As their season crumbles before their eyes, the Rams may have to play their final game against the Cardinals without Jared Goff. He suffered a broken thumb in Sunday’s loss to the Seahawks, according to multiple reports, and will require surgery to repair the issue.
But Ian Rapoport of NFL Network is reporting that Goff could put off the procedure in an attempt to play through the injury, just as he did on Sunday. It all comes down to pain management and his ability to grip and throw the football, which could be difficult.
Goff will undergo more testing once the swelling goes down, but his status in practice will be closely monitored leading up to the season finale.
#Rams QB Jared Goff, who suffered a broken and dislocated thumb, can put off surgery to repair it until after the season, source said. Goff has more tests today, but he is adamant about attempting to play through it. How his thumb responds this week will determine his status.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) December 28, 2020
After the loss to Seattle, Goff said he’s “uncertain” about whether he’ll be able to play in Week 17. He said his thumb didn’t hurt while playing through the injury and that it felt OK after the game ended.
Sean McVay also wouldn’t speculate on his quarterback’s health, saying they’ll “see what the final verdict is on that.”
If Goff can’t play, John Wolford and his zero career snaps will take over as the starting quarterback in the Rams’ biggest game of the season. Fortunately, they can still get into the playoffs with a loss if the Bears also lose, but they’d prefer not to enter the postseason on a three-game losing streak.