#chicago-bears

#chicago-bears

BALTIMORE -- The Chicago Bears placed cornerback Kyler Gordon and offensive tackle Braxton Jones on injured reserve on Saturday. Both players will be sidelined for a minimum of four games and are eligible to return ahead of Chicago's Week 12 matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Both players were ruled out on the team's final injury report. Gordon, who missed Chicago's first four games with a hamstring injury, showed up on the injury report on Thursday with groin and calf injuries.

LAKE FOREST, Ill. -- Chicago Bears wide receiver Rome Odunze had not caught a touchdown in weeks, and his rookie season was coming to a close. This was not what the No. 9 overall selection in the 2024 draft had envisioned. He had gone from a Washington team whose only loss in 2023 was in the CFP National Championship Game to a Bears team that lost 10 straight en route to a 5-12 finish.

Four takeaways. That's where the bar has been set for Chicago's defense after pushing past an 0-2 start, which included one of the worst defensive performances in franchise history in a 52-21 loss at Detroit in Week 2. It's become a rallying cry for the Bears, who took the ball away four times against Dallas in Week 4 and four more times in Las Vegas one week later.

After punting on their first drive, the Bears' defense came up with a huge play when defensive end Montez Sweat forced a fumble on a sack of quarterback Spencer Rattler. That loose ball was recovered by the Bears on New Orleans' 29 yard line. Though Chicago got into the red zone, they settled for a field goal after failing to convert a third down for a 3-0 advantage.

LAKE FOREST, Ill. -- Bears wide receiver DJ Moore is back in Chicago after spending the night in a Washington, D.C.-area hospital where he was evaluated for a groin injury, according to coach Ben Johnson. Johnson declined to provide details about Moore's injury but categorized the receiver as "day-to-day." "That's a little bit more of a personal story there," Johnson said.

Daniels had some exceptional moments at Northwest Stadium. He turned on the style over the second half, dragging the Commanders back from another deficit into the lead. Then, disaster struck. Daniels fumbled the football for a second time in the game, and this time he didn't get it back. Chicago seized the initiative, driving far enough downfield for veteran kicker Jake Moody to drill the game-winning field goal as time expired.

The quarterbacks - who will face off for the second time Monday night at Northwest Stadium - will be compared throughout their careers. But as much as their individual performances matter, what is equally as important is how their teams build around them - particularly while they're still on their rookie contracts, before they're eligible to sign lucrative extensions in the 2027 offseason.

This immediately invoked memories of last season's encounter between the two clubs at the same venue. When it looked like the Bears were heading for a statement victory, the Commanders had other ideas. Jayden Daniels heaved a prayer near the end zone as time expired, which fortunately fell into the grateful arms of wide receiver Noah Brown for a Hail Mary miracle. It was an astonishing moment - one that sent the NFC adversaries on entirely different paths the rest of the way.

"doesn't seem like anything super serious."

Ben Solak is out this week, so Matt Bowen is filling in with his own unique style. Bowen and Seth Walder bring different perspectives into how they approach sports betting. A former NFL safety, Bowen predicts positive matchups and game winners from tape study and his understanding of the league. Walder relies on statistical models to pick out plus-expected value bets.

Wide receiver Tyreek Hill was out on the practice field but without pads. Coach Mike McDaniel said he would try to practice through his oblique injury, revealed ahead of the Friday joint session, but Hill did not do anything against the Bears.

"I'm bigger on Detroit-style pizza," Borom said. "The Chicago style with the fork and knife, you can keep that. ... You can't even pick it up."

Colston Loveland is on track to be ready for the start of his rookie season. Chicago opens the 2025 season at home on MNF in Week 1 vs. the Vikings.

Despite higher competition in the free-agent pool, Jamaal Williams remains a top option for the Bears, especially due to his previous success with their current staff.