LOS ANGELES -- Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford will not play in the team's regular-season finale against the Seattle Seahawks, with coach Sean McVay saying Wednesday that Jimmy Garoppolo will start instead.
The 10-6 Rams clinched the NFC West in Week 17 but are still playing for playoff seeding. They will finish with the No. 3 seed with a win or a tie against Seattle on Sunday or a loss by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. A Rams loss and a Buccaneers victory would give Los Angeles the No. 4 seed.
Garoppolo signed a one-year deal with the Rams in March to back up Stafford. Stetson Bennett, the Rams' 2023 fourth-round pick, will serve as Garoppolo's backup.
McVay said the decision comes from "weighing the pros and cons" in what is "an important game for us."
"I'm always trying to make decisions that I think are best for our football team," he said. "It might not be best for everybody else, but if you said risk-reward, I think it's some great opportunity for Jimmy to be able to play. I think it's also an awesome opportunity for Matthew to be able to get rested, rejuvenated and ready to go for the playoffs. He's accumulated so much experience, and I think that's the important thing."
Right tackle Rob Havenstein, who injured his shoulder during a Week 17 practice, will not play Sunday. McVay said "everything is tilting towards" Havenstein being ready for a playoff game.
Garoppolo signed with the Rams this offseason after he was released by the Las Vegas Raiders at the start of the new league year.
When asked whether he sees this game as an audition for a chance to start next season, Garoppolo said, "I think anytime you get on the grass in live action, that's your résumé."
"What you do out there, everyone sees around the league," Garoppolo said. "They're going to break that tape down, good, bad or indifferent. They don't really care who's playing, what week it is, whatever it is. That's your résumé. So that's how I've always approached it. It'll be no different this week."
