Arizona Cardinals breathe easier after Peterson's quick recovery

azcentral.com

Though he'll be monitored closely by doctors and team trainers throughout the week, Patrick Peterson didn't show any signs of suffering a concussion once the Cardinals completed their 24-20 victory Sunday over the Eagles.

As soon as players entered the winning locker room, there was Peterson, leaping into their arms and jumping on their backs in wild celebration.

He even did it to 62-year-old Bruce Arians.

"I'm too old to have guys jump up on top of me, but he was excited," the Cardinals head coach said with a smile.

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Things didn't look so good for the Cardinals' All-Pro cornerback earlier, when after being involved in a collision with teammate Deone Bucannon and Eagles receiver Jeremy Maclin, Peterson fell to the turf and didn't move for several long moments.

Was it a neck injury? A spine injury? Would he be able to get up? A sellout crowd of 61,789 quietly rose to its feet and waited and wondered.

"You always hold your breath and say a quick prayer anytime a player goes down like that," Arians said Monday during his weekly news conference. "I'm not one that runs out there. When I didn't see him moving for a while, I did get out there. I always have one of the doctors let me know what's going onand he was fine at that point in time. It was just getting him up and being very cautious with that type of thing."

Arians said Peterson never lost consciousness and afterward, judging from his exuberance in the Cardinals moving to 6-1, all fears have been relieved.

"When we came in at the end of the game, Pat was jumping around, slapping guys on the head, jumping on people's back, hugging people," safety Rashad Johnson said, "and I was like, 'Dude, don't you have a concussion? You should be sitting down in a dark room with your eyes closed right now or something.'

"It was a lot of fun to see him doing that. You could tell he was feeling better."

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Peterson will go through the NFL's standard concussion protocol, regardless, although Arians said he expects the cornerback will be available for this Sunday's game in Dallas against the Cowboys.

Meanwhile, the Cardinals learned Monday morning that safety Tony Jefferson was showing concussion symptoms and he, too, will be placed in the protocol system and be checked daily until he receives medical clearance to play.

The only injury from Sunday's game that appears to be serious, Arians said, is the calf strain suffered by backup running back Stepfan Taylor.

"He could miss some significant time," Arians said.

With Taylor out, Arians said the team would move former Arizona State standout Marion Grice up the depth chart and likely use Robert Hughes in more situations.

The Cardinals may also add a running back via free agency, Arians said, or decide to promote Kerwynn Williams off the practice squad instead.

Arians said rookie tight end Troy Niklas should be able to return to practice this week after missing the pass three weeks with a high ankle sprain.

He also said the team continues to explore its options in trying to bring in a pass rusher. The Cardinals could make a big move before the NFL's trading deadline today at 1p.m. (Arizona time), but it's probably unlikely any organization will part with an elite pass rusher.