With several NFL teams jockeying for playoff position -- and some fantasy leagues holding their championship matchups today -- SB Nation’s medical expert Dr. Ali Mohamadi gives insight into the most notable injuries on the landscape and how they might affect roster decisions.
Danny Amendola, Bilal Powell headline NFL injury report for Week 17
With playoff positioning on the line, all eyes are on a couple of key injuries in the AFC East. Dr. Ali Mohamadi runs down the biggest names on this week’s injury report.
In what may be his swan song as a member of the Chicago Bears, running back Matt Forte will have to tough it out with a back injury in Sunday afternoon’s contest with the Lions. Forte suffered the injury in last week’s win over Tampa Bay, which kept him on the sidelines for part of the second half. For his part, Forte dismissed the injury’s severity this week, saying it was only a “nick,” and it has been announced that he will make the start today, where he will be greeted by the adulation of the Chicago faithful.
New York Jets running back Bilal Powell has been a vital cog in the team’s push toward the playoffs, but he will be out of action due to an ankle injury for Sunday’s contest in Buffalo. Powell missed the entire week of practice due to the injury. He initially injured the ankle earlier in the season, missing four games, and aggravated it in last week’s overtime win over New England.
Despite the lack of practice this week -- typically a red flag for participation on game day -- head coach Todd Bowles said the team’s training staff would reassess Powell’s status Sunday morning and he was finally ruled inactive. With the Jets being able to secure a playoff berth with a win against the Rex Ryan-led Bills, missing Powell is a costly blow for New York’s offense.
Calvin Johnson has been dealing with an ankle injury for the better part of the season’s second half, and it hasn’t kept him out of action thus far. For yet another week, the Detroit receiver was listed as questionable on the Lions injury report and was limited in practice. With no major change in terms of pain or range of motion in pregame warmups, Johnson is ready to go and will get the start yet again as Detroit finishes its season in Chicago against the Bears.
New England receiver Danny Amendola missed last week’s loss to the Jets due to a knee injury suffered in Week 15 against Tennessee. After being limited in practice all week, he was officially listed as questionable for Sunday’s contest with the Dolphins, but is active and will play. The Patriots have already locked up a first-round bye in the AFC playoffs, and although a win against Miami would secure home field for New England, don’t be surprised if Amendola still gets limited snaps to take full advantage of the team’s coming bye and be completely healed for the playoffs.
Another receiver playing for a team with a shot at home field advantage is Arizona’s Michael Floyd, who missed practice until Friday, when he was limited, due to a knee injury. Head coach Bruce Arians voiced confidence late in the week that Floyd would be ready to go for Sunday afternoon’s tilt with Seattle, and sure enough, Floyd was declared active 90 minutes before the game.
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