Trent Williams played just six snaps in the Washington Redskins’ 27-7 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday before leaving with a sprained MCL in his right knee and a right ankle injury.
Williams, the Redskins’ starting left tackle, was trying to block Buccaneers defensive end Michael Johnson on a play that began with 8:53 remaining in the first quarter. While engaged with Johnson, defensive tackle Gerald McCoy stepped on Williams’ lower right leg, bending it outward and twisting his foot beneath him.
Though examinations taken at FedEx Field showed only damage to Williams’ MCL, he said he’ll undergo further testing, including an MRI examination, on Monday morning.
“I wasn’t sure how bad it was,” said Williams, who was writhing in pain on the turf after the injury occurred. “I know it felt bad. You get automatically scared that it could be something serious. I was a little worried.”
McCoy, Williams’ former collegiate teammate at Oklahoma, took off his helmet and stood near his friend as he was being helped on the field by the Redskins’ medical staff. It wasn’t until after the game that he learned he was responsible for Williams’ injury.
“I didn’t even know I hit him, honestly,” McCoy said. “That’s my family. I was just trying to make sure he was OK. I didn’t find out until after the game that I bumped into him. I had no idea.”
Rookie Morgan Moses entered for Williams and played the rest of the game at left tackle. It was the first extended run for Moses, a third-round pick in the NFL Draft in May who previously played in five games, including one snap on offense against Jacksonville and six snaps on offense against Seattle — all of which were at right tackle.
“I feel like I played well, just getting out there and kind of just getting my feet wet,” Moses said. “It also jives back into earlier in the week, getting the practice reps and just learning the plays and going out there and looking at the defensive scheme and studying the guys. That way, you know when you get out there, you’re not missing a beat.”
The Redskins have three offensive tackles on the roster — Moses, right tackle Tom Compton and Tyler Polumbus, who was replaced as a starter by Compton prior to the game against Dallas on Oct. 26.
Lauvao concussion among other injuries
In addition to Williams, four other Redskins players left the game with injuries. Left guard Shawn Lauvao sustained a concussion early in the fourth quarter and did not return, while nose tackle Chris Baker sprained the sternoclavicular joint in his right shoulder, coach Jay Gruden said. Baker, injured with 14:04 left in the third quarter, was able to return to the game.
Gruden said tight end Jordan Reed sustained an unspecified hamstring injury, while outside linebacker Trent Murphy aggravated an existing injury in one of his knees.
Cofield, Hankerson return to action
Nose tackle Barry Cofield and wide receiver Leonard Hankerson both returned from injury. Cofield sustained a high right ankle sprain in the season-opening loss at Houston, subsequently had groin surgery and missed the next eight games, while Hankerson was sidelined for all of training camp, the preseason and the first nine games after undergoing surgery to repair the ACL and LCL in his left knee.
“It was good to be back out there,” said Cofield, who played primarily as a defensive end on Sunday. “I enjoy being out there with my teammates. I’m sore. I’m working through it. Hopefully, it will get better each week.”
Extra points
After making 11 consecutive field goal attempts, Kai Forbath missed both tries on Sunday, sending a 47-yard attempt in the second quarter and a 50-yard attempt in the third quarter wide right. Forbath, who is now 15-for-18 on the season, hadn’t missed since the Redskins’ loss at Philadelphia on Sept. 21. … Running back Alfred Morris moved into seventh place in team history in rushing yards by gaining a season-high 96 yards on Sunday. … Defensive end Stephen Bowen was inactive, marking the first time he has been a healthy scratch for a game since Week 2 of the 2008 season, when he played for Dallas. Bowen was activated from the physically-unable-to-perform list prior to the Redskins’ victory over Tennessee on Oct. 19 and played in the following two games as a reserve. Also inactive on Sunday were Polumbus, quarterback Kirk Cousins, wide receivers Santana Moss and Aldrick Robinson, right guard Spencer Long and cornerback Greg Ducre. … Tampa Bay’s 20-point victory broke a unique scoring streak: The last seven games between the Redskins and the Buccaneers had been decided by six points or fewer. … The Redskins and Buccaneers have played nine times in the last 12 years, including three of the last five, and will face off again next year at FedEx Field.
• Zac Boyer can be reached at zboyer@washingtontimes.com.
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