Houston Texans defensive tackle Cedric Killings was able to stand in the hospital on Monday and doctors are confident hell soon be walking. Killings progress came one day after he left the field on a stretcher after a headfirst collision with Indianapolis receiver Roy Hall. Killings fractured his C-4 vertebra and was unable to move any of his limbs for a time on the field on Sunday, Dr. Rob Parrish, a neurosurgeon working with Killings, said. He has since gained movement in his arms and legs, though hes weak in both hands and his left arm. He stood for me this morning at the bed side, Parrish said. So I think Parrish said the biggest concern now is the weakness in his left arm, but that it was too soon to tell if would be permanent. Thats his deficit right now, Parrish said. It might all come back. Texans team physician Dr. Walter Lowe said it is too soon to know if Killings will play football again. Hes still in the process of recovering, Lowe said. The 6-foot-3, 310-pound Killings, playing special teams, hit Hall on a block as Jerome Mathis was returning a kickoff in the second quarter. Its a scary part of football, said Houston coach Gary Kubiak. Cedric is a great kid and were just going to cross our fingers and say some prayers and hope everything is going to be all right. Hall and Killings went down together and Hall walked slowly off the field with trainers helping him. Colts coach Tony Dungy said Hall suffered a shoulder injury. Killings lay motionless as trainers attended to him and a stretcher was wheeled onto the field. Kubiak watched medical personnel strap Killings to the stretcher as players from both sides waited intently. Initially, he made a couple of comments that he couldnt feel down low, Kubiak said. As he laid there and talked to us, he did move everything. He talked to me. His teammates called out to him from a distance and they dont know it, but he was respondent to them. The 30-year-old Killings was cut by the Texans on Sept. 1, then re-signed on Sept. 14 to add depth to the defensive line when Travis Johnson injured his ankle.
NFL.com Cedric Killings We all come out on this field and our intentions are to walk off the field at the end of the game, said Houston cornerback Dunta Robinson. For him to be carried out on a stretcher, it was a scary situation. In the season opener, the Buffalo Bills lost tight end Kevin Everett to a life-threatening spinal cord injury. Everett, however, is making a strong recovery and doctors expect hell be able to walk again. You pray for these guys to recover, said Colts quarterback Peyton Manning. You dont wish that on anybody. Its a rough business, you know. Its a rough business were in. To the fans it seems like were out there having a good time and its exciting, but the truth of the matter is that on any given play, any given player could be done for the rest of his life from playing football, Texans tackle Ephraim Salaam. Texans center Steve McKinney left with what was believed to be a sprained knee in the fourth quarter, but doctors said Monday he's out for the season with a torn ACL. Early in the second quarter Sunday, Houston running back Ahman Green left the game with a left knee sprain. Green, Houstons leading rusher, caught a short pass and was tackled after a 9-yard gain by Colts safety Bob Sanders. Green hopped up, but limped off the field as trainers attended to him on the sideline. Green hobbled to a training table behind the bench as Kris Brown kicked a 33-yard field goal to put the Texans up 10-7. On Wednesday, the Texans said Green was limited at practice with a knee injury. Samkon Gado replaced Green on the Texans next offensive series. Green sat on the bench with ice wrapped around his left knee. Houston rookie Jacoby Jones left in the third quarter after separating his left shoulder on a 74-yard punt return. Jones is the Texans leading kick returner and started for the first time on Sunday in place of Andre Johnson, who injured his left knee last week. Late in the third quarter, Jones took a punt from Hunter Smith, weaved to midfield and sprinted down the sideline before Smith pushed him out of bounds. Jones got up holding his left shoulder and limped to the bench. Trainers attended to Jones on the sideline before he went to the locker room for X-rays. Jones said after the game he was having an MRI exam on Monday. KK Remember: life is like a roll of toilet paper. The closer it gets to the end, the faster it goes...
