Bears Takeaways – Week 10

6.) Just when the Bears were finally healthy, they lose five players

The Bears bad injury luck continued on Sunday, as at least five players left the game hurt. Kyle Long was carted off the field after his ankle was stepped on by his own player (Paul Lasike). It looked painful and his dad, Howie Long, predicted that he will be out “a while”. Losing the only Pro Bowl player on offense will obviously be a big blow to an already struggling Bears offense.

The Bears also lost their starting right tackle, Bobby Massey, to the concussion protocol. Long and Massey were replaced by Ted Larson (RG) and Mike Adams (RT). Not surprisingly, the Bears had trouble running the ball after losing both starters on the right side, but they barely made an effort to try. Backup d-linemen Will Sutton was also knocked out of the game.

Injuries happen to all teams, but the two most frustrating injuries of the day were to NT Eddie Goldman and RB Jordan Howard. Goldman and Howard are two of the Bears most promising young players but may be out for an extended period of time. The reason both of these injuries were more frustrating is when they happened.

This was Eddie Goldman’s first game back after missing the last six and he wasn’t considered healthy enough to start the game, but he was still in the game down with the Bears down by 26 and just a few minutes left. I know backup NT Will Sutton was already out with an injury, but the Bears have to have a healthier and less important d-linemen who could have filled in for a meaningless drive in garbage time.

Howard carried the ball on the Bears first play of the 2nd half and then spent the rest of it on the sidelines (see above #2) until Fox put him back in the game on the Bears last drive. Howard got nine yards but then limped off the field.

What is Fox doing playing two of his most important young building blocks late in a meaningless game? Did he forget that Goldman wasn’t even 100% at the start of the game? Did he forget that Howard had been on the bench the whole second half? I know Fox is old, but these moves make little sense and could have cost Goldman and Howard the rest of their season.

At the time of writing, there were no details available about Goldman, but it looked like he was holding his ankle. Howard is said to have either an ankle sprain or perhaps a much more serious Achilles injury. Losing two of the Bears best young players at the end of a meaningless game is just another mistake in a long list of them by John Fox and his coaching staff.

7.) Connor Barth!

I said I’d list some bright spots right? Barth knocked down a 54-yard field goal. It wasn’t pretty, but it’s Barth’s first 50+ yard field goal since joining the Bears.