Jene Bramel
Footballguy
St. Louis
James Laurinaitis has a foot injury and was limited all week in practice. Chris Long has an ankle injury that limited in practice all week. It’s the same injury that’s bothered him for weeks and cost him a few snaps in last week’s game. Both are questionable but likely to play.
Buffalo
George Wilson is out again with a stinger. The worrisome news from last week that Wilson was still experiencing numbness in his arm becomes still more worrisome now. Hopefully, he’ll recover quickly, but there’s a chance this injury could linger for sometime still. Da’Norris Searcy was as strong as his stat line suggests last week and will be a solid fill-in until Wilson returns.
Carolina
Omar Gaither is likely out again this week. He didn’t practice all week after aggravating his knee injury again last week. Jordan Senn will reportedly get the call with the base defense, but it’s possible that Jason Williams will have a rotational role, particularly in nickel packages. James Anderson, Dan Connor and Charles Johnson all have various dings but practiced fully later in the week and are probable to play.
Oakland
LaMarr Houston, Michael Huff and Richard Seymour are all questionable. All were limited in practice all week, but all are expected to play. Seymour played through his injury last week, but was only able to play a limited number of snaps.
Cleveland
Usama Young will again replace TJ Ward. Jayme Mitchell is out this week. Emmannuel Stephens is in, but Mitchell’s injury is good news for Jabaal Sheard, with whom Mitchell was rotating earlier in the week.
Cincinnati
Carlos Dunlap hasn’t practiced all week with what seems like an aggravation of the hamstring problem last week, though it wasn’t clearly evident during the game. He’s very unlikely to play today. Michael Johnson is probable, but missed practice time this week with a shoulder problem. He’s essentially been a nickel rusher over the past two weeks; if he plays, it’s likely to be in a very limited role.
San Diego
Shaun Phillips is questionable, but increased his practice participation all week and looks likely to play.
Jacksonville
Matt Roth is out with a concussion this week. Clint Session was placed on IR with concussion issues. Russell Allen will replace him at OLB.
Minnesota
Husain Abdullah is out with a concussion. Erin Henderson made it through a full practice on Friday and will likely return to his every down role this week. The Falcons will likely give EJ Henderson lots of opportunity, too.
Atlanta
Brent Grimes is questionable with a knee injury, but missed practice on Friday.
New England
Brandon Spikes and Dane Fletcher remain out. Jeff Tarpinian was placed on IR. That leaves the Patriots very thin at linebacker, with Gary Guyton still fighting through a shoulder injury. Jerod Mayo looked much better last week physically and took more snaps inside than he had when Spikes was healthy. Both Devin McCourty and Patrick Chung are out today. Sterling Moore will again join James Ihedibgo at safety.
Philadelphia
Nnamdi Asomugha (knee) and DRC (ankle) are both questionable. Asomugha is considered a GTD. DRC practiced this week but is not expected back for at least another week.
Tampa Bay
Michael Bennett is listed doubtful with a groin injury, but he’s expected to miss at least a week. Da’Quan Bowers is in line for more playing time this week, but the Tennessee matchup is a tough pass rushing matchup. Tanard Jackson is questionable and tentatively expected to play despite not practicing Friday with his ongoing hamstring issues, but may be limited. Adam Hayward didn’t practice on Friday with a foot injury. If he’s unable to go, Geno Hayes will be the primary WLB today.
Tennessee
Barrett Ruud is out with his groin injury today, putting Colin McCarthy in an every-down role again. McCarthy is listed questionable with a knee injury, but he’s been playing through that injury for much of the past month and practiced fully on Friday. Derrick Morgan is also listed questionable but practiced fully on Friday.
Washington
LaRon Landry practiced fully all week and is expected to play. That’s a good sign that the inflammation in his Achilles has settled, but we still need to consider him week-to-week.
Pittsburgh
LaMarr Woodley is listed questionable with his hamstring injury but most reports have him out again this week. That should mean another week of Lawrence Timmons rotating inside and outside with Jason Worilds.
Kansas City
Glenn Dorsey and Jon McGraw are both questionable with their ongoing injury issues. Dorsey was a GTD last week but couldn’t play.
NY Giants
Michael Boley hasn’t practiced this week and is listed doubtful. The Giants used a rotation of Greg Jones, Mark Herzlich and Spencer Paysinger inside in the base defense and as rotational subpackage bodies. Herzlich got the majority of snaps and could do so again today. Justin Tuck continues to struggle with injury. He’ll play, but missed practice with ankle and shoulder problems this week.
