Christian McCaffrey injury: What happened to Panthers RB?
It was one of the worst Sundays of the season for the Carolina Panthers. The team hit a major roadblock against the Miami Dolphins, losing 33-10 with quarterback Cam Newton benched after one of the poorest performances ever by him.
But the bad news weren't restricted only to the field. Star running back Christian McCaffrey was seen wearing a walking boot after the game. The Panthers have a bye next week, so they don't have to rush anything with McCaffrey, but it's still cause for concern when your best player is hurt. Again.
Christian McCaffrey is in a walking boot on his left leg.
Christian McCaffrey suffers ankle injury
McCaffrey left the game midway through the second quarter and missed media attendance because of an ankle injury. He finished the game with 10 rushes to 35 yards and a catch.
McCaffrey missed most of the season with a hamstring injury, and depending on the extent of his new ankle problem, he will again miss important games for the Panthers as they make their final playoff push in the coming weeks.
Even with Cam Newton back in Carolina as a starter, McCaffrey is still the most important player on the offense. Without him, the Panthers' offense was awful over the course of the season, and they definitely can't afford to lose him again.
The Panthers confirm Christian McCaffrey tweaked his ankle. He could return.
The Panthers had a really bad game by all accounts on Sunday. Their quarterbacks completed just 10 passes in 31 throws, threw three interceptions, and none of them had more than 100 passing yards. The rushing offense wasn't much better, with just 64 yards over 18 carries.
Without McCaffrey, there's no way for the Panthers to make the playoffs. It's as simple as that. The race with the Philadelphia Eagles, the Minnesota Vikings and the San Francisco 49ers is really tight, and they need all the power they have in order to compete.
There's no official timetable for McCaffrey's return. With the Carolina Panthers set to have a bye on Week 13, he'll have a little bit of time to heal and get healthy again. But Sunday's events were not what Panthers fans had in mind before the game started.