Rams WR Cooks ruled out with concussion, seeing specialist
Brandin Cooks needs more time to recover from his latest concussion, and the Los Angeles Rams plan to be cautious with their big-play receiver.
Cooks won’t play Sunday against Pittsburgh while he seeks further medical help for his second concussion in a month. He was ruled out by Rams coach Sean McVay on Wednesday in the wake of at least his fifth concussion during his six-year NFL career.
“There’s no setbacks or anything like that,” McVay said. “It’s all moving in the right direction, but you can’t be smart enough with the human being, more than anything, with something like this. That’s the precautionary measures we’re taking, and he feels good about it.”
Cooks was hurt Oct. 27 during the Rams’ win over Cincinnati in London, and he has not cleared the NFL’s concussion protocol. He flew to Pittsburgh on Wednesday for the second time since his latest injury to meet with specialists, but he will return home before the Rams play the Steelers.
Cooks first went into the concussion protocol during the Rams’ loss to Seattle on Oct. 3 after a hit from Seahawks safety Tedric Thompson. Cooks returned swiftly from that injury, but McVay says the Rams are patient.
Cooks has 27 receptions for 402 yards and a touchdown in eight games for Los Angeles this season.
JETS: The New York Jets dodged an injury scare with Le’Veon Bell.
The star running back is a bit banged up, but the team is optimistic he’ll be able to play Sunday against the Giants.
Bell sat out practice Wednesday with ankle and knee soreness, a day after an MRI revealed no structural damage.
“He was trying to practice today,” coach Adam Gase said. “We were discouraging that. We thought it wouldn’t be the right thing for him to do, go out there and practice. And, so he finally was like, ‘Yeah, you’re right, probably should stay inside and work out.’
“I think he is going to be all right. He’s just really sore right now.”
Bell was injured late during New York’s 26-18 loss at Miami on Sunday. He never left the game and Gase didn’t know Bell’s knee or ankle were bothering him until Monday, when Bell missed a meeting to have tests.
FALCONS: Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan was a limited participant in practice Wednesday and it is uncertain if he will start at New Orleans.
A sprained right ankle forced Ryan to miss his first game since 2009, snapping a streak of 163 consecutive starts, when Atlanta lost to Seattle two weeks ago.
“I’m feeling a little bit better every day,” Ryan said. “When you have something like this, you just try and focus on daily improvement and trying to get back to yourself as fast as possible.”
If Ryan can’t play, Matt Schaub will make his second straight start. Schaub set a single-game franchise record with 39 completions against the Seahawks and finished with 460 yards passing, one touchdown and one interception.