Disaster struck the New Orleans Saints on Thursday night when the Denver Broncos came to town, and their old head coach Sean Payton left no doubt who needed who after his offense climbed up to a 26-3 lead. But that’s not all. The injury bug came back with a vengeance.
First, starting cornerback Paulson Adebo left the field on a trainer’s cart with a vacuum splint immobilizing his right leg. He was quickly ruled out with a knee injury and taken by ambulance to a nearby medical center after having X-rays taken at the Caesars Superdome.
But two more starters went down in the second half. Left guard Nick Saldiveri, who was filling in for Lucas Patrick, was ruled out with a shoulder injury and replaced by rookie backup Kyle Hergel. Saldiveri didn’t join the team on the sideline after halftime.
After that, the other starting corner, Marshon Lattimore, exited with a hamstring injury. He was examined on the sideline in the blue medical tent but returned to the bench without a helmet, and was also ruled out. First-year draft pick Kool-Aid McKinstry had gone in to replace Adebo and he was joined by undrafted rookie Rico Payton in Lattimore’s place.
This team can’t take many more injuries. Only 20 of the 53 players on the active roster have not been listed on the injury report this season. Whatever injury prevention methods the training staff has been trying are not working.
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