Monday, August 18 2008 -- The one thing that NFL coaches dread, besides losing on the final play of a playoff game, are injuries to starters at any time, but especially prior to the start of the regular season. Although such injuries rarely result in a player missing a huge amount of time, they can debilitate important talent and haunt teams later in the season.

Numerous important players recently got injured. Here are a few of them.

Cincinnati Bengals wideout Chad Johnson went down with a left shoulder injury against Detroit. Cincinnati’s Pro Bowl receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh missed the entire game due to a sore hamstring. Both pass catchers are essential to the Bengals’ 2008 season.

Cleveland Browns quarterback Derek Anderson was hurt on Monday, August 18, 2008, in a pre-season game versus the New York Giants. Anderson, who may have suffered a concussion, was hurt when he was sacked by New York defensive end Osi Umenyiora.

Tom Brady, who suffered a new foot injury, up to this point has been sidelined for the entire pre-season. Brady noted in an interview that they are "just trying to be smart" by holding him out of pre-season play.

On August 16, Vikings' starting QB Tarvaris Jackson left the game versus the Ravens with a bruise on an already tender right knee. The move to take him out was simply precautionary.

Although most injuries appear to be fairly benign, as the season progresses these players will get more and more banged up, wearing and, with some, breaking down.