The Chicago Bears have 14 players on the reserve/COVID-19 list heading into tonight’s game against the Minnesota Vikings.
But they at least will have defensive coordinator Sean Desai back in the fold after he was in COVID-19 protocols last week. Offensive coordinator Bill Lazor and special teams coordinator Chris Tabor are still out.
We have all the Week 15 updates from Soldier Field.
Halftime: Bears trail 10-3 after losing 2 fumbles
The Bears lost two fumbles in the first half and trailed the Vikings 10-3 at halftime.
Quarterback Justin Fields and running back David Montgomery each had a turnover. Fields’ lost fumble led to a Vikings field goal, and one drive later, Montgomery lost the ball in the red zone.
The Bears defense, which was missing all of its starters in the secondary because of COVID-19 and injury, did a decent job slowing the Vikings offense.
After Robert Quinn recorded his second sack of the night against Kirk Cousins — his 16th sack of the season — Cousins threw an interception right to Bears safety Deon Bush, who was all alone down the field.
The Bears had a chance to score late in the second quarter, but Vikings defensive lineman Dalvin Tomlinson blocked Cairo Santos’ 49-yard field-goal attempt. Santos made a 34-yarder earlier in the quarter.
Cousins’ 12-yard touchdown pass to Justin Jefferson gave the Vikings a 7-0 lead with 5:03 to play in the first quarter. On the third-and-5 play, Jefferson beat Bush in the end zone.
Jefferson also caught an 18-yard pass with Marqui Christian in coverage on third-and-8 during the drive to get the Vikings to the 34-yard line.
The Vikings made it 10-0 on a drive that started after Fields fumbled when Cameron Dantzler hit him on a run. Vikings linebacker Anthony Barr recovered.
The Vikings had first-and-10 at the 12 after Bears coach Matt Nagy was called for an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty for arguing with an official. But the Bears forced Cousins to throw incomplete and stopped Dalvin Cook for no gain before Quinn sacked Cousins on third down. Greg Joseph then made a 37-yard field goal.
Cousins completed 9 of 16 passes for 60 yards and the touchdown, and Cook had 10 carries for 44 yards.
Fields completed 10 of 12 passes for 93 yards, and Montgomery had 11 carries for 45 yards.
Bears punt returner Jakeem Grant, who was named to the Pro Bowl before the game, left to be evaluated for a concussion.
Inactives announced
Bears inside linebacker Roquan Smith and defensive lineman Akiem Hicks are active Monday night against the Vikings.
Smith suffered a hamstring injury against the Detroit Lions on Thanksgiving. He hasn’t missed any starts, but he aggravated the injury last week against the Green Bay Packers.
Hicks missed the last four games with an ankle injury.
The Bears activated offensive tackle Germain Ifedi from injured reserve, and he will play Monday. Ifedi has been out since Oct. 10 with a knee injury and returned to practice last week.
The Bears elevated eight players from the practice squad, and all are active: wide receivers Nsimba Webster and Dazz Newsome, defensive backs Thomas Graham Jr., Dee Virgin, Michael Joseph and BoPete Keyes, linebacker Charles Snowden and defensive end LaCale London.
Inactive for the Bears are cornerback Xavier Crawford, left tackle Jason Peters, wide receiver Marquise Goodwin and defensive lineman Khyiris Tonga.
All 14 players who entered the day on the reserve/COVID-19 list also are out.
For the Vikings, quarterback Kellen Mond, wide receiver Adam Thielen, linebacker Chazz Surratt and guard Wyatt Davis are inactive.
Pregame
The Chicago Bears announced more bad news regarding their COVID-19 outbreak Sunday when they placed starting cornerback Jaylon Johnson and safety Tashaun Gipson on the reserve/COVID-19 list.
That gave them 14 players on the list heading into Monday night’s game against the Minnesota Vikings at Soldier Field.
