Minor Matthew Stafford injury could be huge problem for Rams against Bears

The Los Angeles Rams must face the Chicago Bears and winter's worst in Round 2 of the NFL playoffs. Perhaps too much is being made of the temperature's impact on the outcome of the game. On the other hand, perhaps too little is being made about it. The thing is, nobody knows until they get there.

Cold is a state of mind. But how NFL players react to the cold is as unique as fingerprints or snowflakes. And minor injuries, like an arthritic knee or a banged-up finger, may feel fine at room temperature. But when exposed to the bitter cold, throbbing pain can result. Unfortunately, veteran quarterback Matthew Stafford has a banged-up finger.

And it was a huge temporary factor against the Carolina Panthers.

Any injury to the starting quarterback's throwing hand is concerning. But in the postseason, there are no mulligans. It's win or exit, and there is no way to anticipate how cold will affect Stafford's ability to throw catchable footballs until gametime.

Minor Matthew Stafford injury could be huge problem against Bears

Matthew Stafford has repeatedly insisted that his finger is not a problem, and it likely isn't. After all, he is standing in a room at a comfortable temperature. But let the hand get impacted in a football game, and that could all change instantly.

Stafford is a warrior. He will keep competing until forced to the sidelines. So it comes as no surprise that he is eager to compete against the Chicago Bears. Despite his earnest bravado, he cannot predict how his body may respond to brutal cold.

Nobody can.

Exposure to the elements is not something professional athletes experience often. The first line of defense against the cold is to dress in layers, which athletes are reluctant to do, as it limits their range of motion.

But if they do not take steps, they risk involuntary reactions to the cold like shivering and chattering teeth. Numbness often occurs at the extremities, as the body restricts the flow of warm blood to vital organs. And reaction times are affected, as the signals to muscles are delayed by the limited oxygen supplied by blood.

In short, words can't compensate. Staying warm requires lengthy preparation, and that level of prep is simply not available to football players. Fans can pooh-pooh competing in the cold as some measure of resilience or toughness. But the heart of the matter is not toughness, but cleverness.

Can the Rams effectively strategize in a cold-weather game despite almost no experience in that climate? It's likely to come down to a defensive battle, and LA's defense is alarmingly generous of late.

The trick is keeping Stafford upright and comfortable. But that's been the key to success all season long.

As always, thanks for reading.