James Laurinaitis has a foot injury and was limited all week in practice. Chris Long has an ankle injury that limited in practice all week. It’s the same injury that’s bothered him for weeks and cost him a few snaps in last week’s game. Both are questionable but likely to play.
Buffalo
George Wilson is out again with a stinger. The worrisome news from last week that Wilson was still experiencing numbness in his arm becomes still more worrisome now. Hopefully, he’ll recover quickly, but there’s a chance this injury could linger for sometime still. Da’Norris Searcy was as strong as his stat line suggests last week and will be a solid fill-in until Wilson returns.
Carolina
Omar Gaither is likely out again this week. He didn’t practice all week after aggravating his knee injury again last week. Jordan Senn will reportedly get the call with the base defense, but it’s possible that Jason Williams will have a rotational role, particularly in nickel packages. James Anderson, Dan Connor and Charles Johnson all have various dings but practiced fully later in the week and are probable to play.
Oakland
LaMarr Houston, Michael Huff and Richard Seymour are all questionable. All were limited in practice all week, but all are expected to play. Seymour played through his injury last week, but was only able to play a limited number of snaps.
Cleveland
Usama Young will again replace TJ Ward. Jayme Mitchell is out this week. Emmannuel Stephens is in, but Mitchell’s injury is good news for Jabaal Sheard, with whom Mitchell was rotating earlier in the week.
Cincinnati
Carlos Dunlap hasn’t practiced all week with what seems like an aggravation of the hamstring problem last week, though it wasn’t clearly evident during the game. He’s very unlikely to play today. Michael Johnson is probable, but missed practice time this week with a shoulder problem. He’s essentially been a nickel rusher over the past two weeks; if he plays, it’s likely to be in a very limited role.
San Diego
Shaun Phillips is questionable, but increased his practice participation all week and looks likely to play.
Jacksonville
Matt Roth is out with a concussion this week. Clint Session was placed on IR with concussion issues. Russell Allen will replace him at OLB.
Minnesota
Husain Abdullah is out with a concussion. Erin Henderson made it through a full practice on Friday and will likely return to his every down role this week. The Falcons will likely give EJ Henderson lots of opportunity, too.
Atlanta
Brent Grimes is questionable with a knee injury, but missed practice on Friday.
New England
Brandon Spikes and Dane Fletcher remain out. Jeff Tarpinian was placed on IR. That leaves the Patriots very thin at linebacker, with Gary Guyton still fighting through a shoulder injury. Jerod Mayo looked much better last week physically and took more snaps inside than he had when Spikes was healthy. Both Devin McCourty and Patrick Chung are out today. Sterling Moore will again join James Ihedibgo at safety.
Philadelphia
Nnamdi Asomugha (knee) and DRC (ankle) are both questionable. Asomugha is considered a GTD. DRC practiced this week but is not expected back for at least another week.
Tampa Bay
Michael Bennett is listed doubtful with a groin injury, but he’s expected to miss at least a week. Da’Quan Bowers is in line for more playing time this week, but the Tennessee matchup is a tough pass rushing matchup. Tanard Jackson is questionable and tentatively expected to play despite not practicing Friday with his ongoing hamstring issues, but may be limited. Adam Hayward didn’t practice on Friday with a foot injury. If he’s unable to go, Geno Hayes will be the primary WLB today.
Tennessee
Barrett Ruud is out with his groin injury today, putting Colin McCarthy in an every-down role again. McCarthy is listed questionable with a knee injury, but he’s been playing through that injury for much of the past month and practiced fully on Friday. Derrick Morgan is also listed questionable but practiced fully on Friday.
Washington
LaRon Landry practiced fully all week and is expected to play. That’s a good sign that the inflammation in his Achilles has settled, but we still need to consider him week-to-week.
Pittsburgh
LaMarr Woodley is listed questionable with his hamstring injury but most reports have him out again this week. That should mean another week of Lawrence Timmons rotating inside and outside with Jason Worilds.
Kansas City
Glenn Dorsey and Jon McGraw are both questionable with their ongoing injury issues. Dorsey was a GTD last week but couldn’t play.
NY Giants
Michael Boley hasn’t practiced this week and is listed doubtful. The Giants used a rotation of Greg Jones, Mark Herzlich and Spencer Paysinger inside in the base defense and as rotational subpackage bodies. Herzlich got the majority of snaps and could do so again today. Justin Tuck continues to struggle with injury. He’ll play, but missed practice with ankle and shoulder problems this week.
