It’s quite easy to determine if it’s a high ankle sprain. It’s different ligaments than your typical strain of the ligaments on the outside of the ankle. Wit’s a high ankle sprain when you bear weight on the leg, the tibia and fibula experience high forces that spread them apart. The ligaments of the syndesmosis serve as shock absorbers, preventing the tibia and fibula from spreading too far apart. When you run, and especially when you run and quickly change direction, these ligaments of the syndesmosis experience very high forces. The latter reaction is why they are holding Murray out.
There are two reasons you sit a player. He is incapable of playing well enough to contribute. The other concern is can he aggravate the injury. I’m told there was no question Murray could have executed well enough to play. His arm is fine. He could set up to throw and he was able to move well enough to make functional handoffs. The concern is the latter Reason. High ankle sprains have a tendency to linger and if you aggravate the injury you can easily go back to square one and lose the player for an additional 3-4 weeks. That might put Murray out for the season.
If you’ve watch these games historically the Seahawks are one of the teams that like to win by knocking players out of the game even if it entails taking a penalty. The Seahawks are desperate to win. They will play mean. I’ve been watching the Browns play against the weak Lions. No one has has sustained more injuries than Mayfield. He is playing but they‘ve put in a max protect game plan. The Browns have gotten away with it so far, but I would fear the Seahawks more.
I‘m hearing Murray wants to play. He’s not the toughest player, but he’s tough enough. That said the Cards‘ brain trust seems to be willing to risk losing a game rather than risk a long time without Murray. It’s an actuarial calculation.
it’s a big risk. I’m also watching the Colts on a split screen. They have a great running game. They will be a though out. The Cards only have 2 reasonably easy gsme left; the Bears & the Lions. That means 10-7 is the bottom. The Seahawks have a very weak remaining schedule. The Cards and Seahawks final game could well be for the last playoff slot. I feel certain the Cards must beat the Seahawks at least once to make the playoffs. I’m okay with sitting Murray, but the margin of error after that will be near zero. Of course the Cards could beat the Rams again or the Boys but that’s a big risk.
The Cards should beat Seattle but to do so Kingsbury must be patient and use a conservative game plan that takes advantage of matchup edges and ball control. The defense must be aggressive. If Kingsbury wins this with a backup QB that will go a long way to establish he is truly an NFL level coach.
