Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford suffers ankle injury in Super Bowl
Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford was seen limping off the field Sunday during the Super Bowl after suffering an ankle injury. Stafford rolled his ankle in the third quarter after being taken down by Cincinnati defensive tackle DJ Reader.
At the time of the injury, Stafford was 18-of-26 passing for 219 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions. The Rams trailed the Bengals by a score of 20-16 entering the fourth quarter.
Stafford eventually returned to the game, but the Rams elected to run the ball the first two plays of the next drive. He attempted his first pass since the injury on third down, throwing an incomplete pass that was intended for Van Jefferson. Los Angeles also went three-and-out on the first two series after the injury, casting doubt onto exactly how healthy Stafford is.
The quarterback isn’t the only Rams player to go down in the Super Bowl. Los Angeles receiver Odell Beckham Jr. suffered a knee injury in the first half and has not returned to the game.
A few plays later, Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow suffered an injury as well. Von Miller sacked the second-year player, who grabbed his knee, though he too limped off under his own power. Like Stafford, Burrow would eventually return to the game. But whether both players are at 100% is a different story.
The Rams got off to a hot start Sunday, striking first on a 17-yard touchdown catch from Beckham. They would go on take a 13-3 lead and appeared in good position to take control of the game. However, the loss of Beckham changed things. Cincinnati scored before the half to cut the lead to just three heading into the break.
Just 12 seconds into the second half, the Bengals would take their first lead. Burrow connected receiver Tee Higgins for a 75-yard score on the first play of the half to go up 17-13. The Rams offense hasn’t looked as crisp as it did to start, scoring just one field goal since the first two quarters.
With the ankle injury to Matthew Stafford, things only appear to be getting more difficult for Los Angeles.