TEMPE, Ariz. (AP) - The Seattle game was more costly than just a loss. The Arizona Cardinals lost their best offensive lineman, left tackle D.J. Humphries, and their leading tackler, safety Tyvon Branch, to season-ending injuries.
Coach Bruce Arians revealed the extent of their injuries at his regular day-after news conference Friday.
Humphries has an MCL injury and a dislocated kneecap. Branch was to undergo cartilage repair surgery Friday and ACL surgery later, Arians said.
Backup tight end Ifeanyi Momah broke a leg in the game and also is headed for season-ending injured reserve.
The injuries came three weeks after quarterback Carson Palmer broke his left arm and was placed on injured reserve. Star running back David Johnson has been out all season with a broken wrist. Outside linebacker Markus Golden also is gone for the season with a knee injury.
Arians said Humphries, in his third NFL season, probably will be out for three months.
“It’s a shame because he’d been playing really, really well,” Arians said.
The coach said Jared Veldheer probably will be moved from right tackle back to the left side, where he had played most of his career. John Wetzel will be at right tackle.
Branch had been one of the stalwarts on defense.
“You lose your top tackler. He was having a great year,” Arians said. “I don’t know if he had the reputation to play in the Pro Bowl, but he had the game. He was playing at that level. He bailed us out twice last night when guys were beat. He came over the top and broke up balls. It’s just a shame.”
At least seven players were hurt in the Seahawks game Thursday night, including Seattle cornerback Richard Sherman with a ruptured Achilles tendon.
Arians was asked if playing on a short week contributed to the injuries.
“I’ve always felt that way,” he said, “but it’s not going away. You have to deal with it, but there are some major injuries in that game, on both sides.”
The loss left Arizona at 4-5 going into a game at Houston a week from Sunday.
“The way the league is going right now, you’ve just got to win next week,” Arians said. “There are going to be about 20 teams that are .500. You will just hope to be one of them and then see how it plays out.”
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