Matthew Stafford Active For Detroit Lions
Former Georgia Bulldog and current Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford has received another negative COVID-19 test, and he is cleared to start today’s game against the Minnesota Vikings.
On Wednesday, Stafford was placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list because he had recently been in contact with an individual that had tested positive for COVID-19. Placing Stafford on this list as a precaution to ensure he did not contract COVID-19 and unknowingly spread it to other players on the team.
What does this mean for the Lions?
Stafford being cleared to play today is huge for the Lions. Why? The Lions play against a division rival, the Minnesota Vikings, that they currently lead in the division standings by one game. Today’s game marks the halfway point for the Lions this season, and they are behind the division-leading Green Bay Packers by three games, two if the Lions win today. There is not much room for error for the Lions moving forward, so having Stafford back for today’s game is a huge plus.
Could Stafford struggle from missed practice?
If Stafford was a first-year quarterback or just a young quarterback, one could see missing four days of practice as an issue, but Stafford is a bonified pro. What does that mean? Stafford was the number one overall pick in the 2009 NFL Draft, and he has been with the Lions ever since. He has played for head coach Matt Patricia since 2018, so I would not expect Stafford to miss a beat in today’s 1:00 pm game.
COVID-19 across the NFL
The risk of losing players due to COVID-19 is a large issue across the NFL, but the Lions were able to dodge the bullet today. Situations like this one are why the NFL is considering expanding the playoffs to 16-teams. A team could lose a game or two without star players because of COVID-19 concerns. As of now, there is no update on whether the NFL will approve the proposed plan to expand the playoffs this season.
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