Rams have hopes Cooper Kupp will return and Matthew Stafford’s sore back heals

Date:

The Rams are hoping Cooper Kupp will be back in uniform and in the lineup for Week 7 against the Raiders. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

Cooper Kupp could be back for the Rams’ next game, but as the Rams begin their off week it is quarterback Matthew Stafford’s sore back that might be of more immediate concern.

Coach Sean McVay said Monday that Stafford was experiencing soreness after the Rams’ defeat to the Green Bay Packers on Sunday. The loss dropped the Rams’ record to 1-4.

The Packers hit Stafford 10 times and recorded three sacks.

McVay said he did not anticipate that the issue would preclude Stafford, 36, from fully participating in practice when the Rams return next week.

“This guy’s been playing for a long time — he’s as tough as it gets,” McVay said during a videoconference with reporters. “He took some shots [Sunday], he’s taken some shots this year and throughout the course of his career. … It’s something that we want to monitor.”

Read more: Rams’ youth shows in loss to Packers and they’ll need to grow up fast to save season

Stafford, a 16th-year pro, has passed for three touchdowns, with three interceptions.

He played the last three games without Kupp, who is recovering from an ankle injury. Receiver Puka Nacua is on injured reserve because of a knee injury suffered in the season opener.

A return by Kupp to play against the Raiders “would be an ideal target,” McVay said, before expressing caution.

“That is something in an ideal world, yeah, he’s ready to go,” McVay said, adding, “The Raiders was always an optimistic target date just based on a few weeks back that we had set. But by no means is that guaranteed.”

McVay declined to provide a timeline for returns by Nacua and offensive linemen Steve Avila (knee) and Joe Noteboom (ankle), who are eligible to come off injured reserve and play against the Raiders.

Get the best, most interesting and strangest stories of the day from the L.A. sports scene and beyond from our newsletter The Sports Report.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

Share post:

Popular

More like this
Related

Nico Echavarria shares lead in Mexico in bid for 2nd straight PGA Tour victory

LOS CABOS, Mexico (AP) — Nico Echavarria moved into...

These pros missed the cut at the 2024 World Wide Technology Championship

LOS CABOS, Mexico – FedEx Cup points are a...

UNC Basketball Falls Flat Late in First Half at Kansas

In the UNC basketball program's second trip to Allen...

Bolivians carry adorned human skulls asking for favors in the Ñatitas festival in La Paz

LA PAZ, Bolivia (AP) — Hundreds of Bolivian devotees...