Getty Indianapolis Colts wide receiver T.Y. Hilton spins off a tackler against the New York Jets on September 27, 2020.
As we enter Week 9 of the 2021 NFL season, the New York Jets and Indianapolis Colts are set to do battle after a short week of preparation.
Injuries tend to stack up at this point in the season and the Thursday night game doesn’t generally help guys get healthy. Having said that, the Jets are actually looking fresher than they did a few weeks ago.
Veterans like C.J. Mosley, Jarrad Davis, Quincy Williams and Marcus Maye have returned to action after varying lengths of absences. Of course, quarterback Zach Wilson and left tackle Mekhi Becton remain sidelined for Gang Green among others. Here are the full injury reports for Week 9 in Indianapolis.
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The Home Side: Colts
There will be at least two major injury absences for the Colts and possibly a third with three-time All-Pro left guard Quenton Nelson listed as “questionable” for his final designation.
The former first-round blocker has a toe ailment and according to Colts Wire, “should be expected to play after being an estimated limited participant on Wednesday.” If for some reason Nelson suffers a setback before kick-off, this would be a detrimental loss for the Indianapolis offense.
Three Colts have also been deemed “out” for Thursday night, including star wide receiver T.Y. Hilton. The 32-year old playmaker has only appeared in two games this season due to injury and left last week’s outing with a concussion.
Michael Pittman Jr. is the name to watch in this core of pass-catchers with Hilton missing. The former second-round pick has 45 catches for 594 yards and four touchdowns this season. If possible, the Jets will likely have Bryce Hall line up across from him as much as possible tonight.
Starting safety Khari Willis will also miss Week 9 after joining the injured reserve with a calf issue. Other Indy players of note that are currently on the IR include:
- WR Parris Campbell.
- S Julian Blackmon.
- OT Sam Tevi.
- DE Tyquan Lewis.
- CB T.J. Carrie.
- K Rodrigo Blankenship.
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Jets Final Injury Report
Besides Wilson, the Green & White have three players that are listed as “out” on the final injury report. One doesn’t really count, and that’s right guard Laurent Duvernay-Tardif — who the franchise just acquired on Tuesday. The former Kansas City Chiefs offensive lineman will need time to practice with his new team and learn the playbook.
Running back Tevin Coleman is also out for the third straight game with a hamstring injury. The veteran ball carrier has been sidelined ever since his big kick return-spark in London.
The surprise injury of the week was edge rusher Bryce Huff, who picked up a back injury that will force him to miss Week 9. The pass rusher was just starting to gain some traction around the league as a top 10 NFL disruptor in terms of pass-rush win rate. His absence will provide more opportunity for players like Tim Ward and Jabari Zuniga (if elevated from the practice squad like in Week 8).
The two game-time decisions are Corey Davis and George Fant. The left tackle is “questionable,” but it appears like he’ll play after an ankle injury on Sunday. The star wide receiver is listed as “doubtful,” however, and he could be in danger of missing his second straight game with a hip injury.
Should Fant or Davis be downgraded to out before kick-off, the first men up would be Chuma Edoga and Denzel Mims. The 2020 second-round WR recorded two catches for 30 yards off three targets against the Cincinnati Bengals. He’ll look to rebound with a breakout performance in Indy.
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