Things have gotten ugly Jared Goff and the Rams offensive the last two weeks, with back-to-back losses to the Jets and Seahawks in which Goff played poorly. To make matters worse, the Los Angeles quarterback dislocated and broke his thumb during the loss to Seattle. There seems to be a wide range of advanced results, from Goff playing this Sunday to the rest of the season off the table. Goff will need thumb surgery at some point, but hopes to turn it back until after the season, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reports (Twitter video) link).
Rapsheet says Goff is “firm” to press to play in Week 17 and that he at least has a “shot” to be below center. If the Bears lose to the Packers on Sunday, then the Bears Rams they’re in the playoffs, come what may, but if Chicago wins Green Bay, the Rams will have to beat the Cardinals to get in. It sounds like Goff will try to get ahead and adapt to the playoffs, even if it’s not to be able to be there on Sunday. Goff meets today with specialist Dr. Steven Shin, the same doctor he treated Drew Brees‘Thumb injury last year, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. Viously, obviously, Brees lost a handful of games with this injury last year, although luckily for the Rams this is not so serious. If Goff is forced to lose the game against Arizona, it will mean the first NFL action of the regular season for the former Wake Forest and AAF star John Wolford.
Here are some more league-wide health issues coming into the final week of the season:
- Goff is not the only quarterback in this pivotal game. Kyler Murray he has already suffered a persistent shoulder injury this season and also injured his leg at the end of Arizona’s loss in Week 16 against San Francisco. In statements to the media coach on no Monday Kliff Kingsbury he was inaccurate, he only considered it a “low leg” injury and said they wouldn’t put Murray on if he couldn’t be effective. If the cards win on Sunday, they are there. If not, they are out. In a game of this magnitude, you’ll have to assume that Murray will play if possible, but right now Kingsbury says he’s on the air. This will be a situation to monitor closely, but either way it looks like Murray will be against 100% Aaron Donald and co.
- One last shipment from NFC West. The 49ers caught up with the Cardinals, but their injury-plagued season continued. They left at least two more headlines, as a rookie receiver Brandon Aiyuk and attack on the left Trent Williams both will not play week 17 due to injuries they suffered against Arizona, Kyle Shanahan he said Monday. Shanahan also said he would be surprised if Jimmy Garoppolo play this weekend, that is CJ Beathard should get another one. Aiyuk has made a lot of promises and 49ers fans must be thrilled with his 2021 potential. We may have seen Garoppolo play his last shot as a 49er.
- Joe MixonThe 2020 campaign officially appears in the books. The Bengals will not play again this weekend, coach Zac Taylor confirmed Monday. Mixon has not played since the return of week 6 due to a foot injury, but the team insisted he was only week to week all this time. Mixon signed a four-year, $ 48 million extension in September, so he’s in Cincy for the long haul.
- Head fans can breathe a little easier. Receiver Sammy Watkins yesterday he fell with a calf injury, but Rapoport tweets it is not believed to be important. Given Watkins ’history of injuries, this is a great relief. Rapoport writes that Watkins will rest in Week 17, but that there are “good chances” of him returning to Kansas City’s first playoff game.
- Another player the season, and possibly the race, is over: the Patriots receiver Julian Edelman. Rapoport tweets that Edelman won’t be activated for Monday night’s clash with the Bills, and that he’s “unlikely” to play next week either. Edelman has a contract for next season, but will turn 35 in May, so it’s entirely reasonable to wonder if he’ll end up retiring. The legendary Patriot, who has spent the twelve years of his career in New England, was limited to just six games this year due to a knee injury.