Atlanta Falcons safety Thomas DeCoud left Sunday’s game against Cincinnati with a head injury after a helmet-to-helmet collision with Bengals running back Cedric Benson.
DeCoud’s injury came on the first Sunday after the NFL’s tougher stance on hits to the helmet. The league also released a video and a memo to teams on hits to the head and neck area.
DeCoud’s teammates waved for Atlanta’s trainers following the play with 3:17 remaining in the first quarter. DeCoud was kneeling when trainers arrived and was escorted to the sideline. There was no penalty on the play.
He was examined on a trainer’s table on the sideline and then escorted to the bench. Erik Coleman replaced DeCoud in Atlanta’s 39-32 win over Cincinnati.
Also, Philadelphia linebacker Ernie Sims knocked Tennessee running back Chris Johnson out of bounds in the first quarter of Tennessee’s 37-19 win, putting his helmet to Johnson’s head at the end of an 11-yard run. No flag was thrown on the play.
The Pittsburgh Steelers lost three starters with injuries against Miami, including two players from their league-leading defense.
Defensive end Aaron Smith tore the triceps in his left arm, and linebacker LaMarr Woodley was sidelined in the first half by a hamstring injury. Tackle Flozell Adams hurt his left ankle when the Dolphins’ Randy Starks landed on it.
Coach Mike Tomlin said he didn’t know the extent of Woodley’s injury, but Smith’s could be serious. Smith missed much of last season with a right rotator cuff injury.
San Francisco quarterback Alex Smith injured his left shoulder when Charles Johnson landed on him during a sack in the third quarter. The 49ers play the Broncos next week in London and the team was scheduled to fly there right after the game.
He planned to fly to London with the team and get an MRI there. X-rays were negative, but he was wearing a black sling after the game.
Cardinals rookie quarterback Max Hall left in the third quarter at Seattle with what the Cardinals announced as a “blow to the head.” The cause was Chris Clemons’ jarring sack early in the third quarter when Hall was blindsided and fumbled at the Arizona 11.
Seahawks rookie left tackle Russell Okung left in the first quarter with a left ankle injury.
Chicago Bears linebacker Lance Briggs reinjured his left ankle in the first quarter and left the game against the Washington Redskins.
In Cleveland’s 30-17 win over the New Orleans Saints, paramedics rushed to the aid of a member of the officiating sideline chain crew, giving him intravenous fluids and carting him off the field after he was knocked down by a player. The Saints identified the injured man as Al Nastasi Jr.
New Orleans’ Courtney Roby was running at full speed after a Saints punt when he was shoved out of bounds and collided with Nastasi, who appeared to be conscious but was not moving as he was taken from the field.
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