by MARK CANNIZZARO , The New York Post

The running back had just snapped the fibula in his right leg right through the skin when Raiders' 300-pound defensive tackle Tommy Kelly fell on him at the end of a six-yard run - Washington's only carry in the first quarter of the Jets' 38-0 win over the Raiders.

Though the Jets stated that Washington is out "indefinitely," he almost certainly is out for the season. The injury was so severe that Washington was undergoing surgery at a local hospital as the Jets were boarding the team bus to head to the airport.

"That's unfortunate," coach Rex Ryan said. "It's obviously a severe injury, but hopefully he'll be joining us sooner than later."

The players who saw the injury will not soon forget it.

"As soon as I saw it I knew it was over," Woody said. "You never want to see anything like that. It was an inside zone [play], and his foot was on the ground and Tommy Kelly hit it. I could just see it crunch. I've never seen anything like that. The bone broke the skin and I saw blood just squirting. I knew right then."

The loss of Washington, perhaps the Jets' most dynamic offensive player and one of the best kickoff returners in the NFL, comes one week after they lost nose tackle Kris Jenkins, widely considered their most important defensive player, for the season to a left knee injury.

Cornerback Darrelle Revis said it was very tough to lose Washington, adding, "It hurts us."

As much of a blow as Washington's injury is to the team on a Football level, it's a killer for Washington, who is in the final year of his first contract at $535,000 this year, widely considered a bargain for a player of his caliber.

Washington held out briefly for a new deal at the start of training camp, but didn't want to be a distraction to his teammates and he reported. He has been playing on good faith that the Jets will reward him with a new deal. Unless there's a new Collective Bargaining Agreement struck, though, Washington will be a restricted free agent in 2010.

"It's the business side, off the field," Revis said. "Leon just wants to play and he doesn't want to let his teammates down. That [contract] situation will get sorted out soon enough. We support Leon and we know Mr. [Mike] Tannenbaum [the Jets' general manager] is going to get the job done and take care of him."

Washington, who made the Pro Bowl last season as a kick returner, also is the Jets' second-leading rusher with 330 yards on 71 carries. He also has 15 catches for 131 yards and takes direct snaps when the team runs out of the Seminole formation.

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