Injury Concerns for Super Bowl Teams
The New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks are both facing significant injury issues as they prepare for the Super Bowl. Each team’s star quarterback is currently listed on the injury report.
The preliminary injury reports for both teams were set for Wednesday, but actual practice sessions didn’t take place until the following day. Sam Darnold was marked as limited due to an oblique injury, while Drake Maye was noted to have a right shoulder injury.
Darnold had already appeared on the injury report prior to the Seahawks’ victory over the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC Divisional Round. There’s word that he felt discomfort in his oblique during Thursday’s preparations before he didn’t attempt any throws until Saturday’s field time.
Despite his concerns, Darnold performed admirably against the 49ers, completing 12 of 17 passes for 124 yards and a touchdown, contributing to his team’s 41-6 win. It was later reported that he shared first-team reps with Drew Lock, who is set to play in the upcoming NFC Championship Game against the Los Angeles Rams.
Seahawks’ head coach Mike McDonald noted that Darnold’s condition has been improving, although practice throwing has been limited. It was indicated that Darnold received a painkiller injection ahead of the game, which seemed to benefit him. In fact, he had one of the best games of his career, completing 25 of 36 passes for 346 yards and three touchdowns during the NFC Championship clash.
In a different scenario, Maye suffered a shoulder injury in the Patriots’ narrow 10-7 victory against the Denver Broncos in the AFC Championship Game. The injury appeared to occur during the third quarter when he was tackled while scrambling, immediately clutching his right shoulder.
Maye commented post-match that he had a few bruises but was optimistic about another opportunity. “I think a lot of the guys in that locker room are going through different struggles. But we get another chance. I have to get healthy to seize that chance,” he said.
Patriots’ head coach Mike Vrabel stated in a press conference that while Maye isn’t at 100%, it’s a common situation this time of year for players.
Maye’s regular-season stats were impressive; he completed 72% of his passes, tallying 4,394 yards with 31 touchdowns against eight interceptions. However, his playoff performance slipped a bit—with a completion rate of 55.8%, amassing 533 yards, four touchdowns, two interceptions, and facing 15 sacks.
Yet, his mobility proved valuable as he added 141 passing yards and a touchdown in the AFC Championship, with those being the only points for the Patriots in the game. As the Patriots gear up for the Super Bowl, they will need Maye to deliver his best against the formidable Seahawks defense, known to allow just 17.1 points per game this season.
