Green Bay Packers running back Cedric Benson has been sidelined for at least eight weeks with a Lisfranc foot injury suffered Sunday in a 30-27 loss to the Indianapolis Colts.
According to two sources that spoke with ESPN, doctors will determine if the injury will require season-ending foot surgery.
Benson is scheduled to undergo further evaluation by doctors, who will examine the current MRI that has already been taken, according to sources.
A Lisfranc foot injury is an injury in which one or all of the metatarsal bones are displaced from the tarsus.
Benson, who signed a one-year contract with the Packers last summer, had already been ruled out for Sunday night’s game against the Texans by head coach Mike McCarthy.
Benson is currently the teams leading rusher with 248 yards through five games. For the last three of his seasons with the Cincinnati Bengals, he rushed for over 1,000 yards each year.
The Packers will now have to look to second year running back Alex Green for a much-needed offensive punch. Green replaced Benson in the loss, rushing for 55 yards on nine carries. They will also look to Brandon Saine and James Starks, who has been sidelined by a toe injury the first five games this season.
Although young, McCarthy seemed to be encouraged by the play of Green.
“Alex did some good things (against the Colts),” McCarthy said. “There’s some things he’ll definitely learn form. . . (He is) a young guy that took advantage of an opportunity, and this will be an opportunity for him and James and Brandon to play this week against Houston.”
Green Bay needs a boost after two heart-breaking losses in the last three weeks. They were on the wrong end of the last call by the replacement officials, Golden Tate’s controversial last-second touchdown catch when it appeared the Packers M.D. Jennings had made an interception; and the Colts’ comeback from 18 points down for an emotional win Sunday dedicated to coach Chuck Pagano, who is hospitalized battling leukemia.
