TEMPE, Ariz. — Jacksonville quarterback Byron Leftwich is expected to miss at least a month after suffering a broken bone in his left ankle early in the first quarter against the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday.
"He's got a crack in the ankle," coach Jack Del Rio said after his team's 24-17 victory. "The best-case scenario is about a month out, depending on how quickly he heals, and it could be worse. We just won't know until we see how the injury heals."
The injury occurred on the Jags' first offensive play. Leftwich stayed in the game for four more plays, then later was carted off the field for X-rays.
Leftwich, the team's first-round pick in 2003, was replaced by David Garrard, who capped the opening drive with a 16-yard touchdown run.
"That's my job to step in when Byron goes down," said Garrard, a fourth-year player. "And it's happened now, so I've got to step up and do my job and everyone here has my back. I don't feel like I have to have the pressure, going out and winning every game on my own, putting all the games on my shoulder."
"He's got a crack in the ankle," coach Jack Del Rio said after his team's 24-17 victory. "The best-case scenario is about a month out, depending on how quickly he heals, and it could be worse. We just won't know until we see how the injury heals."
The injury occurred on the Jags' first offensive play. Leftwich stayed in the game for four more plays, then later was carted off the field for X-rays.
Leftwich, the team's first-round pick in 2003, was replaced by David Garrard, who capped the opening drive with a 16-yard touchdown run.
"That's my job to step in when Byron goes down," said Garrard, a fourth-year player. "And it's happened now, so I've got to step up and do my job and everyone here has my back. I don't feel like I have to have the pressure, going out and winning every game on my own, putting all the games on my shoulder."
Dec 22 Bart Hubbuch, of the Florida Times-Union, reports Jacksonville Jaguars QB Byron Leftwich (ankle) will begin running Friday, Dec. 23, less than a month after being sidelined by a fractured bone in his ankle. Head coach Jack Del Rio said he hasn't ruled out a return by Leftwich for the Sunday, Jan. 1, regular-season finale against Tennessee.
