Jene Bramel
Footballguy
Mark Anderson will be out for an extended period with a knee injury. Chris Kelsay will replace him in the starting lineup, with Kyle Moore likely seeing a few snaps in rotation. Nigel Bradham has officially moved into the starting lineup over Arthur Moats at OLB. Mario Williams is finally listed on the injury report with a wrist injury that’s reportedly bothered him since the preseason. Jairus Byrd and Kyle Williams are both listed questionable but look likely to play.
Paris Lenon is listed questionable again this week, but practiced fully on Friday and should play. Darnell Dockett and O’Brien Schofield are game-time decisions. Greg Toler is unlikely to play with a hamstring injury.
Vontaze Burfict now looks entrenched as the every-down WLB. Nate Clements is expected to remain a full time safety ahead of Taylor Mays and Jeromy Miles. Carlos Dunlap is off the injury report, but still likely to rotate in the base defense with Robert Geathers.
D’Qwell Jackson practiced fully on Friday and will start today. Scott Fujita didn’t practice Thursday or Friday with a shoulder/neck issue and is more doubtful than questionable. The Browns could turn to either Craig Robertson (who would become an every-down linebacker) or James-Michael Johnson if Fujita cannot play. TJ Ward is listed questionable but should play with his thumb injury again. He didn’t look comfortable or willing to tackle at all last week. Joe Haden is back for Cleveland, Dmitri Patterson is out with an ankle injury.
Louis Delmas missed practice on Friday and admits he’s not sure he’s physically ready to return. There’s a chance he’ll be active today but he’ll likely rotate. Cliff Avril is questionable but will play. Corey Williams is out.
Pat Angerer didn’t practice at all this week. He’s either suffered a setback last week or the foot isn’t responding as quickly as originally expected. He’s probably at least another week from returning. Robert Mathis sits again this week, with Vontae Davis likely joining him.
The Jets are without both Kenrick Ellis and Sione Pouha today.
Glenn Dorsey is out for the Chiefs. Derrick Johnson was not limited by his groin injury at all last week and isn’t on the injury report this week.
Aqib Talib has been suspended four games for violation of the NFL drug policy. Over the bye week, it was reported that Da’Quan Bowers still expects to return to the active roster sometime this season.
Jasper Brinkley will remain in the nickel packages over Erin Henderson. I’m not at all convinced that lasts through the season, but the Vikings clearly aren’t all-in on Henderson (weren’t in a rush to sign him, flirted with Marvin Mitchell as starter during the preseason). Josh Robinson will see more snaps in rotation with Antoine Winfield, who is being transitioned to a part time player.
The Redskins again rotated four safeties last week, with Madieu Williams and Reed Doughty starting and seeing most of the snaps.
Steve Gregory is again out this week; Tavon Wilson has played well in his absence. Donta’ Hightower is also out again. The Patriots used Rob Ninkovich and Tracy White in different packages last week for Hightower.
Bobby Wagner played in all subpackages last week and did so with LeRoy Hill not on the injury report. There’s a small chance that’s different this week, but I think Wagner can be considered an every-down linebacker against the Patriots this week.
Stevie Brown starts for Kenny Phillips again for the Giants. Michael Boley is improved, but Keith Rivers could see a handful of snaps in rotation.
Jonathan Babineaux and Stephen Nicholas are both questionable with injuries. Nicholas left the game last week with his ankle injury and seems more of a GTD than William Moore and Sean Weatherspoon have been in past weeks. Mike Peterson could replace him, but a 3-3-5 look with Kroy Biermann is also a possibility.
Richard Marshall is out this week. Kevin Burnett was added to the injury report on Friday with an ankle injury and is questionable.
BJ Raji did not practice all week and is questionable (at best).
Brian Cushing is out for the season with an ACL tear. Bradie James will become an every-down backer for now, with Tim Dobbins taking Cushing’s place in the base defense. This week’s matchup against Green Bay likely limits Dobbins’ snap count significantly.
