Anybody who watches the NFL knows that it can be an extremely physical game, and we were reminded of that yesterday when a collection of the league’s best players were felled by leg and foot injuries. Today, we take a closer look at four of yesterday’s biggest injuries, and project a course for return.
Week 8 NFL Injuries
Steve Smith – We’ll start with arguably the most devastating injury of the day. Although the Ravens are likely out of the AFC playoff picture, they still made headlines for the play of one of the league’s most polarizing players, wide receiver Steve Smith. The future Hall of Famer announced prior to the 2015 season that this year would be his last, and he even told the team he didn’t want to be traded despite Baltimore’s struggles out of the gate.
Unfortunately for Smith, the veteran tore his Achilles in yesterday’s win over the Chargers. As he was helped off the field, an emotional Smith covered his head with a towel. Many speculated as to whether we had seen the last of Smith, who will turn 37 in the offseason.
Smith may be down, but he’s not out. Sources close to the receiver said he has scheduled his Achilles surgery for November 9th, and he intends to come back for the 2016 season. He’ll need anywhere from 6-9 months to recover from this injury, just like Arian Foster, but he should be able to make a full recovery prior to the 2016 season should he remain steadfast in his decision to return.
Calvin Johnson – The Lions got blown out by the Kansas City Chiefs in London, and to make matters worse, they may have lost Calvin Johnson to an ankle injury. Johnson left the game in the 4th quarter after rolling his ankle while making a difficult catch. He jogged off the field after the play but never returned to the game. Sources say he wasn’t seen limping after the game, but the Lions wanted to be cautious with their star receiver since the game was out of reach. We haven’t heard much about the extent of the injury, but the Lions have a bye in Week 9, which is fortunate timing. We’d venture to guess that Calvin doesn’t miss any time with the injury.
Pair of MCL Injuries
Leveon Bell – Bell, one of the league’s most dynamic players, will miss the remainder of the season after suffering what the team is calling “a severely torn medial collateral ligament and other damage” in his knee. Bell landed awkwardly on his knee as he was tackled midway through the second quarter. The team will place him on injured reserve, ending his season. Thankfully Bell avoided the more serious ACL injury, and he should have no problem putting the injury behind him. He’ll be ready to play well in advance of the start of the 2016 season.
Matt Forte – Matt Forte also suffered an MCL injury, but it’s not as serious as the one suffered by Bell. Although the team is still evaluating the extent of the injury, Chicago Bears head coach John Fox said he doesn’t expect Forte to need surgery. He wouldn’t put a timetable on the running back’s return, but it seems likely that he’ll miss a game or two with the injury. We’ll know more about the extent of the injury in a day or two, but an MCL sprain typically sidelines a player for about 1-4 weeks.