The Arizona Cardinals have a new problem at quarterback; Matt Leinart’s broken collarbone that will leave the future of the franchise sidelined indefinitely.
On a painful Sunday in the NFL, Leinart fractured his left collarbone while getting sacked late in the first half of Sunday’s 34-31 victory over the St. Louis Rams.
“We don’t know how long it’s going to be,” Cardinals coach Ken Whisenhunt said. “But it’s going to be for an extended period of time.”
Leinart, who struggled recently and split time at quarterback with veteran Kurt Warner, returned to the sideline after halftime, wearing a T-shirt and shorts and with his arm in a sling. A team spokesman said last year’s first-round pick had no comment.
The same was true for Dolphins quarterback Trent Green, who was taken to a Houston area hospital after sustaining a concussion while blocking during Miami’s 22-19 loss to the Texans.
Green, 37, returned to the locker room after the game, wearing a bandage behind his right ear. He planned to fly back to Miami with the team, coach Cam Cameron said, but is doubtful to play next week against Cleveland.
Cameron wouldn’t speculate on Green’s future beyond that.
“That will all work itself out,” Cameron said.
Green was sidelined for more than half of last season for the Kansas City Chiefs after sustaining a concussion in the opener.
He was hurt again Sunday after handing off to Ted Ginn Jr. The rookie fumbled, then picked the ball up and reversed field as the defense chased him.
Texans defensive tackle Travis Johnson hit Green in the head with his knee before Ginn was tackled. After the play, Johnson stood over Green and taunted him, drawing a 15-yard penalty. He later angrily accused the quarterback of intentionally blocking him at the knees.
“It was a malicious hit. It was uncalled for,” Johnson said. “He’s like the scarecrow. He wants to get courage while I wasn’t looking, and hit me in my knee instead of trying to hit me in my head.
“My knee ain’t never hurt like it hurt today. If you want to hit me, hit me in my head, hit me in my chest, don’t hit me in my knee. I’m trying to eat just like everybody else. So, to hit me like that, that showed me what type of man he was.”
Brodie Croyle came on late in the fourth quarter of Kansas City’s 17-7 loss at home to Jacksonville. The Chiefs had 271 yards total offense, with 70 coming in the last-minute drive that Croyle led because starting quarterback Damon Huard went out with a bruised shoulder.
Huard held his shoulder gingerly in the locker room and said he had no idea about his status for next week’s game against Cincinnati.
The recovery time was much quicker for Carolina quarterback David Carr, who hurt his back while being sacked in the first quarter at New Orleans, but returned before halftime.
Carr was starting his second game this season for Jake Delhomme, who had not practiced the past week because of a sore elbow. After making his way to the sideline after the sack by Will Smith late in the first quarter, Carr was carted to the locker room holding his hand over his facemask.
The news was not nearly as good for Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Michael Pittman, who was carted off the field with an ankle injury after he was tackled following a short run midway through the second quarter of a 33-14 loss at Indianapolis.
It’s the second straight week Tampa Bay had a running back taken off on a cart. Carnell “Cadillac” Williams tore the patellar tendon in his right knee against Carolina and is out for the season.
Buccaneers coach Jon Gruden described Pittman’s injury as a sprained ankle, but said his status will be updated Monday.
“We’re calling it that right now,” Gruden said. “We don’t know the severity of it.”
Pittman was replaced by Earnest Graham, and Tampa Bay finished with 17 yards rushing on 12 carries.
The Cleveland Browns lost running back Jamal Lewis for the game with an injured right foot after he rushed for 11 yards on their first play of 34-17 defeat against New England. Wide receiver Joe Jurevicius hurt his knee, and Browns coach Romeo Crennel gave no prognosis.
The Washington Redskins, already thin at wide receiver, lost wideout Antwaan Randle El to a hamstring injury during their 34-3 win over visiting Detroit.
Randle El, the Redskins’ No. 1 receiver because Santana Moss missed the game with a groin injury, had seven catches for 100 yards in the first half. He appeared to get hurt on a 37-yard catch-and-run that set up a touchdown right before the 2-minute warning and didn’t return.
Without Moss and Randle El, the Redskins were forced to use James Thrash, Keenan McCardell, Brandon Lloyd and Reche Caldwell. None had made a catch this season before Sunday.
Thrash, McCardell and Lloyd each made his first reception, and Thrash replaced Randle El on punt returns.
“It wasn’t good that Randle went down, but when I stepped in, I made the most of my opportunity, just to help out this team,” McCardell said.
Redskins linebacker Marcus Washington was knocked out of the game in the third quarter due to a hamstring injury. He said he expects to play against Green Bay next week.
Seattle also had trouble at receiver when Deion Branch sprained his right foot and was forced to leave the Seahawks’ game against Pittsburgh.
Branch was hurt during the second quarter of the Seahawks’ 21-0 loss and left quarterback Matt Hasselbeck without his most reliable receiver.
The Steelers had bigger problems since they were without both starting receivers Hines Ward (knee), who sat out the second game in a row. In addition, Santonio Holmes was held out because of a previously undisclosed hamstring injury.
The Colts made due without some high-profile offensive weapons and still rolled to a blowout win over Tampa Bay.
Wide receiver Marvin Harrison was inactive with a bruised left knee and replaced by rookie Anthony Gonzalez, and running back Joseph Addai was out because of a bruised shoulder and replaced by Kenton Keith.
Keith ran for two touchdowns and 121 yards in his first NFL start and Peyton Manning threw for two more scores as the Colts (5-0) headed into the bye week unbeaten for the third straight season.
On defense, safety Bob Sanders was inactive with injured ribs.
If enduring a 41-3 home loss to San Diego wasn’t bad enough, the Denver Broncos lost slot receiver Brandon Stokley to a head injury, and tight end Nate Jackson was forced out by a sore groin.
Nate Kaeding’s 26-yard field goal made it 17-0 one play after the Broncos perennial Pro Bowl cornerback Champ Bailey strained his left quadriceps while covering tight end Antonio Gates.
“I don’t feel good,” said Bailey, who was clearly concerned he might miss some time, as was coach Mike Shanahan.
Rams safety Jerome Carter fractured his right foot in the second half of St. Louis’ loss.
Baltimore played without left tackle Jonathan Ogden, tight end Todd Heap and cornerback Samari Rolle, then lost backup left tackle Adam Terry and center Mike Flynn to injuries. By the fourth quarter, four-fifths of Baltimore’s line either was injured or playing out of position.
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