Rams rule out QB Matthew Stafford, will start Brett Rypien

The Los Angeles Rams will have to face the Green Bay Packers without Matthew Stafford.

The veteran quarterback was ruled out Sunday with a UCL sprain in his right thumb sustained in last week's game against the Dallas Cowboys. Backup quarterback Brett Rypien will start in place of Stafford.

Stafford's injury occurred in the second quarter of a blowout loss to the Cowboys, when he banged his thumb against the helmet of Cowboys defensive lineman Mazi Smith. Stafford went to the locker room, but returned to play the entire second half.

The Rams were more conservative with Stafford this week, holding him out of practice the entire week and marking him as questionable for the Packers game on Friday. The good news for the Rams is that they have a bye next week, giving Stafford a full two weeks to recover before their next game against the Seattle Seahawks on Nov. 19.

This will be the first missed game of the season for Stafford, who missed eight games last season with a concussion and a spinal cord contusion.

In nine career games, three of them starts, Rypien has posted 820 passing yards, a 60.7% completion rate, 5.9 yards per pass attempt, four passing touchdowns and eight interceptions. His previous team, the Denver Broncos, went 2-1 in his starts.