Kearse Is Out for Season Because of Knee Injury

Jevon Kearse’s season is over because of a severe knee injury the star defensive end sustained in Philadelphia’s overtime loss to the Giants on Sunday.

Kearse, who had 2 1/2 sacks in the game, badly sprained multiple ligaments in his left knee when his leg knocked against Mike Patterson while the two brought down Eli Manning on New York’s first possession of the extra period. Kearse reached for his knee immediately after the play, was helped off the field and carted to the locker room.

The injury includes sprains of the medial collateral ligament, the lateral collateral ligament, and the posterior cruciate ligament. Treatment options have yet to be determined, though surgery is likely.

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Linebacker David Pollack is out for the season because of a neck injury, the most serious setback for the banged-up Cincinnati Bengals during a 34-17 victory over the Cleveland Browns.

He was taken to a local hospital and placed in a halo brace that immobilizes the neck. Coach Marvin Lewis said that Pollack has full feeling in his arms and legs and was expected to make a full recovery without surgery.

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Minnesota Vikings defensive end Erasmus James will have season-ending surgery to repair a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee.

James was hurt on a running play late in the fourth quarter of Sunday’s 16-13 overtime win over Carolina. He probably will rehabilitate the knee for a couple of weeks before having the operation, Coach Brad Childress said.

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Aaron Brooks will be sidelined two to four weeks because of a strained pectoral muscle, giving the Raiders’ starting quarterback job to second-year player Andrew Walter.

Originally, the Raiders thought it was a rotator cuff injury, but an MRI showed it was only a muscle strain. Walter will start Oct. 1 against Cleveland. After that, it will depend on Brooks’ health, Coach Art Shell said.

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Cleveland Browns’ tight end Kellen Winslow claimed he should have been a bigger part of the game plan in a loss to the Bengals, and blamed Browns coaches for a lack of imagination on offense.

“Some of the coaches might be holding us back a little bit,” Winslow said. “We have nothing to lose. I don’t mean to try and go behind their backs or whatever, but we’re 0-2, we have nothing to lose, let’s go.

“Let’s air it out. Let’s run the ball. Let’s make plays. Let’s be exciting.”

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Houston Texans left tackle Charles Spencer had surgery to repair a broken leg after injuring it the previous day against Indianapolis and will sit out the rest of the season.

Coach Gary Kubiak said the surgery went well, but a timetable for his return won’t be known for some time because of the severity of the injury to his tibia.

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A day after Cedric Cobbs nearly fumbled away the overtime kickoff against Kansas City, the Denver Broncos signed former Pittsburgh receiver/returner Quincy Morgan to a one-year deal.