Barry Foster's run at his best year and Deion Sanders' sprint toward another touchdown were slowed by injuries Sunday.
Foster probably will miss two or three games after spraining his left knee on the second play of Pittsburgh's 14-10 win over Cincinnati.Foster, on a pace to nearly match his 1,690-yard rushing season of 1992, left the game one play after being hurt. He will undergo a magnetic resonance imaging test Monday, although Steelers coach Bill Cowher was told by team doctors the injury was not too bad.
"We don't think it's anything serious," Cowher said. "I have all the confidence that Bam Morris will be a solid replacement."
Foster led the AFC with 518 yards in five games until the Steelers' bye last weekend. He began Sunday second in the AFC to Marshall Faulk of
Indianapolis. Foster missed the Steelers' final seven games last season with an ankle injury. He was injury-free this year until twisting his knee.
Sanders strained his groin as he high-stepped into the end zone at the end of a 93-yard interception return in the second quarter of San Francisco's 42-3 romp over Atlanta.
Sanders did not play in the second half against his former team, but said he would be ready for next week's game against Cleveland.
Washington quarterback Heath Shuler, return man Rocket Ismail of the Los Angeles Raiders and running back Adrian Murrell of the New York Jets were among other players hurt Sunday.
Shuler sprained his right ankle in the second quarter and was out for one series in Washington's 19-16 overtime loss to Arizona. The Redskins said the injury would be evaluated Monday.
Murrell, however, will be out for four weeks after spraining his knee in the Jets' 24-17 win over New England. In that game, the Patriots lost receiver Vincent Brisby with a hamstring injury in the first half.
Ismail sustained a slight concussion when he was hit hard by Miami's Bernie Parmalee on a kickoff return in the Raiders' 20-17 overtime loss. Ismail did not return.
Also, Raiders cornerback Lionel Washington injured his ribs in the second quarter and was taken to the locker room for X-rays. He played in the second
half. Buffalo rookie defensive back Jeff Burris sprained his left knee in the second quarter against Indianapolis and did not return. The Colts won 27-17.