Latest injury news could turn the Titans into Matthew Stafford’s nightmare instead of dream matchup in Week 2 home opener

The Los Angeles Rams spent most of their preseason without QB Matthew Stafford. He was dealing with a back injury that kept him sidelined until the very last minute. It’s never a great sign when a great player starts dealing with a back injury. It’s even less great when it’s a disk issue, and the player has a laundry list of health issues over his career the length of a CVS receipt, and the player is also 37 years old, and the player is also the most important position on the field. Those are all pretty bad things for a football team.

There was an infamous training camp day where Stafford spent a long time in an airstream at the facility called an Ammortal chamber. There were many accusations of a body-double taking his place once he did return, with the hashtag #StaffordDiedWeeksAgo trending all over social media. And yet, it was really him. He was back just in time. And in Week 1 of the regular season, he was PFF’s highest-graded quarterback. He looked like the top-5 passer in the NFL he’s been at his best in Los Angeles.

Now, he’s coming for the 0-1 Tennessee Titans in Week 2. But the latest injury news from the Rams side of this matchup brings into question exactly who is coming after who…

Rams Starting Guards Both Hurt Ahead Of Titans Game

In Week 1 against the Houston Texans, the Rams suffered two concerning injuries along their offensive line. Both starting guards, Steve Avila and Kevin Dotson, are fighting through ankle sprains to return to play in Week 2. Here’s some insight from my colleague AJ Schulte, who covers the Rams daily news more closely than I do:

Schulte: The Rams are in a tricky bind this week as both Steve Avila and Kevin Dotson are battling ankle sprains ahead of LA’s trips to take on the Titans and Eagles in back-to-back weeks. With backup center-turned-guard Beaux Limmer struggling in their season opener against the Texans, LA needs both of them back to full strength as soon as possible. Fortunately, the Rams caught a minor break with these injuries. Sean McVay clarified on Monday that the team felt these injuries were more day-to-day than week-to-week, and he hasn’t ruled either of them out from returning to practice at some point before they take on the Titans. Additionally, Week 1 showed a different version of Matthew Stafford. If Stafford sensed even the slightest bit of pressure, he was quick to dirt passes or throw it away rather than try and extend a play as he usually has throughout his career. If he continues that, it would go a long way in negating Tennessee’s defensive front, particularly Jeffery Simmons, who is one of the most dominant defensive linemen in the NFL. With or without their starting guards, I’d expect that McVay, Stafford, and the Rams’ staff are going to do their best to ensure Simmons doesn’t undo the positive momentum Stafford built in Week 1.

Jeffery Simmons And T’Vondre Sweat Present Scary Threat

What’s scary about this situation for the Rams is incredibly easy to connect the dots on. A quarterback with a back injury one can only assume is a delicate situation. An offensive line protecting him without either starting guard and a struggling starting center. Traveling to face a pissed off duo of defensive tackles in Jeffery Simmons and T’Vondre Sweat, arguably one of the nastiest duos in the NFL.

Visions of that Ammortal airstream from Rams camp flash across your mind’s eye.

The Titans seemingly fragile defensive build came into the season with questions at EDGE and in the secondary. Once Matthew Stafford returned to the lineup, this likely sounded like an advantageous matchup for Los Angeles. And it may very well still be. But if Stafford is on a plan of avoiding literally any possibility of getting sacked, the advantage could quickly swing in the favor of the Titans defense thanks to the interior battle on the line. T’Vondre Sweat played more than expected in Week 1 as he works his way back to full football shape after missing time in the preseason. And Jeffery Simmons led the team with four pressures and a sack in the season opener. If those two are allowed to get near Stafford this week, it could be a long day for the Rams offense.