QBREES9

METAIRIE - Adding injury to insult, New Orleans Saints linebacker Scott Shanle and cornerback Randall Gay suffered concussions during Saturday night's shocking 24-17 loss to the Dallas Cowboys at the Superdome.

Saints Coach Sean Payton disclosed their injuries Wednesday, leaving their playing status in doubt for Sunday’s regular-season home finale against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

According to new initiatives from the league office, the players must receive medical clearance by an independent doctor(s) before they can be allowed to return to play in a game.

Neither player practiced Wednesday.

Gay left the Cowboys’ game with 6:38 remaining in the first quarter after collapsing in the Saints defensive huddle. He did not return. He was not present during the team’s open locker room period Wednesday.

Shanle addressed his situation, saying he got his “bell rung’’ twice against the Cowboys but neither incident kept him from playing in the game.

“The first time came in the second quarter,’’ Shanle said. “I didn’t have any memory loss as far as running the defenses; I knew what I was doing. I had comprehension. I just thought it was another ding where you get goofy for a second. I think I understand it was more after the game my head was still hurting a little bit. Then, I got it rung again late in the fourth quarter.

“The next day I still had headaches. That’s when I knew it was something than just more getting my bell rung. I’ve gotten over the headaches. Now it’s just monitoring and making sure everything is normal as the week goes along.’’

Said Payton: “The protocol is clear in regard to the doctors and specialists: It really falls with the player and the tests that they do. And, of course, we’re following that.’’

Shanle said his playing status against the Buccaneers will be based on how he feels in the coming days and after he undergoes the league-mandated medical evaluations from independent doctors.

“When you’re dealing with head injuries, there’s a sensitivity among everybody in the locker room that they understand that if your head is not right, you can’t play,’’ Shanle said. “But I think it’s tough when you’re dealing with head injuries because you can’t look at a head and say, ‘Yeah, (it’s a concussion).’ But with a knee or ankle injury, you can look at it and say, ‘Yeah, his knee or ankle is swollen or he’s still limping.’

“When it comes to a head injury, you really have to trust the player that they know what they’re talking about and you have to trust that they’re going to do the right thing for themselves and for the team.’’

YOUNG UNDERGOES SPORTS HERNIA SURGERY

Reserve safety Usama Young became the sixth Saints player to undergo sports hernia surgery in the last 15 months, a team official confirmed Wednesday. It is not known when Young had the procedure or how long he will be out.

Young missed the Cowboys with an injured hip.

Five other players have undergone a similar procedure since October 2008 – TE Jeremy Shockey, RDE Will Smith, MLB Jonathan Vilma, LT Jammal Brown and CB Jabari Greer. Brown was placed on season-ending IR in September.

In other injury-related developments, WR Lance Moore (right ankle) and FS Darren Sharper (left knee) did not practice Wednesday.

Twelve players were limited in practice, including TE Jeremy Shockey (right turf toe), LB Scott Fujita (left knee), CB Jabari Greer (groin/abdomen), RT Jon Stinchomb and RB Reggie Bush (right hamstring), among others.

“It was a hammie,’’ Bush said, ‘but it’s not even an injury anymore. It was like a really bad cramp, as bad a cramp as you can have before you strain your hamstring.

“To be honest, I was dehydrated. I’ve never cramped up like that before in a football game. It sucks but I’m good to go now.’’

Bush exited the game at the end of a 16-yard catch-and-run against the Cowboys in the second quarter. He did not return to the game.

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SmashMouth

Dang ... results of head to head collisions that went unpenalized against the Cowboys?

MatthewT

Guess it's pretty safe to assume that Gay and Shanle will be out for the Tampa game. Probably safe to say will be without Sharper, Shockey, Greer, and Moore. Man, these injuries are a freaking joke. I really hope this offseason there is a complete evaluation done on this issue. I know most of these injuries are a result of playing, but I would have to think with the amount of injuries there has to be some type of issue with conditioning and training.

saintsfan1976

Reggie, you mean to tell us that she DOESN'T carry water in there???

Cruize

Both concussions had to be freaky accidents. I've never seen Shanle or Gay hit someone hard enough to cause a head injury. LOL.