With just one week left in the NFL season, injuries can be the difference between a successful playoff run and a missed opportunity.
The healthiest teams are usually the most successful come playoff time, as seen with the New York Giants last season when they stormed their way to another Super Bowl championship after getting healthy late in the year. Some of the top teams in the league took hits on Sunday, including the Chicago Bears, Houston Texans, Green Bay Packers and San Francisco 49ers.
In the Sunday night game, 49ers tight end Vernon Davis suffered a concussion after taking a hard hit and left the game late in the first quarter. He had only one catch for 27 yards in the 42-13 loss and did not return after being injured.
Davis was diagnosed with a concussion following the game. He was hurt while trying to haul in a deep pass along the sidelines, which he had his hands on, but couldn't hold on to after being hit by Seattle safety Kam Chancellor. The play drew a flag, but the replays afterwards clearly showed that the hit was legal and with a shoulder.
For Davis to suit up next week against the Arizona Cardinals he will have to undergo concussion testing and pass all of the protocols for the NFL's policy before he can be cleared.
Delanie Walker came into the game for Davis and later caught a touchdown pass. If Davis misses time in the playoffs, it could be a huge blow to the San Francisco offense. Davis has made 40 receptions for 543 yards and five touchdowns this season and is one of the biggest threats in the redzone for the 49ers.
Davis has been quiet the past few weeks and hasn't scored a touchdown in five games. He had only one catch last Sunday against the New England Patriots and has had only one 100-yard receiving game his year.
The Chicago Bears are still alive for a playoff spot after winning 28-13 against the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday, but the team might be down another running back.
Matt Forte left the game in the third quarter with a right ankle injury, leaving the Bears down another running back with Michael Bush already on injured reserve. Forte has already said that he will play next Sunday, but its possible he won't be 100 percent for the rest of the season whether the Bears make the playoffs or not.
"I can't see myself missing next week," he said to the Sun Times. "Nah."
Forte had 88 yards and a touchdown on 12 carries in the game before leaving and was replaced by Kahlil Bell and Armando Allen, who finished the game 18 carries for 56 yards.
"Frustrating," Forte said of the repeat injury. "But I just got to get healthy for next week. I would have liked to finish the game and get over 100 yards and all that stuff. This is the third time someone has felt on my ankle, so it's aggravating."
Forte is the most dynamic player on offense for the Bears and is a threat out of the backfield along with running the ball. This season he has rushed for 991 yards and four touchdowns, but has only scored once in the past five games. Forte hasn't topped 100-yards since Nov. 4 against the Titans and has made 42 receptions for 319 yards this year.
The running back has dealt with injuries to his ankle all season and will likely be listed as questionable for next week's game. Forte had a walking boot on after the game and missed most of the second half after re-injuring the ankle. The Bears have lost three of the past four games, but stayed alive in the playoff hunt with a win on Sunday.
Houston Texans running back Arian Foster left Sunday's 23-6 loss to the Minnesota Vikings with an irregular heartbeat. Foster has 15 yards on 10 carries before leaving the game, but the teams official website said the running back would be okay.
After the game Foster tweeted about the injury and wrote that he saw a specialist that checked out his heart and said everything was fine. The Texans can still clinch the No. 1 seed in the AFC on Sunday with a win, which would give them home field advantage and a first round bye in the playoffs.
The Green Bay Packers have been dealing with injuries at wide receiver all season and suffered another one on Sunday as Randall Cobb hurt his right ankle on a punt return in the third quarter of the teams 55-7 win over the Titans.
Cobb has been the most consistent player for the Packers at wide receiver and leads the team with 80 receptions for 964 yards and his eight touchdowns. Cobb is also averaging 9.4 yards and has one touchdown on 31 punt returns.
Head coach Mike McCarthy said the injury didn't appear to be serious, but could affect Cobb down the line. The Packers have clinched the NFC North and will need Cobb during the playoffs if they hope to get to the Super Bowl since Jordy Nelson has missed time with hamstring issues.
