Four starting quarterbacks were forced out of games on an injury-riddled Sunday afternoon in the NFL.
The Miami Dolphins’ Tua Tagovailoa was carted off with a rib injury in the first quarter of Miami’s 35-0 loss to the Buffalo Bills, while the Houston Texans’ Tyrod Taylor left with a hamstring injury after securing a 14-7 lead over the Cleveland Browns with a 15-yard scramble to the end zone in the second quarter. The Browns rallied to win 31-21.
“They are getting tests done on Tua,” Dolphins coach Brian Flores said. “We don’t know the severity of the injury right now,”
Jacoby Brissett stepped in for Tagovailoa, who was blasted by Bills defensive end A.J. Epenesa while attempting to complete a pass on fourth down on Miami’s second possession.
Tagovailoa was assisted by trainers, who helped him walk to the sideline and later loaded the second-year quarterback onto a cart to take him to the locker room. NFL Network reported X-rays were negative and described the injury as bruised ribs.
Chicago Bears’ first-round pick Justin Fields took over for Andy Dalton in the second half of their 20-17 home win over the Cincinnati Bengals after the veteran quarterback appeared to suffer a knee injury.
Head coach Matt Nagy said the medical staff ruled out a torn ACL and that Dalton was available to re-enter the game if Fields was injured.
Nagy would not commit to a starter for Week 3.
“I’m not going to get into any of that,” Nagy said.
Carson Wentz, meanwhile, left in the fourth quarter of the Indianapolis Colts’ 27-24 loss to the Los Angeles Rams after hurting his ankle.
“He rolled it up pretty bad,” Colts coach Frank Reich said. “I kind of had a sense when we walked off the field because I saw that it didn’t look good,” . “The longer we were off the field there it just stiffened up. He tried, but there was no chance.”
The quarterback woes were among a spate of injuries among key NFL players on Sunday.
Three-time Pro Bowl linebacker T.J. Watt left during the Pittsburgh Steelers’ 26-17 loss against the Las Vegas Raiders after suffering a groin injury. The injury comes days after Watt signed a four-year contract extension worth a reported $112 million to become the league’s highest-paid defensive player.
Denver Broncos linebacker Bradley Chubb and Browns wide receiver Jarvis Landry, a five-time pro bowler, also left their respective games against the Jacksonville Jaguars and Texans with injuries.
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