A knee injury during the New Orleans' 23-3 victory over Atlanta on Monday night may end the season for Saints rookie defensive end Rob Ninkovich.

Associated Press

The early diagnosis is a strained medial collateral ligament and a slightly torn anterior cruiciate ligament. If the latter proves serious enough to require reconstructive surgery, Ninkovich likely would spend the rest of the season rehabilitating.

"This is the first time I've ever been injured. I knew right away it wasn't good," Ninkovich said. "I'm hopeful to be back but right now I just have to wait and see."

Ninkovich said doctors will take a closer look at his knee later this week after swelling goes down.

"After the game I was pretty upset because I love to play football. Now I'm just going to have to take all the effort I put into paying into rehab so I'll be back 100 percent," said Ninkovich, who played for Purdue.

Taken in the fifth round of last spring's NFL draft, Ninkovich made the roster as a special teams regular, a backup long snapper and a reserve defensive end who found playing time spelling both Charles Grant and Will Smith on both sides of the line.

(Copyright 2006 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)