Depending on how you look at it, week three of the NFL Preseason was either a complete disaster for a few teams’ play off plans or the exciting beginning of a new era. Only time will tell. Here are some of the key injuries and what they mean for each team, the league and your upcoming fantasy draft.
Let me say this first, and I say it a lot. You should not have held your fantasy draft at this point. Drafting before the preseason is over will always blow up in your face. And there’s no predicting who will be lost for most, if not all of the season due to injury. You’ve also got suspensions handed down all through August that can completely ruin your line up. Plan a party or something for that Saturday after the final preseason game and do it then. You’ll be glad you listened to me.
Tony Romo is out until midseason
There’s no question the biggest casualty to come out of Week Three was Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo. Romo was hit by Seattle Seahawks defensive end Cliff Avril right as he was about to slide, causing a compression fracture of one of his vertebrae. The injury will take 6-to-10 weeks to heal, but since it’s Romo, you better count on the 10. Last year Romo’s early season injury doomed the Cowboys all season. This year, there’s actually hope. And that hope has a name.
Dak Prescott.
.@cliffavril hit on Tony Romo wasn't cheap or dirty. Avril's not the problem, Romo's body is. The mind is willing, but the body is shot.
— Jim Rome (@jimrome) August 29, 2016
Prescott has been phenomenal in the preseason for the Cowboys. And, yes, it’s just the preseason, but name one other rookie quarterback that’s looked even close to Prescott. Hell, name more than three established starting quarterbacks that have looked as good as he has. All up through the pre-draft process my opinion on Prescott was clear. He was the best, most pro-ready, quarterback coming out in the draft. Not a single drop back he’s made in the preseason has proven me wrong yet.
Here are Prescott’s numbers in three preseason appearances: 30 of 50 for 454 yards and five touchdowns. Prescott has added 53 yards and two touchdowns on the ground. I said all offseason that Prescott was a hybrid of Russell Wilson and Cam Newton and he’s proving it every snap.
#Cowboys COO Stephen Jones definitely sees Tony Romo as the starter when he’s healthy. But also knows situations take on a life of their own
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) August 29, 2016
What does this mean for Romo? If Prescott continues his stellar campaign, Tony’s time in Dallas is done and it’s a shame. Over the last four seasons Romo has shrugged off the choker label and played the best football of his career. Now that his head is on straight his body is betraying him. I don’t think his career is over bay any means. Some team will gladly sign Romo to captain their team on a potential playoff run, but the Cowboys will stick with Prescott if he’s a winner. They have to.
The irony of the Cowboys’ situation with Prescott is that they didn’t want him. They tried to trade up in the draft twice, the first time to draft Paxton Lynch in the first round and later for Connor Cook. “Settling” for Prescott may end up the best move the Cowboys have made since drafting Troy Aikman in 1989.
Jared Goff has a pain in the ass
While Prescott has been lighting up the scoreboard, Los Angeles Rams No. 1 pick Jared Goff has been burrowing into the turf. Goff’s Saturday outing against the Broncos was cut short when a hit form Vontarrius Dora landed Goff on his ass and into the X-ray room. Goff bruised his tailbone on the play and didn’t return.
Jared Goff, who suffered a bruised tailbone on Saturday, is practicing. Looks fine.
— Alden González (@Alden_Gonzalez) August 29, 2016
This is the second of three preseason games Goff hasn’t been able to finish due to ticky-tack injuries and the you hope it’s not going to be the story of his career. In his first action against the Cowboys in Week One, he got banged up in his non-throwing shoulder and was held out of the second half. The Rams haven’t announced if Goff will play in their final preseason game when the team travels to Minnesota to take on the Vikings.
Wentz still out too
Carson Wentz, the quarterback taken right behind Goff in the draft, is dealing with his own preseason injury woes. Wentz injured his ribs in his first preseason action of the season and hasn’t played since. The Eagles will hold him out of their final preseason game.
Coach Pederson: Carson Wentz had two injured ribs. CT scan shows one is fully healed while one is 60%. We'll continue to monitor him.
— Philadelphia Eagles (@Eagles) August 29, 2016
The good news for the Eagles is that they never intended on playing Wentz this season anyway so none of their plans have changed. Sam Bradford remains the No. 1 quarterback with Chase Daniel as the No. 2.
Other injuries
Baltimore Ravens tight end Ben Watson will miss the rest of the season with a torn Achilles he suffered against the Detroit Lions.
Atlanta Falcons first-round draft pick Keanu Neal injured his knee against the Miami Dolphins and will require surgery to repair it. It was a minor injury, but will take at least three weeks to recover from.
Arizona Cardinals cornerback Mike Jenkins suffered a torn ACL against the Houston Texans after being juked hard by DeAndre Hopkins.
The Washington Redskins will be without rookie running back Keith Marshall for three weeks after he injured his elbow.
