Football is a game of attrition. Below are some of the injury situations that Shutdown Corner will be keeping a close eye on in Week 9:
Miami Dolphins quarterback Ryan Tannehill had logged every offensive snap entering Sunday's action, but suffered a left thigh bruise and a hyperextended left knee on the second possession of Sunday's 30-9 win over the New York Jets. Tannehill was attempting to avoid a sack by Jets linebacker Calvin Pace on a 3rd-and-5 play and would sit out the remainder of the game.
Tannehill will undergo an MRI on Monday and is optimistic about playing next week against the Indianapolis Colts.
"I was optimistic about getting back in the game, and I'm optimistic about getting ready to go next week," Tannehill said after Sunday's game. "I could've gone if it was an emergency situation. Was trying to get it loose so I could be good to go, (but) we were up big and Matt (Moore) was doing a good job."
Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Brady Quinn's opportunity to earn a starting job, either in K.C. or elsewhere, did not go as well as he had hoped. The 2007 first-round pick out of Notre Dame was knocked out of Sunday's 26-16 loss with a possible concussion, pressing Matt Cassel back into action. The Chiefs have yet to lead in a game this season and head coach Romeo Crennel isn't sure who'll start on Thursday night against the San Diego Chargers, with 2011 fifth round pick Ricky Stanzi mentioned as a possibility.
"First of all, we have to see about Brady and what his situation is and whether he can go or not," Crennel said via the Adam Teicher of the Kansas City Star. "Then we'll evaluate Matt and his situation and also we'll evaluate (Ricky) Stanzi...I'm not ruling out anybody. I have to look at everybody. I know time is a constraint that I have to work under, but the first thing that has to be done is to see where Brady is. If he's not available, then I need to see about the other two and then make a decision."
Atlanta Falcons linebacker Sean Weatherspoon was one of 16 defensive players to not miss a snap a season, but that came to an end when he was carted off the field with an ankle injury on Sunday. According to D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Weatherspoon was "in good spirits" and was not in a walking boot after the game. Head coach Mike Smith is expected to provide an update on Monday.
New England Patriots wide receiver Wes Welker injured his left ankle in the fourth quarter of a 45-7 win over the St. Louis Rams. "It just kind of got stuck in the turf," Welker said after the game according to Mike Reiss of ESPNBoston.com. The Patriots have the bye week, which should help tight end Aaron Hernandez (ankle), cornerback Kyle Arrington (head) and starting safeties Patrick Chung (shoulder) and Steve Gregory (hip) get ready for the second half of the season.
The Detroit Lions earned a potentially season-saving, 28-24 win over the Seattle Seahawks, but safety Louis Delmas re-injured his left knee in the process. Delmas missed the first four weeks of the 2012 season after undergoing surgery on that knee on Aug. 7 and will undergo further testing on Monday. Seahawks wide receiver Braylon Edwards missed Sunday's game after experiencing swelling in his knee, which was drained before swelling again after pregame warm-ups.
Already playing without left tackle Michael Roos, a pair of Tennessee Titans offensive linemen — guard Leroy Harris and David Stewart — suffered knee injuries on the same play in the opening possession during Sunday's 19-13 overtime loss to the Colts. Harris never returned and will undergo an MRI on Monday, head coach Mike Munchak said according to John Glennon of The Tennessean.
In the same game, Colts cornerback Vontae Davis exited with a left knee injury in the first quarter and did not return. Acquired from the Dolphins in August, Davis missed two games earlier this month with an ankle injury. Colts second round tight end Coby Fleener injured his shoulder in the first half, playing sparingly in the second half.
A pair of Green Bay Packers defensive ends were injured in Sunday's 24-15 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars. Second round defensive end Jerel Worthy suffered a head injury and Mike Neal left with an ankle injury. The Packers are off this week, which comes as a relief to quarterback Aaron Rodgers.
"Looking forward to the bye week to get 100 percent," Rodgers said via Lori Nickel of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel. "I don't have anything to put on any type of list. It's just bumps and bruises that in Week 8 bother you. Today I got a helmet to the arm which kind of hurts. Got hit in the head a couple times. I'll be alright."
Pittsburgh Steelers safety Ryan Clark exited Sunday's 27-12 win over the Washington Redskins after suffering a concussion while making a tackle. Clark will have to pass through the league's concussion protocol before he will be allowed to play, which puts the Steelers in a bind as they're already without Troy Polamalu due to a calf injury. The Steelers visit the New York Giants on Sunday.
New York Giants linebacker Chase Blackburn, the team's leader in tackle entering Sunday, suffered a hamstring injury in the third quarter of his team's 29-24 win over the Dallas Cowboys, who lost Dan Connor to a neck strain. Connor started in place of Sean Lee, who is out for the remainder of the season with a toe injury.
In the Sunday night game, Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning injured the thumb on his right hand in the first half, but played in the second half, passing for over 300 yards for the 68th time in his illustrious career. Broncos linebacker Joe Mays suffered an ankle injury in the second half and did not return. New Orleans Saints safety Roman Harper was checked out for a concussion, but was cleared to resume playing.