Matt Ryan became the latest star quarterback to go down in a rugged season for passers, injuring his right ankle when he was sacked by the Los Angeles Rams’ Aaron Donald in the Atlanta Falcons’ blowout loss on Sunday.
The 2016 MVP had been his usual consistent self for the struggling Falcons, throwing for at least 300 yards in each of Atlanta’s first six games. That streak came to an end Sunday against the Rams’ pass rush, which sacked him five times as Atlanta fell to 1-6.
Ryan’s right leg bent awkwardly as he was sacked by Donald and fumbled early in the fourth quarter. He limped off the field and was escorted to the medical tent on the sideline before he walked to the locker room, still favoring the ankle.
Coach Dan Quinn said he did not know the severity of Ryan’s injury. Ryan wore a walking boot in the locker room and was not made available for his usual postgame news conference.
The Falcons also lost running back Ito Smith with head and neck injuries. He was carted off the field late in the first quarter after a helmet-to-helmet hit from Rams linebacker Cory Littleton that did not draw a flag.
Elsewhere on Sunday, the Jacksonville Jaguars survived some injuries on defense to beat the winless Cincinnati Bengals. Linebackers Najee Goode (foot) and Cam Robinson (toe) were hurt in the first half. In the second half, defensive tackle Marcell Dareus had an abdominal injury and linebacker Quincy Williams left with a hamstring injury.
In the Colts’ victory over the Houston Texans, Indianapolis defensive tackle Carl Davis did not return after injuring his hamstring in the second half. For Houston, cornerback Phillip Gaines was carted off the field late with what appeared to be a lower leg injury. Wide receiver Will Fuller left during Houston’s first series with a hamstring injury and did not return, and safety Tashaun Gipson injured his back late in the first quarter.
Vikings wide receiver Adam Thielen suffered a hamstring injury while scoring his seventh touchdown of the season in Minnesota’s victory over the Detroit Lions. He did not return. Minnesota defensive end Everson Griffen limped off the field in the third quarter.
For the Lions, running back Kerryon Johnson (knee) and cornerback Darius Slay (hamstring) were injured during the game and did not return.
The Washington Redskins lost safety Montae Nicholson to a right ankle injury in their defeat to San Francisco. Nicholson was carted off the sideline.
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