COWBOYS
RB Dunbar out for season
IRVING, Texas — Dallas running back Lance Dunbar will miss the rest of the season with what appears to be a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee, the latest major injury for an offense already missing quarterback Tony Romo and wide receiver Dez Bryant. Coach Jason Garrett said Monday an MRI would determine the damage in Dunbar’s knee and that a decision on surgery would come later. Dunbar injured the knee returning the second-half kickoff in a 26-20 overtime loss at New Orleans on Sunday.
Romo is out at least five more games after missing two with a broken left collarbone. Bryant could return from a broken right foot later this month.
Dallas (2-2) hosts defending Super Bowl champion New England (3-0) on Sunday.
TEXANS
QB Mallett still starter
HOUSTON — Houston is sticking with former Arkansas Razorback Ryan Mallett as its starting quarterback despite his recent struggles.
Mallett threw an interception and didn’t lead the Texans to any points before being replaced by Brian Hoyer late in a 48-21 loss to the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday.
Hoyer threw two touchdown passes and directed three scoring drives late against a Falcons defense that had pulled most of its starters. Hoyer won the job out of camp but was benched after one game in favor of Mallett.
The Texans (1-3) have a short turnaround before hosting AFC South foe Indianapolis on Thursday night.
Coach Bill O’Brien said that Mallett is their starter, but that he “knows he has to play better.”
RAMS
LB Ogletree set for surgery
ST. LOUIS — St. Louis outside linebacker Alec Ogletree, the team’s leading tackler, will undergo surgery today for a broken right ankle and could be out for the season.
Coach Jeff Fisher said Monday the team would have a better idea after the procedure. He said Ogletree attended team meetings and was optimistic he could be placed on injured reserve/ designated for return.
“You have to look long and hard to find a linebacker playing better than he did the first four weeks,” Fisher said. “We just have to look at the integrity of the entire ankle.”
Akeem Ayers will become the starter for now and safety Mark Barron, who’s subbed in on passing downs, will get more time. Ayers made four starts for New England last season before getting a one-year deal in St. Louis.
The team is bringing in outside linebacker Jo-Lonn Dunbar, among the final cuts before the opener, for a physical. He was a starter for three years from 2012-2014.
Ogletree was hurt when teammate T.J. McDonald landed on his legs while trying to make a diving tackle in the second half of Sunday’s 24-22 victory at Arizona. He had 11 tackles against the Cardinals and has 55 on the season, hitting double figures every game.
BUCCANEERS
K Brindza waived
TAMPA, Fla. — Kyle Brindza has missed his last kick for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
The young kicker’s struggles the past two weeks cost him his job Monday, a day after the rookie from Notre Dame missed two field-goal attempts and an extra point during a 37-23 loss to NFC South rival Carolina.
Brindza also missed three field goals and an extra point the previous week in a 10-point loss at Houston, making him 2 of 7 on field goal tries with two missed extra points against the Panthers and Texans.
The Bucs (1-3) will look at potential replacements today and sign Brindza’s successor before practice Wednesday. Tampa Bay hosts Jacksonville (1-3) on Sunday.
RAVENS
WR Smith questionable
OWNINGS MILLS, Md. — Baltimore got its first victory of the season last week but may have lost a pivotal member of their depleted receiving corps in the process.
Steve Smith, the Ravens leading wide receiver, injured his back in Thursday’s victory against Pittsburgh and is listed as day-to-day. Baltimore Coach John Harbaugh declined to say whether Smith would be available for Sunday’s home game against Cleveland, but all signs point to the 15-year veteran missing the game.
“He had a tough injury,” Harbaugh said on Monday. “He’ll be back as soon as he can.”
The Ravens are dealing with several injuries to their receiving corps.
In addition to Smith, Michael Campanaro was placed on injured reserve Saturday with a herniated disc, and first round pick Breshad Perriman has yet to play because of a knee injury.
To add depth, the Ravens acquired wide receiver Chris Givens from St. Louis for a conditional draft pick. Now in his fourth season, the 6-foot Givens has 88 catches for 1,433 yards and 4 touchdowns.
COLTS
QB Luck status unclear
INDIANAPOLIS — Indianapolis quarterback Andrew Luck did some light work during the media portion of Monday’s practice.
He tossed a few very short screen passes and handed off a few times. Whether he’ll do much more — or any more — Thursday night at Houston is still unclear.
Luck did not speak with reporters after Sunday’s 16-13 overtime victory, which he sat out because of an injured right shoulder, or before practice Monday. He is expected to take questions today.
Matt Hasselbeck replaced Luck on Sunday, was 30 of 47 with 282 yards and 1 touchdown and would likely start again Thursday if Luck can’t play.
Indianapolis (2-2) also released third-string quarterback Josh Johnson on Monday and re-signed cornerback Shaun Prater to the active roster.
BEARS
Leg fracture for center
LAKE FOREST, Ill. — Quarterback Jay Cutler seems over his hamstring problems. The Chicago Bears now have to worry about who’s available to block for him.
The loss of center Will Montgomery to a broken left fibula in Sunday’s 22-20 victory over Oakland left the offensive line scrambling, and the grouping for this Sunday’s game in Kansas City appears uncertain at best. Coach John Fox said he had no idea whether Montgomery’s injury was a season-ender, but it definitely forces a shift this week.
“It happens at a lot of positions in a lot of football games in the National Football League,” Fox said Monday. “All your backups have to be ready to play in a moment’s notice, particularly in the O-line because it is such a group dynamic. It’s five guys knowing exactly what the other guy is doing with line calls, pass protection alerts.”
Left guard Matt Slauson shifted over from center after taking what he estimated were just six snaps at center all year and none in a regular-season game.
Montgomery’s injury occurred on the third play, so Slauson played amost the entire contest. That meant newly acquired Patrick Omameh came in at Slauson’s regular spot. The Bears already were without starting left tackle Jermon Bushrod due to a concussion and shoulder injury.
JAGUARS
G Linder placed on IR
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Jacksonville has placed right guard Brandon Linder on injured reserve with a shoulder injury. The team said Monday that Linder will have surgery later this week to repair a torn labrum in his left shoulder. The second-year starter injured his shoulder in practice two weeks ago and aggravated it in a victory against Miami on Sept.
- He was inactive for Sunday’s loss at Indianapolis.
The Jaguars (1-3) signed linebacker James-Michael Johnson to the active roster. Johnson has appeared in 43 career games, spending time with Cleveland (2012), Kansas City (2013-2014) and Tampa Bay (2015). The Jaguars play at the Buccaneers (1-3) on Sunday. Linder has been Jacksonville’s top lineman, starting 15 games as a rookie last season. Third-round draft pick A.J. Cann is expected to replace Linder in the starting lineup.
Linder is the latest in a growing list of injuries for the Jaguars, who are without first-round draft pick Dante Fowler Jr., tight end Julius Thomas, defensive tackle Sen’Derrick Marks and receiver Marqise Lee.