The Chicago Bears know the upcoming game on Sunday is an important one. Several jobs could be on the line against the Detroit Lions. Everybody remembers what happened last time. The Bears had a 26-14 lead with four minutes left and coughed it up. Until Matt Eberflus and Justin Fields prove they can be an actual competitive team, doubts will linger about their ability to elevate this franchise to success. The good news is they have a little bit of help coming their way on the injury front.
It was already reported that Lions defensive tackle Alim McNeill will miss the game with an injury. He is their best interior pass rusher and a key component of their top-ranked run defense. If that weren’t bad enough, it got much worse on Friday. Head coach Dan Campbell revealed that Pro Bowl center Frank Ragnow is unlikely to play as well due to a knee injury. His loss can’t be understated. Ragnow is one of the best centers in the league, ranking 4th in run-blocking and 8th in pass protection.
His loss will make life much harder for Jared Goff and the offense.
The Chicago Bears can take advantage of these losses.
Their interior offensive line, led by Teven Jenkins and a healthy Nate Davis, has become a big strength this season. One imagines they will run the ball downhill more now that McNeill is sidelined. Also, the lack of interior pressure should make life easier for Justin Fields. He already gave the Lions problems in the first meeting when he was able to step up into the pocket. On the other side, not having Ragnow will make it far tougher for Detroit to run the ball against Chicago. It also may give Justin Jones and Gervon Dexter opportunities to get in Goff’s face.
Subscribe to the BFR Youtube channel and ride shotgun with Dave and Ficky as they break down Bears football like nobody else.
None of this guarantees a victory for the Chicago Bears. As we’ve seen this year, they haven’t always been great at taking advantage of opportunities like this. If they find a way to lose anyway, it will only drive home the realization that the current configuration at head coach and quarterback won’t get the job done. Detroit is a tough team. They’ve played good football almost all year. They already know they can beat the Bears. Don’t expect them to lay down because of these losses. If Chicago wants it, they’ll have to take it.
