The Indianapolis Star is reporting Gary Brackett's hand injury from last night's preseason loss to the Packers is not a break.
X-rays taken on the right hand of middle linebacker and defensive captain Gary Brackett were negative. Brackett suffered the injury in the first quarter when the helmet of teammate Philip Wheeler slammed into his right hand."No biggie,'' a source with knowledge of the injury told The Star.
Collectively, Colts fans everywhere just sat back in their chairs, muttering 'Thank God' under their lips. The positive out of Brackett leaving the preseason game early was that Pat Angerer got some very valuable playing time. He also recorded 10 tackles.
Unfortunately, not all news is good news here. According to Paul Kuharsky, despite the new umpire rule being universally hated by all and making the NFL look like a bunch of clueless chumps for implementing it in preseason, the league now says the rule will remain in effect for the 2010 regular season:
"The movement of the umpire to the offensive backfield will happen in the regular-season. We continue to analyze and review the impact of the change in the preseason, and we may announce some tweaks to the mechanics of the position prior to the regular season, but the move is a definite."
The NFL is just trying to save face here, and it's silly. There's nothing left to 'analyze.' Everyone hates the rule. It's makes the game boring. It all but destroys the concept of a no-huddle offense. Defense now have no fear of making key substitutions. It's just a dumb rule. Everyone knows it.
Everyone, save the NFL.