question: does Stafford’s elbow issue worry you?

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  • August 4, 2022 at 9:46 am #139959
    Avatar photozn
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    I wonder about this one.

    August 4, 2022 at 10:17 am #139961
    Avatar photoInvaderRam
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    a little bit.

    August 4, 2022 at 10:41 am #139963
    Avatar photocanadaram
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    Bigly.

    August 4, 2022 at 12:43 pm #139966
    Avatar photozn
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    This is already posted in another thread but it doesn’t hurt to put it here too.

    ….

    Jourdan Rodrigue

    https://theathletic.com/3475428/2022/08/03/matthew-stafford-rams-john-wolford/?source=emp_shared_article

    IRVINE, Calif. — Matthew Stafford didn’t throw during Wednesday’s training camp practice, but head coach Sean McVay remains adamant that it’s all a part of “the plan” for the Rams’ 34-year-old quarterback.

    Monday, McVay said Stafford was “still feeling a little bit of pain” in his arm/elbow, and that was the reasoning behind the visibly lighter workload Stafford had that day — which he clarified Wednesday was not a “setback” for Stafford.

    “No, it’s consistent with what’s been going on,” McVay said. “When you really look at the totality of it, wanted to try to have him operate in as little pain as possible. I think that anytime that you’ve played as long or are as tough as he is, I don’t know if you’re ever truly ‘pain-free,’ but the goal would be for Sept. 8 and looking towards 17 games, hopefully some games after that … that’s kind of the perspective and the big-picture approach that we want to be able to take.

    “I don’t know that I would be as comfortable taking that approach if it wasn’t for the experience that he’s accumulated and knowing how intentional he is about staying up to speed with his mental and physical work that he can do, in absence of some of the stuff in the team settings.”

    Stafford had an anti-inflammatory injection in his arm in the spring and didn’t throw through OTAs. He did throw at the start of training camp, as part of what the Rams say is an “onload/de-load” process to get him ready not only for their Sept. 8 opener, but also for a very long season. While he has thrown in red zone and individual drills even on some “de-load” days, Stafford did not participate in team drills for the last two padded practices and isn’t likely to do so until the Rams are back in their regular facilities.

    “We’re really taking it a week at a time, really a couple of weeks,” McVay said. “Don’t expect him to do anything in these team settings for this block or the next three days, next week. Nothing has changed. … This is part of the plan that we feel like is in his best interest.”

    A few things can be simultaneously true:

    • That Stafford and the Rams are trying to manage an ongoing arm issue that clearly bothered him in spots last season

    • That the Rams are aware of this and have him on a dramatically different management plan than they did last offseason (when he took no snaps off)

    • That they probably don’t want to make him throw at a high volume until he has to — when the Rams return to Thousand Oaks, Calif., later this month and actually begin installing their game plan for Buffalo

    • And that an ongoing arm issue is legitimately a concern, though we don’t yet know how big of a concern, because when Stafford has thrown, he’s looked fine.

    To me, the Rams are trying to control everything they can, while they can — because it’s unknown whether this issue will escalate through the course of the season.

    August 4, 2022 at 5:00 pm #139969
    Hram
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    Nope

    August 4, 2022 at 7:23 pm #139970
    Avatar photowv
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    Its my biggest concern.   By far.

    No-one can predict how its gonna go.

     

     

    w

    v

    August 4, 2022 at 10:37 pm #139972
    Avatar photoZooey
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    I have peroneal tendonitis. Developed sometime late May/early June. There are times I feel fine, and times it flares up and I have to limp. As far as I can tell, the less I stress my ankle, the better I feel. Less ascending/descending is better. But a lot of standing/walking/pushing wheelbarrows uphill, the more likely I am to feel pain and weakness. It hasn’t gone away yet.

    The pain can be brief. I can be having acute pain one moment, and be fine 2 minutes later. Rest helps.

    I have no idea if my experience is relevant or typical, but on the basis of My Ankle, I’m going to guess that Stafford will throw some bad interceptions, like last year, and be great most of the time, like last year. So, yeah, it worries me, but I’m always worried.

    August 5, 2022 at 1:40 am #139973
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    𝕋𝕠𝕞@TL_LARams
    The only concerning thing with Sean McVay’s comments on Matthew Stafford’s arm and the management of his workload is that it’s very similar to what we heard from McVay RE Todd Gurley. But Stafford is about 10 years older than Gurley was
    August 5, 2022 at 3:20 am #139975
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    Sarah Barshop@sarahbarshop
    Sean McVay said the elbow pain Matthew Stafford is dealing with is “a little bit abnormal for a quarterback.” He said it’s similar to what pitchers deal with.
    .
    McVay said the training staff tried different things with Stafford in the offseason with the goal of alleviating his elbow pain. “But this isn’t something that we’re totally caught off guard with. I think going into camp we knew that we wanted to have a modified approach.”
    ==
    <header class=”article-header”>

    Los Angeles Rams coach Sean McVay says Matthew Stafford’s elbow pain ‘abnormal for a quarterback

    </header>

     Sarah Barshop
    ESPN Staff Writer
    .

