Things got ugly for Jared Goff and the Rams’ offense in recent weeks, with consecutive defeats to the Jets and Seahawks, in which Goff played poorly. To make matters worse, the Los Angeles quarterback moved and broke his thumb during the loss to Seattle. It looks like there is a wide range of results going on, with everything at stake, from Goff playing this Sunday to being out for the rest of the season. Goff will need thumb surgery at some point, but he hopes to postpone it until after the season, Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network reports (Twitter video Link)
Rapsheet says that Goff is “adamant” about pushing to play in week 17 and that he at least has a “chance” to stay in the center. If the Bears lose to the Packers on Sunday, the Rams are in the playoffs no matter what, but if Chicago wins Green Bay, then the Rams will need to beat the Cardinals to enter. It looks like Goff will try to move forward and prepare for the playoffs, even though he is not able to be there on Sunday. Goff met with specialist Dr. Steven Shin today, the same doctor who treated Drew Brees‘thumb injury last year, ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter tweets. Obviously Brees lost a few games with that injury last year, although we hope that 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 ex-Wake Forest and AAF star John Wolford.
Here are more health problems from the entire league entering the last week of the season:
- Goff is not the only battered defender in this crucial game. Kyler Murray has dealt with a persistent shoulder injury this season and also injured his leg at the end of Arizona’s week 16 defeat to San Francisco. Speaking to the press on Monday, head coach Kliff Kingsbury it was vague, just considering a “leg” injury and saying that they will not put Murray out there if he is not effective. If the cards win on Sunday, they are in. If not, they are out. In a game of this magnitude, you have to imagine that Murray will play if possible, but now Kingsbury is saying it is in the air. This will be a situation to be monitored closely, but either way it looks like Murray will be under 100 percent against Aaron Donald and company.
- One last dispatch from NFC West. The 49ers defeated the Cardinals, but the injury season continued. They started at least two more games, as a novice receiver Brandon Aiyuk and left face Trent Williams both will not play in week 17 due to injuries sustained against Arizona, Kyle Shanahan said Monday. Shanahan also said he would be shocked if Jimmy Garoppolo plays this weekend, which means CJ Beathard there must be another chance at that. Aiyuk proved to be very promising and 49ers fans must be excited about his potential for 2021. It is possible that we saw Garoppolo play his last snap as a 49er.
- Joe MixonThe 2020 campaign is officially in the books. Bengals’ running back won’t play this weekend, head coach Zac Taylor confirmed Monday. Mixon hasn’t played since week 6 due to a foot injury, but the team continued to insist that he only played one week after another. Mixon signed a four-year extension, $ 48 million in September, so he’s in Cincy for the long term.
- Chiefs fans can breathe a little easier. Receiver Sammy Watkins suffered a calf injury yesterday, but Rapoport tweets it is not considered important. Given Watkins’ injury history, it’s a big relief. Rapoport writes that Watkins will rest in Week 17, but that there is a “good chance” that he will be back for the first playoff game in Kansas City.
- Another player whose season, and possibly career, is over: Patriots receiver Julian Edelman. Rapoport tweets that Edelman will not be activated for the Monday Night Football clash with the Bills, and that it is “unlikely” that he will play next week. Edelman has a contract for next season, but will turn 35 in May, so it’s totally fair to imagine if he will end up retiring. The legendary Patriot, who spent all 12 years of his career in New England, was limited to just six games this year due to a knee injury.