Patriots' Morris Done for Season
Colts' Harrison May Not Play
As 6thround posted in the Diary section, New England Patriots running back Sammy Morris has been placed on injured reserve, ending his season and dealing a potentially significant blow to the Patriots offense.
From Week 1, Morris seemed the perfect complement to Laurence Maroney in the Patriots backfield, a great change-of-pace back with straight-ahead power. When Maroney was injured and missed three games, Morris filled in better than admirably, carrying the load and posting career-best numbers.
Morris was still shouldering the starting roll when he was hurt on the second Patriots offensive play of the second half against Dallas.
As 6thround noted, the Patriots are left with Maroney, who returned with a strong showing against Miami and followed with an impressive performance against Washington, Kevin Faulk, Heath Evans and Kyle Eckel -- good thing the Patriots got the latter of those guys real-game experience while they "ran up the score."
Expect New England to add an insurance running back in case any of the remaining four sustain bumps and bruises. The Patriots worked out Kevin Barlow a few weeks ago, and rumors are swirling that clock-killin' Corey Dillon is in the mix.
- FPiP = Full Participation in Practice.
- LPiP = Limited Participation in Practice.
- DNPiP = Did Not Participate in Practice.
- NL = Not Listed.
- * = Listed as "team decision" earlier in the week.
Also as 6thround reported, with the Morris move opening a roster spot, New England will probably activate defensive back and special-teamer Eddie Jackson, or, less likely, wide receiver Chad Jackson.
Time is running out on receiver Troy Brown who start practicing by Tuesday or be lost for the season to injured reserve. If Brown does start practicing, the Patriots have an additional 21 days to activate him or send him to IR.
Otherwise, the only significant change from last week's report is the addition of linebacker Mike Vrabel, who is listed as questionable with a shoulder injury. Vrabel was not listed on Wednesday's report and then as Limited Participation in Practice on Thursday and Friday.
Meanwhile, tight end Ben Watson remains listed as questionable, though he did practice for the first time in a few weeks on Wednesday and Thursday. He sat out Friday. Safety Eugene Wilson, who missed the Redskins game, is questionable as well. While he missed Wednesday and Thursday, he did practice some Friday.
Linebacker Eric Alexander, who was brutalized in the AFC Championship game by Dallas Clark, remains listed as questionable, as does safety and special-teamer Mel Mitchell.
Now, pardon me if I shed no tears for the Indianapolis Colts, who have their first significant injury to an elite player in .. ever?
Colts Report
Speaking of manipulating the injury report (a favorite lame excuse of Patriot haters).
Colts wide receiver Marvin Harrison is listed as questionable, after honorably being listed as "team decision" Wednesday and Thursday. Harrison sustained a knee injury on Sept. 30, and he's missed two of the last three games (plus the bye week). Yet the Colts saw fit to try to deceive.
Oh, didn't you hear? They're honorable. You know this because they say so (Right, LaDanian?). Thus, they cannot be questioned, regardless how obvious the lie.
Then there's all this ludicrous loser talk about the Patriots running up the score and risking injury. Now Harrison has a relatively serious injury and, at 35, playing him risks a career-threatening injury. But everyone (the losers and the Patriot-hating national media) says it's worth the risk. Must have something to do with the 2 percent of the facts they use to structure an argument.
And what's this about linebacker Freddy Keiaho being questionable with an "ear"? Not even Colts fans are buying that, much less the rest of the ever-changing, falsified Indy reports. "But they're sooo honorable."
Both teams had several other players missing or being limited in practice due to team decisions (Patriots: Asante Samuel, Randy Moss, Adalius Thomas, Kyle Brady; Colts: Dwight Freeney, Bob Sanders, Aaron Moorehead, Ryan Lilja). Not being listed on the final injury reports, the reasons are likely to be anything including the formerly popular "personal reasons."
Finally, Colts cornerback Matt Giordano missed part of Wednesday's practice with a hamstring injury, but was not listed the rest of the week.
Expect the honorable Colts to purposely attempt to inflict additional injuries, and expect the classy people in the league to cheer said injuries like Jets fans cheering injuries to their own players.