Bear Digest

Bears Catching Rams at the Right Time if There Is One

Matthew Stafford will be leading a banged-up offense into Chicago, although it didn't seem to hurt the Rams last week in a comeback win over the 49ers.
Gene Chamberlain|
Matthew Stafford led an injury-riddled Rams offense to a comeback win over the 49ers last week so being without key receivers again won't be a problem.
Matthew Stafford led an injury-riddled Rams offense to a comeback win over the 49ers last week so being without key receivers again won't be a problem. | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

In this story:

Chicago Bears

The Bears won't catch the full force of the Rams passing game, by far.

At his Monday press conference, Rams coach Sean McVay already ruled out wide receiver Cooper Kupp for Sunday's game at Soldier Field due to an ankle injury.

It's a tough blow for the Rams but nothing they haven't faced before. They actually didn't have Kupp or wide receiver Puka Nacua against the 49ers on Sunday and still won the game. Nacua is also out with a PCL sprain in his right knee, suffered in Week 1.

POWER RANKINGS BURY BEARS UNDER THE RUBBLE OF LOSS TO COLTS

WHERE SURPRISING PFF GRADES PUT FAULT FOR BEARS RUNNING GAME FLOP

BEARS' FOCUS CHALLENGED AS MATT EBERFLUS' DEFINITION OF ADVERSITY STRIKES

MORE BEARS NEWS AND VIDEO

Kupp already has 18 receptions even though he played in only two games.

Quarterback Matthew Stafford still managed to rally the Rams from 14 down against the 49ers with 165-pound Tutu Atwell, sixth-round rookie Jordan Whittington, fifth-year journeyman Tyler Johnson, fifth-round rookie Kyren Williams and veteran backup DeMarcus Robinson playing wide receiver.

They did also rely on tight end Colby Parkinson, who had played three years in Shane Waldron's offense with Seattle.

Injuries have hit the Rams hard this year, and not just at the wide receiver positions.

Massive nose tackle Bobby Brown is trying to play through an ankle injury

Starting DB Cobie Durant is trying to play through a toe injury.

The Rams already have DBs John Johnson, Tre Tomlinson and Darious Williams and offensive linemen Steve Avila, Conor McDermott, Joe Noteboom and Jonah Jackson on injured reserve along with Nacua, tackle KT Leveston and defensive tackle Larrell Murchison.

They won despite giving up 425 yards of offense to the 49ers and gaining only 296.

The Bears came out of their loss to the Colts with only one new reported injury, a hip injury to backup cornerback Terell Smith.

Twitter: BearsOnSI

Published
Gene Chamberlain
GENE CHAMBERLAIN

Gene Chamberlain has covered the Chicago Bears full time as a beat writer since 1994 and prior to this on a part-time basis for 10 years. He covered the Bears as a beat writer for Suburban Chicago Newspapers, the Daily Southtown, Copley News Service and has been a contributor for the Daily Herald, the Associated Press, Bear Report, CBS Sports.com and The Sporting News. He also has worked a prep sports writer for Tribune Newspapers and Sun-Times newspapers.