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Lindsey ThiryESPN
THOUSAND OAKS, California – Uncertain about the health of the Los Angeles Rams as they prepare for a playoff game in the divisional round at the Green Bay Packers.
Defensive attack Aaron Donald has a rib injury, wide receiver Cooper Kupp has a bursitis in his knee, defender John Wolford has a stinger, and defender Jared Goff continues to recover from the thumb operation he underwent on December 28th.
Rams coach Sean McVay expressed optimism Sunday night that Donald and Kupp could return to next Saturday’s competition, but the defender’s situation remains unclear.
“I want to be able to see their health,” said McVay Wolford and Goff. “That’s the first thing and we’re going to get out of there.”
McVay said he has not decided who will start against the Packers and did not indicate if he is leaning in any direction.
Wolford started a second straight game on Saturday in a wild-card playoff victory for the Seattle Seahawks, but came out with 5:40 to play in the first quarter after suffering a stinger.
Goff came into play – 12 days out of surgery to repair a broken thumb on his throwing hand – and passed 155 yards and a touchdown. Later, Goff said that he does not feel pain in his thumb and that he is “very capable with what I have now”, despite the fact that he is less than 100% healthy.
However, McVay said on Sunday that it was clear that Goff’s thumb was affecting his game, and the coach refused to speculate on who would start against the Packers if Goff’s recovery continued to progress without any withdrawal.
“I’ll take it one day at a time. It affected him yesterday; you watch the game, that’s what he did,” McVay said of Goff. “And so it might not have been painful, but it was something he did a great job fighting, being ready to go; and there were a few things he is usually able to do that seemed to be a factor. ”
Wolford and Goff were the Rams’ only active defenders against the Seahawks, but McVay said he would keep a third active defender against the Packers because of the circumstances.
As for Donald, who recorded 13.5 sacks in the regular season and added two more against the Seahawks, McVay declined to provide details when asked about the severity of his rib injury.
“We’ll be smart with him all week,” McVay said. “But I think if he does something, he’ll do his best to be ready to go.”
Donald was injured in the third quarter in Seattle when he hit defender Russell Wilson, who appeared to be landing on Donald’s ribs. Donald left the game and never returned.
Kupp left the game in the fourth quarter, although McVay said his injury did not occur to any specific play.
“We will monitor that day for him and we hope to reduce the swelling and inflammation in anticipation and we hope to have him ready to leave,” McVay said.
McVay also said that left-back David Edwards, who came out of the incline on Saturday in the second quarter, has Achilles tendonitis and will be there every day. If he can’t play, Bobby Evans will start on the left guard.