INDIANAPOLIS - How  ironic is that on the field  of his greatest accomplishment Bengals rookie wide receiver John Ross may have suffered a devastating moment virtually before his pro career has even begun?

Of course, he could also be fine after leaving Thursday night's pre-season finale with a knee injury. But they won't know for sure until he undergoes an MRI Friday morning.

"Nothing has been indicated," said Ross, who had no signs of crutches or ice as he dressed. "Not yet. We'll check it out. Probably not serious. I feel fine."

But the Bengals are crossing their fingers and holding their breath. More irony? Ross got hurt on the longest play of his two-game NFL career, a 25-yard run on a reverse, the kind of play that is supposed to jet the Bengals into contention in the AFC North. On the Lucas Oil Stadium turf where he ran a NFL scouting combine record 4.22-second 40-yard dash, Ross also got his first catch, a six-yard quickie. But like his 40, suddenly he was gone barely ten minutes into the game.

Because he had missed all of the spring, the first two weeks of camp, and the first two pre-season games, he needed the work.

"It's football. Things happen all the time," Ross said. "I don't know anything … I just have to wait to see what they tell me."

The news on No. 3 quarterback Jeff Driskel seems pretty obvious when he emerged with a splint on his throwing thumb after taking a shot early in the second quarter on a screen pass. It's feared his thumb is broken and now the question is if he's an injured reserve-return guy or if he's done for the season.

More irony? The two locks on the offensive side of the ball for Saturday's final cut to 53 was seven receivers and three quarterbacks. Now it's all up in the air. If Driskel is an IR-return guy, he has to be counted on the 53 before moving to IR on Monday.