It's only Monday of Week 1, and the injury bug has already made its presence felt across the NFL. Here is SB Nation medical expert Dr. Ali Mohamadi's Monday morning update on some of the most significant injuries from the week so far.
It was a thrilling win, but at a cost: Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Dez Bryant left in the fourth quarter of last night's comeback victory over the New York Giants with a fractured bone in his right foot and is expected to miss 4-6 weeks after he undergoes surgery Tuesday.
Bryant appeared to have suffered the injury at some point during the third quarter, and although the team's training staff initially attempted to re-tape the foot so that he could resume play, Bryant entered the locker room walking with assistance and clearly limping.
During the procedure Tuesday, Bryant will have a pin placed to stabilize the fractured bone but should be able to resume weight bearing fairly quickly. The bigger question once he is able to get back on the field, likely sometime in October, is how long it will take for Bryant to be back to full speed.
The good news for the Cowboys is that if they are in the playoff hunt late in the season, they should be able to count on their star WR to be a factor once again in the NFC East chase.
Defensive stars take a hit
The Baltimore Ravens suffered a tough loss at Denver Sunday, but the worst news was the loss of outside linebacker Terrell Suggs with a torn Achilles tendon. Surgical repair of a ruptured Achilles requires physically suturing the ends of the tendon back together, and a return to full form typically requires six months of rehabilitation after surgery.
Suggs, however, has a past history of beating this six-month clock: he previously tore the other Achilles in 2012 and was back on the field in just over five. Unfortunately, not in time for this season, but it does bode well for a full recovery for 2016.
Staying on the defensive side of the ball, New York Jets cornerback Antonio Cromartie suffered a non-contact injury during the second quarter of New York's win over Cleveland, and although the original fear was that he had torn his ACL, the Jets announced Monday that he had only sprained his knee. He's being listed as week-to-week, but the team said he has not been ruled out for next Monday's game with Indianapolis.
T.Y. Hilton is day to day
Indianapolis Colts fans collectively held their breath during Sunday's loss at Buffalo when wide receiver T.Y. Hilton left the field with a knee injury, but following an X-ray, team officials were quick to note that it appears to be a bone bruise, with no structural damage.
Hilton did follow up the X-ray with an MRI on Monday and, according to Pro Football Talk, it confirms the preliminary diagnosis. As it is a bone bruise, he will mostly be dealing with residual swelling and pain rather than needing any invasive procedures. Bone bruises are typically slow to heal, and with the particular location of this one being at a key joint, it stands to reason that that Hilton may miss several weeks as he recovers if the Colts play it safe, though according to the above report, he is "day to day."
More tests for Ellington
Adding to the list of knee injuries, Arizona Cardinals running back Andre Ellington injured his right knee in the second half of Sunday's win over New Orleans without sustaining contact. The initial indication from head coach Bruce Arians is that Ellington suffered a sprained PCL, which commonly does not require surgical repair.
That said, the severity of and prognosis for recovery from knee sprains are often a source of confusion, primarily due to confusion over what exactly the different "grades" of sprains actually mean. In brief:
- A Grade 1 sprain is a mild sprain that occurs when there is slight stretching and some damage to the fibers of the ligament. Individuals can usually place pressure on the foot and walk afterward.
- A Grade 2 sprain is a moderate sprain where a partial tearing of the ligament occurs. If the knee joint is examined and moved in certain ways, abnormal looseness (laxity) of the joint occurs.
- A Grade 3 sprain is a severe sprain in which a complete tear of the ligament occurs. If the examiner pulls or pushes on the knee in certain movements, gross instability occurs.
Ellington will undergo a confirmatory MRI, with the exact course of action and timetable for recovery to depend on the severity of the sprain, anywhere from under a month (Grade 1-2 sprain) to potentially season-ending (Grade 3).
DJax in doubt for Week 2
Already hampered by a lingering hamstring injury from the preseason, Washington wide receiver DeSean Jackson aggravated the injury early in the team's 17-10 loss to Miami Sunday and missed the remainder of the game.
Jackson came up lame while running a deep route, immediately retreated to the sideline and was ruled out shortly thereafter. Given that hamstrings are particularly prone to re-injury, it would be wise for Washington to keep Jackson sidelined until the strain is 100 percent healed, which means his status for next Sunday's contest against the Rams is likely in serious jeopardy.
Cautious with Carr
The Oakland Raiders lost quarterback Derek Carr Sunday to a right (throwing) hand injury; although preliminary X-rays were negative, further studies await the second-year starter Monday. Carr injured the hand when stiff arming Bengals cornerback Adam Jones in the second quarter of Oakland's loss. He was replaced by Matt McGloin behind center. Given that the injury took place to Carr's throwing hand, the team will likely be conservative with his treatment plan, meaning McGloin may be need to be ready to go next week when the Raiders host Baltimore.
No break is a break for the Titans
Another hand injury ... Tennessee Titans tight end Delanie Walker suffered one in Sunday's blowout win over the Buccaneers, leaving Tampa Bay in a cast. That said, it appears to be precautionary, as the team has already noted that there was no break, and as long as any residual swelling or pain subsides, Walker should be available next week against Cleveland.
Concussion protocol
In the concussion department, two key starters were removed from Sunday's action due to injury: Carolina Panthers linebacker Luke Kuechly and Cleveland Browns quarterback Josh McCown. Both will go through the league-mandated concussion protocol this week, and in the case of Cleveland, McCown's status will determine whether Johnny Manziel gets the start next week against Tennessee.