Matthew Stafford lost his season to a neck injury, but the Los Angeles Rams quarterback is adamant his NFL career is not done.

Having led the Rams to Super Bowl LVI glory in his first year in LA, Stafford's second season has not gone to plan.

The former Detroit Lions QB underwent elbow surgery in the offseason and did not look the same player as the 2022 campaign began.

In nine games with Stafford under center, the Rams were 3-6, with the QB throwing only 10 touchdown passes and eight interceptions for a passer rating of 87.4 – his worst since 2014.

Stafford had averaged 287.4 yards per game in 2021 but only topped that mark in one game this year.

A spinal cord contusion then cut Stafford's season short in Week 11, prompting concerns around the 34-year-old's long-term future.

But in an appearance on his wife Kelly's The Morning After podcast, Stafford responded flatly to a question asking if he would retire: "No."

Stafford signed a four-year, $160million extension with the Rams in March, and the team are confident he can avoid surgery ahead of a 2023 return.

Coach Sean McVay said earlier this month: "He'll be good. To my knowledge, there's nothing like that [surgery] that's going to be required or necessary.

"And it will be great for Matthew to have a healthy offseason and do a lot of the things that I think he'll feel good about being able to do."

Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay acknowledged 2022 has been "a very humbling season" after the Super Bowl champions were eliminated from playoff contention.

Less than a year on from winning Super Bowl LVI, an injury-wrecked Rams side slipped to a 24-12 loss against the Green Bay Packers on Monday to officially put the postseason beyond their reach.

No Baker Mayfield heroics were able to save them this time around, and with a 4-10 record, they are tied with the 1999 Denver Broncos for the most losses coming off claiming the sport's biggest prize.

Asked whether he could have imagined his side's underperformance just months on from the greatest high of all, McVay acknowledged it had been a chastening campaign for his team and himself.

"I think it's hard to say that you could [have expected this]," he said. "You certainly can't, but this is the reality that we're in, and this is where we're at.

"My job is to focus on [finishing] up the season with the right competitive spirit, with the mindset and mentality that's reflective of who those guys are in the locker room and who those coaches are.

"There's been a lot of things I've thought about that I think you can make sense of, but it still doesn't make it any easier. It's a very humbling season, for sure."

McVay was adamant the Rams will not fold in the remaining weeks of the campaign, even with only pride to play for now, and credited his team for their performances amid a number of trying situations.

"This has been a real struggle in a lot of instances, a lot of adversity that we've gone through," he added. "But I think what we've seen from our guys is they're going to continue to battle.

"They're going to finish up these last three games the right way, with the right mindset and mentality, and we'll compete to the best of our ability.

"That's all I know how to do, and I trust that that's exactly what we'll do collectively as a group."

Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay acknowledged 2022 has been "a very humbling season" after the Super Bowl champions were eliminated from play-off contention.

Less than a year on from winning Super Bowl LVI, an injury-wrecked Rams side slipped to a 24-12 loss against the Green Bay Packers on Monday to officially put the postseason beyond their reach.

No Baker Mayfield heroics were able to save them this time around, and with a 4-10 record, they are tied with the 1999 Denver Broncos for the most losses coming off claiming the sport's biggest prize.

Asked whether he could have imagined his side's underperformance just months on from the greatest high of all, McVay acknowledged it had been a chastening campaign for his team and himself.

"I think it's hard to say that you could [have expected this]," he said. "You certainly can't, but this is the reality that we're in, and this is where we're at.

"My job is to focus on [finishing] up the season with the right competitive spirit, with the mindset and mentality that's reflective of who those guys are in the locker room and who those coaches are.

"There's been a lot of things I've thought about that I think you can make sense of, but it still doesn't make it any easier. It's a very humbling season, for sure."

McVay was adamant the Rams will not fold in the remaining weeks of the campaign, even with only pride to play for now, and credited his team for their performances amid a number of trying situations.

"This has been a real struggle in a lot of instances, a lot of adversity that we've gone through," he added. "But I think what we've seen from our guys is they're going to continue to battle.

"They're going to finish up these last three games the right way, with the right mindset and mentality, and we'll compete to the best of our ability.

"That's all I know how to do, and I trust that that's exactly what we'll do collectively as a group."

Aaron Rodgers believes his Green Bay Packers are good enough to win the rest of their games and make a charge for the playoffs after defeating the Los Angeles Rams 24-12 on Monday.

