| Everyone knows that injuries are a way of life
in the NFL. However, some injuries are more devastating than others, especially when they
involve star players. Look at the New York Jets in 1999. They had just reached the AFC
championship game the season before and were poised to make a Super Bowl run under coach
Bill Parcells as opening day got under way. Then a terrible thing happened to them. QB
Vinny Testaverde ruptured his Achilles tendon on a simple handoff and was lost for the
rest of the season.
Lacking an adequate backup quarterback, the Jets struggled mightily, wound up with an
8-8 record and failed to make the playoffs.
Key injuries to star RBs Terrell Davis and Jamal Anderson also ruined the 1999 playoff
hopes for Denver and Atlanta, respectively. Davis went down with a knee injury in the
fourth game in ’99, and the two-time defending Super Bowl champion Broncos finished
with a 6-10 record. Anderson tore up his knee in Week Two, and the Falcons never recovered
from the loss, going 5-11.
Will a key player get injured and lost for the season this year? I hope not, but odds
are it will happen. Let’s take a look at four teams that can least afford to lose an
offensive star this coming season:
Indianapolis is at the top of the list. Since a large percentage of its budget is tied
up in three superstars — QB Peyton Manning, RB Edgerrin James and WR Marvin Harrison
— the Colts have depth issues with lower-priced backups. As a result, if Manning goes
down, the Colts must turn to Billy Joe Hobert. If James gets sidelined, it’ll be
Lennox Gordon or Jim Finn to the rescue. Obviously, an injury to either player could be a
disaster for Indy.
The Super Bowl champion Baltimore Ravens look unbeatable on paper with the addition of
QB Elvis Grbac, rookie TE Todd Heap and ORT Leon Searcy, but everything really hinges on
the health of RB Jamal Lewis.
Lewis, who had injury problems in college at Tennessee, stayed relatively healthy
during his rookie year and ended up carrying the load for the Ravens as they steamrolled
to the title. However, if he goes down, there isn’t much in reserve. Priest Holmes
has departed to play a lead role in Kansas City, and all that’s left in Baltimore is
rookie Chris Barnes, from New Mexico.
With Lewis, the Ravens are in position to repeat as champs. Without Lewis, repeating
would be a tall order.
Philadelphia’s hopes for a deep playoff run this season hinge almost entirely on
two players — RB Duce Staley and QB Donovan McNabb — one of whom is coming back
from a career-threatening injury. Staley, who was emerging as one of the top runners in
the NFL before suffering a season-ending foot injury, is a crucial component in giving the
Eagles a balanced offensive attack.
The Eagles survived the loss of Staley, thanks to McNabb’s scrambling ability and
a relatively easy schedule. But, coach Andy Reid knows that without Staley, the
Eagles’ running game is subpar and can’t carry his team to the next level. Also,
the more McNabb scrambles, the chance of injury increases.
Without Staley's and McNabb’s rushing totals, the Eagles ran for a
less-than-stellar 909 yards on 232 carries (3.9 yards per carry) last season. If Staley
goes down this season, the Eagles will have to turn to a rookie (Correll Buckhalter), a
mediocre back (Darnell Autry) or an aging veteran (Brian Mitchell).
If McNabb gets sidelined by injury, the backup is the unproven Koy Detmer. And
that’s not going to get it done against a tough schedule this season.
Finally, Dick Vermeil’s second comeback — this time to coach the Kansas City
Chiefs — has already suffered a hit when his retooled offense lost up-and-coming WR
Sylvester Morris to a knee injury.
TE Tony Gonzalez and QB Trent Green were going to be the main weapons for this offense
anyway, but now, with Morris gone and with WR Derrick Alexander needing a receiving threat
opposite him, the Chiefs could struggle.
Things could turn ugly if either Green (who already has gimpy knees) or Gonzalez were
to suffer a season-ending injury. Green is backed up by old-timer Bubby Brister; Gonzalez
is a terrific athlete who, if healthy, could catch 100 to 110 passes this season.
There is no one like Gonzalez in the league, so if he gets hurt, it takes away a huge
piece of Kansas City’s attack and leaves the Chiefs without much hope of a postseason
berth. |
