Several helmet-to-helmet hits Sunday caused injuries to some of the NFL’s top playmakers.
Philadelphia wide receiver DeSean Jackson suffered a concussion and Atlanta cornerback Dunta Robinson injured his head on the same nasty, head-on collision in the second quarter.
Eagles coach Andy Reid gave no estimate how long Jackson might be sidelined. Same thing for Falcons coach Mike Smith about Robinson.
“He seems to be fine,” Smith said of the cornerback Atlanta signed as a free agent in the offseason. “It was a very violent collision. I saw him and knew he couldn’t return, and that’s all I really know.”
Both players stayed on the turf for several minutes before being helped from the field. Jackson dropped a pass when hit by Robinson, who led with his head and hit Jackson in the helmet. Robinson was flagged for hitting a defenseless receiver.
“That was scary,” Eagles receiver Jeremy Maclin said.
Also, Lions linebacker Zack Follett was hospitalized after a violent helmet-to-helmet hit with a Giants player while covering a fourth- quarter kickoff return.
The Lions said Follett was conscious and had full movement in his limbs. He was scheduled to stay in Hackensack University Medical Center overnight for observation.
Follett’s injury was frightening. He lay on the field for about five minutes while attended to by medical personnel from both teams. A backboard was placed under his back. He was placed on a stretcher and carted off the field.
Finally, Browns wide receiver Joshua Cribbs walked off the field despite being leveled by a helmet-to-helmet hit by the Steelers’ James Harrison.
Texans’ Ryan tears Achilles tendon
HOUSTON — Texans all-pro middle linebacker DeMeco Ryans will miss the rest of the season after tearing his left Achilles tendon just before halftime against the Chiefs.
“It is tough,” said Ryans, a second-round pick in 2006 who has had more than 110 tackles in each of his first four NFL seasons. “It was heartbreaking to hear the news that you’re done for the season.”
Injury updates.
Chargers tight end Antonio Gates left the game against the Rams with a left ankle injury and will undergo an X-ray and an MRI today.
• Detroit lost starting quarterback Shaun Hill, who broke his left arm late in the first half.
Buyers beware
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — More than 50 people were turned away after trying to get into the Patriots-Ravens after buying counterfeit tickets on that cost as much as $400.
“Buying tickets through Craigslist is an extremely risky, ‘buyer beware’ proposition,” Patriots spokesman Stacey James said. “We strongly encourage Patriots fans to avoid Craigslist and similar sites.”
