Carolina Panthers receiver Steve Smith likely to miss at least one game with ankle injury
The Carolina Panthers have lost receiver Steve Smith for at least their next game against the Chicago Bears in week 5.
Smith's condition has been listed as day-to-day and his agent Derrick Fox has suggested that he will "most likely" sit out the Panthers' next game.
Smith left the game in the third quarter after making a catch along the sideline when a defender fell on his leg. Smith was carted off the field and taken for x-rays which came back negative.
When Smith himself was asked by the Charlotte Observer whether or not he would play next week Smith responded by saying, "Go next week? I'm just trying to walk to the bus. I'm having trouble walking. Is it serious? I can't walk. That's pretty serious. It
hurts to walk."
The injury to Smith comes as a real blow to the Carolina Panthers offence which is ranked 30th in the league. The loss of Smith gives quarterback Jimmy Clausen decidedly less options, as he will be without the Panthers top receiver and star player.
With Smith out of the lineup the Panthers will likely turn to rookies Brandon LaFell and David Gettis to share the load as primary receiver. It will also put more pressure on the Panthers' running game which will be expected to move the football. Panthers
running back DeAngelo Williams could have a busy day running against the Bears.
So far this season Smith has as many receptions as the rest of the team's entire receiving corps with 13. If Clausen is going to move the football through the air it will likely be to find tight end Dante Rosario or one of their running backs coming out
of the backfield.
Smith has been a workhorse for the Panthers in his 10 seasons with the team catching almost 600 passes for 8000 yards.
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