New field turf: An injury nightmare just beginning???
 

I watched the game last night and I have to say that I was surprised at the new field turf and the people who got hurt last night. The major one being Donnie Avery. But Wheatley also hurt his leg in a very similar fashion as did Brandon Gibson.

When I re-watched the game and watched the legs of these players I saw something startling. It seemed to me that in each case the cleats on the foot of the leg that was injured caught and, in turn caused their leg to turn in an irregular fashion. I was quite surprised at this because the cleats catching like they did is supposed to be one of the things that doesn't happen with the new field turf.

I hope that this is not the case, but it seems too much of a coincidence that 3 players had their cleats catch in a similar fashion on the same type of turf...

Re: New field turf: An injury nightmare just beginning???
 

I've always hated playing on turf, no matter what the sport was. It even feels like an injury waiting to happen.

Re: New field turf: An injury nightmare just beginning???
 

great observation and one to watch closely this season. Injuries are already too common in the NFL.

Re: New field turf: An injury nightmare just beginning???
 

Having played sport on artificial turf over here, to avoid injury we were all banned from using proper cleats, we used rubber cleats or just normal training shoes and there was 1 injury in 3 years on the turf.

So could that be an option, or would the weather effect it too much to not wear normal cleats?

Re: New field turf: An injury nightmare just beginning???
 

I noticed that, too. I'd rather play a sport in mud and water than on turf. It honestly feel like it's much safer.

I don't get what the big deal is about this artificial crap. Lower maintenance costs, right? More exciting games because the players have supposedly better footing in bad weather, right? God, people are so short-sighted sometimes.

Turf just plain sucks, it doesn't give at all like natural grass. One bad angle on a cut when you're playing on turf and you can say goodbye to some of your ligaments. I think that's what Welker and Brady were talking about on the sidelines after Avery was carted off the field.

Bring back the grass.

Re: New field turf: An injury nightmare just beginning???
 

i definitely noticed it.

Re: New field turf: An injury nightmare just beginning???
 

Just as a follow up, Avery tore the ACL:

Donnie Avery tore his ACL | ProFootballTalk.com

Re: New field turf: An injury nightmare just beginning???
 

I don't know if it's directly related, but there is mounting evidence that the turf is a big part of the problem. I miss the painted mud and dirt we used to play on.

Re: New field turf: An injury nightmare just beginning???
 

I seems that people are finally waking up to the problems with turf.

It was not just this game but last week promising rookie Kerry Meier from ATL blew out a knee on the turf in Atlanta. It was clearly a turf injury. He is lost for the season.

Turf sux but some fans love it because it makes the game antiseptic looking. Those are are the fans who live in a dream world wherein players don't feel it when they hit the green concrete and skin is not ripped from arms when sliding the turf or shoulders/knees are not wrenched when going down.

We should start a turf injury list and present it to the Krafts who are behind the turf decision (so they can run multiple events in Gillette). The turf decision makes me wonder if the Krafts are more interested in making money than winning football games.