Cardinals battling injuries as they prepare for Bengals
Nov 18, 2015, 4:47 PM
TEMPE, Ariz. — Heading into their Week 10 matchup with the Seattle Seahawks, the Arizona Cardinals were about as healthy as a team could have expected to be. Seven different players were on their Friday injury report, but all seven suited up and played in Arizona’s 39-32 win.
But as good a shape as the team was in entering the game, it sure didn’t leave it that way.
The Week 11 injury report was released Wednesday, and for the Cardinals, 10 players’ names were listed. Of those 10, seven did not practice.
Cornerback Justin Bethel is dealing with the flu, head coach Bruce Arians said, while receiver John Brown is still working through his hamstring issue.
Guard Jonathan Cooper (knee), WR Michael Floyd (hamstring), defensive tackle Cory Redding (ankle) and linebacker Markus Golden (ankle) were all out with injuries suffered Sunday, as was guard Mike Iupati, who left the game after suffering a neck injury.
Of all the players who did not participate in practice Wednesday, Arians said Golden’s absence was the only surprise.
“All of them right now, until we see them tomorrow,” he said with regards to them all being in doubt for Sunday’s game against the Cincinnati Bengals. “They’ll be limited some tomorrow, and hopefully we’ll get two or three of them back.”
The injury report will be updated Thursday and then again Friday, which is when everyone should have a better idea of who is likely to be ready to go.
Of Iupati, Arians said it’s a question of seeing what he can do Thursday after lifting Wednesday without any problems, other than his neck still being sore. The coach added that Floyd, who also left Sunday’s game prematurely, is anxious to get healthy and will be back on the field as soon as he can be.
With Brown, however, the story is a little different.
It was thought that missing the team’s game in Cleveland coupled with the bye week would allow his hamstring injury to heal. While Brown was on the field for 59 snaps — a number that equates to 66 percent of all possible for him — he did not catch a pass. After the game, Arians said the receiver was still struggling with his hamstring, which was still a problem Wednesday.
The coach said it’s been a concern for about three weeks, since the team needs its second-leading receiver back at full strength. Getting there is a process, though, one that includes the player needing confidence that he is OK.
“He’s probably hesitant to let it go,” Arians said. “He’s let it go in practice a few times and it was OK, but I think he’s afraid of tearing it.”
