Matthew Stafford has spent nearly the last seven weeks rehabbing his right shoulder injury with the hope of being able to return for at least one game this season. After being ruled out this week, however, it started looking less and less likely that he'd actually be able to return for the Lions' finale next week. After today, it's guaranteed that he will be out, as the Lions placed him on injured reserve, ending his season.
Stafford suffered a right shoulder injury during the first game of the season and returned seven weeks later, beating the Redskins in his only full game this year. After going down with another right shoulder injury a week later against the Jets, he has missed almost seven weeks of action. After the season wraps up next Sunday at home against Minnesota, Stafford will have missed eight straight games and a total of 13 this year. During his two years in the NFL, he will have played in only 13 games and missed 19.
With Stafford out, the Lions will be left with Shaun Hill and Drew Stanton to compete for the starting job at quarterback this week and next week. Hill and Stanton each took No. 1 reps at QB the last couple days, but today it was Hill that was with the first team. At this point it seems that he has the edge to start over Stanton, but we won't know for sure until a starter is announced on Sunday.
In other injury news, Louis Delmas missed practice for the third straight day. He suffered a concussion against Tampa Bay and after missing practice all week, it looks like he could be out against Miami. To shore up their depth at safety and fill Stafford's spot on the roster, the Lions did sign Randy Phillips off the practice squad, so it seems like Delmas will be out this week.
UPDATE: Stafford said that he doesn't need surgery.