Browns wide receiver Jarvis Landry will miss at least Cleveland’s next three games after being placed on injured reserve Tuesday with a sprained knee ligament.

A model of consistency and durability in his NFL career, Landry got hurt after catching a short pass and picking up 9 yards on the second play from scrimmage in Sunday’s 31-21 win over the Houston Texans.

On Monday, Coach Kevin Stefanski said Landry was “week to week” and that it was still not clear whether Landry would go on IR. The 28-year-old Landry must sit out the next three games, and it’s possible he could be out longer depending on the severity of his sprained medial collateral ligament.

Landry has never missed a game in his career because of injury. He was forced to sit out once last year because of COVID-19 contact tracing protocols.

Because of his injury, the five-time Pro Bowler’s streak of catching at least two passes ended at 111 straight games – the fourth-longest streak in history. Landry has six receptions for 80 yards and two rushes for 13 yards and a touchdown in 2021.

Landry is one of Cleveland’s team leaders, and his absence will be felt on and off the field.

While Landry won’t be available, the Browns could get back star receiver Odell Beckham Jr. this week when they host the Chicago Bears. Beckham hasn’t played since injuring his knee on Oct. 25 and undergoing season-ending surgery.

Beckham has been inactive for Cleveland’s first two games, but signs are pointing to him making his season debut this week.

BRONCOS: Pro Bowl linebacker Bradley Chubb needs surgery to remove bone spurs from his left ankle just four months after undergoing a similar surgery on his right ankle.

Chubb left Denver’s 23-13 win at Jacksonville in the first half Sunday after feeling a stabbing pain in his left ankle while trying to get to Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence.

He missed the opener against the New York Giants because of the injury. He and Von Miller have played just 21 games together out of a possible 50 since John Elway selected him with the fifth overall pick in the 2018 NFL draft.

TEXANS: Rookie Davis Mills will start at quarterback for Houston on Thursday night against the Carolina Panthers with Tyrod Taylor out with a hamstring injury.

Coach David Culley announced the decision and said Taylor would be inactive. Culley said the Texans plan to elevate Jeff Driskel from the practice squad to back up Mills against the Panthers (2-0). Taylor was injured in the first half of Houston’s 31-21 loss to Cleveland on Sunday and didn’t return after halftime. Mills, a third-round pick from Stanford, took over and threw for 102 yards with a touchdown and an interception.

Deshaun Watson was not an option to fill in in the wake of Taylor’s injury after Culley said Monday that he would be inactive for Thursday’s game just as he has been for the first two games. Watson has been listed as inactive/not injury-related following his trade request and after 22 women filed lawsuits alleging sexual assault or harassment.

Culley said Tuesday that he didn’t have any more details on Taylor’s injury and wasn’t sure how long he’d be out. He said the Texans (1-1) could explore signing another quarterback next week if Taylor remains out.

STEELERS: Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, outside linebackers T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith, wide receiver Diontae Johnson and cornerback Joe Haden and inside linebacker Devin Bush are among a growing list of players dealing with issues as the Steelers (1-1) prepare to host Cincinnati (1-1) on Sunday. Defensive lineman Tyson Alualu is now on injured reserve after undergoing surgery Monday on his fractured right ankle.

Coach Mike Tomlin said Roethlisberger is dealing with an injury to his left pectoral, leaving his participation in practice this week in question. Tomlin wasn’t sure when Roethlisberger got hurt, though he did not miss a snap during a 26-17 loss to Las Vegas last week.

Watt, Highsmith, Bush and Haden are all dealing with groin injuries. Haden and Bush were both inactive on Sunday after testing the injuries during pregame. Watt sustained his injury in the second quarter and watched from the sideline in sweatpants as Las Vegas quarterback Derek Carr lit the Steelers up for 263 yards and two touchdowns after halftime. Highsmith was on the field during the Raiders’ final drive.

THE NFL will stage an international combine for 50 athletes from 14 countries next month in London. The invitational scouting showcase is mirrored after the annual NFL combine usually held in Indianapolis. The idea is to find international athletes who have the skillset and potential to play in the league. It will take place Oct. 12 at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Athletes will be evaluated for a potential position in the NFL’s International Player Pathway program from which such players as Buffalo DE Efe Obada, New England fullback Jakob Johnson and Washington tight end Sammis Reyes emerged.

MONDAY NIGHT GAME: Aaron Jones caught three of Aaron Rodgers’ four touchdown passes and rushed for a fourth score, and the Green Bay Packers had a welcome return to normal after an embarrassing opening-week loss, beating the Detroit Lions, 35-17.

Green Bay (1-1) won its ninth straight home opener. The Packers, who got thumped 38-3 by the New Orleans Saints in Week 1, looked more like the team that went 13-3 in each of coach Matt LaFleur’s first two seasons.

Rodgers went 22 of 27 for 255 yards and surpassed John Elway for 10th all-time in passing yards with 51,633. Rodgers has followed up each of the Packers’ last five regular-season losses by throwing four touchdown passes and no interceptions in his next game.

Jones became the first Packers running back to catch three touchdown passes in a game since Andy Uram against the Chicago Cardinals in 1942. He had 17 carries for 67 yards and six catches for 48 yards.

Detroit’s Jared Goff completed 13 of his first 14 passes but struggled the rest of the way as the Lions (0-2) blew a 17-14 halftime lead. Goff finished 26 of 36 for 246 yards. He connected on touchdown passes to Quintez Cephus and T.J. Hockenson but also threw an interception and lost a fumble.

•  The “Monday Night Football” presentation with Peyton and Eli Manning increased its viewership by 138% over last week’s debut, becoming the most-watched alternate telecast in ESPN history.

ESPN and Nielsen reported that the Mannings’ freewheeling telecast of the Green Bay Packers’ 35-17 victory over the Detroit Lions on ESPN2 averaged 1.9 million viewers. The Week 1 overtime thriller between the Baltimore Ravens and Las Vegas Raiders averaged 800,000.

The previous high for an ESPN alternate presentation was 1.03 million for the January 2018 College Football Playoff championship game between Alabama and Georgia on ESPN2.

Monday night’s game had an overall average of 13.81 million across ESPN, ESPN2, and ESPN Deportes.

The Mannings are scheduled to do eight more Monday night games this season, including next week’s contest between the Philadelphia Eagles and Dallas Cowboys. The remaining seven have not been determined.

NFL viewership is up 14% over the first two weeks last year, according to the league and Nielsen. The 17.7 million average viewership is the highest since 2016.

The Dallas Cowboys’ victory over the Los Angeles Chargers on CBS late Sunday afternoon averaged 24.29 million, making it the most-watched program on television for the week.

The NBC “Sunday Night Football” game between the Kansas City Chiefs and Baltimore Ravens averaged 20.8 million on TV and online.

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