The Bills (4-3), Giants (3-4) and Saints (2-4) still have some work to do if they plan on making the playoffs. However, they are missing key players in their backfield and that could affect their performance over the next few weeks.
Let's start with the worst news. Buffalo lost both Fred Jackson and C.J. Spiller on Sunday and both are expected to miss an extended period of time. Jackson injured his groin and said on Monday he's likely to miss about a month of action. When Jackson went down, Spiller was finally given the opportunity to carry the load, but he broke his collarbone after breaking a big rush down the sideline against the Minnesota Vikings. He underwent surgery and will miss the remainder of the season.
These injuries will once again shake up the Bills, who already decided less than six weeks into the season to bench quarterback E.J. Manuel in favor of Kyle Orton. Now, with injuries to Jackson and Spiller, Buffalo's trade for Bryce Brown in the offseason doesn't seem to far-fetched. They also have former 49ers' running back Anthony Dixon, so their depth is sufficient, but neither is accustomed to receiving a majority of carries, which makes it interesting how these two will perform alongside one another over the next month or so. Dixon has 27 carries for 137 yards on the season and Brown has yet to log any stats. The Bills will face the Jets (twice), Chiefs and Dolphins in the next four weeks.
The Giants already know what it's like to be missing their starting back. They've been without Rashad Jennings for two crucial games against the Philadelphia Eagles and Dallas Cowboys, both of which they lost. In his first four games, Jennings was third in the NFL with 341 rushing yards, averaging 4.2 yards per carry and 85.3 yards per game before he exited the team's Week 5 game early with a sprained MCL. Rookie Andre Williams has filled in for Jennings, but the Giants only logged 190 rush yards in their past two games. The team will have their bye this coming weekend and will then face the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday Night Football, but it's unknown if Jennings will be back for that.
"You're talking about a running back coming back from an MCL [sprain]," head coach Tom Coughlin said in this NJ.com article. "This is not an easy thing for Rashad either. He is well aware of that. It's his makeup we're counting on. Again, he's doing everything in his power, I can guarantee you that."
The team will continue to use Williams and Peyton Hillis in the meantime.
Similarly, the New Orleans Saints have suffered their second significant injury to a running back. First Mark Ingram broke his hand in Week 2 and missed over a month of action, returning this past week only to record 10 rushes for 16 yards. And now Pierre Thomas is expected to miss the next two or three games due to a shoulder injury he sustained on Sunday. The 2-4 Saints need all the help they can get, as they are slated to face the Green Bay Packers, Carolina Panthers and San Francisco 49ers in the next three weeks. Although Thomas has only 30 rushes for 133 yards, he's been a big part of the team's receiving game, compiling 26 receptions for 204 yards and a touchdown. He's also scored twice on the ground.
The Saints still have Ingram and Khiry Robinson, but the veteran presence of Thomas will be missed because that is a much needed aspect when you're 2-4 this early in the season and looking to rebound. Luckily for them, the NFC South is the worst division in football right now, so New Orleans isn't in too much trouble.
Check out Rotoworld's Week 7 injury roundup for more news.
