Preseason Week 2 Injury Aftermath

August 24, 2015, 12:12 pm ET

compiled by Andrew Potter

In week 2 of the preseason, we're still focussing solely on injuries which will definitely affect the 2015 regular season. Unfortunately, this means another rash of major injuries to key players.

Packers Receiver Jordy Nelson -- Knee (IR)

The biggest loss of the 2015 preseason so far, Jordy Nelson will miss the entire 2015 season with a torn ACL. A key component of Green Bay's passing game, Nelson has ranked second in DYAR in three of the past four seasons and been in the top ten by DVOA in each of those four years. His place in the starting lineup is expected to be filled by Davante Adams, whose -9.0% DVOA ranked 59th in 2014.

Steelers Center Maurkice Pouncey -- Ankle

The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports that Steelers center Maurkice Pouncey broke his left fibula against Green Bay. The injury occurred when Packers safety Ha Ha Clinton-Dix rolled onto the back of Pouncey's leg. Pouncey will require surgery, ruling him out for at least two months, and he may miss the entire 2015 season. Cody Wallace is expected to start in the meantime.

Panthers Defensive End Frank Alexander -- Achilles (IR)

Less than a week after losing star receiver Kelvin Benjamin for the season, the Carolina Panthers have now lost a projected starter on the defensive side too. Defensive end Frank Alexander, who missed 14 games last year through suspension but was expected to start for the team this year, tore his Achilles against Miami and will miss the entire 2015 season. Kony Ealy is expected to start in Alexander's stead.

Giants Safety Bennett Jackson -- Knee (IR)

Only in the game in the second half because of the team's already-lengthy list of secondary injuries, Bennett Jackson tore his ACL tackling a Jaguars tight end and will miss the entire 2015 season. Jackson was expected to start for the Giants this year, having recently converted from cornerback to safety. Recent free agent signing Justin Currie was also lost for the year, as he broke his right ankle and fibula covering a kickoff.

Comments

17 comments, Last at 13 Feb 2016, 3:05pm

#1 by Theo // Aug 24, 2015 - 2:04pm

Steelers Defensive End Stephon Tuitt -- Ankle
Tuitt will be out for "a couple of weeks"

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000514908/article/maurkice-pouncey-likely-to-undergo-ankle-surgery

#3 by jtr // Aug 24, 2015 - 3:33pm

Tomlin called it "your classic ankle injury" so presumably that's a fairly mild sprain. I'm hoping he's ready for week one; the Steelers really need him to step up this year. When Tuitt isn't playing, the end opposite Cam Heyward is likely Cam Thomas, who played embarrassingly badly last year.

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#2 by Raiderjoe // Aug 24, 2015 - 3:14pm

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#4 by jtr // Aug 24, 2015 - 3:41pm

The Giants safety position seems to be haunted. Antrel Rolle was lucky to escape with his life.

#5 by PatsFan // Aug 24, 2015 - 5:09pm

NE officially loses WR Brandon Gibson for the year and it's looking like they lost CB Darryl Roberts as well.

#6 by theslothook // Aug 24, 2015 - 7:05pm

DO either even move the needle for the Pats really?

#9 by dryheat // Aug 24, 2015 - 7:39pm

Only in the sense that they are thin at those particular positions, hence Reggie Wayne. I don't think anyone expected them to produce much.

#14 by MJK // Aug 25, 2015 - 11:06pm

Maybe Gibson moves the needle a little. He was having a nice preseason, and the Pats have been hammered by injuries at WR. Edelman (#1) is out and questionable for opening day; LaFell (#2) is still on the PuP; Dobson (#4) is out indefinitely with a hamstring injury, and Tyms (#5) just got put on IR. Boyce (competing with Dobson/Tyms for #4/5) has been terrible and will likely be cut. Slater is a WR in name only (really a special teams ace). That means that, prior to signing Reggie Wayne, the only healthy WR on the Pats roster with NFL game experience was Amendola.

Good thing he's such an iron man and never gets injured!

Seriously, though, even with Wayne, they might have only been dressing three healthy, non-undrafted free agent rookie WRs on opening day. With the Gibson injury, they're now down to two. Losing Gibson could hurt them (a little) in the first game or two, especially if they are playing with a less experienced QB.

#7 by JCRodriguezB // Aug 24, 2015 - 7:21pm

Paging our O-Line resindent expert, Ben, please give me your take on Pouncey. I am big time Steeler Fan, but I am not in love with him at all, he is good, not great. While watching him, I have never seen him dominate any opponent, let alone the Haloti Ngata's of the world. With his loss, we will continue to be mediocre. What am I missing?.

Thanks!

#8 by Theo // Aug 24, 2015 - 7:33pm

And with 'mediocre' you mean offense good, defense bad, or mediocre offensive line, or both or something else?

#11 by JCRodriguezB // Aug 25, 2015 - 5:22pm

Right on, mediocre o-line play, suspiciuos defense and All Mighty Skill Players.

#10 by jtr // Aug 24, 2015 - 8:04pm

FWIW, I found the old Muth column where he discussed what he considered to be the two skills that separate a great center from a good one: "the quickness to consistently reach a shaded nose tackle without any help from a guard" and "being able to hold up in pass protection against head-up nose tackles and walked-up linebackers without having guard help to either side." These are both related to surviving without help rather than physically dominating a nose tackle; the physical reality is that the smallest guy on the o-line just isn't going to knock around the biggest guy on the opposing team without help from a guard.
The FO almanac section on the Steelers offensive line mentions that the team was able to cover up Ramon Foster's weaknesses because Pouncey and Decastro rarely needed help, so I think Pouncey passes Muth's tests.

#12 by JCRodriguezB // Aug 25, 2015 - 5:32pm

That sounds reasonable, again, I am not saying that he is a liability, I just can not agree with the talk about him being the best in the league, and that without him we are doomed, or stuff like he is the third most important player on our roster behind Big Ben and Brown. I have seen guys like Legursky and Velasco replace him just fine (Legs) or downright exceptionally (Velasco).