The final playoff spots in the NFC could come down to Jared Goff’s availability in Week 17 for the Los Angeles Rams, and how effective he can be if he plays with a broken and dislocated right thumb suffered in Sunday’s costly loss to the Seattle Seahawks.
The Rams (9-6) can clinch a wild-card spot with either a win Sunday over Arizona or a loss by Chicago against Green Bay. Goff “is adamant about attempting to play through” the injury, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
The 26-year-old Goff was injured in the closing seconds of the third quarter when he hit his hand on the helmet of Seahawks defensive lineman Benson Mayowa on a follow-through on a 9-yard completion to tight end Gerald Everett.
Goff said after the game that he “popped it back into place and just finished the game” and that his thumb felt “not terrible” in the fourth quarter.
“I am uncertain,” Goff said after the game when asked if he expects to play against Arizona. “We will see.”
After suffering the injury, Goff completed six of 14 attempts for 74 yards, but the Rams didn’t score an offensive touchdown in the 20-9 loss.
“He was tough and gutsy and just continued to try to battle for his teammates,” Rams coach Sean McVay said, adding he was “not sure right now” whether Goff would play against the Cardinals.
John Wolford is the Rams’ backup quarterback. The undrafted free agent out of Wake Forest never has thrown a pass in an NFL game.
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