Geno Atkins exits with knee injury

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By Coley Harvey | ESPN.com

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. -- The Cincinnati Bengals have been bitten by the injury bug once again. This time, the victim was a player the team can ill-afford to be without.

Fourth-year defensive tackle Geno Atkins, who was re-signed at the start of the season to a deal that will pay him $55 million, left Thursday night's game against the Miami Dolphins with a right knee injury. Late in the second quarter, the Bengals declared him out for the game. He was replaced by Wallace Gilberry.

The injury came with 4:45 left in the second quarter, when Atkins' leg appeared to get rolled up underneath one of his teammates and a Dolphins ballcarrier, who was being tackled at the end of a 3-yard run. As soon as the play was over, Atkins rolled over onto his right side and took off his helmet.

The training staff was immediately summoned as other Bengals kneeled and disappointedly looked on. After several moments, Atkins eventually was helped up by teammates and helped off the turf by others who flanked his left and right sides.

Miami scored four plays after Atkins' departure. Atkins' injury comes four days after the Bengals lost four players to injury during their 49-9 win over the New York Jets. Three of those hurt in that contest -- linebacker Rey Maualuga, defensive back Taylor Mays and offensive tackle Andrew Whitworth -- were inactive Thursday.

Maualuga is out three to four weeks with a knee and concussion injury, Mays is done for the season after hurting his shoulder, and Whitworth wasn't able to play after his left knee was too swollen for him to comfortably play Thursday night.

A native of nearby Pembroke Pines, Fla., Atkins entered the game with 18 tackles and five sacks. He had one first-quarter sack on Dolphins quarterback Ryan Tannehill before his departure.

The Bengals also lost linebacker James Harrison to a left thumb injury late in the second quarter. He was questionable to return, as was Dolphins left guard Richie Incognito, who left the game in the first quarter with a neck injury.

Miami backup Nate Garner filled in for Incognito in the second quarter.

Information from ESPN Dolphins reporter James Walker was used in this report.