The Washington Redskins have shown signs of life in their first two games of the season, but they were delivered a punch to the gut on Monday afternoon.
The team's defensive unit took a huge blow when the club announced that linebacker Brian Orakpo and defensive end Adam Carriker will both miss the rest of the season.
Orakpo suffered a pectoral tear, while Carriker was the victim of a torn quad tendon.
Orakpo is no stranger to pec injuries. He tore the same muscle last season and had to have surgery on it. According to Washington head coach Mike Shanahan, Orakpo tore a different part this time.
"He can do it all," Shanahan said in his Monday news conference. "He's everything you look at in a Pro Bowl linebacker."
The two-time Pro Bowler had nine sacks last season, and has at least 8 1/2 sacks in each of his three full years in the NFL.
Carriker is coming off a season in which he registered 5 1/2 sacks to go along with 18 tackles.
