Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford was reportedly in “a lot of pain” after Sunday’s game in Minnesota and needed x-rays on his ribs and chest.
The Minnesota Vikings took the Lions behind the woodshed at home in Week 2, pulling out the 26-16 win. With the loss, Detroit moved to 0-2 to open the season, and Stafford once again looked a bit rough after throwing two interceptions in Week 1.
He finished the game with 286 yards on 32-of-53 passing (5.4 yards per attempt), throwing two touchdowns and one interception.
While the stat sheet says Stafford only got sacked once, he was hit eight other times. Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press said the quarterback “looked to be in a lot of pain in the locker room” after getting x-rays on his ribs and chest following the loss.
Matthew Stafford got x-rays on his ribs and chest after the game. He looked to be in a lot of pain in the locker room.
— Dave Birkett (@davebirkett) September 20, 2015
The Lions on Twitter reported Stafford as saying he “feels ok” after enduring those hits, but this could just be another case of the quarterback putting on the tough-guy hat for the media. Speaking of tough, that’s exactly what head coach Jim Caldwell called Stafford after the game.
Caldwell on Stafford staying in despite several big hits: "There's no question about his toughness. He's one of a kind in that regard."
— Detroit Lions (@Lions) September 20, 2015
The Lions need Stafford to stay on the field to have a shot at pulling out of this early-season hole. If he should somehow be unavailable to play, then Detroit’s next-best option is Dan Orlovsky, who represents a significant step down.
With upcoming contests against the Denver Broncos and Seattle Seahawks, the Lions are now in danger of falling into an 0-4 slump if Stafford and Co. can’t get things figured out.