Rivers to start – how long does he last?
No one is healthy at this point of the NFL season, with just one week to go before the playoffs begin.
If this were early October, it would have been catastrophic for the San Diego Chargers, but with the season ending, and a playoff game or two just ahead, the Bolts can find a way to keep Rivers on the field, and hopefully standing upright, with no further damage to his back.
An enlarged disc in his lower back, could become a herniated disc, but with proper rehab, an epideral injection again, additional flack jacket protection, Rivers can play, and will play, because that’s who he is.
If there were 13-weeks left in the regular season, it is doubtful he could make it thru the campaign, not with the wear and tear factor, sacks, hits, practices. The Chargers can nurse him thru this, with the hope he does not go down.
Four weeks ago, he was sacked 4X in the loss to the Patriots, and took 8-additional hits in the game. It may be that was the point in time in which he suffered the injury.
A bulging disc presses against a never in the lower back, causing stiffness, and pain. An injurection helps solve the problem on game day, though there is a limit in how many injections you can give a person, before the epideral stops working. A herniated disc is much more serious, with fragments, fluid leakage and intense pain.
Once River’s wild ride of a season is over, the Chargers will face a different type of game, wait and see. The normal process is to do rehab for 2-for-4 weeks to see if the hot spot with the disc can be calmed down. The Mayo Clinic reports 71% of people, granted they are not quarterbacks, who have bulging discs, never have surgery, but rehab.
If Rivers needs surgery, they proceed with a scope disectomy surgrey, with a small incision, removing whatever fragment is there. Rehab on that is 2-to-4 months. It does not appear we are talkiing about a much more serious fusion of discs, which can be career threatening.
Coach Mike McCoy did not want to talk, and has never talked, and never told the truth, about Chargers injuries. But he does say Rivers will practice, likely in walk thrus this week, then play in Kansas City on Sunday.
Rivers looked stiff, not very fluid, not very strong, nor accuarate in the first half of the game against the 49ers, when the Chargers went down (28-7) at one point. He was blazing hot in the third and fourth quarters, had velocity and was pin point with passes. Going to the no-huddle offense, wearing out the Niners defense, had something to do with it. Maybe there was an epidural injection at halftime that kicked in and helped him too, a distinct possibility. He finished with (356P) and four scores. In the second half, the Rivers-led offense had 15-plays of 10-yards or more..
A Chargers win gets them a game in the postseason. With the right rehab, and protection, Rivers can stay on the field this weekend, and maybe in a wild card game.
Of course Kansas City’s fierce pass rush has something to say about the quarterback’s ability to stay upright. And an offensive line with a fifth string center and a street free agent right guard, will have something to say about keeping thier quarterback clean.
Rivers makes everyone around him so much better. He exhibits all the traits of the Hall of Famer Dan Fouts, in terms of toughness, leadership and big play ability.
If he is standing at the end of the game at Arrowhead Stadium, then the Chargers have a great chance to win. If he cannot holdup, his off season will begin immediately, to get him healthy for next season.
No one in the NFL is healthy at this point of the season. You hope Rivers health can be extended another four quarters, or eight into postseason. If he has anything to say about it, he will come out throwing, take care of Kansas City, as the trainers and doctors take care of him.
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