Every week bones break and muscles rip around the NFL. We’ll take a look at the most significant injuries, and what happens next.
The Arizona Cardinals have had to endure a whole lot of ripping and breaking on their way to leading the NFC West, and starting the season 9-1. Eventually there would be a regression or a tipping point as the names continued to pile on their injury report, and that came when quarterback Carson Palmer went down.
How much more can they fight through while still clinging to a division lead and a playoff spot? We’re about to find out.
Tyrann Mathieu might have to play with a club on his hand
Cardinals safety Tyrann Mathieu has slugged through a difficult season, missing time initially while recovering from an ACL tear and then eventually rounding into form.
Mathieu brings a swarming presence to the Cardinals’ defensive backfield, allowing a passer rating of only 69.8 when targeted in coverage, according to Pro Football Focus. His ability to diagnose a play and jump up to quickly fill running lanes has also contributed to a defense that’s allowing 89.2 rushing yards per game (sixth).
And now he could be either limited physically with a protective club on his hand, or he might not be playing at all for up to three weeks. Three precious weeks for a now 9-3 team that’s lost two straight and needs to stop the bleeding fast.
Mathieu fractured his thumb during a loss to the Atlanta Falcons Sunday, and the update provided by head coach Bruce Arians led to two less than desirable options.
Arians: Mathieu worst case scenario: pin and out 3 weeks. But could cast and play. Still TBD. Veldheer has an ankle sprain, status TBD.
— Darren Urban (@Cardschatter) December 1, 2014
An absent or even limited Mathieu might be the final brick through what’s become a fragile Cardinals’ season. They can survive Palmer’s ACL tear and calling Drew Stanton a starting quarterback if he’s well-supported defensively, regularly getting quality field position.
Arizona’s defensive backfield is the only area of their entire roster that’s stayed relatively healthy all season since Mathieu first returned from injury. It’s a unit often under duress, because since running rarely happens successfully against the Cardinals, opposing offenses pass and then pass some more. The Cards have defended 443 passes, the league’s eighth highest total.
So yes, having Mathieu at anything less than full health will be yet another gut punch to a defense that’s sustained plenty of them. In addition to that fine passer rating allowed in coverage Mathieu has intercepted three passes, and his speed has also been used while blitzing off the edge. He’s recorded five quarterback hurries and 14 defensive stops, per PFF.
He’s a versatile defender who could quickly become one-dimensional with a club on his hand, and the Cardinals are entering a four-week stretch that will determine the fate of their season with games against the Seattle Seahawks and San Francisco 49ers remaining.
And hey look, more hurt for the Cardinals
Running back Andre Ellington also left early Sunday after suffering a hip pointer. There’s early optimism the injury isn’t serious, and any absence will be a brief one.
But there’s still a very real chance an already atrocious Cardinals rushing offense (averaging a league worst 3.1 yards per carry) will head into Week 14 and a tough game against the Kansas City Chiefs with Stephan Taylor and Marion Grice splitting carries.
Yikes.
Rashad Jennings might be OK?
New York Giants running back Rashad Jennings injured his ankle late during a dumpster fire loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars. There’s optimism around him too, with NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reporting Jennings is unlikely to miss time.
But at this point, why force it? The Giants’ season has flamed out spectacularly, and they’ll now spend the final month of the season evaluating for next year. Giving more touches to rookie running back Andre Williams would certainly fit that direction, with the added benefit of minimizing the abuse Jennings has to suffer during an already injury-filled season.