    IRVINE, Calif. — Los Angeles Rams coach Sean McVay said quarterback Matthew Stafford’s right elbow pain is “a little bit abnormal for a quarterback,” comparing it instead to what pitchers deal with.

    Stafford, who dealt with an elbow injury last season, received an injection in his right elbow during the offseason. He did not throw during the Rams’ spring workouts, saying he and the team were trying to be smart with his throwing arm.

    Stafford threw during individual and 7-on-7 drills on Thursday but did not take part in the team reps. McVay said earlier in the week that he doesn’t expect Stafford to do so before the Rams leave Irvine on Aug. 10.

    McVay said the Rams’ athletic training staff and Stafford “tried some things in the offseason” with the goal of alleviating some of the pain he was feeling in his elbow. McVay said going into camp the Rams knew they wanted to have a “modified approach and a progressive build.”

    “Could he do it? Yes,” McVay said. “Is that the best thing? We didn’t think so. And I think I’ve got a responsibility to try to make decisions that are in the best alignment using medical experts and talking with Matthew. And so all of those things combined led to where we’re at right now. And it is an ever-evolving process, but we are really taking over these next couple weeks, seeing how they go.”

    McVay said Wednesday that Stafford’s pain isn’t a setback but is “consistent with what’s been going on” with the 34-year-old.

    “[You] want to try to have him operate in as little pain as possible,” McVay said. “I think anytime that you’ve played as long and are as tough as he is, I don’t know if you’re ever truly pain-free, but the goal would be for Sept. 8 and really looking towards 17 games then hopefully some games after that if we earn that opportunity.

    “That’s kind of the perspective and the big-picture approach that we want to be able to take. I don’t know that I would feel as comfortable taking that approach if it wasn’t for the experience that he’s accumulated and knowing how intentional he is about staying up to speed with his mental and his physical work that he can do in the absence of some of the stuff in the team settings.”

    McVay said he thought Stafford “looked really good” during practice on Thursday.

    “Even in routes on air, in the types of throws where you’re really seeing all parts of the field being activated, that’s a really good thing,” McVay said. “And so I’ve definitely seen improvement. He was making those types of throws before, but being able to just do it in a smart fashion is kind of what we’re really hunting out.”

    August 5, 2022 at 4:02 am #139976
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    Jourdan Rodrigue@JourdanRodrigue
    Sean McVay is adamant that Matthew Stafford didn’t have any sort of “setback” – says the onload/deload he’s had all this time is part of the plan and managing general pain/potential of future pain. Stafford did not throw today but worked out on the side
    .
    Will have more shortly but Sean McVay reiterated today – this is not a new issue for Stafford, who dealt with what McVay indicated is a bit of a unique (for a QB) elbow issue through last year as well. What’s new is their management plan, in part bc of the extended season.
    .
    Declined to call Stafford’s elbow issue “tendinitis” and instead noted that “it’s a tricky deal” and “abnormal for a QB”, moreso “things that MLB pitchers deal with” and team is learning more about “on the fly”. Adds Stafford looked great in limited reps today.
    .
    Team explored a few treatments this offseason with the intent to largely alleviate pain, but “this isn’t something that we’re totally caught off guard with” coming into camp. “Could he (push through)? Yes. Is that the best thing? We didn’t think so.”
    .
    I’m seeing a lot of reaction to this and I also don’t want people to forget – this was also seemingly an issue last season and a care plan could very well mean they don’t want him dealing with that level of pain (that he played through without ever appearing on the injury report)
    .
    A lot of times seeing “QB – ARM” incites panic but I’m just not personally there *yet* because of the context from last season and because we can’t know what we don’t know about how the management plan will work but I’m probably just shouting into the void at this point
    .
    I do believe that their sports science team came in with a very specific pitch plan/output plan for him. I think it’s about correctly managing an ongoing issue so it’s not a problem before it absolutely has to be. If they can control this part
    .
    they’ll feel better about the stuff they can’t control later on. I think he played through way more pain than what he currently feels but it doesn’t make sense to play through anything right now if he doesn’t have to. We’ll see how it goes – not personally worried *yet*
    August 6, 2022 at 7:50 pm #139996
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    Jourdan Rodrigue@JourdanRodrigue
    Have said this a few times but it’s fair if Stafford is more irritated at not throwing than he is concerned about the pain or the issue. That said, team is clearly wanting to control variables this time of year out of concern for arm of player at most important position. It’s OK

    if both of those things are true at the same time

    “It’s not one of those things that, the more I throw the worse it’s gonna get,” Stafford did notably say after throwing in individuals and 7-on-7s, but not team periods. “It’s kind of just a balancing act at this point.”

