There really is no better time of year than the NFL playoffs. The level of play increases, the pressure increases and each snap carries the weight of an organization that hopes to raise the Lombardi Trophy. This is the best. For players, it’s a moment they’ve been waiting for and striving to reach the entire season – if not more – and that moment has finally arrived with Super Wild-Card Weekend coming up.
As we await the kickoff for this list of six games over Saturday and Sunday, there are a number of important injuries that are worth monitoring. All 12 teams on the schedule officially released their final injury reports and with them the status of the games for the opening of the playoffs. Below, you’ll find the status of each injured player arriving over the weekend along with the most recent reports of which questionable players may be able to adapt.
Buffalo in Indianapolis
Colts injuries: T Will Holden (ankle), CB Rock Ya-Sin (concussion) OUT; DT DeForest Buckner (ankle) QUESTIONABLE
Bead injuries: WR Cole Beasley (knee), WR Stefon Diggs (oblique) QUESTIONABLE
For the Colts, DeForest Buckner is naturally a huge name to monitor as we get closer to kick-starting, but it looks like he’s more likely than anything. The defensive tackle suffered an ankle injury on December 17 and the team simply limited it throughout the week. He was estimated to be a non-participant in this week’s first two step-by-step practices, but participated in a limited way on Thursday. It happened last week and Buckner was able to play.
In Buffalo, the receiver’s position is the center of attention. Both Diggs and Beasley are key elements in Bill’s passing game and it looks like both will be able to get rid of injuries. Each player was limited on Thursday and Mike Garafolo of the NFL Network reports that Diggs is ready to play while Beasley believes he can play, despite a knee injury that kept him out of Week 17.
Los Angeles in Seattle
Sheep injuries: G David Edwards (ankle), QB Jared Goff (right thumb), LB Micah Kiser (knee) QUESTIONABLE
Seahawks injuries: CB Shaquill Griffin (hamstring), RB Rashaad Penny (knee), DT Jarran Reed (oblique) QUESTIONABLE
The biggest news about injuries in this game revolves around the status of Rams quarterback Jared Goff. Sean McVay said nothing about Goff’s status as he entered this game, after wasting time at the end of the regular season due to a fractured right thumb that required surgery. When asked directly whether Goff, who was limited throughout the practice week, would start, the head coach said on Thursday: “We will work on it and we will see on Saturday.” McVay noted on Wednesday, however, that Goff was feeling well and “went through what normal practice entails”, which is encouraging. LA will receive Cooper Kupp (COVID-19 list) and face Andrew Whitworth (knee) for this game as well.
With Seattle, the fact that safety Jamal Adams (shoulder, hand) does not carry an injury designation entering this clash is history and a potential X factor in this direct clash.
“No doubt in my mind. I’m playing, man,” Adams told reporters on Wednesday. “Look, as long as those legs are moving, man, as long as my faith is with the man up there, who is very strong, I will be outside.”
It is noteworthy that the Seahawks listed Shaquill Griffin (hamstring) and running back Rashaad Penny (knee) as questionable after both appeared on the injury report on Thursday. Griffin did not participate while Penny was limited.
Tampa Bay in Washington
Corsair injuries: DT Jeremiah Ledbetter (calf), RB LeSean McCoy (disease) OUT; CB Carlton Davis (groin), WR Mike Evans (knee) QUESTIONABLE
Washington Wounds: LB Thomas Davis (knee) OUT; RB Antonio Gibson (toe), WR Terry McLaurin (ankle), LB Kevin Pierre-Louis (ankle), QB Alex Smith (calf) QUESTIONABLE
According Mike Garafolo of the NFL Network, Mike Evans must play against Washington. The star receiver suffered a knee hyperextension injury in Week 17, which in general was a avoided bullet as it looked like it could have been much worse when watching it fall live. He was able to return to training on a limited basis on Thursday and it looks like he has a chance to go around while the Bucs march into the playoffs for the first time since 2007.
For Washington, all eyes are on crime. That said, it seems that Ron Rivera will not only have Alex Smith available for this game, but the defender will also have his two main weapons, Antonio Gibson and Terry McLaurin. All three key games for the attack were able to train on a limited basis this week, which bodes well for Saturday. Guard Brandon Scherff (shoulder) was limited in training on Tuesday and Wednesday, but practiced fully on Thursday and has no indication of injury.
Baltimore, Tennessee
Crows injuries: G Ben Bredeson (knee), T DJ Fluker (knee), CB Marlon Humphrey (shoulder), C Patrick Mekari (back), OLB Yannick Ngakoue (thigh), CB Jimmy Smith (ribs / shoulder), WR Willie Snead IV ( ankle) QUESTIONABLE
Injuries to titans: No players listed
Both Marlon Humphrey and Jimmy Smith seem to have a good chance of playing on Sunday. Despite being listed as questionable, both corners managed to train this week. Humphrey went to a full participant on Friday, which is extremely promising. External linebacker Yannick Ngakoue also practiced fully to end the week.
In the case of Tennessee, although Mike Vrabel revealed that AJ Brown did not train on Friday (knee / hand), Brown is confident he will be available. “If I have breath in my body, I will play,” he told The Tennessean.
Chicago in New Orleans
Injured bears: DB Buster Skrine (concussion) OUT; DB Jaylon Johnson (shoulder), WR Darnell Mooney (ankle), LB Roquan Smith (elbow), LB Josh Woods (toe / gluteus) QUESTIONABLE
Injured saints: G Nick Easton (concussion), FROM Trey Hendrickson (neck) OUT
Things don’t look very promising for Bears linebacker Roquan Smith. He missed the entire week of training due to an elbow injury and leaves his status for Sunday in serious doubt, which would be a major blow to the Chicago defense. Mooney, who was injured at the end of the Packers game, also failed to train this week.
While New Orleans still hopes to get some reinforcements back in the attack on Alvin Kamara and Michael Thomas, the defense will lose a key piece on the defensive side Trey Hendrickson. The Saints leader is dealing with a neck injury that caused him to miss training Thursday and Friday and is now ruled out on Sunday. Hendrickson ended the year with 13.5 sacks and 25 hitting strikes, so this is a big presence that New Orleans will not have this weekend. As for Thomas, he is still on injury reserve, so he does not appear on the club’s injury report. The Saints must be activated on Saturday afternoon to play on Sunday.
Cleveland in Pittsburgh
Browns injuries: T Jack Conklin (knee, illness), DE Myles Garrett (shoulder), CB Terrance Mitchell (unrelated to injuries), WR Donovan Peoples-Jones (concussion), DT Sheldon Richardson (neck), CB MJ Stewart (calf), G Wyatt Teller (ankle) QUESTIONABLE
Steelers injuries: No players listed
Cleveland has been through a difficult situation in the past few weeks, when COVID-19 hit the organization and will keep coach Kevin Stefanski and others out of the playoffs. Because of the COVID situation, the Browns were only able to train on Friday. While there may be concerns about seeing Myles Garrett listed as questionable, Stefanski said on Friday that he is confident the star pass rusher will play.
Meanwhile, Pittsburgh is as healthy as you would like to make the playoffs.