The injury reports heading into Week 2 of the 2014 NFL season were released yesterday, but it wasn't until Friday that the official statuses of some players were known. The Atlanta Falcons, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and others will each be without a starter for Sunday's game.
The Falcons' first round draft pick from this past May, left tackle Jake Matthews, suffered a left ankle injury in the first half during the team's Week 1 victory over the New Orleans Saints and didn't return to action. He left the stadium in a walking boot and didn't test out his ankle until Friday, but the team decided he is not ready for Week 2 and he has been ruled out of Sunday's game against the Cincinnati Bengals.
Also in the NFC South, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers lost a defensive player of theirs for the remainder of the season. Starting defensive end and former first round draft pick Adrian Clayborn was placed on injured reserve Friday because of a biceps injury. In the season opener against Carolina, the fourth-year pro out of Iowa recorded just one tackle, but compiled 43 tackles and 5.5 sacks in 2013. The Bucs look like they could be in trouble at the defensive end position because their other starter, Michael Johnson, injured his ankle on Sunday and hasn't practiced this week.
As for another Florida team, the Jacksonville Jaguars will host the Washington Redskins on Sunday but will be without starting safety Johnathan Cyprien and wide receiver Cecil Shorts. Cyprien suffered a concussion last week against the Philadelphia Eagles and Shorts is still dealing with a tight left hamstring that also kept him out of the season opener. The team will start Josh Evans in place of Cyprien along with two rookies at the wide receiver position - Marquise Lee and Allen Hurns - with Shorts out again.
The Bills will be facing a Florida team this week, but it's not the Bucs or the Jaguars. The Dolphins will visit Buffalo on Sunday and the Bills will be without starting outside linebacker Keith Rivers. Another former first round pick, Rivers injured his groin Week 1 against the Chicago Bears and is expected to miss at least two games. Randell Johnson, a rookie out of Florida Atlantic, is behind Rivers on the depth chart and could start in his place.
Check out other notable highlights of this week's injury report via Bleacher Report.