    Sean McVay jokes he will “sleep better tonight” after watching Matthew Stafford “throw it all around the yard” today. Says Stafford has stayed on track with team’s plan.

    …

    Matthew Stafford not concerned about ‘irritating’ elbow issue as team manages workload

    By Jourdan Rodrigue

    https://theathletic.com/3483843/2022/08/06/matthew-stafford-elbow-issue-training-camp/

    IRVINE, Calif. — Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford seemed amused and a little bewildered about how large the conversation has gotten about his right arm, he told reporters after Saturday’s practice.

    “It’s gotten a lot more traction than I would have thought, to be honest with you,” he said. “I’m just going through something that is irritating, at the moment, but I’m working through it. We’ve got a great plan. I’m feeling stronger every time I come out and throw. … I’m right on track, feeling good.”

    Stafford, 34, has been on a pre-planned throwing schedule (referred to in shorthand as a “pitch count”) since training camp opened as the team monitors an ongoing issue with his elbow. The Rams’ overall plan has spanned as far back as the spring, when Stafford did not throw in OTAs after receiving a few different types of non-surgical treatment on his arm, including an anti-inflammatory shot in March, as The Athletic first reported.

    Head coach Sean McVay reiterated that Stafford has stayed on schedule in accordance with this plan and has not suffered a setback. On Saturday, Stafford had his pads on (like the rest of the team) and threw in individuals and in 7-on-7 drills, about 40-50 total balls and at a wide variety of different distances and angles.

    “Felt like I could make any throw I wanted to, today,” said Stafford.

    Objectively and in person, it was hard to tell that anything was bothering him.

    “I don’t really know how much you can ask about how Matthew is feeling, I mean, he threw it all over the yard today,” said McVay. “Looked really good, felt good, we’re very much on track with what we had hoped. I think you could really see the ball was jumping out of his hand, making all types of throws. I think he was trying to show you guys that there’s probably not many questions you can ask him either …

    “The way that he looked today, I don’t think you would know that anything was going on, and he felt good. So I know that I’m gonna sleep better tonight.”

    Neither Stafford nor McVay will outright put a name to the issue, which Stafford has dealt with for at least the last year – if not even before that. While one source described it as “tendinitis” to The Athletic, McVay declined to say whether that was actually the diagnosis earlier this week – instead saying that it was “a tricky deal” and “abnormal for a quarterback,” likening it more to something an MLB pitcher might experience.

    Stafford, meanwhile, said the issue is “just a little soreness, we’re working through it. Felt pretty good today, we’re working through it. Felt pretty good today (and) thought it looked pretty good. Just trying to be smart with it and make me feel as good as I can feel going into Week 1 while still getting as many reps as I can, too.” He also declined to say whether he/the team believed that it would be a chronic issue.

    However, managing Stafford’s arm is clearly a priority for the team, especially while they can control every variable in a camp setting. My understanding throughout the spring and summer is that they want to limit extra stress on his arm because they can’t possibly know how the rest of the year will unfold, especially after Stafford played the longest NFL season of his career in 2021 by a large margin. McVay indicated earlier this week that, depending on how Stafford felt upon leaving Irvine, Calif., the team could ramp him back up for team drills and their fuller offensive installations ahead of their Sept. 8 opener against Buffalo.

    “It’s not one of those things that, the more I throw the worse it’s gonna get,” said Stafford. “It’s kind of just a balancing act at this point.”

    August 6, 2022 at 9:07 pm #139997
    Avatar photoInvaderRam
    Moderator

    i might be imagining it but i felt like his long ball started to slip toward the last half of the season. i don’t know if that had anything to do with the elbow. but the short and medium range passing looked fine.

     

    maybe the rams will be better prepared this time around.

    August 7, 2022 at 12:37 am #139998
    Avatar photoInvaderRam
    Moderator

    https://sicscore.com/nfl/updates/why-matthew-staffords-elbow-injury-is-not-as-concerning-as-it-seems

     

    Why Matthew Stafford’s Elbow Injury Is Not As Concerning as It Seems

    Reigning Super Bowl champion Matthew Stafford has reportedly been dealing with a throwing elbow issue during training camp and fans are understandably concerned.

    However, it is unlikely that Stafford is dealing with a ulnar collateral ligament injury in his elbow and the Pro Football Docs do not have any concern for his availability or effectiveness for the upcoming regular season.

