When the Carolina Panthers host the Arizona Cardinals in Sunday's NFC title game, it seems likely they won't have defensive end Jared Allen on the field. The team announced via its official website that Allen had an MRI on Monday which confirmed a fracture in his foot.
Allen complained of pain in his foot during the final two drives of the team's win in the divisional round over the Seahawks, after which he was sent for the MRI. After learning of the diagnosis, head coach Ron Rivera said Allen would likely be listed as doubtful for the NFL title game this weekend.
"We’ve got to make the best decision for the football team and for him," Rivera said, per the Panthers' official website. "If there is a glimmer of hope that he can play, I promise you, he’ll probably try to play. If he can’t, he’ll be around. He’s going to want to do whatever he can to help us."
For what it's worth the Panthers have listed 12 players as doubtful so far this season, per Pro-Football-Reference, and none of them has played in the game that week.
The Panthers traded for Allen back in Week 4, sending a late-round draft pick to the Chicago Bears in exchange for his services. He finished the regular season with 25 tackles and two sacks for Carolina. By the end of the year, he was playing somewhere between 50 and 70 percent of the team's defensive snaps, largely working as a pass rusher off the right side of the line.
His absence will likely mean more snaps for Kony Ealy and/or Mario Addison, who have been backing up Allen and Charles Johnson of late.
