Darren McFadden knocked from Buccaneers game with leg injury

Darren McFadden is averaging just 3.3 yards per carry this season. (Cary Edmondson-US PRESSWIRE) Darren McFadden will not return Sunday after leaving Oakland's

Darren McFadden is averaging just 3.3 yards per carry this season. (Cary Edmondson-US PRESSWIRE)

Darren McFadden will not return Sunday after leaving Oakland's game against Tampa Bay with a leg injury, and it's possible the Raiders will have to get by without their top running back for even longer.

McFadden suffered his injury on a second-quarter carry, then later jogged to the locker room. He had to go for X-rays, which came back negative according to FOX, but was ruled out for the remainder of the game.

It almost goes without saying that the loss of McFadden for any extended period of time would severely hurt their playoff chances. Mike Goodson picked up one carry in the first half for zero yards Sunday, and he will be asked to pick up the slack in McFadden's absence.

McFadden had more than 600 total yards over Oakland's first seven games, and he was coming off his best effort of the season -- 114 yards rushing and four catches for 23 yards against Kansas City.

The 25-year-old McFadden missed the last nine games of Oakland's 2011 season with a foot injury. The Raiders went 4-5 during that stretch, compared to 4-3 with McFadden in the lineup. The fifth-year back hasn't played a full 16-game season yet in his career, missing 19 games over his first four seasons.

Michael Bush