QB Alex Smith’s horror leg injury leaves Washington reeling

The Washington Redskins’ season took a precarious turn on Sunday when starting quarterback Alex Smith suffered a gruesome broken leg, an injury that reverberated around the National Football League.

Smith’s season-ending broken right tibia and fibula in a 23-21 loss to the Houston Texans was a painful image that left the Redskins with much to digest.

“When we get to that (play in the game film), we’ll speed past it — watching it hurts yourself,” Redskins offensive lineman Chase Roullier told the Washington Post.

Washington coach Jay Gruden said Smith’s misfortune, which happened when he was sacked by JJ Watt and Kareem Jackson in the third quarter, left his team with heavy hearts.

When you have an injury like that, it’s more heartbreaking than it is physical. Just breaks your heart. It’s just hard to watch that happen to any athlete.

Now the Redskins must start the challenging process of building without Smith, the signal-caller they traded for in the off-season and signed to a four-year extension.

Backup QB Colt McCoy does not immediately evoke excitement, particularly as Washington (6-4) cling to a one-game lead atop the NFC East Division.

The 32-year-old McCoy is just 7-18 as a career starter and could be leading an offence that already lacks punch. The Redskins are reeling from injuries, and are without All-Pro offensive lineman Trent Williams, starting wide receiver Jamison Crowder and running back Chris Thompson.

Washington could pursue another quarterback replacement, but after their latest setback the team had little choice but to rally around McCoy.

“I’m a big firm believer in Colt McCoy’s talent,” Gruden said. “This is the opportunity of a lifetime for him.”

The future circumstances for the 34-year-old Smith are now also dicey. Same day 33 years ago, Washington Hall of Fame QB Joe Theismann suffered a ghastly leg fracture that ended his career.

Players took to social media to send Smith well wishes.

“Prayers for my guy man! You will bounce back!” Kansas City Chiefs’ quarterback Patrick Mahomes tweeted.

Houston’s win put them two games clear in the AFC South after the Indianapolis Colts beat divisional rivals the Tennessee Titans 38-10. Andrew Luck threw for 297 yards and three touchdowns, two to wide receiver TY Hilton.

The division’s fourth team, the Jacksonville Jaguars, blew a 16-0 lead to lose 20-16 to the Pittsburgh Steelers. Leonard Fournette ran for 95 yards and a touchdown on 28 carries but Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger overcame a slow start to throw for 314 yards and two touchdowns before diving in for the game-winner himself with five seconds left.

The New Orleans Saints inflicted a crushing 48-7 defeat on last season’s Super Bowl champions the Philadelphia Eagles to equal the best record in the league.

The victory over the Eagles was the Saints’ ninth in a row and third-straight victory with a double-digit margin, with Drew Brees finding the end zone four times.

Brees, who completed 22 of 30 passes for 363 yards, drove the Saints to a 17-0 lead early in the second, when Josh Adams’ 28-yard rush put the Eagles on the board.

But it was one-way traffic after that: Tre’Quan Smith found the endzone to put the Saints up 24-7 at the half and two more scores in the third from Michael Thomas and Mark Ingram put the result beyond doubt. Alvin Kamara got in on the action with a 37-yard score in the fourth, before a Wil Lutz field goal rounded off the scoring.

The Chicago Bears won the battle of the NFC North after seeing off rivals the Minnesota Vikings 25-20.

The Bears scored 14 without reply in the first half, with Cody Parkey making a pair of field goals and Mitchell Trubisky hitting Anthony Miller for an 18-yard touchdown.

Two late touchdowns from the Vikings brought them to 25-20, but a two-point attempt failed so Minnesota needed a touchdown with 48 seconds left to play. Bailey’s onside kick went straight into the hands of Chicago’s Benny Cunningham and two kneel-downs saw the clock run out.

The Baltimore Ravens beat the Cincinnati Bengals 24-21 in the battle for second in the AFC North behind Pittsburgh. Lamar Jackson, making his first Ravens start with Joe Flacco injured, threw for just 150 yards but ran for 117 yards on 27 carries.

The Dallas Cowboys beat the Atlanta Falcons 22-19 to move just one win behind Washington in the NFC East, Brett Maher with a last-second field goal after Dak Prescott and Ezekiel Elliott both ran for touchdowns in a dramatic fourth quarter.

Saquon Barkley led the New York Giants to a 38-35 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the rookie running back with two touchdowns on the ground and another through the air. The Buccs benched Ryan Fitzpatrick after three interceptions and returned to the embattled Jameis Winston under centre.

The Carolina Panthers failed with a late two-point conversion as they lost 20-19 to the Detroit Lions.

Last-second field goals helped the Oakland Raiders beat the Arizona Cardinals 23-21 and the Denver Broncos edged the LA Chargers 23-22.