WR Dennis Northcutt - Broken collarbone - Out for season- Distressing -Although the Texans lost to the Packers this past week, they still remain sitting at the top of the AFC South after the Colts lost their third game in a row.
The Texans have been able to split the top two receiver work pretty evenly among Dennis Northcutt and Quincy Morgan meaning that there is no true #1 receiver on this team. I would say the loss of Dennis Northcutt is a loss of the Texans deep threat, but I don't think Northcutt has had much success with that. With only five touchdowns and a long of 53 yards, he has not been much of a deep threat at all. However, his receptions and yards show that he's getting open fine, even if he's not going deep to do it.
The Texans brought in Rod Smith to replace Dennis Northcutt. Rod Smith is a top tier receiver who may even perform better than Dennis Northcutt, but he did not come cheap. At 34 years old and on his last year of his contract, the short term replacement receiver cost the Texans a third.
Because of this transaction, I do not believe that this injury is going to hurt the rest of the Texans season, but it did cost the Texans a third to recover from. That loss of a third is all that I'm using to judge this injury, so it'll be a Distressing rank from me. A third round draft pick 'will' be missed, and although it may have bought the Texans a way to a division victory, they might come to regret it during the league's next draft.
QB Trent Green - Torn shoulder - 10 weeks- Excruciating - This is the first of the two high profile QB injuries this week 'and' the most severe one. The Falcons are in a three or four way battle with the Panthers, Buccaneers and the Saints. The Falcons were able to pick up QB Elvis Grbac, but it cost them a third and I don't think it's going to save their season. It might be enough to get them into the playoffs, but I don't think it's going to let them win this division, and I do not think they are going to make it far once they 'are' in the playoffs.
Still, GM Dhani Aldila wasn't going to give up the season without a fight, and so decided to use a Third-round pick to say in the battle. We'll see if it pays off for him. I'm going to go with the fact that a likely Superbowl Contender is now, in my opinion, only fighting for a playoff spot and is no longer a true threat in the playoffs as the deciding factor for the highest grade possible.
QB Jeff Garcia - Torn pectoral - 7 weeks- Excruciating -Where the prior injury seemed like it was going to have an instant Excruciating impact on the Falcons season, this one is a little more interesting in the effect it may have on the NFC West and the 49ers future.
The 49ers now have a two game lead on the Rams - who have lost their own QB for seven weeks more weeks. I still believe that the injury to Kurt Warner has doomed the Rams, but I'm not going to say the same for the 49ers. With a two game lead and the recent acquisition of Gus Frerotte, I think the 49ers are still in good shape to win this division and even live long enough in the playoffs for Garcia to return.
However, it's not going to be easy. There is a high likelihood of Jeff Garcia's injury lingering a week or two, and that alone will see the 49ers season crumble against a tough playoff opponent. Gus Frerotte cost the 49ers both a second and a third round pick, and that's a VERY steep price to pay for an aging backup QB with only one and a half seasons left on his contract.
This injury isn't as bad as the Falcons Trent Green's injury. At least, not on paper. However, it has now cost the 49ers more to stay in the race and still has a high chance of having the same result - which is an early elimination out of the playoffs.
I'm going with Excruciating on this one as well, with the price of Gus Freroote putting this injury on the same level as Trent Green's. If Garcia recovers just in time to lead the 49ers to a Superbowl trip, then it'll all be worth it. It seems to be a gamble that GM Peter Fenger was happy to make.
CB Jeff Burris - Abdominal tear - 7 weeks- Trivial - GM Anthony Cepparulo may not agree with me, but I think his five game losing streak has basically taken the Chargers out of this playoff race. However, to at least be fair to San Diego, the Chargers have had one giant bitch of a schedule as of late and will probably recover a bit to finish the season. But with the Raiders charging ahead, I think it's a little too late.
Their best case scenario is a 10-6 record, but I think they'll more likely finish at 8-8 if the rest of the season goes well. Not enough to earn them a playoff spot; and this analysis does not even taken into account CB Jeff Burris' injury.
Still, the Chargers might have had a chance, and I will factor that in. I have made mistakes in the past by counting teams out too early, and I'll try not to repeat them. Jeff Burris is the Chargers Nickel corner who has a three year contract but is facing quick downhill regression. This week, the Chargers have used a third to trade for CB Sammy Davis; a young one year played player that was drafted out of the third round. I think this is a pretty good trade for the Chargers. They basically got themselves a Cornerback with a year of progression for the same price that the Vikings spent on him a couple drafts ago. If CB Jeff Burris' injury helped the Chargers make this trade, then it may have benefited them in the long run. If not, well, then I still find this injury to be rather underwhelming. Chargers are better off giving Sammy Davis some playing time.
Trivial.
HB Chris Brown - Partially torn ACL - 6 weeks- Trivial - I think the last time I looked at the AFC North, the Steelers had a pretty decent lead on the rest of their rivals. Now they sit at 5-5, in third place with two other 5-5 teams having an advantage over them.
Chris Brown has seen plenty of carries this season, but hasn't been able to match the standout rookie performance that he saw with the Cardinals last season. At this rate, I don't know if the Steelers are going to hurt from this injury or benefit by letting Jerome Bettis take back the starting halfback position. Jerome Bettis had 250 carries last season with 5.54 yards per carry. A league above Brown's current 3.88 YPC. This might be what the Steelers need to take back this division. This injury sticks the Steelers with terrible HB depth, and that alone let's me put a Trivial rating on this one.
LT Orlando Pace - Foot stress fracture - Doubtful- Trivial - The Rams GM has acknowledged that their season is basically dead, though I think they may have recovered a little bit of hope now that the 49ers have lost their own starting QB.
The Rams face the Packers this week, and I don't think the Rams stand much of a chance with or without Orlando Pace, so I'm just going to be quick on this one and give it a Trivial.
- TRANSACTION ALERT - Trade
CB Will James
Third Round Pick (MIA)A lot has changed for the Panthers in just one week. It felt like only days ago(It was) that I said that I didn't think the Panthers could win this division, but still had hope in the playoffs. With Trent Green's injury, the Bucs loss, and the trade for Will James, I now think that the Panthers are clear favorites to be NFC South Champs.
Will James was an excellent young pickup for the Panthers. If I knew that the CB was going to go for so little, I might have entered talks with the Giants myself. In a week filled with desperate moves by desperate GMs looking to win in the playoffs, I think the Panthers got a steal of a trade for a long term CB in a position they needed, especially after Baxter's injury. The only downside of this trade is that Will James is in his last year of his contract, but as long as Darryl has a easy plan for that, then an A+ move in my opinion.
As for the effect on the injury? I think Will James is a pretty good replacement for Gary Baxter, and if this injury is what made GM Breckheimer look around for this deal, then he may deserve a thanks for it. If the Panthers are still in the playoffs when Baxter returns from injury, then the Panthers have only increased their defense with this addition by adding an excellent nickel option.
CB Gary Baxter - Broken jaw - 8 weeks- Mild -
- Intense -
