NFL Week 1: Worst Injury Weekend Ever?

Watching football this weekend it was hard to comprehend how many big time players got injured. I actually went through the entire spectrum of emotions as the news came across the wire. Here’s a list of the major injuries and how I felt when I heard about them.

Kevin Everett - Buffalo Bills
Injury: Suffered a “catastrophic and life-threatening” spinal-cord injury. He’ll likely never fully recover, and after going through surgery Sunday night, he’s currently under forced sedation and breathing through a respirator.
Reaction: Sadness. Seriously this is awful. A 25-year-old guy with a promising future, comes down on special teams trying to prove himself, makes a tackle and doesn’t get up. Oh and the NFL’s pension system sucks. Hey good luck in the future Kevin! Luckily the Bills are known as a classy organization and I’m sure they’ll take care of the guy and his family. Our thoughts and prayers are with Kevin and his family.

Jason Webster, Ko Simpson - Buffalo Bills
Injuries: Webster is a starting cornerback and Simpson is the starting free safety. Webster had surgery to repair a broken forearm, while Simpson had surgery on a broken ankle. Both will likely miss the rest of the season.
Reaction: Who? I guess these guys are important, especially after Nate Clements jumped ship to the 49ers for roughly the GNP of Guyana in the off-season. Webster and Simpson will be missed in an undermanned secondary. But the Bills, who dropped their opener against the Broncos, probably won’t be much of a factor in the AFC.

Orlando Pace - St. Louis Rams
Injury: After suffering a season ending left triceps injury last November, Pace played his first regular season game in about eight months, and suffered a season-ending torn rotator cuff in his right shoulder. An MRI exam on Monday revealed the extent on the damage, and the recovery period will likely be six months.
Reaction: Didn’t this guy get considered for the Heisman when he was in college? He’s a seven-time Pro Bowler and he’s only 31. Damn, anyone who has Stephen Jackson in their fantasy league must be pissed.

Mike Brown - Chicago Bears
Injury: Ruptured his ACL and will miss the season … again.
Reaction: Jesus, is this guy ever healthy? It’s the third time in four years that an injury has ended his season. I started to think it was sad, since he’s actually a great player who changes the game when he plays, but then I remembered he plays for the Bears so I really couldn’t care less.

Dusty Dvoracek - Chicago Bears
Injury: Tore the ACL in his left knee and has been placed on injured reserve. He had replaced Tank Johnson as the Bears other defensive tackle (next to pro bowler Tommie Harris), and the entire organization was excited by his progress this off-season. Ouch.
Reaction: Screw Dusty Dvoracek. Didn’t he almost kill one of his former high school teammates in a bar fight back in college? Yeah, he did. Personally I think it’s fine that he is taking a “timeout” this season.

Yeremiah Bell - Miami Dolphins
Injury: Tore his left Achilles’ tendon during the third quarter on Sunday, and will miss the rest of the season.
Reaction: Yeremiah? How can you do that to a kid. His parents must have no soul. Anyway, most analysts say this is a huge blow to an already thin secondary. I agree, especially since the team’s best cornerback could be rookie return man and average receiver Ted Ginn Jr.

Jon Jansen - Washington Redskins
Injury: Broke his right fibula and dislocated his right ankle when Miami’s Zach Thomas rolled onto it during Sunday’s game. The 31-year-old Jansen will likely miss the rest of the season for the second time in four years - he ruptured his left Achilles’ tendon in 2004.
Reaction: I guess this means he’s got lots of time to prepare for the in-studio segments he does for ESPN on draft day. And hey, since they’ll be missing him, the Redskins ought to be picking pretty high. Should be an exciting day for him.

Jason Simmons - Houston Texans
Injury: The starting strong safety tore his left patella tendon and underwent season-ending surgery Monday.
Reaction: Ouch. That’s the second starting strong safety to suffer a season-ending injury this year for the Texans. So is that position the football equivalent of the drummer for Spinal Tap?

Chad Pennington - New York Jets
Injury: Injured his right ankle. The Jets have not revealed the extent of the injury, but it didn’t look good as he left Sunday’s game against the Patriots and tried to return. Jets fans actually cheered when he was forced to leave the game. Dicks.
Reaction: Man Jets fans love to boo. Do you guys really think Kellen Clemens will be any better? I watched him in college, on a scale of 1 to 10, he sucked.

Jason Ferguson - Dallas Cowboys
Injury: Tore his right biceps against the Giants Sunday and will miss the rest of the season. Dallas head coach Wade Phillips (no relation) had a firm grasp of the situation, “That’s certainly bad news for us.” Good call Wade.
Reaction: Wow, Dallas lost their starting nose tackle and most experienced defender? The just started running the 3-4 and NT is arguably the most important position in Phillips’ system. This one is really going to hurt.

Eli Manning - New York Giants
Injury: Bruised right shoulder. Has a “contusion near the collarbone” and could miss up to four weeks. The Giants are disputing that report though, saying there is a chance he could play this weekend, but most people are saying that’s highly unlikely.
Reaction: HAHA! Hope you get better soon Elisha. Prick.