LA Rams: Matthew Stafford, zip, injuries, birds and QBees

Forget the past

The past is not exactly an iron-clad way of estimating the future. The San Francisco 49ers have been hard struck by numerous injuries in two of the past three seasons. Does that mean that their team is less likely to be injured this year? While the likelihood of two successive seasons of injury is unlikely, that probability is only lessened at the beginning of the period. If the team emerges from an injury-riddled season, they face the odds of just one injury-riddled season. The cosmos do not swing odds the other way to balance out anything. Normalization does not exist in probability.

Surely quarterbacks are less likely to be injured right? After all, they have an entire offensive line paid to protect the guy. No. Quarterbacks are humans too. Just ask New England Patriots quarterback Jarrett Stidham.

Or Indianapolis Colts’ newly acquired quarterback Carson Wentz:

Quarterbacks can and do get injured. Unfortunately, it’s the job of the team’s general manager to have a realistic plan in place for just such a contingency. The Seattle Seahawks just signed backup quarterback Sean Mannion to their roster. How important was that move? Not important at all until he is drafted into leading the team on the football field. That backup quarterback role could be the most important role on an NFL in a worst-case scenario.  So how are the LA Rams looking there?