Week six in the NFL did not come without its share of blue tent coverage. Fortunately, none appeared to have any season-ending injuries. Let’s look at some of the most impactful losses for teams even if just minimal time was lost.
Impactful Week 6 NFL Injuries
Christian McCaffrey, RB San Francisco
Do I even need to make a case for this one? We saw what the Niners looked like without CMC lighting up the field every time he touched the football: uneasy. Brock Purdy even seemed to struggle a bit without his running back refuge. McCaffrey was in the MVP conversation already and just completely opened up Kyle Shanahan’s offense to new, dynamic levels.
The injury occurred during their matchup in Cleveland and was reported to be designated to his oblique/rib area. They got handed their first loss against the Browns and do not wish to repeat this in their week 7 showdown against the Vikings. The confidence Purdy embodies with a guy like McCaffrey around him is evident and would require some scheming changes without him. Backups Jordan Mason and Elijah Mitchell couldn’t replicate the firepower and, honestly, who can?
David Montgomery, RB Detroit Lions
Montgomery is “expected to miss some time” and this is most definitely impactful on a team rolling like the Detroit Lions. He was laying the groundwork-literally-for this offense and allowing Goff to get shots downfield to teammate Amon-Ra St.Brown and others.
The former Chicago Bear was a top-20 RB four out of five weeks. Through five-game, he has 94 carries for 385 yards and six touchdowns. He averages 4.1 yards per carry.
This is exciting for Gibbs fans as the rookie hasn’t lived up to the hype just yet. Expect to see a split backfield between Gibbs (expected to come back from a hamstring injury) and Reynolds. Going to Baltimore against a ravenous Baltimore defensive unit without your top runner in the backfield could prove to be challenging.
Justin Fields, QB Chicago Bears
For as much shade I’ve thrown toward Justin Fields, the third-year quarterback did seem to be slowly putting some drives together and gelling with his offense. His dislocated thumb which could require surgery depending on the potential could undo any hope this franchise has left. Backup Tyson Bagent did not look horrendous when stepping in for the injured Fields, but it was a very small sample size.
While their weekly game plans have raised eyebrows for OC Luke Getsy and Head Coach Matt Eberflus, scheming for someone who is not mobile like Fields could be pretty significant. The Las Vegas Raiders travel to Chicago where sledgehammer Maxx Crosby is salivating over an UDFA with infantile experience.
Lane Johnson, OT Philadelphia Eagles
After the All-Pro Tackle went down in the opening drive in week 6, the Eagles eventually chalked up their first L of the season. Coincidence? Maybe not! Johnson is arguably the most effective Tackle in the game and affords Jalen Hurts the chance to wreck defenses with both his arms and legs.
Without him, there is an obvious loss on that front line, but the good news is that he avoided anything major and should only miss a small amount of time, if any! A collective sigh of relief for Iggles Nation.
Philly’s next matchup is against the red-hot Miami Dolphins so a key lineman like Johnson would be desirable for Nick Sirianni’s offense.
Luckily, Jacksonville Quarterback Trevor Lawrence did not miss much time in his week 6 battle in Indianapolis (sprained knee). He could play Thursday Night Football just days later. Sealing up another win for the Jags. (Editor’s note: He did and they did).
With the abundance of injuries through just six weeks, it certainly keeps the league interesting. Let us know @DraftCountdown which injuries hurt your team the most!