Houston Texans inside linebacker Brian Cushing suffered a left knee injury during the second quarter of Monday night's 23-17 victory over the New York Jets and didn't return.
Jets left guard Matt Slausoncut down Cushing from behind on a chop block while the linebacker pursued running back Bilal Powell.
Cushing, a fourth-year NFL veteran, walked off the field and was examined by trainers behind the bench. Running back Arian Foster approached and gave his teammate a hug before Cushing retreated to the locker room.
Harrison: Week 6 Power Rankings
With five weeks in the books, the league hierarchy still is taking shape. Elliot Harrison updates his pecking order. **More ...**
This is a costly loss for the Texans, who aren't deep on the inside at linebacker. Mister Alexander and Tim Dobbins will be asked to step up.
Update: The Texans fear Cushing has a torn anterior cruciate ligament, a source who spoke with Cushing told NFL.com and NFL Network reporter Ian Rapoport on Tuesday, but they won't know for sure until after Cushing undergoes an MRI exam.
The Houston Chronicle's John McClain first reported that Cushing's injury is believed to be a torn ACL.
Follow Marc Sessler on Twitter @MarcSesslerNFL.