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Lions Lose DT Jones To Season-Ending Knee Injury

The Detroit Lions were already dealing with a major injury on offense when they sustained a big one on defense.

Defensive tackle Jason Jones ruptured the patella tendon in his left knee in the second quarter of the Lions' 27-20 win over the Washington Redskins on Sunday and will miss the rest of the season.

Jones was carted off after a pass play with 5:55 remaining in the first half.

"We got other guys," Detroit coach Jim Schwartz said. "Willie Young is playing outstanding ball. Ziggy (Ezekiel Ansah). And Devin Taylor had a heck of a football game, and it will be his time to step up."

The Lions knew before the opening kickoff they would be without running back Reggie Bush, who injured his left knee last week in a loss to Arizona. But Detroit overcame that and Jones' injury to improve to 2-1.

Jones signed with the Lions as a free agent in March. The 2008 second-round draft pick spent four years with the Tennessee Titans and then played last year with Seattle.

The Lions weren't the only NFL defense to sustain a blow Sunday, as the Miami Dolphins lost end Cameron Wake (knee) and linebacker Koa Misi (shoulder) to injuries in their 27-23 home win over the Atlanta Falcons.

Wake's absence meant more playing time for top draft pick Dion Jordan, who has been a backup at end so far this season.

The Chargers were already banged-up heading into their visit to Tennessee and couldn't overcome them in a 20-17 loss. Right tackle D.J. Fluker was sidelined by a concussion, receiver Malcolm Floyd was out with a neck injury, and cornerback Shareece Wright sat out with a hamstring injury.

Linebacker Donald Butler was scratched before kickoff, and left guard Chad Rinehart hurt his foot in the first half and didn't return.

Tampa Bay lost leading receiver Vincent Jackson to a rib injury in the third quarter, and he was unable to return to the Buccaneers' 23-3 loss at New England.

The Dallas Cowboys had troubles at receiver as Miles Austin injured a hamstring and didn't come back to his club's 31-7 home win over the Rams.

St. Louis was hampered on defense when backup DE William Hayes, who had been dealing with a hip problem, came out in the first half because of a knee injury.

Minnesota also had a problem with its defense against a Cleveland team that totaled 16 points and one touchdown over the first two games. Top cornerback Chris Cook injured a groin muscle in the first quarter and didn't return, and fellow cornerback A.J. Jefferson sustained an ankle injury in the Vikings' 31-27 home loss.

Both sides struggled to keep their players in the game in the New York Jets' wild 27-20 home win over their AFC East rivals, the Buffalo Bills. Buffalo running back C.J. Spiller was knocked out in the third quarter by a knee injury. It was uncertain when Spiller was injured, but he had just 10 carries for 9 yards when he left.

Also, Bills cornerback Leodis McKelvin and Jets running back Chris Ivory left with hamstring injuries. Neither player returned to the game.

McKelvin went down twice during the Jets' opening drive in the first quarter, grabbing at his right hamstring each time. After the second, he slammed his helmet to the ground as he walked to the sideline. McKelvin was examined by trainers, and then watched from the sideline with his right leg wrapped in ice.

It was a tough blow to an already depleted secondary for the Bills, who were without starting cornerback Stephon Gilmore and safety Jairus Byrd.

Ivory also left midway through the second quarter, and had 5 yards rushing before being checked out by trainers on the sideline.

Bills right guard Kraig Urbik left late in the second period with a knee injury, but returned to start the third quarter.

Buffalo defensive lineman Marcell Dareus left midway through the third quarter with an ankle injury, and defensive end Alex Carrington was carted off late in the game with an apparent left knee injury.

San Francisco All-Pro linebacker Patrick Willis went down on a 25-yard pass from Indianapolis' Andrew Luck to Reggie Wayne and was helped off the field moments later with a groin injury that sidelined him for the rest of the Colts' 27-7 victory.

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AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org

(© Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

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