Photo Credit: Jack Dempsey/Associated Press
Last week may have been Thanksgiving, but some teams aren’t feeling too thankful after week 12 in the NFL.
Injury Updates
We may have spoken a little too soon about Tony Romo’s comeback. Injuries this season limited the Dallas Cowboy’s quarterback to just four games. Romo broke his clavicle twice, the second time happening during Thursday’s Thanksgiving Day game against the Carolina Panthers. This time, the 35-year-old won’t be coming back, and Matt Cassel will get the start for the rest of the 2015 season. Don’t worry Cowboys fans, team owner Jerry Jones thinks he still has four to five more years with Romo.
Peyton Manning is reportedly not in a hurry to rush back from his foot injury. The Denver Broncos quarterback won’t be playing “anytime soon”, according to ESPN’s Chris Mortensen. Manning will need to rehab a partially-torn plantar fascia tendon. The Broncos seem to be in good hands with backup Brock Osweiler though. Osweiler started Sunday night to beat the then undefeated New England Patriots.
The Philadelphia Eagles hope to have their starting quarterback back for this week’s match up against the Patriots. Sam Bradford suffered a concussion and injured the AC joint in his left shoulder back in week 10. In both games that Bradford didn’t play, the team suffered blowout losses.
Season Ending Injuries
“We’re gonna miss the heck out of him for the rest of the season,” Seattle Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll said about tight end Jimmy Graham. Graham will miss the rest of the season after suffering a torn patellar tendon during Sunday’s game against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
After the jaw-dropping loss to the Baltimore Ravens Monday night, the Cleveland Browns revealed that quarterback Josh McCown will miss the remainder of the season with a fractured collarbone. Coach Mike Pettine hasn’t said who will take over the starting role for the team. Third-string quarterback Austin Davis entered Monday’s game and threw 7-of-10 for 77 yards and a touchdown.
The Indianapolis Colts placed veteran running back Ahmad Bradshaw on injured reserve Monday after he suffered a wrist injury against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Bradshaw’s season ends after only 31 carries in six games.
Buffalo Bills defensive end Alex Carrington tore his quad tendon during Sunday’s loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. Carrington had surgery on Monday and was placed on injured reserve for the rest of the season.
Key Injuries
Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger underwent concussion testing during Sunday’s game against the Seahawks after taking a hit from lineman Michael Bennett. Steelers coach Mike Tomlin told the media on Tuesday that Roethlisberger had indeed suffered a concussion and remains in the league’s concussion protocol. Despite the facts, Roethlisberger believed he was concussion free and expects to play Sunday against the Indianapolis Colts.
Chris Johnson has been placed on the injured reserve/designated to return list after suffering a fractured tibia. According to Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com, the first game Johnson would be eligible to play would be the Super Bowl.
The Patriots saw their first game loss in week 11 and are also in danger of losing their star tight end Rob Gronkowski. Gronk left Sunday’s game in the fourth quarter after suffering a minor knee strain and bone bruise, an MRI on Monday confirmed. Gronkowski’s family and the Patriots released a joint statement confirming the news. Gronk will definitely be out this upcoming week against the Eagles and could miss more time depending on his recovery. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Pro-Bowl tight end could miss multiple weeks.
Other Injuries to Watch
Another big name player down for the Patriots is Dont’a Hightower. The linebacker is believed to have suffered an MCL sprain, according to NFL Media’s Albert Breer. While this isn’t a season-ending injury, Hightower could miss a few weeks. Hightower leads the team with 45 solo tackles this season.
An MRI has confirmed that Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Justin Houston has a PCL injury. NFL Media Insider Ian Rapoport reported that Houston is listed as “week-to-week” with a sprained PCL and could miss some time.
The Jacksonville Jaguars have not yet ruled out wide receiver Allen Hurns for Sunday’s game against the Tennessee Titans. Hurns suffered a concussion against the San Diego Chargers this past week and was hospitalized as a precautionary measure. He is currently undergoing the NFL’s concussion protocol and a league source says his chances of playing are “unlikely.”
Cincinnati Bengals tight end Tyler Eifert didn’t suffer any structural damage after leaving the team’s victory over the St. Louis Rams on Sunday. Eifert told the Cincinnati Enquirer that he’s “okay” after suffering the stinger. “I’ve had it before, I’ve dealt with it before,” he said. Eifert is currently listed as “questionable” for Sunday’s game against the Browns.
Be sure to check the comments section for updates throughout the week.
Falcons RB Devonta Freeman (concussion) has been cleared to play Sunday in Tampa Bay.