Injury Bug Threatened Bengals In Battle of Ohio

Cleveland Browns wide receiver Braylon Edwards (17) scuffles with Cincinnati Bengals defensive tackle Pat Sims (90) during the fourth quarter of an NFL football game Sunday, Oct. 4, 2009, in Cleveland. The Bengals won 23-20 in overtime. (AP Photo/Mark Duncan)

The Bengals lost one player and nearly lost four in their Week 12 win over the Browns. The Battle of Ohio, which is usually a fairly close and physical game between the Cincinnati Bengals and the Cleveland Browns, claimed Pat Sims after he injured his ankle in the game and it nearly claimed Cedric Benson, Jerome Simpson and Chris Crocker.

Benson was the first to have an injury scare. As he was headed out of bounds, a Browns player's face mask came down on the back of Benson's ankle. Benson had to stretch his ankle on the browns sideline before he limped back to his own side of the field. It looked bad for Benson and the Bengals, especially considering how big of a game Benson had today against the Browns, but Benson came back in just a snap later and wouldn't leave the game again.

Shortly after Jerome Simpson left the game with an injury. He caught a low pass nearly down on his knees and as he was hit, his ankle rolled up underneath him. He got up and hopped to the sideline, unable to put any pressure on his foot. His injury looked worse than Benson's, but like Benson, Simpson was back in the game after a quick tape job and a little stretching.

Chris Crocker was the same. He left the game with an injury to his right arm and even though he did eventually come back in the game, it wasn't as quick as Benson or Simpson's return. Crocker was replaced by Taylor Mays when he was on the sideline.

Pat Sims was the only Bengals player that didn't return from his injury. After he injured his ankle, he walked, with the help of some teammates, off the field to the sideline where the injury cart was waiting for him. Even though he left the field on his own power, Sims was carted into the locker room and he didn't return.

Even though the Bengals had some scary moments during their 23-20 win over the Browns, they were very fortunate that they only lost one player, and that one player comes from the deepest position group on the field. Things would have likely been very different if Benson, Simpson or Crocker were the players that didn't return to the field.