Written by Brian Allee-Walsh, NewOrleans.Com's Saints Beat
| Friday, 20 November 2009 16:29
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Saints News
Based on Reggie Bush’s elusive moves in the Saints’ locker room Friday, he appears to be healthy enough to play Sunday at Tampa Bay.
But that’s not what the team's official injury report says. The fourth-year running back is listed as questionable, which, in NFL jargon, means he has a 50-50 chance of playing against the lowly Buccaneers.
Bush has not practiced this week because of a bruised left knee, the same knee that doctors surgically repaired in December. He has lived in the training room since Monday, doing what injured athletes do, icing, de-icing, etc.
Attempts to speak with Bush on Wednesday and Thursday were unsuccessful. Presumably, he was holed up in the aforementioned training room. On Friday, he showed up long enough to grab something from his cubicle and slip past reporters who had staked out his space.
“Yeah, I’ll talk to you after a shower,’’ Bush said in full stride before disappearing into the training room, never to be seen again before our locker room access expired at 1:30 p.m.
I tell you this not to be whining or complaining or looking for sympathy. I tell you this because Saints fans probably want to know how one of their heroes is feeling, and he gave me _ and you _ the bum’s rush.
No one is holding a gun to Bush's head and forcing him to talk to reporters. If Bush doesn't want to talk, then simply say he doesn't want to talk. Is that asking too much? Apparently so.
Thus, I’ll defer to Coach Sean Payton to explain Bush’s injury status.
“It’s a knee bruise, so with that there is swelling,’’ Payton said. “It happens to be on the left knee that he had (microfracture) surgery on. It’s a matter of trying to keep it immobilized, iced and treatment and we’ll see where it’s at tomorrow.
“One of the reasons why we didn’t practice him is so it doesn’t carry over to next week and the following (week) and the following (week). It’s about managing it and getting it back to 100 percent.’’
Typically, a player who has not practiced during the week will not play. But Payton said Bush is “smart enough from a rep standpoint’’ to where he could play Sunday.
“We don’t have a whole lot of new plays week to week,’’ Payton said. “Hence the reason we’re listing him as questionable.’’
And if Bush cannot play, who will return punts since backup punt returner Lance Moore already is out with an injured ankle?
“I really want to see how (Bush) is feeling in the morning and go from there,’’ Payton said. “But we’ve got a number of guys … Devery (Henderson) has returned punts, Pierre Thomas has returned punts and Darren Sharper is a guy who could handle that role.
“With Lance being down, all of those guys have taken the reps this week.’’
To be honest, I don’t think the 9-0 Saints will need Bush to beat the 1-8 Buccaneers, who are nine games into rebuilding their young team under first-year Coach Raheem Morris.
No, Bush should save those “locker room’’ moves for the New England Patriots on a national stage Nov. 30.
INJURY REPORT: Besides Moore, starting cornerbacks Jabari Greer (groin) and Tracy Porter (knee) will not play against the Buccaneers, meaning the probable starters will be Randall Gay and rookie Malcolm Jenkins. DT Sedrick Ellis (knee) is questionable. FS Darren Sharper (knee), C Jonathan Goodwin (ankle) and TE Dave Thomas (knee) are probable.
Injuries to Greer and Porter leaves Payton with four healthy cornerbacks on the roster _ Gay, Jenkins, Leigh Torrence and newly-signed veteran Chris McAlister. Safety Usama Young could also play corner in a pinch.
Payton would not say if McAlister, a three-time Pro Bowler who played 10 seasons in Baltimore, will play or even if he will be active.
“We’ll see,’’ Payton said. “He practiced this week. The reason we signed him was because we feel like he’s going to be able to come in on a short week and do that. We’ll see.’’