Johnson and Gipson were two of several big names in an outbreak that especially has affected an already depleted Bears secondary. Starting safety Eddie Jackson and cornerback Artie Burns, who started the last three games in place of Kindle Vildor, are also on the list, as is nickel Duke Shelley. Meanwhile, cornerback Xavier Crawford is out because of a concussion and safety DeAndre Houston-Carson is out with a broken forearm.
So the Bears could be in for a big test against a Vikings offense that averages 390.5 yards per game, fourth-best in the NFL.
“There’s always something new, and that’s a part of life in the NFL as a leader,” Bears coach Matt Nagy said Saturday of dealing with the challenges this week. “It can try to break you down, but you’ve got to stay positive and you expect the unexpected and you deal with it full steam ahead and you stay positive and you roll.”
Also on the COVID-19 list are right tackle Larry Borom, wide receiver Allen Robinson, quarterback Andy Dalton, tight end Jesse James, defensive lineman Mario Edwards Jr., linebackers Joel Iyiegbuniwe and Sam Kamara, running back Ryan Nall and wide receiver Isaiah Coulter.
Injury report
Along with Crawford and Houston-Carson, left tackle Jason Peters will not play because of a high right ankle sprain.
Wide receiver Marquise Goodwin (foot) and defensive lineman Khyiris Tonga (shoulder) are doubtful.
The status of inside linebacker Roquan Smith and defensive lineman Akiem Hicks will be worth watching after both were listed as questionable. Smith has been dealing with a hamstring injury, and Hicks has missed four games with an ankle injury. The Bears thought Hicks might be ready to play last week, but he was ruled out the day before.
The Vikings listed wide receiver Adam Thielen (ankle) as questionable.
Miss anything this week? Catch up before tonight’s kickoff (7:15 p.m., ESPN).
- 5 things to watch for as the Bears host the Vikings on ‘Monday Night Football’ — plus our Week 15 predictions
- Disorder. Dysfunction. Disappointment. As the Bears’ systemic failures continue, one proposed remedy has become common: ‘You clean house.’
- Column: Jaylon Johnson says part of the Bears locker room is ‘starting to go into the tank.’ Others disagree. Either way, the culture at Halas Hall isn’t what it’s cracked up to be.
- From ‘Oh, no’ to ‘Oh, my God, this is beautiful’: How Jakeem Grant’s record 97-yard punt-return touchdown unfolded for the Bears
- Bears Q&A: How quickly can the team return to winning ways? Who are the building blocks for 2022? And what’s with the drought in interceptions for cornerbacks?
- What’s the best way to describe Justin Fields’ rookie season? Will there be major staff changes? 4 questions for the Bears heading into the final leg of the season.
- Column: Protecting Justin Fields vs. the Vikings will be complicated for the Bears with injuries, illnesses and COVID-19 protocols impacting the offensive line
- How the Bears are dealing with a COVID-19 outbreak: ‘We’re not the only team going through this’
- ‘Hopefully this passes’: The Bears continue to adapt as a COVID-19 surge — 13 players and 3 coordinators — disrupts their routine
- NFL revises its COVID-19 policy, saying only unvaccinated and those experiencing possible symptoms will be tested
- Column: Another COVID-19 surge is wreaking havoc on the sports world as leagues try to keep up with updated protocols amid the omicron variant
- Matt Nagy’s time with the Bears: A look back at the career highs — and lows — for the coach
- The Bears have never fired a coach midseason. Here’s a look at how past coaches have fared — and when they left the franchise.
Catch up on the latest news out of Arlington Heights.
- The Arlington Heights Bears? Here’s what to know about the team’s possible move from Chicago’s Soldier Field.
- State rejects Arlington International’s OTB parlors, citing owner’s shutdown of horse racing at what could become site of Bears’ new home
- What would a potential new Bears stadium in Arlington Heights be like? Here’s a look at the 7 newest NFL stadiums, from capacity to best amenities.
- Chicago’s Soldier Field: A timeline of events since 1924, including hosting the world’s athletes, congregations, politicians and performers
Source: Berkshire mont
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