TAMPA, Fla. -- Just when it looked like the Buccaneers were starting to get key players back from injury, the team announced Tuesday that veteran wide receiver Vincent Jackson has been placed on injured reserve with an ACL injury.A league source told ESPNs Ed Werder that Jacksons injury has not been definitively determined to be a torn ACL. It continues to be evaluated. If it is determined that the injury is not to the ACL, then it is possible Jackson could play again this season should the Bucs be in playoff contention.If it is determined that the injury is to Jacksons MCL, that might allow him to avoid surgery, resulting in a quicker recovery.The IR designation means Jackson is out of practice for a minimum of six weeks and cannot play in a game for eight.This is obviously very disappointing for me personally, Jackson said in a statement issued by the team. I had high hopes for this season because I know what we are capable of accomplishing as a team.The three-time Pro Bowler felt discomfort in his knee during the Bucs 17-14 win over the Panthers in Week 5, but he continued to play. An MRI revealed the extent of the injury.Its the second straight year that Jacksons season has been cut short by a knee injury. He suffered an MCL sprain last year and missed six games.My top priority going into every season is being out there with my teammates and helping my team any way possible, Jackson said. While I may not be on the field for the foreseeable future, I will be focused on beginning my rehab as soon as possible and finding ways to support my teammates in whatever way I can.Jackson made two key catches on the final drive in Carolina, helping set up Roberto Aguayos game-winning field goal in the final seconds -- something not lost on Bucs coach Dirk Koetter.Even though he doesnt recall when he injured his knee, he was still out there the entire game, Koetter said in a statement. Any time you lose a player and team leader of Vincents caliber, it is a setback for your team. Vincent is a very tough-minded player and a great competitor.I know that being placed on Injured Reserve is difficult for him, but I also know he will maintain a strong presence in our locker room and will help our younger guys prepare and develop because thats the type of team-first leader he is.Through five games, Jackson has had five catches for 173 yards.He is currently just one of 14 active players to record at least 500 receptions in his career, and he has posted six 1,000-yard seasons (2008-09, 2011-14), tied for sixth among active players. His six 1,000-yard seasons since 2008 are tied for the most of any player during that span.Jackson is in the final year of a five-year contract.The Bucs have been without Pro Bowl running back Doug Martin, who suffered a hamstring injury in Week 2. Second-string running back Charles Sims was also placed on IR last week with a knee injury, and he also could be a candidate to return this season.?Any player on IR is eligible to return during the season, but only one per team can do so.?Blue Moon Odom Jersey . -- Claudio Bieler hadnt scored since early September, and not from the run of play since mid-July. Chad Sobotka Jersey . James, who turned 29 on Monday, injured his groin Friday during the Heats overtime loss at Sacramento. He sat out the following game, a 108-107 win Saturday in Portland, before coming back to help send the Nuggets to their seventh consecutive loss. http://www.custombravesjersey.com/custom-greg-maddux-jersey-large-307z.html . It was hard for Luck to pull off another comeback, or even get into the end zone, while standing on the sideline. Rivers threw a 22-yard touchdown pass to rookie Keenan Allen and Nick Novak kicked four field goals to give the Chargers a 19-9 victory against the Colts on Monday night. Cito Gaston Jersey . Fellow centre Pavel Datsyuk remains out because of a concussion. Zetterberg has 11 goals and 19 assists for a team-high 30 points, and Datsyuk has a team-high 12 goals and 11 assists. Hank Aaron Jersey . -- Jimmie Johnson held off a teammate, passed a pair of Hall of Famers, and dominated once more at Dover.COLUMBUS, Ohio -- JaQuan Lyle scored 17 and JaeSean Tate added 14 and 11 rebounds as Ohio State routed Western Carolina 66-38 in another tuneup game on Monday night.Kam Williams added 13 points and Trevor Thompson had 10 for Ohio State, which is 4-0 to start the season but has gotten away with some sloppy play over lesser opponents. The Buckeyes shot just 41.8 percent from the floor Monday, but outrebounded Western Carolina 44-33.On the defensive end, we played very good. We got stops, Lyle said. But on the offensive ends we just (werent) there mentally.The Buckeyes trailed 4-2 early before opening up the game with a 9-0 run and cruising from there. Western Carolina (1-4) shot just 27.5 percent from the floor and committed 20 turnovers.I thought defensively we were as sound as weve been in a long time, Ohio State coach Thad Matta said. On the flip side, we had possessions where were not thinking the game, were not making the easy play, were not making the easy read. Weve got to get better at that.Haboubacar Mutombo led the Southern Conference team with 11 points, and Marc Gosselin had nine points and 14 rebounds.The Buckeyes dominated inside, scoring 36 points in the paint, compared with just 10 for Western Carolina.Were going to keep building, keep winning, keep moving in the right direction, Williams said.Ohio State led 32-18 at the half on 5-for-8 shooting from the floor by Tate and eight steals by the Buckeyes. Lyle was 4 for 4 from the foul line in the hhalf.ddddddddddddFor us to have a chance in this ballgame we needed to shoot the ball with a little consistency, Western Carolina coach Larry Hunter said. We had 11 turnovers in the first half, and that hurt us a little bit. We cant give away possessions. Ohio State is too talented to do that. Youre not going to win too many ballgames shooting 27 percent.BIG PICTUREWestern Carolina: The Catamounts got to put their game up next to a more-talented Big Ten team before starting the conference season.Ohio State: The only thing Ohio State can hope to get from games like this is improvement. Western Carolina will be one of the worst teams the Buckeyes play this season. Matta said his team still needs work.We werent as connected as we need to be, we werent as sharp, he said.INJURY REPORTOhio State starting forward Keita Bates-Diop sat out with a sprained ankle he suffered Thursday in the win over Providence. Matta said he was out of the mobilization boot but hes day to day. Williams started in his place.UP NEXT:Western Carolina: The Catamounts travel to Jackson, Mississippi, to face Jackson State on Saturday.Ohio State: The pre-conference home stand continues Wednesday night against Jackson State.---More AP college basketball: www.collegebasketball.ap.org and https://twitter.com/AP-Top25 .Follow Mitch Stacy at http://twitter.com/mitchstacy ' ' '