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Infirmary Report: NFL Week 1

Infirmary Report: NFL Week 1

Just a brief rundown of the key injuries from Week 1;

Steve Smith, WR - Carolina Panthers:
Oh No! And we thought the Madden Cover Curse was bad. We declare the guy our Favorite Receiver just hours before the game and then this?...
Steve Smith went down in agony after he was tackled from behind by a Packers defender in the 4th quarter of MNF. Everything about how the ankle was twisted and the shear pain this 'true tough guy' was exhibiting, it can't be good.

The Prognosis:
Early reports have Steve Smith with a broken fibula. He will be out 2-3 months. Brutal news capping off an atrocious opening week of injuries.

Shaun Alexander, RB - Seattle Seahawks:
Alexander's fabulous performance ended on a scary note when he was carted off the field in the late stages of Seattle's 21-7 road win in New Orleans. It was a non-contact injury that occured when he attempted to make a cut and his foot seemed to grab on the turf causing him to immediately drop to the turf with serious knee pain.

The Prognosis:
MRI results from today showed only a bone bruise to the knee with no signs of any ligament damage.

Seattle Seahawks running back Shaun Alexander has a bone bruise on his right knee but could play in this week's game at Tampa Bay. "It might be a week or two," coach Mike Holmgren said Monday. "There's a chance he can play this week. We'll just have to see how it goes." Said Alexander: "I'm a fast healer. I'll be all right." - Sportsline.com

This is as good as anyone can expect given the circumstances. Mike Holmgren stated in his Monday news conference (2:15pm PST) that he would be evaluated on a day-to-day basis and both Maurice Morris and Kerry Carter would fill-in should Alexander miss any time. Conservatively, I'd say the Seahawks err on the side of caution and keep Alexander out of action for 1-2 weeks. I'd say Morris is a strong bet to see most of the carries in Alexander's absence, and as long as he is able to be moderately productive, I'd expect Seahawks brass to keep Alexander on the shelf until week 5 as the team has an early bye, week 4. Seattle plays in Tampa Bay and then they get their home opener against the 49ers. Maurice Morris is worth a potential start on your fantasy team against either of those opponents as neither team excels at stopping the run.

Interesting Sidenote:
Alexander is scheduled to be an unrestricted free agent at the end of this season. As good as Alexander has performed, there are many pundits out there who feel that the Seahawks offensive line and offensive system deserves much of the credit for Alexander's accolades in recent years. Given the hefty price tag Alexander will command on the open market in 2005, the Seahawks might have a little extra incentive to give Maurice Morris an opportunity to strut his stuff in a pressure situation and see what he can deliver. I'm not suggesting Alexander could lose his job in any way shape or form. I'm simply intimating that if Alexander's health is at all less than 100%, I doubt Holmgren will push him to come back sooner provided Morris is productive. If anything, this should simply give you another reason to pickup/start Maurice Morris on your fantasy team if you have him, as he figures to be amply motivated to put on a good show.

Charles Rogers, WR - Detroit Lions:
First pass thrown to Rogers this season and it's deja vu all over again. Like a nightmare that keeps repeating itself, Rogers fell directly on the collarbone he broke last season and had to leave the game before it really got going.

The Prognosis:
Collarbones never heal the same way once they are broken, and this is a painful reality Charles Rogers and the Detroit Lions will have to deal with again as Rogers re-broke the same collarbone in a different place. Charles Rogers will miss the rest of the season and the Lions offense which many predicted would finally break-out in a major way will have to scramble to replace their primary pass target for the second straight season. Rookie Roy Williams will no doubt see more passes thrown his way, as will Az Hakim, Tai Streets etc. But there is no glossing over what is a damaging blow to a team that could ill afford to lose what few playmakers they have in their lineup.

Seahawks star RB day-to-day with bruised right knee [Sportsline]

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