Sep 22, 2013; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Chicago Bears linebacker Lance Briggs (55) smiles with linebacker D.J. Williams (58) after making a tackle against the Pittsburgh Steelers during the first quarter at Heinz Field. Mandatory Credit: Jason Bridge-USA TODAY Sports
Profootballtalk just tweeted that Bears LB Lance Briggs will be out at least a month (4-6 weeks) with a shoulder injury. Fortunately, he will not need surgery.
Briggs currently has 64 tackles, 2 sacks, 9 tackles for loss (TFL) and 8 passes defended. on the season.
This is a major blow to the defense and the team in general. If there was one person on each side of the ball that the Bears couldn’t afford to lose it was QB Jay Cutler on offense and Lance Briggs on defense.
On Sunday the defense had moments of being not good during some stretches, being serviceable in others and downright horrendous in others.
Briggs was the signal caller and captain of the defense; once he went out the defense went from poor to $#%^#@!!!!
Where does this leave the Bears? Do they try to just stop the bleeding somehow or do they play all the young guys and see what they have for next year?
Do they play LB Blake Costanzo; a journeyman who is a better special teams player? Is it rookie time with Khaseem Greene?
The Bears are playing two rookies on the offensive line in Kyle Long and Jordan Mills, why not two rookies starting at LB?
I don’t believe the Bears should give up on this season. I think they can continue to be competitive and the offense can win games for them even with 34-year-old Josh McCown running the show. But the defense is old and it’s showing it’s age. It wasn’t very good in most aspects before all of the injuries.
I say, lets figure out what we still have left, but let the youth movement begin.