Detroit Lions star quarterback Matthew Stafford is “week-to-week,” according to second-year head coach Matt Patricia, per MLive's Kyle Meinke on Twitter.
Matt Patricia says Matthew Stafford remains week to week
— kyle meinke (@kmeinke) November 18, 2019
Stafford, 31, has missed the past two weeks for the Lions as he deals with fractured bones in his back—a diagnosis that reportedly could keep him out six weeks, although Patricia and Detroit claim the veteran signal-caller's timeline to sooner than that.
Backup quarterback Jeff Driskel has had to start for the Lions in those two games—both losses—as the Stafford-less Lions franchise slide in the NFC standings, losing three consecutive games and appear to be out of the postseason race without their one-time Pro-Bowl gunslinger.
Prior to Stafford's first game sidelined with his back injury, he had started in 136 consecutive games for Detroit, one of the track records for current players.
Stafford has thrown for nearly 2,500 yards and 19 touchdowns during the 2019 season, and he was poised to lead the Lions to the playoffs besides the personal accolades that could have been accrued if he stayed healthy. He might be pushed back sooner than later, however, despite suffering broken bones.
Detroit general manager Bob Quinn said, prior to the Cowboys game on Sunday, Stafford was “deactivated” after the quarterback “wasn't medically cleared” by team doctors. Stafford had practiced in limited fashion during the week.
Driskel, 26, is a journeyman quarterback, on his third team in four years after serving as the backup for Andy Dalton and the Cincinnati Bengals from 2016-19 (they have a new backup-turned-starter in southern Ohio by the name of Ryan Finley).
The Lions could choose to be cautious with Stafford, though, and rest him longer instead of rushing the vet back with little to no chance to make the NFC playoffs.
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