2011 NFL Season: 6 Teams That Have Already Suffered Major Injuries

Each offseason, every team entertains the belief that they can win the Super Bowl.

The current crop of elite teams make those last couple adjustments to put themselves on top. The bottom feeders look to parlay their draft picks and free agent moves into playoff bids; there are plenty of examples that support this.

But for every hopeful team, nothing can dash those hopes so much as watching a star player wheeled off the field.

Some teams look to mitigate potential injuries by building a balanced, multi-faceted team. When a key person is lost in the passing game, the offense can shift more to the running game, or vice versa.

Other teams build depth behind their star players so the next in line can step up with little loss in production.

Or, in some cases, teams simply watch in abject horror as their star quarterback goes in for their third neck surgery.

With that said, here are six teams already hit with the injury bug, and how they might (or might not) overcome losing their best players to the injured reserve.

Nate Kaeding, San Diego Chargers

San Diego last year led the league in both total offense and defense—yet failed to make the playoffs.

Anyone who said special teams does not matter should talk to the Chargers. Last year, San Diego surrendered four return touchdowns and allowed four blocked punts in their first non-playoff season since 2005.

The Chargers look to solve this with a new special teams coach and better play for field position on kickoffs and returns. However, the season opener started horribly, beginning with Percy Harvin's 103-yard return touchdown on the opening kickoff.

Even worse still, All-Pro kicker Nate Kaeding tore his ACL during that same play. One of the best value draft picks in recent years, the 2004 third-round pick boasts an 86.5 percent field goal percentage and is considered one of the league's best.

Kaeding might not single-handedly solve the problem of opponents returning kicks for touchdowns or blocking punts, but his leg strength and ball placement certainly doesn't hurt.

Kaeding's replacement, Nick Novak, comes with a much less impressive resume. With his 10th NFL team since 2005, Novak has yet to show consistent kicking ability.

Even if he isn't on the field every play, losing a quality kicker like Kaeding puts a hurt on a team, especially as it takes away field goal options beyond the 35-yard line.

Willie Colon, Pittsburgh Steelers

The Pittsburgh Steelers have held the distinction as one of the most successful franchises of the decade...or all time, for that matter.

Pittsburgh could be looking at a drastic downfall this season, though, particularly in terms of their offensive production.

Against the rival Baltimore Ravens, the Steelers surrendered three interceptions, four fumbles and four sacks in a 35-7 catastrophe to open the 2011 season.

Pittsburgh's protection was virtually non-existent, and could be even worse this Sunday against Pete Carroll's Seattle Seahawks.

Against Baltimore, right tackle Willie Colon tore his right tricep and earned a one-way ticket to the injured reserve list. This makes two years in a row Colon's season has ended prematurely.

Losing Colon will further weaken an already-suspect line and, by extension, test Ben Roethlisberger's mobility, as he will see more pressure as the season progresses.

Pittsburgh fans better hope Big Ben can channel some Kordell Stewart moves in the coming weeks.

Jonathan Goff and Terrell Thomas, New York Giants

Tom Coughlin can't seem to catch a break.

A poor showing in previous years put Coughlin on the hot seat to start 2007; the Giants won the Super Bowl in response.

Those who hope that New York's G-Men could do this again took a pair of major hits already this season. After missing the playoffs for two consecutive years, the Giants—and especially Coughlin—need a solid playoff run to prevent management from cleaning house.

Unfortunately, injuries have already started that course of events.

Two of the New York Giants' key defenders, Jonathan Goff and Terrell Thomas, landed on the injured reserve list from torn ACLs.

After losing Goff—their best support under the coverage already hurt—losing Thomas in pass protection could be crippling. Rookie Prince Amukamara is still recovering from a fractured foot, and the remaining cornerbacks just don't measure up—particularly against the improved competition in the NFC East.

New York's identity resides in their defense. A serious deficiency against the pass could put New York on the path towards a top ten pick rather than a playoff berth.

Jon Beason, Carolina Panthers

It's difficult to miss expectations when you ranked at the bottom of the league the previous year.

But after Carolina's 28-21 opening loss to the Arizona Cardinals, where rookie quarterback Cam Newton threw for a rookie record-setting 422 yards passing, the Panthers might have something to hang their hat on following a pitiful 2-14 record last year.

That is what makes Jon Beason's torn Achilles tendon that much harder to swallow. The injured reserve list's gain is certainly Carolina's loss. Beason is a leader both on and off the field, and an essential cog in the Panthers defense; Beason dominates against both the run and pass, controlling the middle of the field with authority.

Carolina will now have to rely on Dan Connor. A well-regarded college prospect from "Linebacker U" Penn State, Connor should fill in decently in place of Beason (well, at least as well as anyone can replace, arguably, one of the top five middle linebackers in the league).

Eric Berry and Tony Moeaki, Kansas City Chiefs

The Kansas City Chiefs ended the 2010 season atop the AFC West, one of the biggest surprise performances of the season.

This year, early predictions have the Chiefs in the running for the Andrew Luck sweepstakes with the first pick of the 2012 NFL Draft.

The Chiefs already face a harsher schedule, versus the one they rode to their first playoff berth in four years. Developing young talent was supposed to help mitigate that escalation of competition.

A recent outbreak of torn leg muscles have likewise hamstrung that option.

First, Kansas City's free-agent linebacker Brandon Siler blew his Achilles' tendon in practice late August. A special teams standout, Siler was to provide depth in an already-talented linebacker corps.

The major losses, though, have come in the last two weeks.

Talented second-year TE Tony Moeaki tore his ACL in the first quarter of Kansas City's final preseason game against Green Bay.

Pro Bowl Eric Berry followed suit the following week, blowing his ACL in the first quarter against the Buffalo Bills.

Of Kansas City's skill positions, safety and tight end represent their weakest positions in depth. The Chiefs will now have to rely on veteran Leonard Pope, whose skills are much more suited to that of a blocking tight end.

At safety, Eric Berry will be replaced by Jon McGraw. Another veteran backup, McGraw is a consistent player, though a big step below Berry's talent and skill.

The loss of both players severely impacts both sides of Kansas City's game. The Chiefs cannot maintain their pressure pass defense without Berry protecting against blown coverage; Moeaki out of the lineup limits Kansas City's options across the middle.

Kansas City best beware any further leg injuries; the Chiefs can ill afford to lose any more personnel to torn ACLs.

Peyton Manning, Indianapolis Colts

By far, the biggest single injury loss happened when Peyton Manning went in for his third neck surgery. Manning is not officially out for the season, though—the Indianapolis Colts front office insists Manning will not be placed on the injured reserve list unless he is definitively, and undeniably, unable to return this season.

Fans should have no similar illusions. Manning had a disk removed from his neck; doctors replaced it with a wire frame and bone mesh, which will (hopefully) eventually heal over to form one solid vertebrae.

Manning likely won't be back until next year, and the Colts are feeling the pressure that comes with solely relying on the skills of one player.

Indianapolis has plenty of talent elsewhere on their roster—but this is Manning's team. He calls the majority of the plays from the line of scrimmage, makes changes to adjust to coverage, and the assets on offense play to Manning's strengths.

Plugging in another player just doesn't cut it.

The Colts might win a few games with the recently un-retired Kerry Collins at the helm, but fans shouldn't expect much else.

With Manning out of the lineup, Indianapolis' dominance in the AFC South is over.