A preseason opener. Washington and Cleveland. Tight end Niles Paul was blocking when, as happens on many plays, his legs got tangled in traffic. What happened next was gruesome. The result: Dislocated ankle.
That was Thursday. That same night, two Chargers players suffered fractured bones. One was guard Johnnie Troutman, who broke his arm. The other was linebacker Tourek Williams, who broke his foot.
So...on one night, in two useless games, a good tight end shredded his ankle, a solid lineman broke his arm and a talented pass rusher broke his foot. This carnage was atypical even for a regular-season game, let alone a preseason one.