In freezing conditions, Rodgers led the Packers to their second consecutive victory to take their record to 6-8, but they will need to win-out against the Miami Dolphins, Minnesota Vikings and Detroit Lions to have any chance of postseason action.

The Rams were without several of their top players, including defensive lineman Aaron Donald, who was named to his ninth consecutive Pro Bowl before the game.

Rodgers said "nobody was upset AD wasn't playing" and that the Packers "should have scored 30" in his absence.

He was rather dismissive of the undermanned Rams in his post-game media appearance, but said he now believes the Packers can go undefeated the rest of the way, despite the tough tests that lie ahead.

"I do [believe]," he said. "We are going to play three better football teams, but I do, definitely.

"They're all good football teams. Miami are playing for the playoffs, Minnesota are obviously division-winners and coming off a big win, and Detroit have won six out of seven and are playing really well.

"It's going to be three difficult games, but two of them are at home against dome teams, and it will be January for those two. We've notoriously been pretty good in those games over the years."

When asked what has been the difference between the Packers in their past two wins compared to the eight-game stretch before where they went 1-7, he said this league is all about momentum.

"You win a game, the vibes are pretty good." he said. "We've just been practising a little bit better, the energy's been a little bit better. 

"It’s hard to put your finger on it. We've played a couple of teams we should have beat, but that being said, it's still tough to win in the league. 

"I think we can beat anybody. We can also lose to anybody, but when you win a couple in a row, it starts to give you some confidence."

It was Rodgers' ninth consecutive win in Monday night fixtures, but he joked that the primetime slot does not have the same shine it used to.

"When you're a young player, you dream about playing on Monday nights," he said. "When you're an older player, you want those noon games. 

"It's past my bedtime. I'm ready to go home and go to sleep."

The Green Bay Packers remain in the playoff hunt for at least another week after a relatively comfortable 24-12 home win against the Los Angeles Rams on Monday.

After a field goal each to open the game, the Packers pulled ahead in the second quarter through A.J. Dillon's eight-yard touchdown run, and they were never in danger of being tracked down.

Dillon's second touchdown run of the game – this time from the one-yard line – gave Green Bay some breathing room, before fellow running back Aaron Jones got on the end of Aaron Rodgers' only touchdown pass of the game to extend the margin to 24-6.

The Rams snagged their only touchdown of the game in the final seconds of the third quarter, with Baker Mayfield finding Tyler Higbee on an eight-yard connection to make it a two-score game heading into the last, but they could not mount any more meaningful offense.

In freezing conditions, Rodgers completed 22 of his 30 passes for 229 yards, one touchdown and one interception, but it was the Packers' two-pronged rushing attack that was the difference.

Dillon was inefficient with just 36 yards from his 11 carries, but he made up for it with his two tough touchdown runs and three catches for 35 yards through the air. Meanwhile, Jones totalled 90 yards from his 17 carries, adding four catches for 36 yards and a score.

The Packers are now 6-8 after back-to-back wins, and they will need to keep it going to defeat the Miami Dolphins, the Minnesota Vikings and the Detroit Lions in the final three weeks to finish above .500 and potentially sneak into the playoffs.

The best defensive player of his era, Los Angeles Rams defensive lineman Aaron Donald was named to his ninth consecutive Pro Bowl on Monday.

Donald was one of the initial two Pro Bowl announcements, with Green Bay Packers cornerback Jaire Alexander also receiving the honour ahead of Monday's clash between the Rams and Packers.

Drafted in 2014, Donald was the NFL's Defensive Rookie of the Year, making the Pro Bowl in the process, and he has gone on to earn selection in every season of his career.

He joins Hall-of-Famers Joe Thomas, Jim Brown, Lawrence Taylor, Franco Harris, Derrick Thomas, Mel Renfro, Barry Sanders and Merlin Olsen as the only players to achieve the feat in their first nine seasons.

It adds to one of the sport's greatest defensive resumes, as Donald also has three Defensive Player of the Year awards, and seven consecutive selections to the All-Pro First Team from 2015 through 2021.

Having never played less than 14 games in any of his eight previous seasons, Donald's streak of All-Pro First Teams is in jeopardy after only tallying five sacks in 11 games, with his campaign likely over due to injury.

Meanwhile, Alexander, a first-round pick in 2018 will compete in his second Pro Bowl after also earning selection in 2020, a season where he was named to the All-Pro Second Team.

