Things have become ugly for Jared Goff and Aries offended in the last two weeks, with back losses to the Jets and Seahawks in which Goff played poorly. To make matters worse, the Los Angeles defender dislocated and broke his thumb during the loss in Seattle. There seems to be a wide range of results going on, from Goff playing this Sunday to the rest of the season on the table. Goff will need thumb surgery at some point, but hopes to push it back by the end of the season, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reports (Twitter video) link).
Rapsheet says Goff is “firm” about the pressure to play in Week 17 and at least has a “hit” to be under the center. If the Bears lose to the Packers on Sunday, then Aries are in the playoffs no matter what, but if Chicago beats Green Bay, then the Rams will have to beat the Cardinals to get in. It looks like Goff will try to get through and qualify for the playoffs, even if he isn’t able to be there on Sunday. Goff is meeting today with Dr. Steven Shin, the same doctor who treated him Drew Brees‘thumb injury last year, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. Obviously, Brees missed a handful of games with that injury last year, although hopefully for the Rams, this is not as severe. If Goff is forced to miss the game against Arizona, this will be the first NFL action of the regular season for former Wake Forest and AAF star John Wolford.
Here are several health issues from the entire league that enter the last week of the season:
- Goff is not the only defender in this essential game. Kyler Murray has already suffered a persistent shoulder injury this season and also injured his leg at the end of Arizona’s Week 16 loss to San Francisco. Speaking to the head coach’s media on Monday Kliff Kingsbury he was vague, considering it only a “lower leg injury” and saying they wouldn’t put Murray there if he couldn’t be effective. If the cards win on Sunday, I’m inside. If not, I’m out. In a game of this magnitude, you have to figure out that Murray will play if possible, but right now Kingsbury says he’s in the air. This will be a situation to be closely monitored, but in any case it seems that Murray will be less than 100% against Aaron Donald and co.
- One last shipment from NFC West. The 49ers received an upset from the Cardinals, but their season full of injuries continued. They gave up at least two more starters as a starting receiver Brandon Aiyuk and left attack Trent Williams both will not play in week 17 due to injuries to Arizona, Kyle Shanahan said Monday. Shanahan also said he would be shocked if Jimmy Garoppolo play this weekend, that is CJ Beathard should receive another crack. Aiyuk has made many promises, and 49ers fans must be delighted with his potential in 2021. He may have seen Garoppolo play his last 49er shot.
- Joe MixonThe 2020 campaign is officially in the books. The Bengals who will run will not play this weekend, head coach Zac Taylor confirmed Monday. Mixon did not play all the way back in the 6th week due to a leg injury, but the team continued to insist that it was only week in week all this time. Mixon signed a four-year, $ 48 million extension in September, so he’s in Cincy for the long haul.
- Boss fans can breathe a little easier. Receiver Sammy Watkins fell yesterday with a calf wound, but Rapoport tweets he is not believed to be a major. Given Watkins’ history of injuries, it’s a great relief. Rapoport writes that Watkins will rest in week 17, but that there is a “great chance” that he will return for the first game in Kansas City.
- Another player whose season and probably a career has ended: the Patriots receiver Julian Edelman. Rapoport tweets that Edelman will not be activated for Monday night’s football match with Bills and that he is “unlikely” to play next week either. Edelman is under contract for next season, but will turn 35 in May, so it is completely correct to wonder if he will retire. The legendary Patriot, who spent all 12 years of his career in New England, was limited to just six games this year due to a knee injury.