The news regarding Matthew Stafford’s shoulder has gotten progressively worse since he injured it on Sunday against the Jets. Preliminary tests indicated he may have suffered a Grade 3 separation of his right shoulder, which is not good. That would mean three ligaments in the quarterback’s AC joint have been damaged. This is Stafford’s second shoulder injury of the season, the first being a Grade 2 separation which he suffered week two against Chicago.
According to FoxSportsDetroit.com, Stafford is going to miss the remainder of the year. Even if the injury were the same one he suffered week two (and it appears worse), he’d need six weeks to recover. Lions coach Jim Schwartz would be wise to give him the remainder of the year and off-season to properly heal rather than bringing him back for the final two games of 2010.
While Schwartz claims the two shoulder injuries Stafford has suffered this year are unrelated, they’re both to the same shoulder. I’m no doctor, but that sure sounds related in my book. Whether one injury led to the other or not, two shoulder injuries to your franchise signal caller’s throwing arm in the same season is bad news.
If Stafford needs surgery — and I’m guessing he will — this will be a huge concern for the Lions organization. It may not be time to panic just yet, but Detroit has been making strides toward improving their abysmal squad and a lot of that starts with it’s quarterback. After watching one of their potential saviors separate his shoulder twice in one season — his second in the NFL — I’m sure Lions fans are in “here we go again” mode. I would be, too.
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