Chicago Bears Face Green Bay Packers Without Top Receivers
The Chicago Bears will be without two of their top wide receivers, Rome Odunze and Luther Burden III, when they host the Green Bay Packers on Saturday night. According to the Bears’ final injury report on Thursday, both players were ruled out due to injuries. Odunze has been dealing with a recurring foot injury since late October and will miss his third straight game, while Burden suffered an ankle injury in the third quarter of the Bears’ 31-3 win over the Cleveland Browns.
Coach Ben Johnson stated that “all options are on the table” regarding Odunze’s potential extended absence. “We’re going to do what’s best for Rome first and foremost,” Johnson said. “I know he wants to be out there and helping. It’s hard to tell him no sometimes. He just wants to be out on the field competing and contributing and helping our team win. So there may be a case where we have to protect him from himself a little bit and just make sure we get him right and he’ll be able to help us down the road.” Johnson’s comments suggest that the team is prioritizing Odunze’s long-term health over his immediate availability.
Impact on the Bears’ Passing Attack
The absence of Odunze and Burden will likely increase the workload of DJ Moore, who had a two-touchdown performance against the Browns. Reserve receivers such as Devin Duvernay and Jahdae Walker may also see more playing time. Coach Johnson expressed confidence in the team’s receiver depth, saying, “I’ve been really pleased with that room. I think we’ve got some young guys in there that we were really impressed with throughout training camp that ended up being on the practice squad. If called upon, I think they’ve done a great job soaking the offense in over the course of the season so far and being involved.”
The Bears (10-4) are currently ahead of the Packers (9-4-1) in the NFC North division standings, despite losing their first meeting two weeks ago in Green Bay. The team will look to bounce back from that loss and secure a crucial win on Saturday night. Running back D’Andre Swift, who has dealt with groin injuries throughout the season, is listed as questionable after sustaining a groin injury in practice this week. Tight end Cole Kmet, who is also dealing with an ankle and knee injury, has stated that he will play despite being listed as questionable.
Injury Updates and Returns
Linebacker Tremaine Edmunds, who has been out with a groin injury, was listed as limited in practice on Tuesday and Wednesday but was a full participant on Thursday. He is officially questionable for the game against the Packers. Coach Johnson expressed excitement about the potential return of Edmunds, saying, “If we can get Tremaine back, it’s a huge bonus. He was playing tremendous football before the injury.” Despite missing four games, Edmunds leads the Bears in tackles (89) and is tied for second in passes defensed (9) and third in interceptions (4).
The Bears’ ability to overcome injuries and secure a win against the Packers will be crucial in determining the outcome of the NFC North division. With the team’s depth and resilience being put to the test, Saturday’s game is shaping up to be an exciting and closely contested matchup.
