford to need a wrap or brace, a detail that matters when you’re talking about a throwing hand and a playoff game.
Stafford’s own assessment of the injury was simple. Just one word: “Great.”
Most consecutive playoff games with multiple TD passes:
Aaron Rodgers 9
Matthew Stafford 8 (active streak)
Joe Flacco 8— Josh Dubow (@JoshDubowAP) January 18, 2026
Which is either incredibly reassuring or the most Stafford thing imaginable.
Of course, a sprained index finger on a quarterback’s throwing hand isn’t nothing. It can affect grip strength, ball control, and the tiny mechanics that separate a tight spiral from a wobbly one. Nevertheless, in his career, Stafford has made a habit of showing up, bruised, battered, and still very much under center.
Drafted first overall in 2009, he’s played in 239 of a possible 277 regular-season games. The ones he missed came from a mix of injuries and the occasional rest week before the postseason, but all-around, his reputation is clear: he plays. Through pain, through pressure, through moments like Saturday night, when a bent-back finger did not stop him from leading another fourth-quarter rally.
