WR Wes Welker - Broken fibula - 9 weeks- Trivial -Rookie Welker has seen limited use for the Buccaneers offense this season. Instead, he's been stuck on Punt-Return duties. He's had a couple of decent performances early in the season, but it seems he has been put further down the depth chart since week 4.
I can't go more than Trivial on this one, and the Buccaneers should be thankful that a key component wasn't injured instead.
CB Gary Baxter - Broken jaw - 8 weeks- Intense - This is the real #1 injury this week. The 6-3 Panthers are basically tied in their division with the Buccaneers and the Falcons! The Saints are just behind them at 5-4.
The Panthers have been able to win in a large part due to their excellent pass defense; ranked at #5 in the league. Although they rank high against the pass, they do not have great depth at Corner. CB Anthony Henry is the only other Corner on their team that should be starting in this league, meaning this injury leaves a huge gap on this defense. The Panthers were already struggling to stay at the top of this division and I think the loss of Gary Baxter will lose them the division to either the Buccaneers or the Falcons. There are still lot of division games that still need to be played in the NFC South.
However, I also think their high ranked Offense will be able to overcome this injury enough to make the playoffs, and as long as Baxter's injury doesn't linger, he can be back in uniform for some later playoff games. Because of this, I will put it just a tier below the most severe. But it's still a solid Intense for me.
CB Rashard Anderson - Strained shoulder - 3 weeks- Mild -The Jets traded for CB Anderson just a week ago but he only lasted half a game in a Jets uniform before succumbing to an injury. Thankfully, I do not think that they traded for Anderson as a short term solution to a problem, but rather just as a long term depth option. With Duane Starks back as a starter, Anderson was going to be pushed into being a Nickel corner anyway. I do not think he's a league above some other Jets options, so I'm skeptical that this is going to make a difference for the Jets over the next three games. I do think Anderson's injury may linger, but I think the Jets could have had a much more serious injury than this.
Going with a Mild. Would have ranked it higher if Duane Starks wasn't healthy.
QB Daunte Culpepper - Sprained elbow - 2 weeks- Mild - Here's a tough one for me to analyze. Personally, I think the Vikings playoff chances are done. At 5-4 in the same division with the 8-1 Packers and the 7-2 Bears, the Vikings time has just about run out. However, if you don't agree with me there, then there are multiple other facets to look at. If you believe the Vikings still stood a chance, then losing Culpepper for two weeks would be the end of those chances? Right? Well. The Vikings next two games are against the Lions and the Jaguars. Teams that combine for a 1-17 record. Does that mean this injury is meaningless?
Well, I wouldn't say that. Culpepper isn't easily replaceable, and losing either one of their next two games would result in the end. However, the Vikings have a decent backup in QB Dave Brown, and I'm comfortable putting this at just Mild because of that. I think the Vikings were already done, and two weeks of progression isn't going to hurt 'that' much, but if you think they are still in the race, then their next two games are still very winnable even with this injury.
WR David Terrell - Bruised shoulder - 2 weeks- Uncomfortable - The 7-2 Bears are just behind the 8-1 Packers and have a clear path to the playoffs.
However, a match-up against the Colts is not the time that you want to lose your leading receiver. Their second match-up is against the Cowboys, which, unlike last year, is no longer a freebie. The Packers only loss comes at the hands of the Cowboys.
I do not think Terrell is irreplaceable. He's got a lot of talent but the Bears have a handful of interesting receivers that could fill the hole that Terrell is going to leave. If they don't want to go with the similar receivers that surround him, then I'd be interested to see what WR Jermaine Lewis could do at the slot position.
This injury is going to have a decent enough impact over the next two weeks, so I'm going to rate it an Uncomfortable. The Colts are probably the last team you want to face when you're finding yourself with a lack of firepower through the air. If the Colts play well, then it's really going to suck that the Bears do not have their best options available at Wide Receiver.
