NFL injuries: Rough day for four quarterbacks
Four starting quarterbacks were injured and forced from their games Sunday. St. Louis quarterback Marc Bulger left the Rams’ 30-10 loss to Seattle on the fourth play from scrimmage after hurting his back.
He walked off the field, and X-rays taken at the stadium were inconclusive. He went to the hospital and had a CT scan, which revealed no broken bones, and will undergo further tests after returning to St. Louis with the team.
Jamie Martin took over for Bulger and went 31-of-48 for 259 yards with one TD pass and three interceptions. Coach Mike Martz said Bulger might have damaged one or more discs in his back and will not play in the season finale against San Francisco next Monday night.
“He is awfully sore,” Martz said. “We will get Jamie ready and Scott Covington and just go at it.”
Denver quarterback Brian Griese left the Broncos’ game against the Oakland Raiders late in the second quarter with a left knee injury.
Griese was hurt on a crushing sack by former Broncos linebacker Bill Romanowski with 4:32 left in the first half. Steve Beuerlein passed for 234 yards in relief.
Bears quarterback Chris Chandler left the Bears’ game against the Carolina Panthers in the second quarter with a concussion.
Chandler was knocked to the ground by Carolina defensive end Brentson Buckner, who was penalized for roughing the passer. Chandler stayed down for several minutes, then walked off the field with help. Henry Burris took over.
In the third quarter against Tennessee, Jacksonville quarterback Mark Brunell strained his hamstring. Jimmy Smith (shoulder) and Fred Taylor (ankle) all missed portions of the game with injuries.
Cincinnati running back Corey Dillon bruised his left elbow and missed the fourth quarter of the Bengals’ 20-13 win over New Orleans.
Green Bay Packers safety Darren Sharper sprained his right knee while returning his league-leading seventh interception against the Buffalo Bills and will be re-examined Monday.
Chiefs safety Greg Wesley injured his hamstring against San Diego and did not return.
Atlanta fullback Bob Christian fumbled on a hit by Detroit’s Barrett Green that left him unconscious. He was carted off the field after being revived and did not return.
There were several injuries in the Houston-Washington game: For Houston, safety Gary Walker (sprained left elbow) and safety Ramon Walker (right knee sprain), and for Washington, Ladarius Jackson (ruptured knee tendon) and punt returner Bruce Branch (sprained right ankle).
Rams LB Tommy Polley didn’t return after spraining his right ankle in the third quarter against Seattle. Raiders CB Charles Woodson returned after missing two games with a leg injury, but did not start and was not in uniform for the second half against Denver.
There also were several injury updates from Saturday’s games. Philadelphia quarterback Donovan McNabb will not play in the Eagles’ final regular-season game against the New York Giants next Saturday.
McNabb, out since breaking his right ankle Nov. 17, hoped to return before the playoffs, but Eagles coach Andy Reid on Sunday ruled him out for this week. Reid didn’t say whether Koy Detmer or A.J. Feeley would start against the Giants.
Minnesota Vikings kicker Hayden Epstein will have surgery to repair a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee.
Epstein, a rookie who was released by Jacksonville and signed by the Vikings on Oct. 23 to handle kickoffs, was hurt in the fourth quarter of Minnesota’s 20-17 victory over Miami on Saturday trying to make a tackle.
San Francisco starting left tackle Derrick Deese sat out the second half of the 49ers’ game against Arizona to rest a sore ankle. The Cardinals, who have lost five starters and two replacement starters to season-ending injuries, had offensive tackle Leonard Davis go down with a sprained left knee.