The Chicago Bears will likely have some bad injury luck working in their favor when they face the New England Patriots on Thursday Night Football in Week 7.
During October 20’s press conference, Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel told reporters that their two starting guards — left guard Alijah Vera-Tucker and right guard Ben Brown — “probably” won’t play against the Bears on Thursday night.
Vera-Tucker exited with a hamstring injury in the first half of the Patriots’ 26-19 win over the New York Jets on Sunday and did not return. Meanwhile, Brown sustained a knee injury that forced him out of the game during the fourth quarter.
Patriots veteran right tackle Morgan Moses also left Sunday’s game with a foot injury, but Vrabel left the door open for him to potentially play against the Bears.
Even if Moses plays, the Bears would catch a huge break facing a depleted Patriots line.
Patriots Injuries Could Provide Edge to Bears Defense
Despite TreVeyon Henderson’s early struggles, the Patriots have the seventh-best rushing offense (130.7 yards per game) through the first six weeks of the season, but starting two backups on the interior could tip things in favor of the Bears.
Chicago has allowed the eighth-fewest rushing yards (90.5) in the league through six games, but it also touts the fifth-worst run-stop win rate (27%) coming into Week 7, underscoring a potential problem that traces back to play-to-play consistency.
The Bears also won’t have two of their top edge rushers available against the Patriots.
Montez Sweat, their $98 million starting defensive end, must still miss one more game on a two-game suspension for violating the NFL’s performance-enhancing substance policy. He sat out his first of two games last Sunday against the Atlanta Falcons.
Dayo Odeyingbo is also out for a minimum of three more games. He suffered a quadriceps injury in Week 5’s loss to the Green Bay Packers, prompting the team to place him on the injured reserve list on October 17 before facing the Falcons in Week 6.
Bears News: Chicago’s O-Line Also Faces Critical Injury
The Patriots could be without as many as three of their starting offensive linemen when they face the Bears this week on Thursday Night Football, but the Bears also might have to play without one of their starting guards in the matchup.
Bears veteran right guard Jonah Jackson was estimated as a non-participant on Monday’s first injury report for Week 7 after he exited Week 6’s win over the Falcons with hip and quadriceps injuries.
If Jackson does not play, the Bears could turn to Luke Newman, a 2025 sixth-round pick, to start at right guard against the Patriots. He replaced Jackson against the Falcons and surrended just one pressure and no sacks on 14 pass-block snaps.
The Bears could also tab Jordan McFadden to make the start in Jackson’s place. McFadden was a healthy scratch against the Falcons and, therefore, was not an option for fill-in duties last week, but he has more experience than Newman.
Bears Catch Break With Patriots Update Before Week 7 Showdown