PHOENIX (AP) — Next to torn ACLs Quinnen Williams Jersey , the most time lost for injured NFL players is due to hamstring and lower extremity problems, of which there are far more than the major knee issue.So the NFL will place even more emphasis on examining hamstring, groin, foot, ankle and other such injuries, along with its heavy concentration on the knee.While reducing concussions remains the most critical player safety initiative — they were down 29 percent in 2018 — Dr.Allen Sills, the league’s chief medical officer, this week stressed the need to target the lower extremity injuries “the same was as with concussions.”“We are thinking about injury burden,” Sills said. “Not only how many injuries but how long a player missed. We plan by the end of year in hopes of making substantial savings of time lost (for players) with those injuries,” Sills said.Some of those injuries occur because players push too hard when they aren’t in the shape to do so, particularly those who report late to training camp — or not at all, and then come aboard during the season. That’s particularly true of hamstrings; it’s not unusual for observers to wonder how soon, not if http://www.jetsauthorizedshops.com/authentic-jachai-polite-jersey , such players will struggle with such problems.“It’s how you train and when and how much intensity you bring to specific times you train,” Sills explained.The league will talk with team trainers and doctors, with exercise experts and researchers in a push to reduce what often are termed “nagging injuries.”Sills and Jeff Miller, the NFL’s executive vice president of health and safety initiatives, spoke about a variety of injury and player safety topics at the owners meetings. They were most encouraged, not surprisingly, by the decrease in the number of concussions, with one exception: Things were static during preseason practices, when 45 occurred in 2017 and 45 happened against last year. Many of those were incurred by offensive linemen, Sills said, and were specific to blocking.“We’ll be meeting with position coaches to look at how linemen are training in camp,” he said. “We will make all the teams aware of the data we collect.”Factors for the reduction in concussions include enhanced rules prohibiting lowering the helmet, fewer kickoff returns (also due to rules changes); players making adjustments to the new or stricter regulations; and players switching to the highest-rated helmets in a survey conducted by the league and the players union.Miller noted that half of the league has changed helmets and 74 percent of the players now wear helmets in the highest-approved (green) region of the survey and accompanying poster that is hung in every team’s facility. He credited training staffs Chuma Edoga Jersey , medical personnel, players, coaches and team owners.“The posters certainly were able to change player behavior,” he said.Same thing, Miller added, regarding lowering the helmet; the number of concussions were down from that act.Concussions on kickoffs were down 38 percent in 2018 compared to the previous three seasons’ average. Indeed, Sills said all injuries on kickoffs went down, and his staff is now doing deep research into injuries on punts, which have been the second-most dangerous play. Ten percent of all major injuries, termed as eight days or more missed, came on punts.The league banned blindside blocks on all plays on Tuesday, a short while after Miller and Sills made their presentation to the owners. There were as many as a dozen concussions annually due to that technique.“As a former player and father of two that play ball, and having the opportunity to coach (youth football) http://www.jetsauthorizedshops.com/authentic-trevon-wesco-jersey ,” football operations chief Troy Vincent said, “this particular play, the blindside block, it ends careers, puts people on the shelf.“That particular technique, I was taught that. To have that removed out of our game is significant.”The NFL’s medical and research staffs aren’t limiting their work to what happens within the league, either. They are looking at data from other organizations such as the new spring league, the Alliance of American Football, plus the Canadian Football League and college teams.“With more opportunities to learn and collect data,” Miller said, “it will yield a better outcome for everyone.” COSTA MESA, Calif. (AP) — The Los Angeles Chargers have had to make plenty of adjustments this season on defense due to injuries and suspensions. They will have to make another with one of their leading tacklers lost for the remainder of the year.Coach Anthony Lynn said Monday that linebacker Denzel Perryman injured the lateral collateral ligament in his left knee during the first quarter of Sunday’s 20-6 win against Oakland and will undergo surgery. The 5-foot-11, 240-pound inside linebacker had started every game this season and was second in tackles with 51 going into the Raiders game.“It is definitely a blow to our defense. When Denzel is on the roster he is a difference-maker Clelin Ferrell Jersey ,” Lynn said.Perryman is one of the team’s top defenders against the run with 15 stuffs (tackles on running plays for no gain or a loss). Los Angeles is ranked 17th in the league against the run. It has allowed only one running back to rush for over 100 yards (the Rams’ Todd Gurley in Week 3) but the Chargers have been inconsistent.The Chargers are allowing an average of 133.8 yards per game on the ground over the past four games, which is 22 yards more than their season average.The one area where they have made improvement is in the pass rush. They have 15 sacks in the past four games and have four interceptions.“We have done a better job at stopping the explosive plays. As we stop passes going over our heads our defense has been playing a lot better,” cornerback Desmond King said.Perryman has been unable to remain healthy during his four years in the league. He missed four games in 2016 due to hamstring and knee injuries and did not play in the first eight games last season after suffering an ankle injury in the preseason. He was drafted in the second round in 2015 and is in the final year of his contract.Perryman is the second Chargers linebacker who has been placed on IR. Kyzir White, who started the first three games at one of the outside spots, was placed on injured reserve on Nov. 3 due to a knee injury. The team has not ruled out the possibility that he may return by the end of the year since it has not used its designated-to-return spot.Hayes Pullard and Kyle Emanuel, who both saw 16 snaps against Oakland, are in the mix to move into Perryman’s starting spot. Pullard started 10 games last season after being claimed off waivers and posted a career-high 79 tackles.Defensive end Joey Bosa has missed the season due to a foot injury, but he has made progress in his rehab. Lynn said Monday that there isn’t a timetable for Bosa’s return, but he did not completely rule him out for this week’s game against Denver.The Chargers have won six straight despite their injury woes, which is their longest winning streak since they took 11 straight in 2009.