EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- Derrick Ward, the New York Giants' leading rusher, suffered a broken leg Sunday against the Chicago Bears and will be out indefinitely.
Ward fractured his left fibula, the thinner of the two bones extending from the knee to the ankle, in the fourth quarter of New York's 21-16 come-from-behind victory. He rushed 24 times for a career-high 154 yards.
"At this point in time it doesn't appear to be surgical, but he will be out," Giants coach Tom Coughlin said Monday. When asked if he thought that meant for the rest of the season, Coughlin said, "That's the way it appears."
Ward, who is in his fourth year, leads the Giants in rushing with 602 yards despite missing the previous four games with ankle and groin injuries.
"It's tough to deal with," Ward said Sunday. "I'll bounce back from this like I bounced back from all the other ones."
Brandon Jacobs, the opening day starter who has missed the last two games with a hamstring injury, could replace Ward on Sunday at Philadelphia.
Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press.
