Injuries are an unfortunate inevitability in the NFL, and Week 7 was no exception. The injury bug has taken its fair share of bites across the league this season, and we saw that continue this week with a handful of notable players going down.
One of the bigger injuries occurred when Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson ruptured his Achilles in the second quarter against the Bengals. An MRI revealed a tear, confirming Watson's season is over. In another quarterback news, Washington Commanders rookie Jayden Daniels is considered "week-to-week" with a rib injury. Head coach Dan Quinn said they are hopeful he can play Sunday against the Chicago Bears, but that remains to be seen. Meanwhile, Raiders second-year man Aidan O'Connell (fractured thumb) is going on injured reserve, meaning he'll miss at least four weeks.
Other injury news included the 49ers losing another offensive star after Brandon Aiyuk suffered a season-ending torn ACL. And if Sunday's injuries weren't enough, "Monday Night Football" saw two significant injuries to Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receivers. Mike Evans went down with a hamstring injury in the first quarter, and Chris Godwin was carted off after dislocating his ankle in the game's final moments. Godwin will have surgery that will end his season.
Below is an updated team-by-team list of all the other key Week 7 injuries around the league.
Buffalo Bills
- Curtis Samuel (shoulder): The Bills wideout was ruled out due to a shoulder injury he suffered in the opening quarter of Buffalo's matchup with the Titans.
Baltimore Ravens
- Marlon Humphrey (knee): Humphrey was ruled out with a knee injury.
Cincinnati Bengals
- Geno Stone (left leg): The Bengals safety was ruled out after suffering a left leg injury.
- Orlando Brown Jr. (calf): The left tackle suffered a calf strain and will have more testing to determine the severity of the issue.
Cleveland Browns
- Deshaun Watson (Achilles): The Browns starting quarterback suffered a non-contact injury with less than two minutes remaining in the first half of the team's Week 7 matchup with the Bengals. After being carted off the field, Cleveland officially ruled him out with an Achilles injury. On Monday, the team confirmed an MRI revealed Watson ruptured his Achilles. That means he will be done for the season.
- Dorian Thompson-Robinson (finger): Playing in place of the injured Deshaun Watson, Thompson-Robinson was ruled out after he suffered a finger injury late in the game. Jameis Winston took over as the emergency quarterback.
Detroit Lions
- David Montgomery (leg): The Lions running back returned to action in the opening minutes of the second quarter after he was questionable to return to Sunday's action due to a knee injury.
Indianapolis Colts
- Jaylon Carlies (calf): The Colts linebacker was ruled out due to a calf injury he suffered in the second quarter.
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Cam Robinson (concussion): Jacksonville's starting left tackle left in the first half of the club's Week 7 game against New England in London. Initially, the team said he was being evaluated for a concussion, and he was later ruled out once that diagnosis was confirmed.
Kansas City Chiefs
- JuJu Smith-Schuster (hamstring): Smith-Schuster left the Chiefs' Week 7 win early after aggravating a hamstring injury he had been dealing with heading into the game. Head coach Andy Reid told reporters Monday that the veteran wideout will not play in Week 8 against the Raiders.
- Jaylen Watson (ankle): Watson suffered a fractured ankle and could be out for the season. He will undergo surgery for the broken ankle over the next few days. The team confirmed they are placing Watson on IR.
Las Vegas Raiders
- Aidan O'Connell (thumb): The Raiders quarterback suffered a fractured thumb early in the Week 7 game against the Rams. He's been placed on injured reserve, meaning he will miss at least four games and possibly more.
Miami Dolphins
- Tyler Huntley (right shoulder): Dolphins starting quarterback Tyler Huntley departed to the locker room after suffering a right shoulder injury. After initially listing him as questionable to return, the Dolphins downgraded Huntley to out. Tim Boyle came in as the backup.
- Braxton Berrios (ACL): Berrios is out for the season after tearing his ACL. There is no other ligament or meniscus damage.
New England Patriots
- Layden Robinson (ankle): New England's starting right guard suffered the injury in the first half and was initially ruled as questionable to return. In the opening minutes of the third quarter, he was downgraded to out.
- DeMario Douglas (illness): The Patriots wideout was listed as questionable to return to the team's Week 7 matchup against the Jaguars. As NFL Media reported, Douglas woke up sick and took anti-nausea medicine and an IV, but appeared to be slowed because of this illness.
- Ja'Lynn Polk (head): Polk suffered a head injury late in the Week 7 matchup.
New York Giants
- Ty Summers (ankle): The Giants linebacker was ruled out for the remainder of the game due to an ankle injury.
- Jalin Hyatt (ribs): The Giants wide receiver suffered a cracked rib late in Sunday's game.
Philadelphia Eagles
- Mekhi Becton (concussion): The Eagles offensive tackle was ruled out due to a concussion.
San Francisco 49ers
- Brandon Aiyuk (knee): Aiyuk was carted off the field with a torn ACL in his right knee. The injury requires surgery and will end his season.
- Deebo Samuel (illness): Samuel was going to try to gut it out, but he stayed on the sideline before ultimately changing into street clothes for the second half of Sunday's game against the Chiefs. On Monday, head coach Kyle Shanahan revealed that Samuel is in the hospital with pneumonia and fluid in his lungs. There is currently no timetable for the star WR to return.
Seattle Seahawks
- DK Metcalf (knee): The Seahawks star wide receiver suffered a Grade 1 MCL sprain and is considered "week-to-week." Head coach Mike Macdonald said the sprain was "minor."
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Chris Godwin (ankle): Godwin went down in the final minute of their "Monday Night Football" game. He will undergo season-ending surgery this week after dislocating his ankle.
- Mike Evans (hamstring): Evans was ruled out with a hamstring injury. He re-aggravated the injury that impacted him at practice this week. The Buccaneers are not planning to place Evans on injured reserve if there's a chance he'd be able to return after bye week for their game against the Giants, per the Tampa Bay Times.
Washington Commanders
- Jayden Daniels (rib): The Commanders rookie quarterback was seen getting his rib area checked out by trainers on the sideline. He then was taken into the blue medical tent, emerged and still appeared to be in pain and eventually went to the locker room, coming back to the sideline later. Head coach Dan Quinn said his rookie quarterback is listed as "week-to-week" with a rib injury. Quinn said they will assess him during practice, saying they will be cautious, but are hopeful he can play Sunday.
