From All-pro wide receivers Steve Smith and Calvin Johnson to star running backs Le'Veon Bell and Matt Forte to two Pro Bowl defenders in Cleveland, it was another rough day for injuries to some of the NFL's biggest stars.
Smith, the Baltimore Ravens receiver, was lost for the season when he tore the Achilles' tendon in his right foot late in the third quarter against San Diego.
Smith, 36, made a nice grab in traffic, curled back and was tackled by Chargers cornerback Jason Verrett after a 17-yard gain. Verrett wrapped Smith up by the right foot, and he immediately went face down to the turf, pointing to his foot.
Smith had five catches for 82 yards at the time he was injured. He came into the game as Baltimore's leading receiver with 41 receptions for 588 yards and 3 touchdowns.
In London, Calvin Johnson suffered an injury while making his biggest catch of the day, a 30-yard sideline grab to the Kansas City 47. Johnson was well covered by the Chiefs' Sean Smith but outjumped the cornerback to make the catch. Johnson limped off the field with 10 minutes left in the fourth quarter.
In Pittsburgh, Bell was carted off the field with a knee injury in the Steelers' loss to Cincinnati and Browns cornerback Joe Haden and safety Donte Whitner both left the game against Arizona with concussions.
Bell's right knee twisted awkwardly underneath him during a tackle by linebacker Vontaze Burfict. He didn't put any weight on the leg as he was helped to a cart and taken from the field, a development that overshadowed Ben Roethlisberger's return from a four-game injury absence.
Bell entered the week fifth in the NFL in rushing with 511 yards despite missing the first two games because of a suspension.
In Chicago, Bears all-purpose running back Matt Forte left the game in the third quarter with a knee injury and did not return.
Saints running back Khiry Robinson was carted off with an ugly injury to his lower right leg against the Giants in New Orleans.
In Dallas, Seattle Seahawks receiver Ricardo Lockette sustained a concussion but had movement in all his extremities after being taken off the field on a stretcher when knocked down late in the second quarter against the Cowboys.
In other injury news, 49ers running back Reggie Bush left in the first half with a knee injury; Falcons cornerback Desmond Trufant left with a lower back injury in the third quarter; Bears wide receiver Eddie Royal left with a knee injury; Giants tight end Larry Donnell injured his neck; running back Orleans Darkwa left with a back injury and 49ers TE Garrett Celek had a concussion and safety L.J. McCray left with a knee injury.
Caldwell expects to stay
Joe Philbin was fired as Miami Dolphins coach after his team turned in an abysmal performance in London last month, and Dennis Allen met the same fate when his Oakland Raiders got run out of Wembley Stadium last year.
But Detroit Lions Coach Jim Caldwell said after his team's 45-10 blowout loss to the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday that he expects to remain in his job when the team returns from London later Sunday night.
"Hey, you know what, I'm working every single day," Caldwell said. "My job is to get in and get my job done. Those things are answered by someone else and not me. But I fully anticipate being able to continue to do my job."
The Lions, for the second time in four games, turned in a lifeless performance.
They gave up six sacks, committed two turnovers and had no answer defensively for a Chiefs team that lost its best running back to a knee injury earlier the season and entered the game with just two wins.
Caldwell, who fired three of his assistant coaches earlier this week in hopes of jump-starting his team, said he is not worried about his job security after the Lions' 1-7 start.
"You ask me that question all the time and I'm going to answer the exact same way," Caldwell said. "I told you this is a day-to-day business. I've always known that since 1979 when I first entered, so there's no issue there. It's just the way it is. So leave it at that."
Lions owner Martha Ford, who attended Sunday's game with a large contingent of family members, has not spoken publicly about the Lions' ugly start or the futures of Caldwell and general manager Martin Mayhew.
Mum on suspicions
Patriots Coach Bill Belichick says he's not commenting on reports that the New York Jets had their locker room swept for listening devices when they visited New England.
The Boston Herald reported this week that the Jets asked the NFL to sweep the visiting locker room for bugs before their Oct. 25 game at Gillette Stadium. The paper also reported that three Patriots employees were interrogated before the game.
But on Friday, the NFL said no such request was made by the Jets. League spokesman Brian McCarthy added on Twitter: "We have for years conducted regular and random checks. We do not get into details of specific games."
Asked about the reports on a conference call Sunday, Belichick deferred questions to the league, saying, "We don't have anything to do with any of those things."
Sports on 11/02/2015