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There was a time last week when the Washington Football Team had only 40 available players for practice. Washington placed over two dozen players on the reserve/COVID-19 list, and there was some doubt if the WFT would have enough players to play against the Eagles in Week 15.
In addition to Washington’s COVID issues, it is also battling a litany of injuries. While Washington got Montez Sweat and Sam Cosmi back, it has recently lost some significant offensive pieces. Logan Thomas, Curtis Samuel and J.D. McKissic — all expected to be important contributors this season — have been out for multiple games.
Then you have Washington’s offensive line issues, Ryan Fitzpatrick and Chase Young; Washington’s injury luck has not been good in 2021.
During the Week 15 loss to the Eagles, two significant defensive starters were injured and lost for the game. Cornerback William Jackson III and S/LB Landon Collins each missed the second half with injuries. Washington’s defense certainly missed them.
Washington coach Ron Rivera spoke with the media Wednesday and offered an update on Jackson and Collins.
“They are getting MRIs, I do believe, and hopefully, we’ll be getting the results pretty soon,” Rivera said. “You know, me, I’m always optimistic, but it sounded encouraging, but we’ll see after we get the reports.”
It’s hard to see Rivera’s update as a positive one. He’s offered what appeared to be positive injury reports in the past, and things turned out differently.
With a game Sunday, it’s difficult to imagine Jackson or Collins playing. Both players struggled early in the season before turning things around and becoming valuable pieces to Washington’s defense.
Another injury to watch is running back Antonio Gibson. Gibson aggravated a previous toe injury that sidelined him for some time in 2020. Rivera gave an update on Gibson when asked if the injury was similar to last season.
It’s very similar to what he had last year, and that was part of the problem is when it’s the big toe, you know, that turf toe, you got to stick that foot in the ground and drive off of it and go. And you know it hampers you a little bit, and it’s unfortunate because he is a big part of what we try to do offensively.
That’s a discouraging update. Toe injures are troublesome for athletes, especially running backs. Not only are they painful, but they limit your mobility. Gibson was a major reason for Washington’s success in the four-game winning streak. If he’s out for any period of time, Washington will have a tough time scoring.