Key injury questions for the Colts and Raiders should be answered on Friday ahead of their Week 5 matchup
Multiple key players for the Colts and Raiders status for Week 5 remain up in the air ahead of Friday’s practice
The 3-1 Indianapolis Colts are set to host the 1-3 Las Vegas Raiders in Week 5 of the NFL season. The Colts are coming off their first loss of the season, which came at the hands of the Los Angeles Rams, while the Raiders are on a three-game losing skid after picking up their only win in Week 1.
Both teams have already completed two days of practice and have one remaining day on Friday (today). Friday’s injury report is a crucial one to monitor for both teams, as the status of multiple key players remains uncertain.
Colts injuries to monitor for Week 5
- Michael Pittman Jr, WR – Hamstring
- Alec Pierce, WR – Concussion
- Matt Goncalves, RG – Toe
- Kenny Moore II, CB – Achilles
The Colts have four starters for whom we’re waiting for answers. Those being WRs Michael Pittman Jr., Alec Pierce, as well as RG Matt Goncalves and CB Kenny Moore II. Pierce, Goncalves, and Moore II each didn’t suit up for the team in Week 4, but have returned to practice ahead of Week 5. Pierce is progressing through the NFL’s concussion protocol and seems to be trending towards playing as long as he gets cleared in the coming days.
Goncalves and Moore II are a bit of a mystery. Goncalves logged a full practice on Thursday; he is working his way back from what the team has labeled a toe injury. Dalton Tucker had a rough go of it in relief for Goncalves last week, so getting their starter back would be huge. Moore II is dealing with an Achilles injury that ended his day early in Week 3. I would play it safe with Moore since Achilles injuries are not to be taken lightly.
Pittman was a new name added to the injury report on Thursday. You never like to see a player show up on the injury report mid-week, and Pittman was listed as a limited participant with a hamstring injury. The hope is that this was a planned rest, rather than a situation where Pittman hurt his hamstring in practice. If he doesn’t practice on Friday, that would be a bad sign for his availability in Week 5.
Raiders injuries to monitor for Week 5
- Brock Bowers, TE – Knee
- Maxx Crosby, Edge – Knee
- Eric Stokes, CB, Knee
The Raiders had some big injury news before they even took the field to practice on Wednesday. They placed their starting left tackle, Kolton Miller, on IR with an ankle injury. This will elevate either Charles Grant or Stone Forsythe into a starting role.
Another big name to monitor on Friday is star TE Brock Bowers. Bowers has been dealing with a knee injury for most of the season. He began the week as a limited participant and was downgraded on Thursday after not practicing at all.
On the defensive side of the ball, the Raiders have two defensive starters whose status for Week 5 is uncertain. The first is starting CB Eric Stokes, who is dealing with a knee injury that limited his participation in Wednesday’s and Thursday’s practices.
The Raiders would prefer to see Stokes log a full practice on Friday, but another day of limited participation would also indicate he is likely to be active in Week 5.
Last but not least is star edge rusher Maxx Crosby. Crosby popped up on the team’s injury report on Thursday as a limited participant due to a knee injury. On Friday, we will learn whether this is an injury Crosby suffered on Thursday or if it was a planned precaution by the team to manage his health ahead of Week 5.
If he is downgraded on Friday and can’t practice at all, it would be a pretty clear sign that the Raiders would be without their best overall player vs. the Colts.
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