This article is part of our Injury Analysis series.
Aaron Rodgers
The Green Bay quarterback "tweaked" his hamstring in the team's Sunday night loss to New Orleans. Rodgers remained in the game but was visibly affected by the injury. He seemed a tad slower, despite a late rushing touchdown, and the injury clearly limited his mobility.
I hate the term "tweaked" because it isn't a real diagnosis. It's a vague description of the injury but doesn't provide any real insight. I've seen "tweaked" used for injuries that end up being strains, sprains, or even general tightness. A "tweak" in the hamstring does tell us the injury is muscular in nature but that's about it.
The hamstring isn't actually an isolated muscle but instead a group of muscles that work synergistically to move both the knee and hip. The hamstring muscles play a role in bending the knee (knee flexion) and bringing the hip back (hip extension). However the activity of the hamstring is more complicated than just these primary motions. The hamstrings contribute to knee and hip rotation and help the groin muscles pull the leg inward in a motion known as adduction. Furthermore, the hamstring is the antagonist to the powerful quadriceps muscle group, helping decelerate the leg when the knee is straightened. All in all, the hamstrings play a vital role in walking, running, and jumping. For a quarterback, the hamstrings also utilized to transfer weight during the throwing motion.
Regrettably the position of the hamstring makes it susceptible to injury, particularly as it's being loaded with force during the first few degrees of extension. This results in the muscle being overloaded and often contributes to a strain occurring. This motion happens most commonly when sprinting and with sudden starts and stops, the exact type of movement Rodgers was performing when he appeared to suffer the injury.
The Packers do not feel the injury is serious and have the advantage of a well-timed bye week. However hamstring injuries can be nagging and easily aggravated. Expect Rodgers to get a considerable amount of time off and spend extensive parts of the bye week receiving treatment on the area. He doesn't appear in danger of missing a game but monitor his progress when the team resumes preparation for Week 10.
Tony Romo
The excitement of Dallas' early season success came to a crashing halt during the third quarter of the team's Monday night loss to Washington. Romo took a knee from Washington Keenan Robinson directly in his surgically repaired back and was helped off the field. He was taken to the locker room where team physicians evaluated the back and diagnosed the injury as a lower back contusion. He was administered an injection, likely Toradol, and allowed to return to the game.
Romo looked a bit hesitant once back on the field and was unable to lead the team to victory. After the game Romo expressed optimism that he would be available for Week 9 against the Cardinals but there is plenty of cause for concern here.
Romo's back troubles have been well documented. He underwent surgery last December to treat a herniated disc in the lumbar region of his spine. The exact surgery needed was a discectomy, a procedure in which the bulging portion of the intravertebral disc was removed. However that wasn't Romo's first back surgery. In May of 2013 Romo had a cyst removed from the spine. Now the Cowboys will send their Pro Bowl quarterback for a MRI to insure there's no unforeseen damage or complications in the area. Just because Romo said he expects to play, doesn't mean he will. He played following the back injury last year's back injury and helped lead a Dallas rally. However he was on the operating table five days later and unavailable for the season finale against the Eagles.
Given all the facts, Romo owners would be wise to buy stock in backup Brandon Weeden. Weeden looked solid in limited action, throwing a touchdown to tight end Jason Witten and efficiently lead the team on two scoring drives. With a stout offensive line and players like DeMarco Murray and Dez Bryant at his disposal, Weeden could serve as a nice temporary fill-in. However, a tough Arizona defense is on schedule for Week 10 and a healthy Romo remains the preferred option. The results of the MRI should be made public at some point in the coming days, allowing fantasy owners everywhere to take the necessary steps for the future.
Turf Burns
Reggie Bush and Calvin Johnson: The main cogs in the Lions offense continue to rehab their ailing ankles and are now set for one last stretch of extended rest. Both players have reported improvements but Detroit made their long-term health a priority. The team's continued success without the duo simply bought them each more time to recover and now they enter the bye week with a 6-2 record and a chance to build on that success during the second half of the season with a hopefully healthy Bush and Johnson.
AJ Green: The Bengals receiver is targeting a Week 9 return from a turf toe injury that has kept him sidelined for three straight weeks. The schedule couldn't have worked out any better for Green, as the beleaguered Jacksonville defense will give him an opportunity to shake off any accumulated rust. However the Pro Bowl receiver's inherent injury risk will remain high for the remainder of the season.
Rashad Jennings: Jennings is making progress in his rehab for a sprained medial collateral ligament (MCL) though his availability for Week 9 remains in doubt. He has returned to straight line running but has not begun lateral movement, the type of motion that will test the integrity of the MCL and overall stability of the knee. Furthermore, the Giants play the Monday night game making him an even riskier play.
Brian Quick: The Rams receiver will miss the remainder of the season after dislocating his left shoulder. The damage was extensive and included a torn rotator cuff. The injury wont have a major impact overall but will increase the value of Kenny Britt, Stedman Bailey, and second-year wideout Tavon Austin.