The rest of the Pro Bowl rosters will be announced on Wednesday.

Baker Mayfield says "everything does happen for a reason" after his dream start to life at the Los Angeles Rams.

The former first overall draft pick started the season with the Carolina Panthers, having been waived with a dismal 1-5 record for the campaign.

Picked up by the Rams in the midst of a quarterback injury crisis, Mayfield unexpectedly led the Super Bowl holders to a comeback win against the Las Vegas Raiders in his first game for the team.

Ahead of Monday's match with the Green Bay Packers, the 27-year-old has acknowledged it has been an unusual start to life in California, but suggested his move offered a second chance after his Panthers frustrations.

"Refreshing is an interesting way to put it, considering how stressful last week has been," he said.

"But in the end, everything does happen for a reason. I'm thankful for the group that is here."

Though tasked with leading the Rams against the Raiders, Mayfield was able to call on veteran quarterback Matthew Stafford for advice throughout the match.

Head coach Sean McVay was impressed with the latter's contributions, highlighting his crucial impact in helping his new team-mate keep focused on the game.

"He was even on the headset on the last drive," he added. "He was able to add in a couple of things that would be helpful to Baker.

"That tells you everything that you need to know about Matthew and who he is. I think sometimes being able to get a different perspective can be beneficial."

Baker Mayfield called it a "pretty damn good story" after he produced a stunning fourth-quarter comeback against the Las Vegas Raiders to win 17-16 in his Los Angeles Rams debut on Thursday.

Having been cut by the Carolina Panthers on Monday following news he was no longer the starter or the backup, he was claimed by the Rams on Tuesday, and just two days later he was thrust into the action.

John Wolford started the game at quarterback for the Rams, but after two quick Raiders scores, Mayfield trotted out in the first quarter trailing 10-0 and began to figure things out.

His very first play went for a 21-yard completion, and his first drive ended in a field goal, but the Rams were unable to score again until the final minutes of the game.

Trailing 16-3 to begin the fourth quarter, Mayfield put together a 17-play, 75-yard drive, with Cam Akers' short-range touchdown cutting the margin to six points, and he got the ball back with 98 yards to go and just 1:45 on the clock.

He went on to produce the longest go-ahead drive beginning in the final two minutes in the past 45 seasons, culminating in his first touchdown pass as a Ram, a 23-yard dime down the left sideline to Van Jefferson as the Raiders opted to play man coverage with no safety help over the top.

Speaking to the media after the fairytale result, Mayfield reflected on the long, winding journey to Los Angeles.

"I don't know if you can write it any better than that," he said. "Obviously, we'd like to be a little bit more stress-free, but it's a pretty damn good story, I'll be honest with you. It's special.

"It feels really good right now, but there's a lot to get fixed, that's for sure. Throughout my career so far there's been a lot of ups and downs, so this is one I'm going to enjoy right now, but there's a lot of things to get ironed out and learn from.

"I'm extremely thankful. It's been a tough year, to be honest with you, and this has been a good way to kick-start this journey here. It's wild."

Joining the Amazon Prime coverage immediately after the win, the former number one overall draft pick was asked where this ranks out of the moments in his career.

"This is up there, to be honest with you," he said. "I didn't think it was going to play out like this, but I'm sure happy [the coaches and I] covered the two-minute operation, my goodness.

"It's been a wild year, I'm not going to say otherwise. From being in limbo at the beginning, not knowing where it's going to go, to the last 48 hours here.

"I'm thankful to the guys back in Carolina, to be honest with you, I love those guys, and it sucks I had to leave. But when it works out like this, it's for the best, and I think they understand that."

Mayfield added that he has history with Jefferson, and that him coming down with the winning touchdown catch makes up for any past indiscretions.

"Van and I go back, I'm not very happy with Van until now," he said in jest. "I was trying to get him to come to Oklahoma, but he wouldn't text or call back. He owes me one, and he got me right there.

"I was truly shocked they pressed him up with 15 seconds left, knowing we had no timeouts left. He did a great job winning off the line of scrimmage, and I just put it up for him to go make a play."

The 27-year-old will likely start the remainder of the season with starting quarterback Matthew Stafford out injured, and with Stafford's future up in the air, the Rams' low-cost gamble could end up producing their new number one.

Baker Mayfield led two touchdown drives in the fourth quarter of his Los Angeles Rams debut to stun the Las Vegas Raiders 17-16 on Thursday.

