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The impact of injuries is felt differently across the league as we roll through the final third of the 2021.
The New Orleans Saints have not won since quarterback Jameis Winston tore his left knee in October. Russell Wilson suffered a finger injury in Week 5 and the Seattle Seahawks struggled.
The bad news started early in the season for the Baltimore Ravens. The Ravens lost several key players due to injuries, including running backs J.K. Dobbins and Gus Edwards.
The Dallas Cowboys and the Kansas City Chiefs have weathered injuries and are on the mend. The health of the teams is assessed by a 1-10 rating system, with 10 being the healthiest.
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It could be worse.
Under the weather.
It's feeling good.
The Kansas City Chiefs are.
The health rating is 8.
Players on IR.
Starts missed because of an injury.
How bad has your team been? A lot of teams have lost 38 starts by 10 different players. Six different starters have missed at least one game on the defense. Chris Jones, Frank Clark, Willie Gay, and Anthony Hitchens are on this list. The return of all of them helps explain why the defense is playing so well.
New England is 9-4
The health rating is 8.
13 players are on IR.
Starts missed because of an injury.
How bad has your team been? Losing James White for the season after three games has been the most crushing blow. Trent Brown missed eight games with a right calf injury that continues to give him issues. Those are the big ones. Everything else has been shorter-term.
The Houston Texans are 2-10).
The health rating is 8.
Players on IR.
Starts missed because of injury.
How bad has your team been? The Texans are one of the healthiest teams in the league, but have lost some key players for a portion of the season, including quarterback Tyrod Taylor, who missed six games with a left hamstring injury. Left tackle Laremy Tunsil, right tackle Marcus Cannon, and center Justin Britt have all spent time on injured reserve for Houston, which has had to deal with a lot of change on the offensive line.
The Los Angeles Clippers (7-5).
The health rating is 7.
5 players on IR.
Starts missed because of injury.
How bad has your team been? Both sides of the ball have suffered injuries this season. Losing Ryan Smith is the worst. He was on the reserve/COVID-19 list when he tore an anterior cruciate ligament in his knee. He's out for the season. The team has been hurt by the loss of Smith and the injury to Oday Aboushi.
The Buffalo Bills are 7-5)
The health rating is 7.
Players on IR.
Starts missed because of injury.
How bad has your team been? The Bills' first half of the season featured a healthy roster. The team stayed on the field, which is part of the reason the starts missed total is low. Injuries have started to add up, especially with the injury to White. He won't be able to play the rest of the season. The offensive line has had some absences due to the injury of Jon Feliciano and the fact that COVID-19 is banned.
The Cincinnati Bengals are 4-7.
The health rating is 7.
Players on IR.
Starts missed because of injury.
How bad has your team been? This team has been very healthy all season. Nine of the 13 missed starts by first-team players are from Trae Waynes. He has battled a injury all season and his return is unknown. Most of the key players for the Cincinnati Bengals are available this season. Cincinnati is in a good position to make the playoffs for the first time since 2015.
The Los Angeles Rams have a winning record.
The health rating is 7.
Players on IR.
Starts missed because of an injury.
How bad has your team been? The Rams' starting lineup has remained relatively healthy throughout the season, but suffered a blow when receiver Robert Woods tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee in Week 10. The loss of Woods has been felt by the offense. Without Sebastian Joseph-Day, the Rams had to adjust on defense, and he was placed on injured reserve after Week 7.
The Dallas Cowboys are.
The health rating is 7.
Players on IR.
Starts missed because of an injury.
How bad has your team been? Injuries have been a problem for the Cowboys all season. The quarterback missed a game with an injury. Tyron Smith missed three games with an ankle injury. Lawrence missed 10 games with a broken foot. Randy Gregory has been out with a calf strain. Wilson has missed five games because of injuries. Cooper missed two games. Lamb missed a game because of a concussion. The running back has played with a knee bruise. Cooper, Lawrence, Gregory, and Gallimore have been out since the preseason with injuries, but are starting to return. The break after back-to-back Thursday games is a good thing for the Cowboys, and they could be their healthiest coming down the stretch.
You can't count on J.J. Watt being back. He's been working like a machine. I'm not up here when he's not up here doing his rehabilitation and then he's out on the field running. You don't know with him.
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Josh Weinfuss is on December 1, 2021.
The ArizonaCardinals are 10-2
The health rating is 7.
16 players are on IR.
Starts missed because of an injury.
How bad has your team been? The injury bug hit the team hard this season, but they are mostly healthy now. J.J. Watt was injured in the Week 7 game against Houston. Arizona lost quarterback Kyler Murray to an ankle injury. They are back, but Watt is not, and there is a chance he will return at some point this season.
It could be worse.
The Indianapolis Colts are 4-7.
The health rating is 6.
Players on IR.
Starts missed because of an injury.
How bad has your team been? The receiver and safety positions have been the hardest hit by injuries. Two of the team's top three receivers, T.Y. Hilton and Parris Campbell, have missed a lot of games because of injuries. No other receiver has taken advantage of the absences of Hilton and Campbell. It's difficult to have stability on the back end of the defense when starting safeties Khari Willis and Julian Blackmon miss a lot of time. Blackmon will not play again this season because of a torn Achilles he suffered in practice. The man has missed five games this season.
The Philadelphia Eagles have a losing record.
The health rating is 6.
Players on IR.
Starts missed because of an injury.
How bad has your team been? The Eagles have not been hurt as badly as they were in the past. Early in the season, they lost defensive end Brandon Graham and offensive linemen Brandon Brooks and Isaac Seumalo. The absence of Graham has been costly, while the depth of the offensive line has held up well. They have had good health in the first year of coach Nick Sirianni's tenure. Their 6-7 record has not been affected by injuries.
