The reeling New Orleans Saints may have lost much more than a game on Monday.
Two Saints sources told ESPN's Ed Werder after the 31-14 loss to the Tennessee Titans that the preliminary diagnosis on running back Deuce McAllister is that he has a torn ACL in his left knee and will likely miss the remainder of the season.
An MRI is scheduled for Tuesday to confirm that diagnosis. Officially, the Saints say only that McAllister has a left knee injury and will have an MRI.
McAllister limped off after catching a 1-yard pass and going
down awkwardly with about 8 minutes left in the half. He was
checked out on the sideline, then headed off for further treatment.
He didn't return to the game.
Later in the second quarter, Titans quarterback Vince Young took a hard shot from Saints end Will Smith after delivering a pass. The second-year quarterback flexed
his right wrist on the sideline and wound up heading to the locker
room in the final minute, but he was OK.
After Kerry Collins played the last series of the half for the
Titans, Young was back at the start of the third quarter. Tennessee
led 10-7.
At the time of his injury, Young had completed 9-of-16 passes
for 125 yards, including a 35-yard touchdown pass to Brandon Jones. He finished 14-of-22 for 164 yards and two touchdowns, with one interception.
McAllister finished with 5 yards on four carries, and Reggie Bush managed only 15 yards. The Saints struggled to 34 yards on the ground while falling to 0-3.
McAllister rushed for 1,057 yards and 10 touchdowns last season as New Orleans made it to the NFC Championship Game before losing to the Chicago Bears.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.