Troy Aikman could miss the rest of the season with a torn collateral ligament in his right knee, Jeff Hostetler will miss at least two games and Lawrence Taylor needs more testing on his sprained left knee.
Half a dozen NFL teams spent Monday diagnosing injuries from Sunday's games. San Diego quarterback John Friesz hurt an ankle, and Denver wide receiver Mark Jackson dislocated a wrist.Dallas tight end Jay Novacek, one of Aikman's favorite targets, sprained a knee, and Giants offensive tackle Doug Riesenberg, who protects Hostetler, sprained his right ankle.
Aikman, who separated a shoulder in last year's playoff drive, is expected to be out of action for three to four weeks.
"We don't want him back until he can be productive and not endanger himself," Cowboys coach Jimmy Johnson said. "We won't put Troy into the game unless he is 100 percent ready. We're not going to aggravate the injury."
Backup Steve Beuerlein, who led the Cowboys to their victory over Washington, will start even though he's limping with a sprained left ankle.
"A year ago we were flat when Aikman went down," Johnson said. "We think we can win with Beuerlein."
Hostetler broke three lumbar transverse processes when tackled by Broderick Thomas in the third quarter against Tampa Bay.
The early prognosis calls for Hostetler to miss at least two games, and possibly more. That makes Phil Simms the No. 1 quarterback again, a position he held from 1984 until this season, when Hostetler won the job in training camp.
"Things won't change much," Simms said. "For 12 weeks we've had our ups and downs. So far we haven't been statistically good for any one stretch."
Ray Handley, the Giants' rookie coach, walked out of a news conference when pressed by a reporter to answer whether Simms would be the Giants' No. 1 quarterback when, and if, Hostetler was able to return to the lineup.
"That's a ridiculous question," Handley said, later adding: "I don't want questions about the quarterback situation here with the Giants. It's not fair to Hostetler, Simms or me."
Taylor, the Pro Bowl linebacker who in 11 seasons has missed just one game due to injury, was scheduled to undergo testing on his sprained left knee Monday night.
Meanwhile, New Orleans quarterback Bobby Hebert said he will try to practice with the Saints on Wednesday to test the injured right shoulder that has kept him out of action for three weeks.
"He'll go out with pads on, and he will throw to the extent he can throw," New Orleans coach Jim Mora said. "When he can execute his job without pain, he'll play."
Miami tackle Alfred Oglesby could miss the rest of Miami's season with a knee injury and Dolphins receiver Fred Banks is out for the rest of the year with a fractured leg.
Steelers wide receiver Chris Calloway, who sprained his right knee, will miss Thursday's game at Dallas.
Pittsburgh tight end Eric Green, who fractured his right ankle in practice last week, underwent surgery Monday. Dr. Thomas Cowan installed a plate in Green's fibula to stabilize the broken bone. Green, the Steelers' leading receiver with 41 receptions and six touchdowns in 11 games, won't play for the rest of the season.
Riesenberg has a sprained right ankle and cornerback Mark Collins has a rib injury, making both questionable for the Giants' game against Cincinnati on Sunday.