Week 14 injuries are here. That is not the best sentence to have to write, nor is having to report on injured players, but that is sadly part of the game of football.
Yesterday saw some very notable NFL players go down with minor to severe injuries, and at this point in the season, that could be costly.
Hopefully, the said players won't be out too long, especially if their teams are making an ever-important playoff push. Here are five notable injuries from Week 14.
Which Week 14 injuries are the worst?
Looking to predict NFL playoff Scenarios? Try our NFL Playoff Predictor for real-time simulations and stay ahead of the game!
#5 - Calais Campbell
The Baltimore Ravens stalwart, Calais Campbell, has been dealing with a lingering thigh injury that suffered another setback during yesterday's game against the Cleveland Browns.
That's the unfortunate aspect of injuries that are not dealt with at the proper time. Players usually want to return to the field as soon as possible to help out their teams, but they often forget their bodies are meant to recover.
Playing through the pain is one thing, but allowing an injury to get much worse doesn't help any situation.
Calpbell's thigh injury could just be a sprain that needs more time to heal, but his status for next week's game is still up in the air.
#4 - Kareem Hunt
The Cleveland Browns won an important matchup against their divisional rivals, the Baltimore Ravens. The win was not without some loss, as running back Kareem Hunt suffered some sort of ankle injury and did not return for the rest of the game.
Ankle injuries can be one of the worst in football, especially for running backs.
Hunt proclaimed he was good to go and wanted to play through the pain, but the Browns staff stepped in and told him to take some rest. Some smart advice that the Browns running back should take as the team is now in the hunt for a wild-card playoff spot.
Also check out: Complete Thursday Night Football Schedule 2021
3 other notable injuries from Week 14
Which injuries will take the longest to heal?
#3 - Justin Fields
Justin Fields was apparently being looked at after the Chicago Bears' loss to the Green Bay Packers. That didn't bode well for the rookie quarterback and the Bears' chances at making it into the wild-card playoffs for the NFC (the chances were slim to none to begin with).
Fields is already dealing with injuries to several of his ribs, and his left hand is now swollen.
Hopefully, that swollen hand is the least of his worries, as a quarterback with any kind of hand injury is going to have a tough time throwing the ball. Even if it's their non-throwing hand.
They do have Andy Dalton waiting to be a starter again, but is he going to lead them into the postseason? That remains to be seen.
#2 - Aaron Rodgers
Aaron Rodgers has been dealing with a fractured toe for a few weeks now, even though the media previously echoed the sentiment that it was related to him catching COVID, better known as COVID toe.
However, his toe seems to be getting much worse, and he suffered a "setback" in yesterday's win over the Bears. Foot injuries can also spell tons of trouble for any player involved.
Rodgers not being available at such a crucial point in the season would be disastrous for a Packers team wanting to secure homefield advantage and a first-round bye in the playoffs. Rodgers will desperately need that bye to allow him more time to heal.
The Packers are currently the #2 seed in the NFC and will need to move up to number one to secure a bye week for the playoffs.
#1 - Lamar Jackson
Injuries are mounting against starting quarterbacks in Week 14. Apart from Justin Fields, Rodgers and Lamar Jackson are trying to get their team into higher seeding for their eventual playoff runs.
The Baltimore Ravens are now 8-5 after losing to the Browns, and are a game away from losing the AFC North lead.
Lamar Jackson suffered a bad-looking ankle injury that could sideline him for a few weeks, depending on the severity. Further reports indicated that the ankle injury was a sprain, which can vary in severity.
Should there be a high-ankle sprain, Jackson will need to recover, presumably for the rest of the regular season. This would be devastating for the Ravens' playoff chances.
The Ravens have already dealt with multiple injuries this season.
Green Bay Packers Fans! Check out the latest Packers Schedule and dive into the Green Bay Packers Depth Chart for NFL Season 2024-25.