Rams expect Stafford to start, Jackson on track to play in Week 1

The Los Angeles Rams announced Monday that veteran quarterback Matthew Stafford is expected to start Sunday’s season opener at SoFi Stadium against the Houston Texans, and left tackle Alaric Jackson is on track to play after missing much of training camp. Head coach Sean McVay said the team is preparing to have both players available but stressed a cautious, day to day approach as the Rams finalize their Week 1 plans.

McVay told reporters that Stafford will be the starter, adding, "Yeah, that's the plan. We want to make sure that we're taking it a step at a time throughout the course of the week." The 37 year old missed nearly the first month of camp after aggravating a spinal disc and received an epidural treatment. Stafford returned to full practice in mid August and has participated in consecutive sessions, but McVay and the quarterback have emphasized monitoring progress rather than declaring a guaranteed clean bill of health. "Backs are sometimes interesting things," Stafford said after a recent practice, calling the team’s day to day approach "appreciated."

Jackson, who signed a three year, $57.7 million extension this offseason, also practiced Monday after missing live...