This article is part of our Injury Analysis series.
Football is a war of attrition and plenty of injury concerns remain as the NFL postseason is set to begin.
Despite losing Pro Bowl running back Le'Veon Bell to a torn MCL in Week 8, the Steelers snuck into the playoffs for the 10th time since the 2000 season. Their playoff push was aided by the legs of Williams who narrowly missed out on a 1000-yard season, finishing with 907. Unfortunately Williams is now banged up after injuring his ankle in the second quarter of the team's win against the Browns. He was carted off the field following the injury but later returned to the sidelines. He was never reinserted into the game and would eventually leave the locker room in a protective boot.
A MRI performed on the area ruled out any fractures or significant structural damage and the injury has been diagnosed as a sprain. Pittsburgh considers him day-to-day and is hopeful he can play against the Bengals. However, Williams has one less day to recover with the game scheduled for Saturday. Even if the issue is simply a matter of pain tolerance, the ankle will be stressed with any lateral movements. For a running back this can negatively impact their ability to find holes and elude tacklers. As a result it seems unlikely Williams receives a heavy workload even if he is cleared to play. Expect Pittsburgh to turn to a committee of Fitzgerald Toussaint, Jordan Todman and fullback Will Johnson in their rushing
Football is a war of attrition and plenty of injury concerns remain as the NFL postseason is set to begin.
Despite losing Pro Bowl running back Le'Veon Bell to a torn MCL in Week 8, the Steelers snuck into the playoffs for the 10th time since the 2000 season. Their playoff push was aided by the legs of Williams who narrowly missed out on a 1000-yard season, finishing with 907. Unfortunately Williams is now banged up after injuring his ankle in the second quarter of the team's win against the Browns. He was carted off the field following the injury but later returned to the sidelines. He was never reinserted into the game and would eventually leave the locker room in a protective boot.
A MRI performed on the area ruled out any fractures or significant structural damage and the injury has been diagnosed as a sprain. Pittsburgh considers him day-to-day and is hopeful he can play against the Bengals. However, Williams has one less day to recover with the game scheduled for Saturday. Even if the issue is simply a matter of pain tolerance, the ankle will be stressed with any lateral movements. For a running back this can negatively impact their ability to find holes and elude tacklers. As a result it seems unlikely Williams receives a heavy workload even if he is cleared to play. Expect Pittsburgh to turn to a committee of Fitzgerald Toussaint, Jordan Todman and fullback Will Johnson in their rushing attack.
The Steelers' opponents have their own injuries to manage, as it appears their franchise quarterback will be unavailable. Dalton, out since suffering a fractured right thumb in Week 14, recently had the cast removed from the area and will continue to visit with specialists throughout the week. While shedding the cast will allow Dalton to take the next step in rehabilitation, it is unlikely he will be ready to go in less than a week
Joints often experience contractures following an extended period of immobilization. A contracture is a restriction of fluid movement due to stiffness of the surrounding soft tissues like muscles and ligaments. In the thumb, any reduction in fluidity and strength would hamper the individual's grip and dexterity. These contractures aren't necessary permanent and can be addressed with rehab exercises designed to improve any lost range of motion and stimulate any atrophied muscles. However this takes time, something that is currently in limited supply for both Dalton and the Bengals.
Dalton has remained active during his time off, maintaining the strength and flexibility in his lower extremities and shoulders. However he's been unable to grip or throw a ball and Cincinnati will begin preparing for the week with backup AJ McCarron as the starter.
The suddenly surging Seahawks will head to Minnesota with Beast Mode activated. Coach Pete Carroll said Lynch is ready to go after missing the last seven weeks recovering from an abdominal injury that ultimately required surgery. After a slow start to the season, Lynch had begun to look like himself in the weeks leading up to the injury. The former Pro Bowl running back averaged 21.7 carries in the three games before getting hurt and found the end zone twice. Lynch opted to manage his rehabilitation elsewhere but Seattle appeared OK with the situation. The success rate for Lynch's surgery is high and multiple players have bounced back following similar procedures. Still, it would be surprising to see Lynch given that much responsibility after missing nearly two months of action so expect to see plenty of Christine Michael and Bryce Brown.
Tom Brady and the New England Wide Receivers
The Patriots earned themselves a week of respite despite a Week 17 loss to the Dolphins. It will be much needed, as Brady suffered an ankle sprain in the second quarter and was seen limping after the game's conclusion. The injury was reported as a high ankle sprain, a more significant sprain than a normal lateral ankle sprain. However it is realistic to believe Brady will be ready for the second round of the postseason, even if the ankle isn't 100 percent. The injury could reduce his mobility though he's never been much of a scrambler. It's a frustrating injury given the timing of the incident but Pats fans can expect him to be under center next weekend.
Who Brady throws to is a different issue. New England expects both Danny Amendola and Julian Edelman to be available in the postseason though they continue to work through their injuries. After missing time with a sprained knee, Amendola was active on Sunday and hauled in two passes against Miami. His reduced participation appeared to be by design and he should be ready for a heavier amount of reps after the bye.
Edelman has been practicing with the team since December 11 but has yet to play in a game. He underwent surgery to repair a fractured fifth metatarsal in mid-November. The initial estimated recovery timeline was six to eight weeks and it looks like Edelman will be back in nine. These types of injuries are becoming more common among NFL receivers, with Cowboys receiver Dez Bryant also missing time this season with a broken fifth metatarsal. Atlanta's Julio Jones has also previously dealt with problems associated with a surgically-repaired fifth. Edelman seems poised to play but the risk of re-injury or aggravation will loom.
Turf Burns
Peyton Manning: Brady's biggest rival is also set to benefit from a bye week as the Broncos will use the downtime to treat and evaluate Manning's previously injured foot. The former MVP missed six weeks after suffering a partial tear in the plantar fascia in his left foot but returned in the third quarter of the regular season finale. He replaced a struggling Brock Osweiler and helped spark a Denver comeback. However the team will wait to see how Manning's foot responds to treatment before naming their starter for the postseason. The team has repeatedly said a healthy Manning is their guy but Osweiler's performance and Manning's still seemingly shaky arm strength could make this a difficult decision.
Dez Bryant and Tony Romo: The Cowboys' worst season since 1989 is officially in the books but it appears the Dallas medical staff will remain active. Bryant will undergo an additional surgery on his previously fractured fifth metatarsal and spend the offseason resting the area. It could easily have a carryover affect into training camp and will be a situation worse monitoring moving forward. Romo will get the necessary time needed to heal his twice-broken collarbone and the team plans on aggressively addressing the issue if necessary. Regardless of how things develop over the next few months, expect both players to carry a cheaper price tag in 2016 drafts.