Mayfield, who was only signed by the team on Tuesday after being released by the Carolina Panthers on Monday, did not start the game, but was summoned for the Rams' second drive while trailing 10-0 in the opening quarter.

His very first play as a Ram resulted in a 21-yard completion to Van Jefferson, and it was a sign of good things to come for the former number-one draft pick by the Cleveland Browns.

A Josh Jacobs one-yard touchdown run from the Raiders' first drive of the game gave the impression it was going to be one-way traffic for the road team, but that would be their only touchdown of the contest.

Trailing 13-3 at half-time and 16-3 early in the fourth quarter, the Rams mustered a 17-play, 75-yard drive, culminating in a one-yard Cam Akers touchdown plunge to give the home side some life.

Mayfield got the ball back for one final drive from his own two-yard line and 1:45 remaining in the game, and he produced a stunning 98-yard march down the field in eight plays.

With 15 seconds left and only time for a couple shots at the endzone from the 23-yard line, Mayfield connected down the sideline to Van Jefferson on the first try, tying the game, before Matt Gay's extra point gave the Rams the unlikely lead and the win.

Mayfield completed 22 of his 35 passes for 230 yards, one touchdown and no turnovers, while Ben Skowronek was his top receiver with seven catches for 89 yards.

The win does not change much for the Rams' season, now 4-9 and no real chance to make the playoffs, but it was a crushing blow for the Raiders, who could have remained in the hunt with a win, but instead fell to 5-8.

Baker Mayfield was only picked up off waivers by the Los Angeles Rams on Tuesday, but he was called upon to enter the game in the first quarter against the Las Vegas Raiders on Thursday.

Mayfield was cut by the Carolina Panthers on Monday in what was called a "mutual agreement" by the team after it was established he would no longer be the starter or backup now that P.J. Walker and Sam Darnold are both healthy.

John Wolford started for the Rams against the Raiders, but after a three-and-out to open the game – with Wolford attempting no passes on the drive – he was pulled.

Trailing 10-0 in the first quarter, Mayfield entered the game, and with his first play he delivered a 21-yard play-action strike to Van Jefferson. His first drive ultimately ended with a field goal, and he remained in the game for the Rams' next drive in the second quarter.

Desperate to save what has been a disastrous title defense, the Los Angeles Rams have claimed quarterback Baker Mayfield off waivers.

The defending Super Bowl champions made the move on Tuesday, one day after Mayfield was released by the Carolina Panthers.

The former top pick joins a Los Angeles team that has lost six consecutive games and is tied with the Denver Broncos for the NFL's third-worst record at 3-9.

While it was being speculated he would be claimed by a contending team dealing with an injury at quarterback – the San Francisco 49ers or the Baltimore Ravens – he instead joins a Rams team out of the playoff picture.

The quarterback position has been a mess for Los Angeles with Matthew Stafford likely out for the rest of the season with a bruised spinal cord, while backups John Wolford and Bryce Perkins have struggled to generate much offense.

Wolford has one touchdown pass and a 64.6 QB rating in two games played, while Perkins has one touchdown and a 53.7 rating in four contests.

Mayfield, the No. 1 overall pick of the 2018 draft by the Cleveland Browns, has not been much better, throwing six touchdowns and six interceptions while registering a 74.4 passer rating in seven games played. Among quarterbacks with at least 75 attempts, Mayfield's 57.8 completion percentage beats out only the New York Jets' Zach Wilson (55.6 per cent).

Mayfield went just 1-6 for the Panthers, who acquired him from the Browns in July and would have been responsible to pay him $1.35million for the remainder of this season had the Rams not put in the claim.

Los Angeles host the Las Vegas Raiders on Thursday night, and it is not out of the question Mayfield plays.

Although quarterback Matthew Stafford has been cleared from the league’s concussion protocol, Los Angeles Rams coach Sean McVay said he will not play Sunday against the Seattle Seahawks.

Stafford has missed two of the Rams' last three games because of concussion protocols and a neck injury. While he’s cleared for the concussion, the team is still gathering information about the neck injury.

"I think there’s so many layers [to that decision]," McVay said. "There’s so much thought and dialogue that goes into it, but I think first and foremost it’s got to get cleared from the medical experts.

"I’m not the expert in that area, but if there’s any sort of sense of, this is something that’ll be better served in the long term or it’s going to be a few more week, things like that, I think that’ll end up taking care of itself."

