The Jets won, the Giants lost and the Colts just wish it was that simple.
But several other teams emerged from Week 1 with bigger concerns than just a blotch on their record.
The Rams’ optimism was sky high after the season’s first play, which their star running back Steven Jackson used to race 47 yards for a touchdown. But it dimmed dramatically when Jackson soon retired to the locker room with a thigh injury; he came in for one more carry and then called it a day. He soon had plenty of company: quarterback Sam Bradford banged his right index finger on a helmet in the fourth quarter and had to leave the game, and the Rams also lost their leading receiver from last season, Danny Amendola (dislocated elbow); their right tackle, Jason Smith (high ankle sprain); and the top cornerback Ron Bartell (shoulder stinger). Amendola and Smith appear to have the most serious injuries, and Jackson will have an M.R.I. on Monday. Bradford said he hoped he could play against the Giants next Monday night, but that is not certain when Coach Steve Spagnuolo described his injury as “some kind of nerve issue.”
The Chargers lost their kicker, Nate Kaeding, on the opening kickoff against the Vikings and then saw defensive end Luis Castillo carted off in the second half. Both injuries appear to be serious: Kaeding is believed to have a torn A.C.L., and Castillo a broken leg. The good news for San Diego fans? Mike Tolbert, who scored three touchdowns before hobbling to the sideline and collapsing, has a leg injury but is not expected to miss any significant time, reports Jason La Canfora of NFL.com. And there is absolutely nothing wrong with Philip Rivers’s right arm.
The Saints’ passing game, which looked great in Thursday night’s loss to the Packers in Green Bay, took a big hit when Marques Colston broke his collarbone in that game. The injury and the absence of Lance Moore, who missed that game with a groin injury and is still not certain to play in Week 2, leave quarterback Drew Brees without his two top receivers from last year. But despite at least one published report to the contrary, the Saints are not panicking: they said they had not contacted the agent for Randy Moss.
The Texans pummelled the Colts, but will be without receiver Kevin Walter for several months with what is thought to be a broken shoulder. Houston also lost running back Derrick Ward (ankle) in the game, which it played without its top back, Arian Foster, who sat out with a hamstring problem.
The Bengals’ rookie quarterback, Andy Dalton, was held out of the second half of his first start after a hard hit from the Browns’ Phil Taylor caused him to lose feeling in his wrist. Dalton, who was 10 of 15 for 81 yards and a touchdown, said he planned to play next week, even though his explanation for that rationale seemed to raise more questions: “If I could have gripped the ball I would have stayed in the game.”
Too bad the Colts’ coaches didn’t pull Kerry Collins when he proved unable to grip it either.
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