Le’Veon Bell had six carries for 14 yards and two receptions for 32 yards for the New York Jets on Sunday before leaving with a hamstring injury. John Munson/Associated Press

NEW YORK — New York Jets running back Le’Veon Bell could miss a few weeks after injuring his left hamstring in the team’s season-opening loss at Buffalo.

Coach Adam Gase says Monday he doesn’t want to put a timetable on Bell’s return, but says it could take some time because it’s a soft-tissue injury.

Bell was injured on an incomplete pass late in the second quarter when Bills linebacker A.J. Klein was penalized for holding after he got tied up with Bell and sent the running back sprawling. Bell grabbed at the back of his left leg on the play before heading to the sideline.

He returned for the second half, with his left leg wrapped. But, Gase acknowledged Sunday after the game he was “mad at myself” for letting Bell back onto the field. Bell was removed from the game shortly into the third quarter and watched the rest of the game from the sideline.

Bell finished with six carries for 14 yards and two receptions for 32 yards in the 27-17 loss.

COVID-19: The NFL on Monday reminded team personnel on the sidelines about the COVID-19 requirements for wearing face coverings, saying such carelessness or disregard could put the season “at risk.”

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Los Angeles Rams Coach Sean McVay yells out instructions with his face mask lowered around his neck on Sunday in Inglewood, California. The league reminded personnel of COVID-19 protocols, including that everyone with bench access needs to wear a mask. AP

There were several games Sunday in which team members other than players did not use face coverings.

Troy Vincent, who oversees the league’s football operations, sent a memo to the 32 clubs. He stressed that teams “must remain vigilant and disciplined in following the processes and protocols put in place by not only the league, union and clubs, but also by state and local governments.”

After congratulating the teams for overcoming coronavirus challenges and beginning the regular season on time, Vincent strongly cautioned against undoing that work.

He referred to the game-day protocols developed by the league and the NFL Players Association that reflect the advice of infectious disease experts, club medical staffs and local and state governmental regulations.

Those require all individuals with bench area access, including coaches and members of the club medical staff, to wear face coverings at all times.

“Failure to adhere to this requirement will result in accountability measures being imposed against offending individuals and/or clubs,” the memo said. “The face covering must be worn as designed so that it securely fits across the wearer’s nose and mouth to prevent the transmission of the virus.”

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Punishment for not adhering to the protocols has not been announced, but could include anything from fines to ejection from the sideline.

During the Sunday night game between Dallas and Los Angeles, Rams Coach Sean McVay often was shown on camera without a face covering. He hardly was the only coach or team member with a bare face during the 13 games Sunday.

TITANS: Tennessee placed starting cornerback Adoree Jackson on injured reserve and replaced him by signing cornerback Tye Smith to the active roster from the practice squad just hours before its season opener at Denver on Monday night.

Jackson was added to the injury report Friday after being limited by a knee issue. Jackson will be eligible to come off injured reserve in three weeks, the day after the Titans’ fourth game of the season on Oct. 4 against Pittsburgh. A fifth-round pick by Seattle in 2015, Smith has started four of the 28 games in his career. He played nine games last season, had a career-high 24 tackles and returned a blocked field goal 63 yards for a touchdown at Indianapolis.

COWBOYS: Dallas suffered two significant in Sunday night’s loss to the Rams.

Tight end Blake Jarwin has a torn anterior cruciate ligament after his right knee buckled when he cut on a route, and his season is over.

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Linebacker Leighton Vander Esch broke his collarbone and is headed to injured reserve with a chance to return. Tackle Cameron Erving had his left knee crunched while blocking on the 53-yard field goal that Greg Zuerlein missed. The severity of the injury is not yet known, but if Erving misses much time, it will be a huge blow to the depth of the offensive line.

BROWNS: Cleveland kicked aside their kicker after one game.

Cleveland waived Austin Seibert after he missed an extra point and field goal in the first half of Sunday’s season-opening loss at Baltimore. He’s being replaced by Cody Parkey, who kicked for the Browns in 2016 and is best known for missing a late field goal for the Chicago Bears in the 2018 playoffs.

Parkey will handle kicking duties when the Browns host the Cincinnati Bengals on Thursday night.

Also, the Browns placed tight end David Njoku on injured reserve with a knee injury. A first-round pick in 2017, Njoku scored the Browns’ only touchdown in Sunday’s loss. Njoku will miss at least three games, per the NFL’s new rules this season.


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