Although the growing consensus after the first week of NFL successfully playing out suggested there was no reason for a pre-season after all, the story rapidly shifted into the second week. Sunday afternoon was probably the worst, taking out multiple star players in its wake. From the 49ers defensive Nick Bosa suffering a knee injury to quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo nursing a high-ankle sprain, the day didn’t pan out right for the team.
Injuries in Week 2 of the NFL
The Broncos weren’t having a great day either with quarterback Drew Lock suffering a shoulder injury, while the Giants’ running back Saquon Barkley suffered a knee injury. Sunday’s incident forced people to evaluate the reasons behind the numerous injuries, as two quarterbacks and at least two legitimate NFL stars, including a potential Defensive Player of the Year winner, went out with injuries that will definitely keep them out for the next three weeks.
49ers Head Coach, Kyle Shanahan, is certain Bosa’s injury is a devastating turn of events for the side and could prove to be the decider this season. Joining the players in the infirmary is New York Jets’ Wide Receiver Breshad Perriman with an ankle injury, Colts’ Malik Hooker nursing an Achilles tendon rupture. Dolphins’ Cornerback Byron Jones with a groin injury, the Rams’ Running Back Cam Akers suffering broken ribs, 49ers Defensive Line Solomon Thomas nursing a blow to the ankle. Giants’ Wide Receiver Michael Thomas with an ankle injury, and more. The list keeps getting bigger by the second!
According to former All-Pro Bears offensive Kyle Long, a full off-season program along with a pre-season might help with the current turn of events. While there is no way to confirm whether a pre-season would still result in similar injuries, the lack of warmup sessions is definitely one of the primary reasons behind the rising number of instances this year.
The Road Ahead
The NFL should consider a full off-season period. A reduction in the pre-season was expected following the league expanding the playoffs by one team per conference, leading to a change in the schedule from 16 to 17 games. However, the NFL is unlikely to permanently cancel the pre-season anytime soon as the investors heavily rely on it for revenue. It will be interesting to compare the number of injuries in September to the remaining quarter of 2020. Any decrease in numbers will validate the warmup theory.
NFL fans and pundits continue blaming the lack of preparedness this season for the increasing number of injuries, although the exact reason cannot be pinpointed at the moment. Blaming the authorities is the easy way out, but the management needed to take the stern steps to keep the event from being cancelled following a total lockdown.
What the future has in store is anybody’s guess, but experts believe the rate of injuries could drop down, as the weeks progress. If you enjoyed this story and would love to read more, visit NJ Punter.
