Many teams already in a world of hurt

[Gunzlingr]

One month into the season, and for several teams and at some positions, the 2007 campaign already has become a bloody war of attrition.

After two seasons in which the meticulously compiled NFL in-house figures decreased from the alarming levels of 2004, injuries appear to be on the rise again this year, at least judging from the bulging rolls of the league's injured reserve list. In just four weeks, the average for players already on injured reserve and lost for the season is already at 4.6 per franchise.

Every week, it seems, the hits keep coming.
"And the hurts seem to keep coming, too," said Buffalo Bills linebacker Angelo Crowell, whose team has seven players on injured reserve and gone for the year, and several other key players who have been or will be out of the lineup for prolonged stretches. "To have a rash of injuries right out of the gate like this, it's hard to [fathom]."

More...

[mybills]

As of Tuesday, there were 149 players on injured reserve. That count does not include players on the physically unable to perform or the nonfootball injury lists, or any of the NFL's various other reserve-list classifications. That's the equivalent of nearly three full 53-player rosters already laid up for all of 2007.

I didn't realize there were that many.

[!Papacrunk!]

I might sound like a broken record, but watch out for "sports karma" when you wish injury on rival teams. It will 'git ya!

[mybills]

So you think all the teams are wishing that?