San Francisco 49ers are 3-6.
The health rating is 6.
Players on IR.
Starts missed because of an injury.
Each of Tom Brady's Super Bowl appearances has been given a first-hand account. Man in the Arena: Tom Brady will be broadcasted on the Disney Channel.
How bad has your team been? The 49ers have not been as bad as the disaster that was 2020, but they did start out shaky. The Niners have lost a number of players for the rest of the season, including the top two running backs and the No. 1 defensive back, as well as key players like defensive tackle Javon Kinlaw and right tackle Mike McGlinchey. The Niners' top players have mostly avoided season-ending injuries, despite the significant blows. They got a scare with recent lower body injuries to receiver Deebo Samuel and LB Fred Warner, but neither is expected to miss more than a week or two.
The Atlanta Falcons are 4-7.
The health rating is 6.
The players on IR are listed.
Starts missed because of an injury.
How bad has your team been? The mental well-being of the team's top receiver, Calvin Ridley, is the most significant loss for the Falcons. He has played in just five of the team's 11 games this season and still leads all Atlanta wide receivers in catches and yards, behind tight end Kyle Pitts and running back Cordarrelle Patterson. The Falcons were without their best pass-rusher, Dante Fowler, for three games, and lost their second-best member of the secondary, Isaiah Oliver, for the season in Week 4. The Falcons have suffered some losses, but have been healthy at other positions.
The Las Vegas Raiders are 3-6.
The health rating is 6.
16 players are on IR.
Starts missed because of injury.
How bad has your team been? The projected starting offensive line for the Raiders never got on the field for a regular-season game a year after they played all three snaps together. Not with left guard Incognito being injured in a joint practice with the Rams, and right guard Good being lost for the season with a torn knee anterior capsule. Pro Bowlers Josh Jacobs andDarren Waller have both missed games due to injury. The Raiders have been relatively healthy on defense, with the exception of the toe injury that has kept CB Trayvon Mullen out of seven games.
The Jacksonville Jags are 2-10).
The health rating is 5.
Players on IR.
Starts missed because of an injury.
How bad has your team been? Losing DJ Chark, who was the team's best deep threat, as well as receiver/KR Jamal Agnew and tight end Dan Arnold, took a big chunk out of the offense. The injuries, as well as the healthy receivers struggling to get separation and dropping passes, are the biggest reasons for quarterback Trevor Lawrence's struggles since the Week 7 bye. The offense is being changed to include more read-option elements to try and get something going after Lawrence threw just one touchdown pass in November.
The Pittsburgh Steelers are 5-5-1.
The health rating is 5.
Players on IR.
Starts missed because of an injury.
How bad has your team been? The defense has been a problem this season for the Steelers. At defensive end, Tyson Alualu hasn't played since fracturing his ankle in Week 2, and Stephon Tuitt hasn't played since knee surgery earlier this year. T.J. Watt has missed time with a groin, knee, and hip injury, and also landed on the reserve/COVID-19 list. Almost every position group has missed a starter this season.
Play.
The world's smallest violin is pulled out by Bart Scott for Baker Mayfield.
The Cleveland Browns are 3-6.
The health rating is 5.
10 players on IR.
Starts missed because of injury.
How bad has your team been? Running backs Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt, wide receiver Jarvis Landry, and right tackle Jack Conklin have all missed time this year with injuries. The biggest issue has been the health of Baker Mayfield, who has been playing through a torn labrum in his left non-throwing shoulder since Week 2.
The Miami Dolphins have a losing record.
The health rating is 5.
The players on IR are 15.
Starts missed because of an injury.
How bad has your team been? In the first two games of the season, the Dolphins' star nose tackle Raekwon Davis and starting quarterback Tua Tagovailoa were injured. The new receiver trio of DeVante, William, and Jaylen have not played a single game together with Tagovailoa. The team has found a way to push through its health issues, despite the 1-8 start.
The Washington Football Team is 3-6.
The health rating is 5.
The players on IR are 15.
Starts missed because of an injury.
How bad has your team been? It is banged up, but has been able to hang around because of improved depth. Ryan Fitzpatrick was hurt in the second quarter of the season opener, but Taylor Heinicke has played well in his absence. Washington has played four centers. The team is without two young defensive ends, Montez Sweat and Chase Young, who were lost for the season with a torn anterior cruciate ligament, and the team's prized free agent, receiver, Curtis Samuel, has made little impact because of injuries. The team's best red zone threat, tight end Logan Thomas, might miss the rest of the season because of a knee injury. Washington recovered from a 2-6 start to stay in the playoff hunt.
The Denver Broncos are 6-6)
The health rating is 5.
17 players are on IR.
Starts missed because of an injury.
How bad has your team been? The Broncos have had several players on injured reserve this season, including Bradley Chubb, Jerry Jeudy, KJ Hamler, Graham Glasgow and Alexander Johnson. The rest of the season will be missed by Hamler, Glasgow, Jewell and Johnson. The nickel CB is on IR. The rookies have been thrown into the deep end of the pool because of the battering they have received. In the Week 12 win against the Chargers, four rookies played on defense, three started, and six rookies got significant snaps.
The rating was under the weather.
The Chicago Bears are 1-8.
The health rating is 4.
Players on IR.
Starts missed because of an injury.
How bad has your team been? The Bears have lost a lot of frontline talent to injury. The Bears are in a bind because of the quality of the missing players. They can't afford to lose any more of those.
The Minnesota Vikings are 4-7.
The health rating is 4.
Players on IR.
Starts missed because of injury.
Here's how the playoffs looks at the moment and what might happen in the future.
Who is currently in the playoffs?
The Playoff Machine is a program on the ESPYS.
The Football Power Index is a measure of standings.
