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Report: Matthew Stafford preparing to play Sunday vs. the Titans in Week 15

Matthew Stafford is dealing with a ribs injury, but he looks like he will play vs. Titans.

Matthew Stafford #9 of the Detroit Lions signals for a touchdown during the second half against the Green Bay Packers at Ford Field on December 13, 2020 in Detroit, Michigan. Photo by Rey Del Rio/Getty Images

Saturday status update: Stafford is preparing to start against the Titans, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. His ribs injury could slow him down, but it appears this is a pain tolerance problem and I’d expect pain killers will be implemented. This is good news for D’Andre Swift, Marvin Jones and T.J. Hockenson’s fantasy upside.

Friday status update: The Lions have designated Stafford as questionable for Week 15.

Friday update: Stafford will not practice on Friday, but the team is not going to rule him out yet. Bevell said Stafford will travel with the team and they’ll see how he feels on Sunday, per Tim Twentyman.

Thursday update: Darrell Bevell said Matthew Stafford will not practice on Thursday, per Jim Wyatt.

Wednesday update: Stafford will not practice on Wednesday, per Chris Burke. Given the team’s pessimism earlier in the week, this is not a surprising development. Head coach Darrell Bevell did note he is “totally comfortable with him not practicing and (then) playing in the game,” per Chris Burke.

Tuesday update: Stafford is dealing with a rib cartilage injury and the team is “not overly optimistic he can play” on Sunday against the Titans, per Jeremy Fowler. Chase Daniel is Stafford’s backup and would start if he could not play.

The Detroit Lions quarterback, Matthew Stafford, suffered a ribs injury in the fourth quarter of the team’s 31-24 loss to the Green Bay Packers. His status for Week 15 is now in doubt, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.

Stafford’s exact injury hasn’t been revealed, but there is no doubt that injuries in the ribs area are one of the more painful, especially for a quarterback who must torque his body when throwing while also exposing the area to impact. The Lions are out of the playoff race and it wouldn’t be out of the question to rest their quarterback. But, Stafford has played through some painful injuries in the past and he could lobby to get out there.

This has been a down year for Stafford, as he has just six games with two or more touchdown passes, but as usual, he has shown signs of breakout potential. The lack of his No. 1 receiver Kenny Golladay has also been tough on his efficiency. There has been plenty of trade chatter around Stafford, as the Lions are in need of a rebuild and with a new head coach on the way, a rookie quarterback could be on the way as well.