Running back Tim Hightower left Sunday's game vs. Carolina in the third quarter with a left knee injury.

The injury appeared to be a significant one.

Hightower tried to cut back and his left knee buckled in front of him on a 4-yard run.

Hightower had to be helped off the field and he could not put any weight on his knee. Wide receiver Donte Stallworth and fullback Mike Sellers helped athletic trainers bring Hightower off the field.

In addition to Hightower's injury, wide receiver Santana Moss suffered a fractured hand in the first half and was sidelined for the rest of the game.

In the second half, linebacker London Fletcher left the game with a hamstring injury.

The status of Hightower, Moss and Fletcher will be updated on Monday. It appears Hightower and Moss could, at the very least, miss significant playing time.

Hightower was replaced by Ryan Torain in the lineup but the Redskins fell behind by 17 points in the second half and the running game was de-emphasized.

Hightower had a solid performance against the Panthers. He finished with 17 carries for 88 yards.

In the first quarter, he found running room to both sides. He had a 10-yard run behind right tackle Jammal Brown on the Redskins' first drive. On the Redskins' second drive, had had a pair of 17-yard runs behind left tackle Sean Locklear.

The Redskins showed a commitment to the run game early on, as Hightower posted a career-high 67 first quarter rushing yards.