Nover’s View
NFL Week 12 Injury Report
The over in the Dolphins-Jets matchup just became more attractive due to Friday injury information concerning New York. Pro Bowl Center Nick Mangold is expected to play while stud cornerback Darrelle Revis is out with a concussion.
Perhaps no team is more reliant on their center than the Jets whose offense doesn’t function nearly as well when Mangold is out. He had to miss much of the Jets’ 24-17 loss to the Texans last Sunday with a cut hand. Chris Ivory doesn’t run as well when Mangold is out and Ryan Fitzpatrick seems more skittish in the pocket.
Revis isn’t quite the shutdown corner of past seasons – he was torched by DeAndre Hopkins – but he’s still an elite player.
Rarely does it help the over when two starting offensive linemen are out. However, that could be the case when the Giants take on the Redskins. New York is likely to be missing center Weston Richburg, who has an ankle injury. Left guard Justin Pugh already has been ruled out with a concussion.
These two may be the Giants’ best offensive linemen and force Tom Coughlin to go with a quick pass-heavy strategy. This type of West Coast offense is what offensive coordinator Ben McAdoo prefers. Eli Manning has gotten comfortable in this style. He’s on pace to throw 34 touchdown passes.
Bills defensive lineman Mario Williams and Atlanta kicker Matt Bryant are on this week’s overrated/underrated list. Williams isn’t going to play against Kansas City because of a foot injury. Rex Ryan has killed Williams’ value by not taking advantage of his considerable pass rushing skills. Williams has only 11 tackles and three sacks. Bryant has a quad injury so he’ll sit replaced by journeyman Shayne Graham. This is an underrated injury. Bryant isn’t having a big year, but he’s more accurate than Graham and has a bigger leg. This may prove pivotal on kickoffs since the Falcons are hosting Minnesota. The Vikings’ Cordarrelle Patterson is one of those eternal knuckleheads, but he is a dangerous kick returner.
The total on the Patriots-Broncos Sunday night matchup is down to 43 1/2 points. That’s the lowest total on a Patriots game all season. Denver’s outstanding defense and the Patriots missing Dion Lewis and being thin in the offensive line and at wide receiver certainly are major reasons for that. But there also is a factor on the Denver offensive side – wider receiver Emmanuel Sanders. He hasn’t caught a pass in two weeks while battling finger and ankle injuries. Brock Osweiler certainly can use the extra weapon. He only threw three passes beyond 10 yards during his starting quarterback debut last week against the Bears. None of which were completed. Sanders is questionable.