The St. Louis Rams playoff hopes came crashing down with a loss to the Vikings on Sunday. Unfortunately, the injury list got a little longer too. Right guard Harvey Dahl suffered what is believed to be a torn triceps, an injury that would shut him down for the season.

Clarification on the Harvey Dahl injury. Coach Jeff Fisher said it's believed to be a torn biceps.

— Jim Thomas (@jthom1) December 17, 2012

Dahl's absence probably means that Shelly Smith will rejoin the starting lineup, after serving a brief stint on the left side earlier this season. Smith played well in limited duty, but the absence of Dahl, the best blocker among the front five, will make for a weakened right side with Barry Richardson on the outside already.

Other players left the locker room after the game hurting as well. Chris Givens was reportedly wearing a walking boot following the game. Brandon Gibson and Austin Pettis were also dealing with what looked like minor injuries. There was no indication as to the extent of the players suffering injuries beyond Dahl.

St. Louis has coped well with injuries to key players this season, including Danny Amendola and Scott Wells. How the Rams cope with Dahl's injury, and possibly others, will go a long way toward determining if the team can finish with more than six wins.