Questions about the cold and wind. Is playing in the cold a learned experience? I would think so.
As far as my research has found, Stafford has played in sub freezing temperatures (with or without wind chill) a dozen times.
His first 6 times (all with Detroit) he was 1-5 and his numbers were mostly bad. 126 of 235 (53.6%) for 1538 yds (6.54 y/a) 10 TDs 7 Int and a 75.8 QB rating. His coldest game was 19 degrees and he threw for 520 yards 5 TDs and a 103.8 rating
His next 6 games (3 with Detroit, 3 with the Rams) he went 4-2 and his numbers were really good. 136 of 214 (63.6%) for 1702 yds (7.95 y/a) 14 TD 3 Int and a 104.1 QB rating. His coldest game was 14 degrees (twice). His last time playing in Chicago cold (12/6/20) he threw for 402 yards 3 TD 1 pick and a 109.4 rating in a 34-30 win.
Stafford had this to say about his finger and the Chicago cold.....
"Hand is good. I'm not worried about it at all," Stafford said. "I was just throwing a ball over the middle to
Puka (Nacua) and caught somebody's forearm. Just bent it way back. I just was looking down a little bit, like what's this thing gonna look like when I go down there and look at it? But it was fine, a little bit stiff throughout the game, like a jammed finger. But I know by Sunday next week I'll be feeling great."
With the weather currently slated to be around 10 degrees for
Sunday’s 5:30 p.m. CT kickoff in Chicago, Stafford dismissed the cold having an ill effect on his ability to toss the pigskin.
"No, I really don't see there being any kind of an issue for me on Sunday," he said. "I feel like I'll be feeling great by then. I'll probably feel really good by Wednesday of this week, to be honest with you. I'll do a bunch of treatment, get it feeling good. I played a bunch of games with all sorts of ailments to my hand, in whatever weather, so whatever it is, I'll be ready to rock and roll on Sunday."
In the wild-card win over Carolina, Stafford was 24-of-42 passing for 304 yards with three touchdowns and one interception. The MVP candidate said that experience with winds whipping was good preparation for the trip to Chicago, where winds are currently expected to be between 10 and 20 mph.
"Yeah, I mean, I think as far as the wind goes, you're right, it is always windy in Chicago. I played a handful of games there throughout the years," he said. "The good thing for us is it was windy this past week in Carolina. I think every kickoff, it seemed like somebody had to come out and hold it. It was getting blown off the tee, blown off the tee, blown off the tee. We've dealt with that before. And then when it goes to cold weather, we played the Jets last year in what was, I think it was like 12 degrees at kickoff. And you just adjust to whatever the weather allows you to do. And I think if it's just cold with a little bit of wind, we go play.
"You know, I love that kind of stuff. I mean, that's playoff football, right? Cold weather in Chicago, windy day, there's nothing better than that in my mind, so I'm excited for it."