Category — Injuries

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So, I hate to say this until more information is available and I didn’t actually see the incident, but has Vince Young been stricken with the Madden Curse? He left today’s game with a quadriceps injury and he didn’t return. How severe it is I don’t know yet, but his loss would mean the absence of the team’s most dangerous force on offense. Kerry Collins just doesn’t have the same play-making ability, though, without a doubt, he’s a better passer.

While Jake Delhomme continues to recover, it appears he’ll miss a second consecutive start. While John Fox hasn’t officially stated Jake Delhomme will miss the game, it seems likely David Carr will make the start.

Last week against Tampa Bay, Carr completed less than 50% of his passes and threw an interception. And his 3.8 yard per attempt average was pathetic, and the Panthers slipped to a 2-2 record.

This Sunday they’ll take on the Saints in New Orleans. They’ve been among the league’s most disappointing teams this season and they’ll be desperate for a victory. If they slip to 0-4, they’ll have a tough climb to return to the postseason, especially with the Buccaneers playing at the level they are right now.

After missing nearly two full weeks of practice Hines Ward is returning, today, and if all goes well, he’ll see playing time on Sunday against the Seahawks. His knee reportedly is healing and it is surrounded by less fluid, little enough that he might be able to make hard enough cuts on the field to run crisp routes.

If the wide receiver isn’t okay to play Sunday, he’ll be replaced by Nate Washington (again). But apparently he’s in control.

“All the coaches say, ‘Hey, it’s up to you,’ ” Ward said.

The Washington Redskins will be a hurting unit on offense Sunday without the support of Clinton Portis’ running game and Santana Moss’s receiving ability. Fortunately, Clinton Portis has declared himself ready to play.

“If I’m out there on Wednesday and Thursday, they ain’t got no choice but to let me out there on Sunday,” said Portis, who missed practice Monday but said his bruised and sprained right knee felt fine after a full workload yesterday. “It was limited [Wednesday], but today I ran full speed on numerous plays — run plays and pass plays — and it felt good.”

After a series of staggering defeats — and a pair of cracked ribs — the Rams are preparing to sit Marc Bulger this weekend in favor of Gus Frerotte.

“I was never going to pull myself out, I know that much,” Bulger said, when asked why he’s been playing this long with injury. “It’s real easy to play hurt when you’re winning, but it’s just not in me to pull myself out when we’re 0-4.

“It was going to have to be the coaches pulling me out, and that’s what happened.”

Without a doubt the Rams have had the NFL’s most disappointing offense this season, especially from a fantasy football perspective. The offense has stumbled and bumbled its way to an 0-4 record, scoring an average of only 9.8 points per game (how does that happen?), the worst offensive showing in the NFL this season.

After a pair of conflicting reports showed up on the Dallas Cowboys’ official website, one declaring Terry Glenn may miss the entire 2007 season and another more hopeful that he will miss two weeks or so, it was a bit confusing to say the least. But ESPN’s Matt Mosley may have cleared things up today with his own report:

In the interest of clarity, Hashmarks has learned that the original version may have been more accurate. Late Thursday night, a member of the organization told me Glenn was indeed finished for the season, but that the Cowboys decided (a little too late) to hold off on making the announcement.

Bears tight end Greg Olsen is optimistic about his recent knee injury, though he still won’t specify his condition for Chicago’s season opener Sunday.

“Everything is good, it’s just going to take a little time to get it back to full strength,” Olsen said. “But it’s nothing too serious. It’s just a matter of rehabbing it.”

Olsen also went on to say that he doesn’t have any “structural damage,” which could be translated to mean he won’t be out for an extended period of time. In fact, he doesn’t expect to be sidelined long. Unfortunately, it does little for fantasy owners who want to know his status this week.

While Donald Driver continues to nurse his ankle and deal with the inevitable effects of growing older, fantasy-heads are curious as to whether he’ll open the season with the starting offense. At this point, it’s anyone’s guess.

Mike McCarthy is optimistic, at least: “Donald is doing well. He went through the rehab part of it. He’ll be limited probably the remainder of the week, and we’ll make a decision on him at the end of the week.”

At this point, you’ll just need to wait it out until practices conclude at the end of the week. McCarthy doesn’t want to make a decision before that time because Driver still isn’t 100%.

Mike Alstott, perhaps the most popular Buccaneer in Tampa Bay history, may finally be near retirement. After 11 seasons of play,  Alstott was choking back tears when he announced that he will not be playing in the upcoming season.

“The facts are the facts. I can’t put on a helmet or a jersey this year,” Alstott said. “… It’s just hard to grasp right now.”

At 33 years of age, however, Alstott was also sure to mention that he has not yet decided upon his future.

“I’m on injured reserve for the rest of the year,” Alstott said. “As far as what the future holds … I know there will be questions and stuff - career-ending, what it may be - but please, understand there will be a later date (for) an announcement in those regards.”

Donald Driver, one of the most productive pass catchers in Green Bay history — and one of the most underrated in the league today — has been rewarded for his efforts with a well-deserved raise and extension.

From JS Online:

…the Packers added two years to his contract, raising the value to $17 million over four years. He made $5.2 million of that last season and was scheduled to make in base salary and roster bonuses another $2.7 million this year, $3.9 million in 2008 and $4.9 million in ‘09.

With the extension, he can make in base salary and roster bonuses $4.3 million this year, $4.9 million in ‘08 and $5.9 million in ‘09. The new roster bonuses are tied to him being on the 45-man active list each week. Any week that he’s not on it, he won’t receive a prorated portion of the bonus.