Final Injury List of the Season Is A Short One for the Chargers
By Danny Cox
An injury list is never something that should take a long time to read off. If a team has to do that week in and week out, then chances are that they'll be at a great disadvantage against any team they step out onto the field with. The San Diego Chargers can take pride in knowing that the injury report for their season finale is one that takes hardly any time at all to read.
It's just a shame that it comes too little, too late. Oh yes, and it's also a shame that the Chargers' Injured Reserve (IR) list takes longer to read than some game programs.
First, the good news for this week's game against the Oakland Raiders.
Linebackers Takeo Spikes and Demorrio Williams should both be on the field this week to take on the silver and black attack. Spikes has recovered well from a nagging hamstring injury while Williams seems to finally have that ankle of his doing better.
Both players are listed as "probable" for Sunday's game. That's good news because linebacker Donald Butler is officially "out" with a groin injury.
Butler has dealt with this injury a bit this season, but attempted a comeback last week against the New York Jets. He did play against New York, racking up five tackles and one sack. This coming after he hadn't played at all in the three previous weeks.
Cornerback Shareece Wright will also likely be playing this week even though he has a bothersome ankle. Wright doesn't have huge numbers this year, but he has given the Chargers' secondary some decent help throughout the season.
Running back Ronnie Brown is once against "questionable" even though he just returned to practice last week and played in the victory over the Jets. Brown's hamstring still doesn't appear to be fully healed, and it seems as though he may end up sitting out the final week of the season.
Injuries have truly hampered Brown this season, but so has the record of the Chargers. With the team usually having to come from behind in games, the rushing attack has been abandoned and therefore, Brown's numbers have been down.
He's got only 200 yards on 41 rushing attempts this season, and has not scored yet for San Diego. With Ryan Mathews on IR, this was a good chance for Brown to show what he could do with the starting spot, but he may not even have a shot.
With the season all but over for the Chargers, they've really got to focus on keeping players as healthy as possible in 2013. Either that or they've got to focus on getting quality back-ups in the offseason. Their IR list is far too long and has far too many big-time producers on it. No team can have a successful season that way.
Probable:
- CB Shareece Wright (shoulder)
- LB Takeo Spikes (hamstring)
- LB Demorrio Williams (ankle)
Questionable:
- RB Ronnie Brown (hamstring)
Doubtful:
- LB Donald Butler (groin)
Out:
- None
Injured Reserve:
- DE Vaughn Martin
- S Darrell Stuckey
- WR Seyi Ajirotutu
- C David Molk
- LB Antwan Barnes
- S Atari Bigby
- OT Jared Gaither
- LS Mike Windt
- PK Nate Kaeding
- RB Ryan Mathews
- WR Malcolm Floyd
- OT Reggie Wells
For more Local Football Bloggers and the latest Chargers news, see CBS Sports Los Angeles.
Danny Cox knows a little something about the NFL, whether it means letting you know what penalty will come from the flag just thrown on the field or quickly spouting off who the Chicago Bears drafted in the first round of the 1987 draft (Jim Harbaugh). He plans on bringing you the best news, previews, recaps, and anything else that may come along with the exciting world of the National Football League. His work can be found on Examiner.com.
