What happened to DK Metcalf? Crucial X-Ray results in for Seahawks star

DK Metcalf left the Seattle Seahawks' victory over the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday with a knee injury. The Seahawks moved into first place in the NFC West with the win.

Their surprising playoff hopes would certainly take a hit if their top wide receiver was to miss an extended period of time. NFL analyst Tom Pelissero says that the initial X-Ray was negative on Metcalf's knee, but that more tests are being done.

Pelissero said:

"Wide receiver DK Metcalf [was] carted off the field and also ruled out quickly because of a knee injury. Coach Pete Carroll said that Metcalf underwent X-Rays that were negative which Carroll said is great news but had not yet undergone an MRI. That will take place today, so certainly a concern for another of the NFL's best surprises."

The initial results are encouraging for the Seahawks star, but the concern is still there. Knee injuries can be detrimental and many of them cost players large chunks of time.

Pete Carroll gave an update stating that Metcalf does not need surgery, however, the receiver had hurt his patellar tendon. Just how long DK Metcalf will be out for is unclear at this time.

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DK Metcalf and the Seattle Seahawks: Are they headed for the playoffs?

If the star wide receiver were to miss a chunk of, or the entire season, then their playoff chances would certainly take a hit. Geno Smith has been a revelation at quarterback, but it's hard for anyone to survive losing their best target.

Arizona Cardinals v Seattle Seahawks

They currently sit at 4-3, half a game up on the Los Angeles Rams who were on their bye week. FiveThirtyEight currently gives them a 42% chance of making the playoffs, so they're not exactly convinced by their hot start. They have a 26% chance of winning the division, so their first-place standing after seven weeks doesn't mean a lot to them either.

The San Francisco 49ers are considered the favorites, with a 33% chance of winning the division. The Rams have a 26% chance. The Seahawks do currently have a better shot than the Arizona Cardinals, who have a 12% chance of taking the division.

If the star wide receiver goes down, it can be expected that the team will falter and their chances, which aren't exactly stellar now, will dip.

However, this start has been a huge surprise. It's not unreasonable to think they can continue to surprise all the way into a playoff berth. There are seven playoff teams now, so the Seahawks could sneak in as one of them.

We await a more detailed report on DK Metcalf's injury and a timeline for his return.