Buccaneers LB Quincy Black carted off field

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TAMPA, Fla. -- Tampa Bay linebacker Quincy Black was hospitalized for observation of a neck injury Sunday after being carted off the field during the third quarter's the Buccaneers' 34-24 victory over the San Diego Chargers.

Black was injured tackling running back Ryan Mathews for a 1-yard loss, remaining on the ground with just under four minutes left in the quarter.

The Bucs did not release specific details about the injury, but coach Greg Schiano said the sixth-year pro is expected to be OK.

Trainers worked over Black for several minutes before immobilizing his neck and back on a stretcher.

"He's at the hospital for observation. We think he's going to be OK, but he's got to work through some things," Schiano said after the game.

Schiano was the head coach at Rutgers when former Scarlet Knights player Eric LeGrand broke two vertebrae and suffered a serious spinal cord injury in October 2010 during a kickoff return against Army.

He said thoughts of the paralyzed defensive lineman went through his mind when Black remained on the ground.

"I thought about it immediately. When a guy goes down and he's still," Schiano said before stopping abruptly. "The good thing was Quincy immediately moved his right arm, so that was a relief."

Several players on both teams kneeled and prayed while Black received assistance on the field.

Mathews was not injured and finished the game.

"It was a hard hit. I was in my own little world for a second, then got up and he wasn't really moving, so after a couple seconds I knew something was wrong," Mathews said. "It's tough to see something like that. My prayers and everything go out to him and his family."

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Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press

This story is from ESPN.com's automated news wire. Wire index

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