The Chicago Bears offense can’t catch a break. Injuries mounted coming out of Sunday against the New Orleans Saints. Bobby Massie went on IR with a knee problem and Mitch Trubisky banged up his throwing shoulder on his only snap of the game. Sure enough the football gods weren’t done with them yet. An apparent COVID-19 outbreak has struck the team in the past few days.
Offensive linemen Jason Spriggs and Cody Whitehair have contracted the virus. On top of that right guard Germain Ifedi was deemed a high-risk possibility due to close proximity. It was hoped that might be the extend of the damage. Except the Bears aren’t that lucky. Just hours after the Whitehair news fell, another name popped on the high-risk list.
Backup quarterback Tyler Bray.
For those who aren’t keeping score, that is now both Bears backup QBs who aren’t likely to be available for Sunday. Nick Foles is the last man standing quite literally. Due to the COVID-19 testing protocols as well, the team can’t sign a veteran to back him up on Sunday. That means the offense is one bad hit away from having Cordarrelle Patterson taking snaps in the Wildcat.
This can’t be what head coach Matt Nagy and GM Ryan Pace envisioned happening when they made plans for a rebound back in January. Another reason why both will likely be back regardless of how the season concludes down the stretch.
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Multiple league sources indicate there are questions as to whether Bears QB Tyler Bray will be available for Sunday’s game.
Bray may have been identified as a high-risk close contact during the Bears’ current COVID-19 situation.
— Dan Wiederer (@danwiederer) November 5, 2020
#Bears have listed veteran C/G Eric Kush as scheduled to come in for a tryout. He's played for them before.
— Brad Biggs (@BradBiggs) November 5, 2020
Chicago Bears were caught flat-footed
While one can easily feel sorry for the Bears in this situation, it’s hard not to criticize them as well. As the COVID situation unfolded in the past few days, they had an opportunity to quickly snatch up some depth help at quarterback and along the offensive line. Instead, they dilly-dallied too long and now it doesn’t matter. That lack of urgency could end up costing them a big game against a good Titans team.
No doubt they’ll make the necessary moves shortly but it won’t help them in the immediate aftermath. Another harsh reality of the COVID landscape. The question becomes whether Nagy can somehow engineer a passable offense with a backup-infused offensive line and razor-thin depth at quarterback.
It’s not impossible but his track record offers little optimism.
One should expect the Bears will implement a run-first approach in Tennessee. This with the obvious goal of settling their makeshift line down and putting as little pressure on Foles as possible. Asking him to throw 40 times behind this group is begging for trouble. It could be a big day for David Montgomery. Maybe Lamar Miller will also be elevated from the practice squad.
More I-formation. More play action. Whatever it takes to prevent any further catastrophes. Either way, it will fall to the Chicago Bears defense to carry them through this dark hour. The Titans have a good offense led by punishing running back Derrick Henry. They’ll have to somehow stop him and hold them to 17-20 points to have any prayer of winning this game.