    Matthew Stafford – SIC score 92

    Head Coach Sean McVay has been cryptic about Stafford’s exact injury but said it’s “a little bit abnormal for a quarterback” and is something that MLB pitchers deal with.

    The Rams’ head coach has not confirmed that the issue is tendonitis, but the Pro Football Docs believe Stafford is dealing with medial flexor wad tendonitis.

    That common baseball injury would affect Stafford’s ability to grip and likely hurt when he flicks his wrist on the follow through of his throws.

    It is primarily a pain-tolerance issue and thus the 34-year-old quarterback is not getting a downgrade in his SIC score.

    He is still at a 92 because the issue is not likely to keep him out of any games. There is a slight chance it could affect his accuracy on deep throws, but that would only happen if the tendon were significantly aggravated.

    The Rams are, smartly, managing Stafford’s throwing reps so that the tendonitis does not turn into a chronic pain issue.

    The Pro Football Docs would not be surprised to see Stafford throwing with a smaller, college-size football at some point during training camp to reduce stress on the flexor tendon when he grips the ball.

    Stafford confirmed that he received a PRP injection in his right elbow after the Super Bowl for an issue that he played through last season.

    This is likely that same issue because tendonitis can linger. Stafford has been throwing in individual and 7-on-7 drills early in training camp and McVay told reporters he doesn’t expect Stafford to participate in team drills before the Rams leave Irvine on Aug. 10.

     

    That does not mean he has suffered any sort of setback. It likely means the team has known about this issue for awhile and they are taking a measured approach to getting him ready for the regular season.

    Stafford has been known to play through injuries in his career and his approach to this tendonitis is likely no different.

    The only thing that would sideline Stafford is if he aggravates the flexor tendon to a point where he can’t grip the ball. That’s what the team is trying to avoid by limiting his reps.

    Last season – Stafford’s first with the Rams after 12 with the Detroit Lions – he threw for 4,886 yards with 41 touchdowns and 17 interceptions while completing 67.2% of his passes, tying a career-high from 2015.

    In four playoff games, Stafford threw for a total of 1,188 yards, 9 touchdowns and 3 interceptions.

    Rams Super Bowl LVII Odds

    The Rams are +1100 to repeat as Super Bowl champions and are +125 to win the NFC West, according to FanDuel Sportsbook.

    Stafford is +800 to lead the league in passing yards this season and +1400 for MVP.

    August 12, 2022 at 2:24 pm #140048
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    September 5, 2022 at 5:34 am #140436
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    Omar Ruiz@OmarDRuiz
    “No hesitation,” Sean McVay said, when I asked him that if he needed Matthew Stafford to throw 50-55 times to win a game, there’d be any hesitation.
    …
    …

    Rams QB Matthew Stafford has ‘no limitations’ ahead of Thursday’s opener vs. Bills

    Aug 29, 2022; Thousand Oaks, CA, USA: Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford (9) runs during training camp at Cal Lutheran University. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
    Jourdan Rodrigue

    Rams coach Sean McVay told reporters Sunday that “there won’t be any limitations” for quarterback Matthew Stafford as the team prepares for Thursday’s season-opener against the Buffalo Bills, including during practice and in game-planning.

    McVay was asked if he would feel comfortable if Stafford even had to throw the ball 50-55 times and he said, “no hesitation.”

    The team will manage Stafford’s right elbow similarly to how they did through the 2021 season, McVay said. A source told The Athletic this spring that Stafford had been dealing with ongoing tendinitis, which was not a new issue for the Rams as he also dealt with it last season. Stafford did not miss practices in 2021 and was not on the injury report throughout the year.

    The difference in how the team manages this issue came in the offseason, which was truncated due to the Rams’ Super Bowl win. Stafford had a shot in his elbow in March, and did not throw in spring OTAs. He was on a management plan through training camp, in which his workload escalated into full participation by the time the Rams held joint practices with Cincinnati in late-August.

    “I’m not”, said McVay, when asked whether he was concerned about being able to manage Stafford’s arm through the entire season ahead, though he added that a team always has to be careful with a quarterback’s arm. “I think we’ve got a really good plan in place … He’s throwing the ball excellent, he feels good. Everything that I’m seeing is reflective of everything he’s saying to me. I feel really good about that.”

    “I feel good, I’m ready to go,” said Stafford. “No limitations … I feel great, I’m ready to go play. I can always be better at trying to feel 21 again, I’ll keep trying. But I feel really good, feel like I can make every throw.”

    Stafford added he has “been doing some things that have made it feel better,” and that he’ll “probably continue to do those things — if you need to. If you don’t, you just go out there and play ball.”

    The defending Super Bowl champions will kick off the 2022 NFL season at home against Buffalo on Thursday at 8:20 p.m. ET.

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