John Wolford will start Sunday against Seattle and Bryce Perkins, who started last week’s loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, will serve as his backup.

The Rams may be extra careful with Stafford because he felt numbness in his legs after taking a hit against the New Orleans Saints on November 20. That was just two days after he cleared the concussion protocol for the first time.

McVay didn’t rule out that Stafford could be shut down for the season.

"If there’s any inkling that he can play, this guy is going to want to play. Now [there is] a possibility that we say, 'based on what we’re gathering, the doctors, those types of things, the smart thing is not to play you' – and he could be upset with me.

"But I think he knows that I have his best interest and we have his best interest. If that’s the case, then that’s definitely a possibility."

The injury-depleted Rams are enduing a dismal season after winning the Super Bowl last season. They have lost five straight, and at 3-8 are among the worst teams in the league.

With just six weeks left of the regular season schedule, the drama in the NFL continues to ramp up.

The playoff picture is wide open and Week 13 action presents clashes between a number of sides who each boast a winning record this season.

Victories this week would provide a considerable boost for those teams' hopes of continuing beyond the regular campaign.

A huge divisional rivalry between the Washington Commanders and New York Giants is the pick of the action, while there is also a rematch from last season's AFC Championship game with the Kansas City Chiefs seeking redemption against the Cincinnati Bengals.

Stats Perform has delved into the numbers for those matchups along with some of Sunday's other big games.

New York Jets (7-4) @ Minnesota Vikings (9-2)

The Jets head to Minnesota with an 8-3 record against the Vikings, though have lost the last two meetings – including a 37-17 loss in the last meeting in 2018, which marked the most ever points scored by the Vikings in this series.

Defensive strength has been key for the Jets this season, with last week's 31-10 victory over the Chicago Bears being the fourth time this year where they have held their opponents to 10 or fewer points – the last time they had such a sequence was five games in 2010, which was also their last season with a trip to the playoffs.

The Jets defense will be tested against the Vikings' aerial threat, however, with Justin Jefferson and Adam Thielen each catching touchdown passes in the Thanksgiving win over the New England Patriots – the ninth time each player has had a receiving TD in the same game, which marks the most of any NFL teammates since Jefferson's 2020 debut.

A win against the Jets would see head coach Kevin O'Connell join Jim Caldwell and Jim Harbaugh as the only men this century to earn 10 wins in 12 or fewer games to start their career as an NFL head coach.

Washington Commanders (7-5) @ New York Giants (7-4)

A series sweep for Washington last season was the franchise's first against the Giants since 2011, leaving the Commanders looking for their first win streak of at least three games against New York since a four-game streak that ended in 2000.

Four consecutive wins on the road have seen Washington hold their opponents to 54 points total in those contests, marking the first time they have won four straight road games while allowing fewer than 60 points since 2001.

The Giants head into the contest having lost their last five against divisional opponents, standing just 1-7 in that regard over the past two seasons. That makes them just one of two teams without multiple wins in divisional games over that span (also Denver Broncos, 1-8).

Saquon Barkley remains the biggest threat for the Giants and sits just eight rushing yards short of his third 1000-yard season, where he would join Tiki Barber (6), Rodney Hampton (5) and Joe Morris (3) as the only Giants with at least three such seasons for the team.

Tennessee Titans (7-4) @ Philadelphia Eagles (10-1)

Philadelphia host the Titans on the back of a six-game winning run against AFC opponents dating back to last season, matching the Eagles' longest such streak in franchise history.

Last time out against the Green Bay Packers, the Eagles scored a touchdown in four of their five trips to the red zone – with Philadelphia leading the NFL in touchdown efficiency in the red zone this season, scoring in 29 of 40 trips (72.5 per cent).

Tennessee, meanwhile, have rushed for fewer than 100 yards in each of their last three games, matching their longest streak since Mike Vrabel became head coach in 2018.

In the 20-16 loss to the Bengals last time out, Derrick Henry fumbled but was it was recovered. Of the 39 players with at least 200 offensive touches since the beginning of last season, Henry, Leonard Fournette and Christian McCaffrey are the only three to have not lost a fumble.

Kansas City Chiefs (9-2) @ Cincinnati Bengals (7-4)

Two meetings last season saw the Bengals win by three points in both contests, including in the AFC Championship game in Kansas City, with the Chiefs' last road win against the Bengals coming in 1984 – losing six straight since.

