Sick Lions QB Matthew Stafford convinced voice will be back by Sunday

Allen Park — Moments into his weekly Wednesday media session, it was clear something wasn't right with Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford. As he responded to the first question, his response came in a raspy voice, barely above a whisper. 

Was this the result of partying too hard at his annual Halloween party the night before? 

Hardly. It's just a nasty cold, which is currently running rampant through the Stafford household. The good news is he's confident it will clear up before this weekend's game against the Oakland Raiders. 

"I think it will be fine by Sunday," Stafford said. 

Stafford said he started feeling like he was coming down with something just prior to last week's game against the Giants. That didn't stop him from delivering a stellar performance, where he completed 25 of his 32 throws, including a perfect 12-for-12 in the second half, for 342 yards and three touchdowns in the 31-26 victory. 

Stafford has obviously played through far worse than a common cold during his current iron man streak, which he extended to 135 games against the Giants. With the start, he moved into second place on the active list at his position after Atlanta's Matt Ryan sat out last week. 

This also isn't the first time Stafford's voice has been an issue. He told reporters he went hoarse in the second half against Carolina in 2014, a game Detroit lost, 24-7. 

Stafford could be looking at an additional, unique challenge in Oakland, where there are air quality issues related to the area's recent string with wildfires. 

Stafford was a full participant in Wednesday's practice, as well as the media session. 

"I'm just dedicated to making sure you guys get your sound bites," he said. 

jdrogers@detroitnews.com

Twitter:@Justin_Rogers