The limited New York Jets offense has something new to worry about: Wide receiver Santonio Holmes might have suffered a broken rib during the team's Saturday night scrimmage, according to coach Rex Ryan.
"I don't know if Santonio broke a rib or not, but the fact that it was sticking out was probably an indicator," Ryan said, according to the New York Post's Brian Costello.
Ryan added that Holmes took a direct hit to the ribs -- which might have happened on a clean, hard tackle by cornerback Antonio Cromartie, according to the New York Daily News' Manish Mehta.
When a coach says a player "might have" suffered a broken rib, he almost definitely suffered a broken rib. Some players can play through it, depending on the severity. But a particularly bad example of the injury can knock a player out for a long time.
Ryan even admitted as much.
"He's a tough guy, but I don't think he's going to be running out there tomorrow or the next day," the coach said, according to Costello.
The injury came on the same night when the entire Jets offense, especially backup/goal-line quarterback Tim Tebow, struggled to move the ball. With apologies to center Nick Mangold, Holmes is the unit's most talented player. Holmes also might be the most valuable because the Jets are so thin at receiver.
Perhaps Cromartie's claim about being the Jets' second-best receiver won't prove to be so crazy.
