The New Orleans Saints are rolling into their primetime Monday night showdown with NFC South rival Atlanta Falcons without one of their absolute game-changers. Starting running back Travis Etienne Jr., a major offseason pickup, is officially sidelined with a hamstring injury, and he won’t be just missing the Falcons game, folks.
Etienne Hits Injured Reserve, November Return Targeted
The hammer dropped late last week when the Saints made the move, placing Etienne Jr. on injured reserve. What does that mean? It means a minimum of four weeks on the shelf. This isn’t a small thing for an offense trying to find its rhythm with young quarterback Tyler Shough, who head coach Kellen Moore seems to have found something special in. Losing a weapon like Etienne means they’re not going to have their full stable of options when they take the field. Woof. A four-week timeline from early October points to an early November return for the dynamic tailback. With the Saints getting a Week 8 bye, the chatter is that we’ll likely see Etienne back in action for a home game against the Cleveland Browns on November 8th. That gives him time to get right and smoothly plug back into that offensive scheme, which is exactly what you want to see.
Why The Saints Need Etienne Jr. At 100%
Let’s be real, the Saints aren’t exactly dealing with Super Bowl contender expectations right now. And maybe that’s a silver lining, because it means they can really let Etienne take his time and get completely healthy. But don’t get it twisted: this guy is a beast. Etienne Jr. has put up over 1,300 yards from scrimmage three times in his career already. That kind of production is pure gold, and you absolutely need that kind of weapon firing on all cylinders when he does come back. Rushing him would be a huge mistake, especially with a young signal-caller like Shough needing reliable playmakers.
The Saints are going to have to lean on other guys against the Falcons, and then for a few more weeks after that. Getting Etienne back fully ramped up against the Browns on November 8th will be a massive boost, and hopefully, he’ll pick up right where he left off.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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