The best-case scenario for a backup quarterback is when he takes over behind a solid offensive line with weapons, like Nick Foles and Case Keenum last season. Reed and Adrian Peterson aren't 100 percent healthy. He's down Chris Thompson, Jamison Crowder, Paul Richardson and multiple offensive linemen. versus a line missing three starting offensive linemen isn't really a fair matchup, and while McCoy has been a competent backup quarterback during his career, the injuries around him might put too much on the 32-year-old's plate. Coach Jay Gruden had some success giving McCoy quick throws off three-step drops, and the former Texas star was able to create first downs with his legs, but when McCoy held on to the ball for any length of time, he was sacked by a fearsome Texans pass rush or was unable to find any open receivers. Miscommunication between Smith and Jordan Reed in the end zone led to an interception for Justin Reid, who took the ball 101 yards from his own end zone to the house for a critical score.Ĭommunication is going to be the short-term concern for McCoy, because he hasn't practiced with the starters and will get only a few brief reps on a short week before flying to Dallas. Smith was struggling on Sunday before the injury, as the longtime Chiefs standout was averaging just 5.0 yards per attempt and had thrown two interceptions, including a pick-12 that ended up serving as more than the margin of victory. That might not be reflected in practice, given that Washington has gone up as an eight-point underdog for its Thanksgiving Day game against the Cowboys. Last week, one bookmaker suggested he wouldn't move the line even a half-point if Washington was forced to replace Smith with McCoy. Vegas doesn't appear to anticipate a huge drop-off from Smith to his replacement. McCoy went 6-of-12 for 54 yards on his first pass attempts since the 2015 campaign. Washington turned things over to backup Colt McCoy, who led two touchdown drives but couldn't get his division-leading team over the hump in a 23-21 loss to the streaking Texans. The injury required immediate surgery and will obviously sideline Smith for the remainder of the season. The most notable injury on Sunday came in Washington, where Smith suffered a gruesome compound leg fracture on a third-down sack. Let's get to a few of the players whose injury absences either impacted the playoff picture on Sunday or will do so in the weeks to come, beginning with an incident I can't imagine anyone wanting to see again. Week 11 saw a little bit of both scenarios. In other situations, teams manage to scrape by with excellent coaching and useful depth. In some cases, there's no getting past losing a player like Andrew Luck or Deshaun Watson. Of course, even the healthiest NFL team is going to put up with injuries here and there. We're also seeing those same Eagles struggle under the weight of a new set of injuries this season. The 2017 Eagles are the obvious counterexample, given that they won with Carson Wentz, Jason Peters and others sidelined, but they're a rare exception to what has generally been a rule. You have reached a degraded version of because you're using an unsupported version of Internet Explorer.įor a complete experience, please upgrade or use a supported browserĪll the injuries shaking up the NFL playoff raceĪs much as we obsess over how NFL teams look on paper before the season, Super Bowl runs can come down to who stays healthiest over the course of a long, arduous season.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |