Injuries are the bane of every football player and fan’s existence. Enough injuries can derail the season of even the best teams in the National Football League (NFL), and the 2021 season has been no exception to that.

Several teams throughout the league have been affected by injuries so far. The Carolina Panthers lost star running back Christian McCaffery in Week 3 to a hamstring injury, and then proceeded to lose four of their five games without him. McCaffery returned to the field in Week 9 and had his impact limited by three Sam Darnold turnovers. 

Having McCaffery back is exactly what the Panthers need to right the ship and get back to their winning ways, but given his injury history, one has to wonder how long the Panthers will have him back for. 

The Seattle Seahawks lost their star quarterback Russell Wilson in Week 5 to a ruptured tendon on his finger. They have struggled mightily on offense since losing him, and currently sit in third place in the NFC West at 3-5. Russell Wilson was cleared to return from injury on Monday, and getting him back may have just opened up Seattle’s path back into the crowded NFC Wild Card picture. Wilson is one of the NFL’s best quarterbacks, and Seattle’s offense will be infinitely more dangerous with him back at the helm for the remainder of 2021. 

The Tennessee Titans, who are currently 7-2, just lost their most important player and league’s leading rusher Derrick Henry, who suffered a foot injury in Week 8. With Henry likely out for the remainder of the season, the Titans will likely have to rely more on their passing game. Led by quarterback Ryan Tannehill, that passing game is a pedestrian 26th in the league, as opposed to their fourth-ranked running game. 

In their 28-16 win over the Los Angeles Rams in Week 9, the Titans offense struggled mightily in Henry’s absence. The Titans accumulated just 197 total yards of offense, and were bailed out by their defense playing a fantastic game. The Tennessee defense will not be perfect every week, and the Titans will struggle to establish themselves as the class of the AFC Conference if they cannot figure things out on offense without Henry.

Another major injury to occur in Week 8 was New Orleans Saints quarterback Jameis Winston. Winston suffered a torn ACL, ending what was supposed to be his redemption season. Winston, just two seasons removed from throwing 30 interceptions in a season, had thrown just three in 2021. His 1.9% interception percentage was the best of his career. 

The Saints lost to the Atlanta Falcons in their first game without Winston, but it was not all on new starting quarterback Trevor Siemian, as he did a decent job at managing the game for New Orleans. If the Saints play well defensively, and Siemian plays the game-manager role the way it is supposed to be played, the Saints will likely be able to find their way into the playoffs with a Wild Card bid.

The Cleveland Browns have also dealt with significant injury problems. Quarterback Baker Mayfield, running backs Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt, and wide receiver Jarvis Landry have all missed time this season, resulting in the Browns sitting just over .500 with a 5-4 record through their first nine games. Many thought the Browns would be amongst the AFC’s best in 2021, but injuries have played a part in keeping them away from the top. The Browns are starting to get healthy again though. 

Nick Chubb made his return in Week 9 and garnered 163 yards from scrimmage and two touchdowns, showing why the Browns missed him dearly. Kareem Hunt will also return before season’s end, and if the Browns can stay healthy for the remainder of 2021, they will certainly be able to reignite their Super Bowl aspirations by the time January rolls around.

Injuries have impacted many teams across the league in the first half of the 2021 season. Teams like the Browns and Seahawks were seen as playoff locks by many in the media, but significant injuries to both teams have put their playoff hopes in question. 

More injuries to important players will continue to occur in the second half of the season, and the impacts of those injuries will have shaped the playoff landscape by the time the regular season comes to a close in January.