Keith Brooking is back this week after suffering a concussion and will likely rotate with Wes Woodyard again. DJ Williams had three more games added to his six game suspension for violations of the personal conduct policy.
Paris Lenon is listed questionable again this week, but practiced fully on Friday and should play. Darnell Dockett and O’Brien Schofield are game-time decisions. Greg Toler is unlikely to play with a hamstring injury.
Vontaze Burfict now looks entrenched as the every-down WLB. Nate Clements is expected to remain a full time safety ahead of Taylor Mays and Jeromy Miles. Carlos Dunlap is off the injury report, but still likely to rotate in the base defense with Robert Geathers.
D’Qwell Jackson practiced fully on Friday and will start today. Scott Fujita didn’t practice Thursday or Friday with a shoulder/neck issue and is more doubtful than questionable. The Browns could turn to either Craig Robertson (who would become an every-down linebacker) or James-Michael Johnson if Fujita cannot play. TJ Ward is listed questionable but should play with his thumb injury again. He didn’t look comfortable or willing to tackle at all last week. Joe Haden is back for Cleveland, Dmitri Patterson is out with an ankle injury.
Louis Delmas missed practice on Friday and admits he’s not sure he’s physically ready to return. There’s a chance he’ll be active today but he’ll likely rotate. Cliff Avril is questionable but will play. Corey Williams is out.
Pat Angerer didn’t practice at all this week. He’s either suffered a setback last week or the foot isn’t responding as quickly as originally expected. He’s probably at least another week from returning. Robert Mathis sits again this week, with Vontae Davis likely joining him.
The Jets are without both Kenrick Ellis and Sione Pouha today.
Glenn Dorsey is out for the Chiefs. Derrick Johnson was not limited by his groin injury at all last week and isn’t on the injury report this week.
Aqib Talib has been suspended four games for violation of the NFL drug policy. Over the bye week, it was reported that Da’Quan Bowers still expects to return to the active roster sometime this season.
Jasper Brinkley will remain in the nickel packages over Erin Henderson. I’m not at all convinced that lasts through the season, but the Vikings clearly aren’t all-in on Henderson (weren’t in a rush to sign him, flirted with Marvin Mitchell as starter during the preseason). Josh Robinson will see more snaps in rotation with Antoine Winfield, who is being transitioned to a part time player.
The Redskins again rotated four safeties last week, with Madieu Williams and Reed Doughty starting and seeing most of the snaps.
Steve Gregory is again out this week; Tavon Wilson has played well in his absence. Donta’ Hightower is also out again. The Patriots used Rob Ninkovich and Tracy White in different packages last week for Hightower.
Bobby Wagner played in all subpackages last week and did so with LeRoy Hill not on the injury report. There’s a small chance that’s different this week, but I think Wagner can be considered an every-down linebacker against the Patriots this week.
Stevie Brown starts for Kenny Phillips again for the Giants. Michael Boley is improved, but Keith Rivers could see a handful of snaps in rotation.
Jonathan Babineaux and Stephen Nicholas are both questionable with injuries. Nicholas left the game last week with his ankle injury and seems more of a GTD than William Moore and Sean Weatherspoon have been in past weeks. Mike Peterson could replace him, but a 3-3-5 look with Kroy Biermann is also a possibility.
Richard Marshall is out this week. Kevin Burnett was added to the injury report on Friday with an ankle injury and is questionable.
BJ Raji did not practice all week and is questionable (at best).
Brian Cushing is out for the season with an ACL tear. Bradie James will become an every-down backer for now, with Tim Dobbins taking Cushing’s place in the base defense. This week’s matchup against Green Bay likely limits Dobbins’ snap count significantly.
Keith Brooking is back this week after suffering a concussion and will likely rotate with Wes Woodyard again. DJ Williams had three more games added to his six game suspension for violations of the personal conduct policy.
