Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Miles Austin can’t seem to keep his hamstrings healthy, and a miserable season for Indianapolis got worse Sunday when tight end Dallas Clark went down with a leg injury.
After missing two games earlier this season with a left hamstring problem, Austin hurt his right one in a 23-13 victory over the Seattle Seahawks. Now, the Cowboys could be without their Pro Bowl receiver again.
Dallas quarterback Tony Romo sounded resigned to losing one of his top targets for at least a week.
“It’s going to be hard without him,” Romo said. “He’s an explosive player who is outstanding in everything at that position. Obviously we’ll have to do some things to counter it.”
Austin caught two passes for 53 yards Sunday, but hurt his hamstring on his second catch, a 37-yarder, and didn’t return.
Austin began limping at the end of the play. He wasn’t putting weight on his right leg and immediately had an ice pack applied.
“Randomly on that one play, my other hammy just grabbed up, out of nowhere,” Austin said. “It’s hard to describe how it feels, but it really hurts.”
Already minus Peyton Manning all season because of neck surgery, the winless Colts (0-9) could be without their top two tight ends. Clark (lower left leg) and Brody Eldridge (hand) both left early in a 31-7 loss to Atlanta and coach Jim Caldwell provided no updates after the game.
Clark was injured in the second quarter after trying unsuccessfully to make a catch. He left with two receptions for 21 yards.
Steelers wide receiver Hines Ward left the Sunday night game against Baltimore with a stinger after a helmet-to-helmet hit from Ray Lewis. Ward’s return was questionable, but he was sitting on the sideline without his helmet and it did not appear he would re-enter the game.
Ward missed last week’s win over New England due to an ankle injury.
Three players were carted off the field during Arizona’s overtime victory against St. Louis. The most seriously hurt appeared to be Rams wide receiver Greg Salas, who has a broken leg and could be out for the season.
Cardinals cornerback Michael Adams and St. Louis tight end Lance Kendricks were also taken off on carts.
Arizona quarterback Kevin Kolb sat out because of a turf toe injury that occurred in last weekend’s loss at Baltimore.
Elsewhere, running back Shonn Greene had 76 yards rushing for the New York Jets in a 27-11 victory at Buffalo, but did not finish the game after sustaining a head injury in the fourth quarter.
Jets coach Rex Ryan said Greene was “a bit dizzy,” and called it a coach’s decision to keep him on the sideline as a precaution for the remainder of the game. Greene said he likely could’ve returned.
New York tight end Dustin Keller returned after hurting his head when he landed hard on the turf in the first quarter while attempting to hurdle two Bills defenders.
Buffalo kicker Rian Lindell was having tests after the game after he hurt his right shoulder while making a diving tackle on Joe McKnight’s kickoff return to open the second half.
Lindell hit a 24-yard field goal later in the third quarter, but was held out in the fourth.
Saints cornerback Tracy Porter hurt his neck early in a 27-16 win over Tampa Bay.
Porter was injured on the second play from scrimmage while breaking up a pass with a hard hit on receiver Mike Williams. Porter lay face down for several seconds and was strapped to a stretcher by trainers and paramedics, but was able to move his extremities and gave a thumbs up before being taken to a hospital as a precaution.
“It’s good to get in here after the game and find out that he’s doing pretty well,” New Orleans coach Sean Payton said.
The Saints played without linebacker Jonathan Vilma, sidelined by a sore left knee.
Buccaneers defensive tackle Gerald McCoy left the game with a biceps injury.
Titans safety Michael Griffin and cornerback Jason McCourty were hurt when they collided trying to cover Bengals receiver A.J. Green, knocking each other to the ground for a few minutes.
Green caught the ball for a 20-yard gain early in the fourth quarter of a 24-17 victory. Griffin and McCourty fell to the ground, and trainers worked on both with four teammates kneeling nearby, watching.
First, McCourty sat up and walked off the field. Then Griffin got to his feet and walked off. Both returned to the game.
Cleveland wide receiver Mohamed Massaquoi, who missed the previous game with a concussion, was taken out late in the third quarter Sunday after feeling woozy. Browns coach Pat Shurmur said Massaquoi was not hit, but was simply removed as a precaution.
Defensive back T.J. Ward injured a hand and a foot during Cleveland’s 30-12 loss at Houston. Offensive lineman Tony Pashos hurt his right knee and linebacker Kaluka Maiava also injured a knee. Shurmur said they would be evaluated Monday.
Washington right tackle Jammal Brown left a 19-11 loss to San Francisco after hurting his hip. Redskins coach Mike Shanahan said he wasn’t sure how serious the injury was.
Broncos safety Rahim Moore sustained a concussion in the first quarter of Denver’s 38-24 win over Oakland and did not return.
Packers linebacker Frank Zambo left with a hamstring injury in the fourth quarter of Green Bay’s 45-38 victory at San Diego.
Steelers linebackers LaMarr Woodley and James Farrior were inactive Sunday night against Baltimore.
Woodley missed his first game of the season with a strained hamstring. Farrior missed his second straight game with a calf injury.
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