A 26-10 home victory against the Los Angeles Rams last week saw Travis Kelce catch his 12th touchdown pass of the season, with no other tight end having more than five this term. The largest all-time gap between a league leader and second place stands at six (Rob Gronkowski in 2011 and Antonio Gates in 2004).

The Bengals overcame the Titans 20-16 on the road last week, giving Cincinnati their first three-game winning streak of the season. Since 2018, they stand 3-34 when scoring 20 or fewer points in a game, but two of those wins have come against Tennessee.

Cincinnati have converted 78.1 per cent (25-for-32) of their third downs this season when needing fewer than four yards, the best mark in the league. However, they've also allowed opponents to convert such third downs at a 76.5 per cent rate (26-for-34), the worst record in the league.

Elsewhere…

The Miami Dolphins head to San Francisco with a 4-3 record on the road against the 49ers, the second-best such record by any team behind the Carolina Panthers (7-4).

The Los Angeles Rams host the Seattle Seahawks having won eight of the last 10 clashes between the two divisional rivals, with Seattle's last victory on the road in this matchup coming in Week 5, 2017.

An overtime victory over the Seahawks last week was the second in a row for the Las Vegas Raiders, having beaten the Denver Broncos in OT in Week 11. No NFL team has ever won three consecutive games in overtime going into the Raiders' latest battle with the Los Angeles Chargers.

The Dallas Cowboys host the Indianapolis Colts on the back of a four-game spell with at least 400 net yards, with only one longer streak in team history – running eight games in that regard in 2016.

For the first time in his illustrious career, an injury will prevent Los Angeles Rams seven-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle Aaron Donald from taking the field. 

Coach Sean McVay said on Wednesday that a high-ankle sprain suffered in the Rams' 26-10 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 12 will sideline Donald for Sunday’s game against the Seattle Seahawks. 

This will be the first game the 31-year-old Donald will miss since Week 17 of the 2017 season, when the Rams rested a number of starters ahead of the playoffs. The only other game he missed in his nine-year career was Week 1 of the same season because of a contract holdout. 

Despite missing those two games in 2017, he still won his first of three NFL Defensive Player of the Year Awards. 

Donald, who has five sacks, 10 tackles for a loss, 11 quarterback hits and a forced fumble in 11 games this season, is the latest Rams star to be saddled with an injury, joining quarterback Matthew Stafford (concussion protocol) and 2021 AP Offensive Player of the Year Cooper Kupp (high-ankle sprain). 

Unlike Kupp, whose high-ankle sprain required surgery, Donald won't need surgery, and is considered week to week, according to McVay. 

Although the injury isn't thought to be season-ending, there is a possibility the team ultimately decides to shut him down seeing as the Rams are essentially playing out the string. 

Last Sunday's loss was the fifth straight for Los Angeles, dropping the defending Super Bowl champions to 3-8 – alone in last place in the NFC West. 

Three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year Aaron Donald has joined the Los Angeles Rams' long injured list with head coach Sean McVay fearing a high ankle sprain.

McVay revealed on Monday that the 31-year-old defensive tackle had an ankle sprain, although he was still undergoing examination on the severity. He said Rams' medical staff indicated they feared it was a high ankle sprain.

Donald joins quarterback Matthew Stafford (concussion protocol) and wide receiver Cooper Kupp (high ankle sprain) on the sidelines.

"We're finding that out right now," McVay told reporters about Donald's injury. "He's still meeting with the doctors and getting the necessary scans.

"On Wednesday when we re-convene I'll have a little bit more information for you."

Donald has five sacks, 10 tackles for a loss, 11 quarterback hits and a forced fumble in 11 games this season.

"Obviously we'll take the appropriate steps for Aaron in terms of how we move forward and what that means as far as his availability for this week and the weeks to come," McVay said.

McVay added there was no update on Stafford, who remains in protocol, but rejected talk of shutting down all their star players despite the reigning Super Bowl champions' 3-6 record.

"I think you've got to take each individual case," he said. "As a competitor for those players, you want to be mindful of all the things that go into that. I've always consistently said being smart. They're all factors. We're trying to compete.

"But it's been something nobody could have predicted. When it rains, it pours."

On Sunday, the Rams confirmed wide receiver Allen Robinson II will miss the remainder of the season with a foot stress fracture.