Rams have hopes Cooper Kupp will return and Matthew Stafford’s sore back heals
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.”
The Rams keep fighting teams to the end but have just one win in five outings. Their youth showed again in another close loss, this one to the Packers.
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.
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