A number of notable NFL players suffered injuries in Week 5. But no ailment looked worse than the one Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen absorbed in his team’s loss to the Houston Texans.
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Allen briefly left Sunday’s game versus the Houston Texans after banging his head on the turf. Despite appearing to suffer a head injury – and lose consciousness – Allen missed just one offensive snap before returning to the gridiron.
wow Josh Allen hit his head hard pic.twitter.com/jZINDo15vD
— Warren Sharp (@SharpFootball) October 6, 2024
The NFL apparently evaluated and cleared Allen for a concussion. But after a video revealed that a Bills staff member gave him smelling salts when he prepared to re-enter the game, it’s possible the league will force him to undergo concussion protocol again.
Dr. Nav Singh Badesha considers Allen a candidate for “delayed entry” into the process but says he will “likely play” in Week 6 if he avoids the inspection.
In the same game, Texans wide receiver Nico Collins pulled up lame while scoring a 67-yard touchdown. Collins remained out for the rest of the contest due to a hamstring strain Badesha labeled as “mild.”
He expects Collins to miss Houston’s Week 6 and Week 7 matchups and assigned him a “30% re-injury risk” over the next two months.
What other injuries occurred in Week 5?
Josh Allen and Nico Collins were far from the only players injured on Sunday. In fact, four starting running backs suffered bumps and bruises of various degrees.
The most severe of those came at Aaron Jones’ expense. The Minnesota Vikings’ tailback was initially labeled questionable to return with a hip injury but ended up sitting out the remainder of the game.
Badesha says Jones – who has a bye in Week 6 – could avoid missing time if his ailment is a hip flexor. But if Jones’ hamstring is the issue, fans should anticipate him suiting up again in Week 8.
Miami Dolphins running back De’Von Achane exited his Week 5 affair late in the first quarter after suffering a concussion. Like Jones, Achane’s team has a bye in Week 6. The time off should, in Badesha’s mind, allow him to recover and play in Week 7.
Make sure to keep an eye on Cincinnati Bengals’ rusher Zack Moss and New England Patriots halfback Rhamondre Stevenson. Moss played limited snaps on Sunday following his ankle injury but is not expected to be inactive in Week 6. Stevenson continued taking handoffs after wearing a big blow to his shin.
Badesha believes Moss could have sprained his ankle. If so, he will likely be less efficient and carry a “high re-injury risk” for six to eight weeks. Stevenson, meanwhile, will have to manage some pain but should be able to maintain his usual level of production.
