Week 16 of the NFL season will see several star players inactive on Saturday, including Luke Kuechly, Jordan Reed, and A.J. Green.
Week 16 of the 2016 NFL season has a lot on the line for several playoff hopefuls. However, there will be a few teams that will be without their star players on Saturday, Dec. 24.
The two biggest names that will be inactive for the 1:00 p.m. ET games are Carolina Panthers middle linebacker and Washington Redskins tight end Jordan Reed. This will be the fifth straight game that Kuechly has missed because of a concussion. Reed has been in and out of the Redskins lineup with a bum shoulder for much of the last few weeks.
It’s a good call to keep Kuechly out for the Panthers’ Week 16 home game against the division rival Atlanta Falcons. Carolina’s NFC playoff hopes are slim and Kuechly’s long-term health is more important than forcing him out there in a game that might not matter.
On the other hand, Reed not playing for the Redskins in their Week 16 road game against the Chicago Bears is a little troublesome. Reed was pretty much worthless on Monday Night Football against the Panthers.
He looked completely disinterested in playing in that must-win game for the Panthers, with one catch for six yards and ejection for punching a Panthers defensive player in the face mask. Redskins quarterback Kirk Cousins needs a big game without his star tight end to keep Washington’s NFC playoff dreams alive.
A notable active player in the 1:00 p.m. ET hour will be New England Patriots’ recently acquired wide receiver Michael Floyd. He will play against the New York Jets this afternoon.
Floyd was cut by the Arizona Cardinals for his second DUI while with the team. His role with the Patriots the rest of the way will be minimal. However, do expect him to play each game for the rest of the season so that head coach Bill Belichick will know what he has in Floyd heading into NFL free agency.
Looking ahead to the big primetime game on Saturday night between the Cincinnati Bengals and the Houston Texans, two big offensive players will be out. Bengals wide receiver A.J. Green won’t play due to concerns about the health of his hamstring. Texans running back Lamar Miller will be out with an ankle injury.
AJ Green is out tonight, as @JayGlazer reported.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) December 24, 2016
Green’s absence doesn’t come as much of a surprise. The Bengals front office wants to be careful with its best offensive player. Cincinnati is out of the AFC playoff picture and wants Green at full strength heading into the OTAs.
Miller not playing for the Texans is a big surprise. Houston is very much in the AFC playoff picture. Either the Texans or the Tennessee Titans will win the AFC South and get the No. 4 seed.
Depending on what Tennessee does this afternoon against the lowly Jacksonville Jaguars, this game against the Bengals may not matter for the Texans. In all likelihood, the AFC South division crown will be decided in Week 17 between the Texans and Titans in Nashville. The winner goes to the AFC Playoffs, while the loser goes home with nothing.
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