Panthers Game Day Playoff Birth Thread

[SolidSnake84]

Originally Posted by sdskinsfan2001

No Alex Smith and no McLaurin?

Defense is gonna need an effort like the 49ers game. Not necessarily the TDs, but limiting the points and forcing turnover(s).

Alex apparently suffered the worst calf injury of all times, if he still can't go, even in a game with so much on the line. Curious if the leg injury has affected the blood flow to the leg below the injury, which would increase recovery time.

If I am not mistaken, in the "No. 11" project documentary on ESPN, they explained that Alex does not have a normal calf muscle like you or I, but rather they "made" him a calf muscle out of some other parts of his leg. I'm fairly certain that's why without his special brace, he cannot move his ankle because he doesn't have a normal calf muscle. He would have "drop foot" without the brace.

It has to be a bad injury, and I would wonder if Alex may retire in the offseason. His leg was not rolled up on or hit, nor did he plant his foot "weird" like what usually comes with these injuries, but it just seems to be "wear and tear" from playing this year. Hard to imagine him making a whole season with this issue. This could be it for him here.

[VTSkins1961]

Originally Posted by SolidSnake84

If I am not mistaken, in the "No. 11" project documentary on ESPN, they explained that Alex does not have a normal calf muscle like you or I, but rather they "made" him a calf muscle out of some other parts of his leg. I'm fairly certain that's why without his special brace, he cannot move his ankle because he doesn't have a normal calf muscle. He would have "drop foot" without the brace.

It has to be a bad injury, and I would wonder if Alex may retire in the offseason. His leg was not rolled up on or hit, nor did he plant his foot "weird" like what usually comes with these injuries, but it just seems to be "wear and tear" from playing this year. Hard to imagine him making a whole season with this issue. This could be it for him here.

If he does I will not hold it against him. Its a miracle that he made it back. From a humane side of it I hope he does. I do not want to see him get hurt again. He has proved that he could come back from the injury so he has nothing left to prove

[mooby]

Originally Posted by VTSkins1961

If he does I will not hold it against him. Its a miracle that he made it back. From a humane side of it I hope he does. I do not want to see him get hurt again. He has proved that he could come back from the injury so he has nothing left to prove

It really is uncharted territory with Alex now, is the injury a result of him pushing the calf muscle beyond its' capabilities? Is this something that he will have to deal with for the rest of his playing days?

Gotta wonder if he retires this offseason. Agreed, he definitely has nothing left to prove.

[SFREDSKIN]

They mentioned on the Fox NFL show that the Smith injury was initially diagnosed as a 3-5 week injury. First time that was mentioned so it makes sense.

[KI Skins Fan]

Originally Posted by mooby

It really is uncharted territory with Alex now, is the injury a result of him pushing the calf muscle beyond its' capabilities? Is this something that he will have to deal with for the rest of his playing days?

Gotta wonder if he retires this offseason. Agreed, he definitely has nothing left to prove.

Make those words "life" and you'll be closer to the truth. I suspect that he is approaching the limits of orthopedic science by playing on his injured leg. Perhaps somebody here who knows more about medical science than I do could comment on this.

[SolidSnake84]

Originally Posted by KI Skins Fan

Make those words "life" and you'll be closer to the truth. I suspect that he is approaching the limits of orthopedic science by playing on his injured leg. Perhaps somebody here who knows more about medical science than I do could comment on this.

During one part of the documentary that showed Alex working out with wounded military veterans, one of the veterans told him that it was their opinion that he was not "done" with surgeries on the leg.

Someone else on here showed the screencap of his leg, and the bones are still incredibly wavy looking and he has this large "lump" for lack of a better term where his ankle would be. I wonder if it will stay that way for the rest of his life, or once his playing career is over, will he have another operation to make his leg look more normal at the expense of it not being able to be up for the rigors of football, etc..