Stafford says season-ending IR hasn't been discussed

A reported six-week timeline for Matthew Stafford's back injury raised the possibility he could be shut down for the season, but the Detroit Lions quarterback remains determined to get back on the field.

Coming off a second straight week on the sidelines, Stafford said Wednesday that there have been no discussions about him being sent to injured reserve, according to Michael Rothstein of ESPN.

"This is what I do," Stafford said. "This is what I love to do. I love playing football. I appreciate all the hard work that all the guys in this locker room and in this organization put into going out there and trying to win games on Sunday, and I love being a part of that."

Stafford suffered the fractures in his back during a Week 9 loss to the Oakland Raiders. The Lions have also lost each of the two games since, with Jeff Driskel taking his place under center.

Being cleared to return six weeks after the injury would leave open the possibility that Stafford could play in Detroit's final two games of the season, but at that point it will be a matter of whether it's worth the risk.

The Lions are 3-6-1 through 10 games, and digging out of such a deep hole becomes all the more difficult without their star quarterback leading the charge.

Stafford had been putting together the most impressive season of his career prior to the injury, throwing for 2,499 yards, 19 touchdowns, and five interceptions in eight starts.