Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford does not have broken ribs and his availability status will be determined throughout this week, interim coach Darrell Bevell said Monday.
“So we know Matthew took a hit in the game and injured his rib,” Bevell said in a conference call. “You guys know how tough Matthew is. This will be deal where we’ll take it to the end of the week. He was a little bit better this afternoon than he was this morning. So we’ll see how it goes and how can progress.”
Bevell said X-rays on the left side of Stafford’s chest, where he felt pain, were negative.
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The medical staff, Bevell said, would help determine whether Stafford can play Sunday on the road against the Tennessee Titans, and he said Stafford would have input as well.
“And obviously he’ll have a big say in how he’s feeling,” Bevell said. “But we’ll look at the test with our eyes, we’ll see how he’s performing. But it’ll be just basically performance-based and if he’s going to be able to function at a high enough level, one to perform well and two to be able protect himself.”
Stafford, one of the NFL’s premier ironmen for most of his career, suffered a rib injury on a hit by Kenny Clark midway through the fourth quarter that overshadowed another Lions loss, their third in four games, 31-24, to the Green Bay Packers at Ford Field.
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Stafford suffered the injury on a 6-yard scramble when he was hit hard by Clark. He stayed in for the next play, a 2-yard touchdown run by Kerryon Johnson that cut the Lions’ deficit to 28-21, but came off the field clutching his left side. Stafford left the field with trainers, came back, then left again. Backup Chase Daniel took over at quarterback on the Lions’ ensuing series.
NOTE: Bevell said rookie cornerback Jeff Okudah will have surgery on his groin Tuesday and will go on injured/reserve, as previously reported by the Free Press.
Contact Carlos Monarrez at cmonarrez@freepress.com and follow him on Twitter @cmonarrez.