I have to admit when I heard the news of Star's injury my heart sunk. But the Panthers have always emphasized the next man up the fact we rotate a lot of guys on the defensive line.
Former Seahawks Colin Cole gets shot at former team with Panthers’ key DT Star Lotulelei out injured | Seahawks Insider - The News Tribune
Rivera says much more of that task is now going to fall to Colin Cole. Yes, that Colin Cole who started 26 games for the Seahawks over the 2009 and ’10 seasons, the latter the first of the Pete Carroll regime in Seattle. The 15 starts and 48 tackles he had in ’09 for Seahawks coach Jim Mora remain his career highs.
Cole is good at clogging the middle so I'm hopeful we can still keep the Seahawk running game in check. But there is no doubt Lotulelei will be missed:
Lotulelei out with fractured foot
"It's crazy, but we can't sit here and dwell on it," fellow defensive tackle and good friend Kawann Short said. "He's a big asset to the defensive line, but we still have to go out there and play."Added defensive tackle Dwan Edwards: "We are going to miss him. He's a rock on our D-line. But that's football. We'll roll guys around and keep it moving." Rivera is confident in the defensive line despite losing Lotulelei. "We'll miss Star, but I think we have the guys who can fill in and do more than an adequate job," Rivera said.
The Panthers rotate four defensive lineman during any given day with Star usually getting in on 50 to 60% of the snaps. That's about 20 to 30 plays a game in which someone else has to step up. The next man up might actually be a new face. Veteran DT Kyle Love was signed to the 53 man roster back in December so he might now be in shape and able to contribute significant snaps. Like Cole Love is a run stopper who doesn't have the quickness of a Star Lotulelei but he doesn't have to be. Just stop the run baby!
By the way, Star's season might not be over just yet!
Here's what happened:
"He stepped on somebody's foot and rolled his at the very end of practice," head coach Ron Rivera said. "He had surgery this morning to repair it."
Rivera said Lotulelei needs at least two weeks to heal. If the Panthers win two more games, there is a chance Lotulelei could be available for the Super Bowl.
That's right, in the unlikely absolutely, positively sure event the Panthers continue their match to the Super Bowl, Star could return and play in our Super Bowl victory.