Jamaal Charles could be out awhile for the Kansas City Chiefs. The Dallas Cowboys are thankful Tony Romo came back quickly.
The Chiefs’ All-Pro running back was carted off the field midway through the first quarter Sunday with a left knee injury, and coach Todd Haley said after the 48-3 loss to the Lions that the team was still awaiting definitive word on his status.
Charles planted his left foot as he was being pushed out of bounds, then fell forward, crashing into the legs of Detroit’s mascot.
“I don’t know the extent of his injury, but it’s a terrible loss for us _ for our team,” teammate Thomas Jones said.
Charles ran for 1,467 yards last season, finishing second in the NFL to Arian Foster.
Charles didn’t appear capable of putting any weight on the leg as he was helped onto the cart. He was lunging toward the first down marker along the Detroit sideline when he was pushed out of bounds by defensive back Chris Houston. He immediately began clutching his left leg.
Romo played through a fractured rib to lead Dallas to a 27-24 overtime victory over the San Francisco 49ers.
The comeback looked unlikely when he briefly came out from halftime and then returned to the locker room. Just when the Cowboys announced the quarterback was done for the day, there came No. 9 ready to take charge of the huddle once again.
Romo returned for the last series of the third quarter, the final 15 minutes and OT.
He completed 5 of 6 passes on the tying drive in regulation, then hit Jesse Holley on a 77-yard completion on the Cowboys’ first play of overtime to set up Dan Bailey’s winning 19-yard field goal.
Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Michael Vick left their game against the Atlanta Falcons with a neck injury after being slammed into one of his own linemen late in the third quarter.
After letting go of a pass, Vick was spun around by an Atlanta defender and slammed into right tackle Todd Herremans. The quarterback got up slowly and wobbled to the sideline, where the trainers worked on his right shoulder and neck. He also appeared to spit out blood coming off the field.
Mike Kafka took over for Vick and finished a touchdown drive that gave Philadelphia a 31-21 lead. After the Eagles scored, Vick walked to the locker room for observation.
Vince Young, normally the Eagles backup, was inactive for the game because of a hamstring injury.
Pittsburgh quarterback Ben Roethlisberger was briefly sidelined after injuring his right knee late in the second quarter of a 24-0 win over the Seahawks.
Seattle’s Raheem Brock hit Roethlisberger in the knee after the quarterback completed a 16-yard pass to Heath Miller. Roethlisberger lay on the Heinz Field turf for several minutes before gingerly making his way to the sideline.
Green Bay Packers safety Nick Collins was carried off the field on a stretcher after he injured his neck in the fourth quarter of a 30-23 win over the Carolina Panthers.
Collins was hurt as he tried to tackle Panthers running back Jonathan Stewart on a catch. Stewart attempted to hurdle Collins, whose head appeared to hit Stewart’s left hip as he dived for Stewart’s legs. Collins’ neck bent awkwardly and he landed face down on the turf.
Collins gave a slight wave to the crowd while being carried off the field. In a postgame statement on their website, the Packers said Collins had “normal feeling and complete movement” in his extremities and would be kept overnight in a hospital for observation.
New York Jets All-Pro center Nick Mangold has a sprained right ankle, but X-rays were negative.
Mangold limped off the field late in the first quarter of the Jets’ 32-3 victory over Jacksonville and did not return.
Coach Rex Ryan said Mangold would get an MRI exam Monday.
Mangold entered the Jets’ locker room after the game on crutches with his right foot in a boot.
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