Nothing is worse than seeing a player miss multiple games due to injury. It's a blow for the individual, his team, fans and the entire game. The impact is difficult to ascertain, but we broke down each team's significant injuries to give an idea of where the injury bug hit worst in 2018.
Numbers are based on players who missed 3+ games due to injury across the 2018 regular season only. (Players who missed less than a total of three weeks were not included. This was to done to present details on more long-term injuries.)
Each player was subject to the same criteria:
- Players must have missed at least three games. (Numbers only reflect guys who missed three or more games in 2018)
- Players must have been active for at least one regular season game in 2018. (Players on IR for the entire regular season didn't count)
- Players must have played in at least five games OR unless a quarterback, played every available game before injury
- STARTERS were deemed as qualifying players who started at least 50% of games played
- All stats per Pro Football Reference (who are a must read for any stat head)
(NOTE: You can use our handy table to see what each team dealt with in 2018 here.)
KEY NUMBERS
Missing Starters: The Philadelphia Eagles had 15 starters miss at least three games in 2018, the highest in the league. The Jaguars and Redskins each had 13 starters miss an extended time --5 players higher than the league average 7.6. The Eagles' starters missed a combined 111 weeks, while Jacksonville's missed 97 weeks altogether and Washington's missed 84 weeks.
The Steelers lost fewest starters during the season with just RB James Conner, WR Eli Rodgers and OL Marcus Gilbert missing significant time. Only seven players across Pittsburgh's qualifying roster missed three weeks or more with injury, the fewest league-wide.
Total Injuries: While Philadelphia saw the most starters sit out multiple weeks, the team came joint third with Jacksonville in terms of total guys lost for 3+ weeks. Those two franchises had 22 guys sit out for that time or more, one player fewer than the league-leading Bengals and Redskins (23).
Playoff Teams: While numbers don't tell the full story, it's interesting that only three playoff teams - Philadelphia, Indianapolis and Seattle - placed in the top half of the league in terms of players with long-term injuries. Super Bowl Champions the New England Patriots had eighth fewest guys sit out three weeks or more, while their opponents in the title game - the Los Angeles Rams - had sixth fewest.
Starters-Versus-Backups Lost: When guys missed extended time in Atlanta, almost 90% of the time they were starters. The Cardinals (80%) and Vikings (75%) also saw a significantly higher chance of losing a starter - rather than a backup - for three weeks or more last year. The Browns and Texans were on the other side of that scale, with less than two in five long-term injuries happening to starters.
Weeks Missed By Starters: On average, the Texans, Falcons and Steelers starters missed more time than their counterparts when they went down. Houston's five pro-longed starter injuries averaged over 11 weeks long, while eight guys in Atlanta and three in Pittsburgh averaged 10 and 9 weeks out, respectively.
COVER PHOTO: Sports Illustrated
