Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford has been in good spirits this week, returning to practice and expected to start a game for the first time since he suffered a thumb injury in Week 8 that he feared was worse than it was.

Stafford injured the ulnar collateral ligament in his right thumb in a 43-20 loss at the Dallas Cowboys on Oct. 29 and missed the next game prior to last week’s bye.

“I’m a huge fan of the bye (week), especially at this point in my career,” Stafford, 35, said Wednesday after his first full practice since the injury. “Whenever it wants to show up, I’m ready for it. If you want to have two of them, I’m cool with that, too. For me, it definitely was the right time, and I do think for our team as well.

“Obviously, a couple guys that were battling through some stuff that inevitably every team has and it’s nice to get those guys some extra rest and just refreshed mentally as well for the rest of the season.”

Stafford acknowledged that he didn’t know how the rest of the season would go for him after hitting the thumb “three different times” during the game against the Cowboys. One play, he “smashed it” on a helmet; another play, he “pulled it in a not-fun direction.”

He said Wednesday that he held on to a football the rest of that game while on the sideline to keep the thumb stretched and loose. Later, he went through medical examinations and tests.

“I thought it was going to be quite a bit worse than it was, so just happy it’s not as bad as I thought,” Stafford said. “I feel pretty confident in my ability to go out there and play at a pretty high level.”

Stafford has returned from injuring the thumb before, so, “hopefully, I’ll be better for it.”

He said Wednesday confirmed what he was hoping to see. He wore a soft wrap around his thumb that he said was a protective measure.

“It is a fine balance of rest and rehab as much as I possibly can to try to let everything in there kind of settle down,” Stafford said. “But at the same time, understand that at some point, you’ve got to go out there and see what you’ve got. I was able to do that a little bit on Monday, then full practice today. Just doing everything we wanted to do.”

Stafford has thrown for 2,070 yards with eight touchdowns and seven interceptions in eight games this season for the Rams (3-6), who play host to the Seattle Seahawks (6-3) on Sunday.

Brett Rypien started the Rams’ 20-3 loss to the Green Bay Packers in Week 9 and was 13-of-28 for 130 yards with an interception and no touchdowns.

The Rams waived Rypien last week and also signed veteran Carson Wentz, who has made 92 career NFL starts.

–Field Level Media

Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford is questionable for Sunday’s game in Green Bay due to his injured right thumb, Los Angeles coach Sean McVay said Friday.

Stafford did not practice Friday after sitting out Wednesday and Thursday. He likely will be a game-time decision, McVay said Friday.

“You give him up until right before the game,” McVay said earlier this week.

Stafford was diagnosed with a UCL sprain in his throwing thumb after making contact with a helmet while throwing in Sunday’s 43-20 loss to the Dallas Cowboys.

McVay said Stafford is making progress, as the swelling in his thumb has gone down and his grip has improved.

Stafford, 35, has thrown for 2,070 yards with eight touchdowns and seven interceptions in eight games this season.

Brett Rypien would start for the Rams (3-5) against the Packers (2-5) if Stafford is unable to play. Rypien replaced Stafford against the Cowboys, going 5-for-10 for 42 yards.

–Field Level Media

The Los Angeles Rams placed quarterback Matthew Stafford on injured reserve Saturday, likely ending his season.

Stafford, who cleared concussion protocol earlier this week, was already ruled out for Sunday’s game against the visiting Seattle Seahawks.

He has already missed two of the past three games and he now will have to miss at least three additional games. With the defending Super Bowl champions sitting at 3-8, it would make little sense for Stafford — who the Rams signed to a four-year, $160-million contract through 2026 — to return to the lineup for just the final two games of this season.

Stafford sustained a neck injury in Week 11 against the New Orleans Saints after clearing protocol from a previous concussion.

Stafford, 34, has passed for 2,087 yards, 10 touchdowns and eight interceptions this season. He has thrown for 52,082 yards and 333 touchdowns in 191 games in his 14-year career with the Detroit Lions (2009-20) and Rams.

John Wolford will get the start against the Seahawks on Sunday after Bryce Perkins started under center last weekend in a 26-10 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs.

–Field Level Media