If Matt Cassel is going to play on Sunday against the San Diego Chargers then news of his appendectomy may as well have been a bulls eye on his body. This according to Chargers LB Stephen Cooper who says if the Kansas City Chiefs QB does play, the Chargers will try to "put him back on the bench if we have to."
A couple of things. First, this explains why some coaches are coy about injury information -- why give the opponent a target? Second, the Chiefs wouldn't let Cassel play if they felt there was a serious risk involved, and one of those risks is getting drilled in the abdomen by someone like Cooper. That's something they'll have to weigh.
Per Chris Jenkins of the San Diego Union Tribune, Cooper was asked if his comments meant he would take a shot at Cassel's abdominal region.
"Whatever presents itself," he said. "We are just trying to make sure we get him down, make sure we try to get the ball, and try to get some turnovers. So, if the opportunity does present itself, we are going to try to hit him as hard as we can and see what happens from there."
We'll find out when Friday's injury report comes out if Cooper will even get the opportunity to hit Cassel.