Getty Matthew Stafford has his right index finger wrapped during the TNF game at Seattle.
Bad fingers became the theme of Week 5’s Thursday Night Football showdown between the Los Angeles Rams and the Seattle Seahawks.
Both Matthew Stafford and Russell Wilson were playing through finger ailments during the Rams’ 26-17 road victory. The former with an index finger ailment and the latter needing to get his middle finger snapped back in during the third quarter.
Wilson had the most recent finger ailment, which was caused by this hit captured by Pro Football Focus.
Russell Wilson’s finger 🤢
Stafford’s Injury to Index Finger
Stafford had his index finger wrapped up, as reported by both ESPN Rams reporter Lindsey Thiry and The Athletic’s Jourdan Rodrigue.
Matthew Stafford, who had his throwing hand index finger checked out, is on the field to take a knee and end a brutal first half.
Seahawks 7
Rams 3
The broadcast showed Matthew Stafford with a wrap on his index finger.
Stafford also had this miscue during the TNF game:
Matthew Stafford finds a wide open Quandre Diggs in the back of the end zone 🎯
Following that play, Rodrigue caught this sideline interaction involving Stafford and head trainer Reggie Scott:
Reggie Scott is placing some sort of tape on Matthew Stafford’s throwing hand.
Fox Sports sideline reporter Erin Andrews asked about Stafford’s wrapped finger.
“It’s OK. It’s OK,” McVay told Andrews at halftime.
Well, looked like Stafford’s wrapped finger was OK as noted by McVay. Stafford found DeSean Jackson on a much needed 68-yard bomb here:
STAFFORD 🚀 DESEAN JACKSON
Jackson: 25th career catch of 60+ yards 🤯
Rams Weapon Also Fights Through Pain
It was quite the turn of events for the Rams’ starting tight end.
Starting TE Tyler Higbee had to leave during the second quarter of the Thursday Night Football road game against the Seattle Seahawks. The Rams first reported that the veteran TE has a shoulder injury and his status became questionable.
Injury update: TE Tyler Higbee (shoulder) questionable to return.
Higbee’s injury occurred on this play during the second quarter.
Higbee was primarily used as a blocker for most of the game. He wasn’t targeted once by Stafford during the first half. His loss would’ve left Johnny Mundt and rookie Jacob Harris as the lone TE options.
Except they weren’t. As Higbee returned.
Not only did the 6-foot-6 target made his way back to the starting lineup during the third, he caught this touchdown pass from Stafford for his second touchdown of the season, and where he drew man coverage on Pro Bowl safety Jamal Adams:
Smith Took the Seahawks’ Reins
In the fourth quarter, Seahawks backup Geno Smith took some snaps as Wilson fought through his finger injury. Smith managed to connect with DK Metcalf on a 23-yard strike to cut the Ram lead to 16-14. Wilson was listed as questionable, per Fox’s Kristina Pink.
Wilson never returned to the game. Smith managed to complete his first six passing attempts but went on to finish with 10-of-17 passing for 131 yards, one touchdown throw and a late interception to Nick Scott seen below.
This is a Nick Scott appreciation tweet. 👀
Picked by @nickmscotty
Wilson ended his night with 11-of-16 passing for 152 yards, one touchdown and one interception — which was forced by Jalen Ramsey and fell into the hands of Troy Reeder, which also snapped a notable streak Wilson had.
Jalen Ramsey and Troy Reeder snap Russell Wilson’s NFL-best 185 pass attempt streak without an interception.
(via @NFL)
Stafford, bad index finger and all, went on to put together his best yardage night as a Ram by throwing for 365 yards. He also completed 25 passes on 37 attempts.