Vikes' Johnson Out With Broken Leg

Minnesota Vikings quarterback Brad Johnson broke a bone in his right leg during a 38-31 victory over St. Louis and could be out several weeks.

Johnson's injury, orginally diagonosed as an ankle sprain Sunday night, is an undisplaced distal fracture of the fibula near the ankle, Vikings trainer Fred Zamberletti said. It is not a season-ending injury, but the timetable for Johnson's return is uncertain.

The severity of the injury was surprising because Johnson walked out of the locker room without crutches after leaving the game in the fourth quarter. He underwent a magnetic resonance imaging test after returning to Minneapolis Sunday.

Johnson was hurt on a play that didn't count after right tackle Korey Stringer was penalized for a false start.

"I was hit high and low," Johnson said. He stayed in the game for one more play but then went to the bench.

He was replaced by Randall Cunningham, who will start Sunday against the Detroit Lions.

Last year, Cunningham replaced Johnson as the starter after Johnson had a season-ending neck injury.

"I have as much confidence in Randall as I do in Brad," said Cris Carter, who scored the winning touchdown Sunday on a 19-yard pass from Cunningham with 2:09 left.

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