BBAO: Matthew Stafford set for MRI
September, 24, 2012
9/24/12
8:30
AM ET
By
Kevin Seifert | ESPN.com
We're Black and Blue All Over. (We're also on Facebook and Twitter.)
Most of the immediate attention after the Detroit Lions' 44-41 loss Sunday to the Tennessee Titans focused on the botched final play. We discussed the Lions' options in some detail late Sunday night, but from a bigger picture, the team's most pressing question after the game was the condition of quarterback Matthew Stafford.
Stafford departed the game in the fourth quarter after aggravating what he said was a strained right leg muscle he originally suffered during practice last week. He is scheduled to have an MRI on Monday to determine the extent of the damage. It's worth noting the Lions have a bye week after this Sunday's game against the Minnesota Vikings and could conceivably get two weeks of rest while missing only one game if it comes to that.
Lost in the shuffle is that Stafford (278) and backup Shaun Hill (172) combined to throw for 450 yards in the game.
Continuing around the NFC North:
Most of the immediate attention after the Detroit Lions' 44-41 loss Sunday to the Tennessee Titans focused on the botched final play. We discussed the Lions' options in some detail late Sunday night, but from a bigger picture, the team's most pressing question after the game was the condition of quarterback Matthew Stafford.
Stafford departed the game in the fourth quarter after aggravating what he said was a strained right leg muscle he originally suffered during practice last week. He is scheduled to have an MRI on Monday to determine the extent of the damage. It's worth noting the Lions have a bye week after this Sunday's game against the Minnesota Vikings and could conceivably get two weeks of rest while missing only one game if it comes to that.
Lost in the shuffle is that Stafford (278) and backup Shaun Hill (172) combined to throw for 450 yards in the game.
Continuing around the NFC North:
- Bob Wojnowksi of the Detroit News: "The Lions might know what they want to be, but they have no idea what they are right now, other than a 1-2 team."
- The Lions' offense needs to find its identity, writes Anwar S. Richardson of Mlive.com.
- The Titans got 12 extra yards on an overtime penalty before their game-winning field goal as a result of an inaccurate spot by replacement officials. A 26-yard field goal should have been attempted from 38. Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press has more.
- St. Louis Rams cornerback Courtland Finnegan thought Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler played a "typical" game in Sunday's 23-6 victory, writes Mark Potash of the Chicago Sun-Times.
- David Haugh of the Chicago Tribune: "If this passes for typical Cutler, the Bears suddenly have a problem -- and that explains why improving to 2-1 on a day Lovie Smith's defense dominated the Rams like the good ol' days felt so empty around Chicago."
- After so much hype about the Bears' new receivers, cornerback Tim Jennings has been the team's most impressive skill position player this season, writes Jon Greenberg of ESPNChicago.com.
- Dan Pompei of the Tribune: "Sometimes the will is more important than the skill. Sunday was one of those times for the Bears."
- Tom Powers of the St. Paul Pioneer Press on the Minnesota Vikings' 24-13 victory over the San Francisco 49ers: "I saw things in Sunday's game that I never, ever expected to see."
- The Vikings have found an interesting mix of high-percentage plays on offense, writes Chip Scoggins of the Star Tribune.
- The Vikings took offense to suggestions they weren't physical enough to stand up to the 49ers, writes Tom Pelissero of 1500ESPN.com.
- The Green Bay Packers have not adjusted well to opponents' strategies of playing their safeties deep against their offense, writes Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
- As the Packers prepare to play the Seattle Seahawks on "Monday Night Football," Mike Vandermause of the Green Bay Press-Gazette recalls how Ted Thompson's 2005 move impacted both teams.
- Jason Wilde of ESPNMilwaukee.com looks at the two-game start of Packers linebacker Clay Matthews.
NFC NORTH SCOREBOARD
Sunday, 9/8
1:00 PM ET Cincinnati Chicago 1:00 PM ET Minnesota Detroit 4:25 PM ET Green Bay San Francisco



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