Left Guard Rodger Saffold Injured in Second Quarter
Tennessee Titans left guard Rodger Saffold missed snaps for the third consecutive game and finished on the sideline for the second time in five days.
On a second-down play in the middle of the second quarter, an Indianapolis Colts defender rolled into Saffold’s left ankle and knee area.
Assisted by trainers, Saffold limped off of the field and received extended attention on the sideline. Initial reports were that he was questionable to return due to an ankle injury.
Tennessee already was without Pro Bowl left tackle Taylor Lewan, who sustained a season-ending knee injury Oct. 18 against Houston. Veteran backup Ty Sambrailo has started in place of Lewan ever since.
The Titans scored a go-ahead touchdown eight plays after Saffold's injury when tight end Jonnu Smith ran it in from one yard – around the left side. It turned out to be their final points in a 34-17 loss at Nissan Stadium.
Saffold did return to action at the start of the second half. He played the entire third quarter with his left ankle heavily taped but took himself out again as the teams changed ends for the start of the fourth.
Jamil Douglas replaced Douglas, a fourth-year veteran played briefly in place of Saffold (three snaps) at Cincinnati on Nov. 1 and played the final two-plus quarters against Chicago on Sunday after a shoulder injury sidelined Saffold, an 11th-year veteran who has missed just two games since the start of 2016.
Saffold practiced all week ahead of Thursday’s matchup against the Colts.
The 32-year-old, who started his career with the St. Louis/Los Angeles Rams, has played at least 15 games in six of his 10 seasons, including 16 regular season and three postseason games in his first season as a Titan (2019).
Douglas, a fourth-round pick by the Miami Dolphins in 2015, is a versatile offensive lineman. He played 15 games (one start) with Miami before signing with the Titans in 2019. He appeared in 15 games and all three postseason games last season with Tennessee. He has now seen action in seven games this season.
