NFL 2022 regular season, Top 5, most games missed by injured players and health protocols
Buy Saints TicketsTEN 339
DEN 303
ARI 291
NOR 268
SEA 267https://t.co/HBPgJxYIPz— Man Games Lost NFL (@ManGamesLostNFL) January 12, 2023
This is validating, in a really strange sense of the word. If it felt like the New Orleans Saints were dealing with more injuries than most other teams around the NFL last season, you’re right — analysis from Man-Games Lost found that the Saints ranked fourth in games missed due to injuries (268) in 2022. It’s hard to win many games when you’re playing without your top quarterback, wide receiver, and multiple other starters for much of the year.
Proof of these struggles was clear on the injury report each week; the Saints listed 10 or more players for every game but Week 9’s loss to the Baltimore Ravens, when only nine injuries were reported. They listed as many as 15 players in their Week 13 game with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
What’s difficult to process about this is how many of the injuries weren’t related, making it hard to highlight areas to improve. It’s not like there’s one thing the training staff wasn’t preparing players for, or the medical staff was missing out on in diagnosing injuries. There was a breakout of ankle injuries late in the season but that’s not uncommon given how much stress playing football puts on that complicated joint. There aren’t really trends for the Saints to study and better adjust to here.
So here’s hoping the Saints enjoy better health in 2023 and beyond. They won’t get where they want to go with their best players on the sidelines again.
