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Injury Rounds

Tua Tagovailoa | Concussion | Week-to-week | OUT Week 5

Tagovailoa was carted from the field Thursday night with head and neck injuries. Later diagnosed with a concussion, Tagovailoa was able to join his team on the flight home and is reportedly recovering.

There continues to be debate about whether Tagovailoa suffered a concussion in last Sunday's game and detailed discussion on changes to the league's concussion protocol. As I wrote last week, it was difficult to square Sunday's video with the Dolphins' explanation of a back injury. It's also difficult to know what was said in the locker room during the head injury evaluation.

Regardless, the previous NFL concussion protocol should have been enough to rule Tagovailoa out last Sunday and make recovery into for Thursday night clearance difficult to achieve. Sunday video clearly showed helmet-to-turf contact and an unstable gait. That's a "no-go" situation per the protocol and Tagovailoa arguably should have been ruled out before any concussion evaluation in the locker room.

There are many layers to this situation -- how to ensure there's little ambiguity in the concussion protocol, whether all protocols were followed by the team and independent neurologist, whether the player can or should be trusted to provide an accurate history when head injuries are suspected, and how the league manages concussions in the days after diagnosis. Hopefully, this unfortunate instance leads to improvements in all areas.

The return to play protocol defines five stages of recovery. NFL teams often clear players to return within 5-7 days. Often, the ten days between a Thursday night game and the following Sunday is enough time for a player to be cleared to return to the field -- assuming there are no ongoing symptoms in the early stages of the protocol.

However, it's extremely unlikely the Dolphins will clear Tagovailoa to practice this week, whether his symptoms resolve or not. If further investigation raises any suspicion that last Sunday's injury was a concussion -- something Mike McDaniel and the team have continued to strongly deny -- it could be multiple weeks before Tagovailoa is cleared to play.

Monday update: Mike McDaniel told reporters Tagovailoa would not play this week but said it was "a little early for definitive timelines" beyond that.

Jonathan Taylor | High ankle sprain | Day-to-day | Doubtful Week 5

Taylor had his lower leg twisted underneath him. Video showed evidence of a high ankle sprain, and the team expressed concern after the game.

The medical staff will have a better sense of Taylor's recovery time on Monday morning. An MRI will be helpful to grade the sprain, but the amount of swelling and stiffness that develop overnight will guide recovery estimates.

The Colts travel to Denver Thursday night, making it very difficult for Taylor to recover in time to play. Expect the Colts to choose rest and rehab rather than practice this week.

Monday update: Ian Rapoport tweeted Taylor's x-ray and MRI were "clean." That's difficult to interpret but hopefully implies Taylor's injury is low grade. It increases the chances Taylor is able to practice and play on Thursday night. Tuesday's practice report will be important. A DNP likely means he's out this week.