So much for the Minnesota Vikings' plan of Teddy Bridgewater learning behind veteran quarterback Matt Cassel.
Cassel fractured several bones in his left foot during a scramble in the second quarter of a 20-9 loss to the New Orleans Saints on Sunday.
Bridgewater, the first-round pick from Louisville, completed 12 of 20 passes for 150 yards without a touchdown or an interception, leading two drives for field goals.
Cassel was hurt on a 5-yard scramble to set up a field goal early in the second quarter. Coach Mike Zimmer said X-rays revealed the broken bones.
It is not clear how long Cassel will be out, but the injury leaves Bridgewater as Minnesota's quarterback for the foreseeable future.
Bridgewater entered the game on Minnesota's third possession, leading a 10-play, 51-yard drive for a field goal.
Cassel was 5 of 10 for 53 yards before leaving. Bridgewater finished 12 of 20 for 150 yards.
"We can't worry about what we don't have," Zimmer said. "We have to worry about what we do have and how we go forward. No one is going to feel sorry for us. No one is going to cry about we don't have this guy or that guy."
The Vikings' offense looks completely different than what Minnesota expected as recently as Tuesday. Team officials initially announced star running back Adrian Peterson would play after he missed last Sunday's 30-7 loss to New England.
They later changed course and said he would leave the team indefinitely to deal with child-abuse allegations.
Woodhead out
The San Diego Chargers are also short-handed in the offensive backfield but at least their loss came during a victory.
Running back Danny Woodhead hurt his right ankle in a 22-10 victory over the Buffalo Bills. Quarterback Philip Rivers said he expects Woodhead to miss at least a few weeks.
Woodhead was hurt on a 1-yard run, when he was stopped by diving defensive tackle Kyle Williams, who hit Woodhead directly in the ankle, which appeared to twist underneath the player.
Woodhead was briefly treated on the field before being loaded onto a cart. Starter Ryan Mathews was already out with a sprained right knee.
Pitta in pain
Baltimore Ravens tight end Dennis Pitta was taken to a hospital with a potentially serious hip injury. Pitta, who played only four games last season after dislocating his right hip in training camp, appeared to re-injure the same hip after catching a short pass from Joe Flacco late in the first half of a 23-21 victory over the Cleveland Browns.
The 6-foot-4, 245-pound Pitta took several steps before stumbling and falling without any contact. Pitta stayed on the ground in obvious pain and was consoled by teammates as the medical staff evaluated him.
He was driven to the locker room, then taken to the hospital for further tests.
Pitta's career was in jeopardy before he underwent surgery last year on his hip. He signed a five-year, $32 million contract with Baltimore in March. The Ravens didn't have a postgame update on Pitta.
Injury celebration
The most bizarre injury of the day was to Lions linebacker Stephen Tulloch. He left Detroit's 19-7 victory over the Green Bay Packers in the first quarter after hurting his left knee while celebrating a sack of Aaron Rodgers.
Tulloch jumped through the air and looked as if he was trying to mimic the Green Bay quarterback's "title belt" celebration, but then he fell to the ground. He tried to play on, but left the game a short while later.
"I've played nine years in the league and I've never missed a game," Tulloch said. "I've been fortunate enough to take care of my family and do some good things in the league. I made a play on the quarterback to help my team and unfortunately I got up and in the celebration, and it happened.
"I'm not embarrassed."
McFadden can't celebrate
The New England Patriots had trouble getting into the end zone.
Defensive tackle Vince Wilfork made sure the Oakland Raiders stayed out of the end zone in the final minute.
An interception by the 325-pound Wilfork near his goal line gave the heavily favored Patriots the ball with 51 seconds left, and they ran out the clock to hold off the Raiders 16-9 on Sunday.
"It was a team play," Wilfork said after his third career interception. "I just happened to catch it."
The ball deflected off Logan Ryan after Rob Ninkovich jarred it loose from intended receiver Denarius Moore. On the previous play, Darren McFadden's 6-yard potential tying run into the end zone was nullified by a holding penalty against guard Gabe Jackson.
"When I turned around and everybody wasn't coming to celebrate with me, I knew something wasn't right," McFadden (Pulaski Oak Grove, Arkansas Razorbacks) said.
Sports on 09/22/2014