Updated: 1:45 p.m.
The Bengals playoff run underwent a major blow Friday when head coach Marvin Lewis revealed after practice that versatile rookie wide receiver Mohamed Sanu suffered a stress fracture in his left foot during Thursday's practice and indications are he's going on season-ending injured reserve after surgery Monday.
It's believed that Sanu broke the fifth metatarsal, an injury similar to the one former cornerback Johnathan Joseph suffered in the 2007 mandatory minicamp and current right tackle ![]()
Lewis indicated that wide receiver ![]()
Starting running back ![]()
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Sanu's loss is a big one to the offense for a variety of reasons. Sanu has not only caught the first four touchdown passes of his career in the last three games that have been the first three starts of his career and the Bengals have clicked for touchdowns on 11 of their last 13 red-zone trips with Sanu scoring three of them on third down, but he's done a little bit of everything else.
As a Wildcat quarterback against the Redskins, Sanu's first NFL pass was a 73-yard touchdown to wide receiver ![]()
Sanu played mainly in the slot on third down, as does Hawkins. Rookie wide receiver ![]()
"He's had two good weeks of practice," Lewis said. "This week was better than last week."
Lewis was left shaking his head. He had just promoted Sanu to starter on the depth chart on Tuesday.
"It's the first time we had all three guys, Marvin and Andrew (and Sanu) running and playing with confidence yesterday," Lewis said. "For about an hour."
Lewis said Sanu was simply running a route and didn't collide with anyone or get stepped on.
"(Stuff) happens," he said. "It's another weird thing we've had this year, unfortunately."
The Bengals have suffered almost as many season-ending injuries in practice as they have in games. Starting WILL backer ![]()
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WHIT FINED: Left tackle ![]()
TEZ-MANIA: Bengals rookie WILL backer ![]()
WEATHER CHECK: According to the National Weather Service in Wilmington, Ohio, there's a 30 percent chance of showers in San Diego at game time under partly cloudy skies with the temperature at 66 degrees and a wind out of the northwest at about seven miles per hour.


