METAIRIE, La. — Reggie Bush has a partially torn left knee ligament that likely will not require surgery but could sideline him for Monday night’s game at Atlanta, Saints head coach Sean Payton said Friday.

Payton said Bush, for now, would be listed as questionable on the official injury report and added that whether Bush plays will be a game-time decision.

"We’ll monitor where he’s at," Payton said after Friday’s practice, which Bush sat out. "I’m still hopeful for this weekend’s game."

Bush practiced on Thursday and did not indicate he was having any trouble when he spoke to reporters after practice. However, he became sore that evening and the team ordered a precautionary MRI, which indicated a tear in his posterior cruciate ligament.

Bush also was expected to seek a second opinion from Dr. James Andrews, an orthopedic surgeon based in Birmingham, Ala., who routinely operates on Saints players and other professional athletes.

The injury is the latest setback for Bush, who acknowledged on Thursday that he has performed below his expectations since taking over as the Saints’ featured running back after Deuce McAllister’s season-ending knee injury in Week 3.

Bush has scored six touchdowns with 581 yards rushing and 417 yards receiving. His longest run so far has been 22 yards and his longest reception 25.

He has 10 dropped passes and has fumbled eight times, though his team has recovered all but three of those.