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Josh Morgan breaks ankle while catching pass in garbage time

Josh Morgan,  Vernon Davis

San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Josh Morgan, right, is tended to by teammate Vernon Davis, left, after being injured during the fourth quarter of their NFL football game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in San Francisco, Sunday, Oct. 9, 2011. San Francisco won 48-3. Morgan finished with five catches for 75 yards. (AP Photo/Paul Sakuma)

AP

The 49ers got a big win today against the Buccaneers, but they suffered a big loss in the process.

Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com reports that receiver Josh Morgan sustained a fractured right ankle when he was tackled following a 19-yard catch. The injury occurred with the 49ers leading 41-3 and four minutes left in the game, leading to questions of why a starting wide receiver was still in the game, catching a pass, in garbage time.

“You’ve got to play,” 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh said in answer to those questions. “You can’t take a knee with four minutes left in the game. It could have been a run. Josh was competing. I think he’s going to be OK. . . . We’re not taking a knee with four minutes left in the game.”

If Harbaugh doesn’t want to take a knee with four minutes left and a 38-point lead, fine. But it’s surprising that he thinks his No. 1 wide receiver should be catching passes with four minutes left and a 38-point lead.

Morgan has started all five games this season and leads all 49ers wide receivers in both catches and yards. His absence, combined with the knee injury suffered by Braylon Edwards last month, leaves the 49ers with just three healthy wide receivers: Michael Crabtree, Ted Ginn and Kyle Williams.