Bear Digest

Bears reveal exact nature of one scary moment from Sunday's win

An injury situation from Sunday's 24-20 Chicago Bears win over the New York Giants apparently was nothing serious according to coach Ben Johnson.
Gene Chamberlain|
Giants tight end Daniel Bellinger can't make the catch over Bears safety Jaquan Brisker in Sunday's win, and Brisker was fine after the play despite an injury scare.
Giants tight end Daniel Bellinger can't make the catch over Bears safety Jaquan Brisker in Sunday's win, and Brisker was fine after the play despite an injury scare. | Mike Dinovo-Imagn Images

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Chicago Bears

A potentially dangerous mystery lingering from Sunday's game got cleared up Monday by Bears coach Ben Johnson.

Safety Jaquan Brisker went down briefly in the end zone and stayed on the ground after breaking up what could have been a touchdown pass. He got the pass breakup on the play by prying it from Daniel Bellinger as the two were hitting the ground in the end zone on a fourth-and-1 gamble from the Bears 19. The incompletion saved three to seven points and loomed large later.

What loomed even larger at the time was the possibility Brisker was  hurt on the play as he remained on the turf.

It looked like the back of his head may have hit the turf hard as he came down after pulling on the football, and that's always a concern with Brisker after he had three concussions in his first three seasons.

However, Brisker returned shortly thereafter and played the  remainder of the game, with five tackles and the pass breakup. Brisker had an outstanding game according to analytics. He was their second-highest graded player on defense, according to Pro Football Focus. And he was No. 1 in pass coverage.

Nothing more was said of the situation as Johnson after the game only acknowledged a knee injury to Ruben Hyppolite II from one of his seven special teams plays. However, Johnson on Monday revealed it had been a back injury to Brisker and not a possible head injury that the team medical staff was addressing.

"Looked like he tweaked his back a little bit, but sounds like he's good to go,” Johnson said.

The last thing the Bears need is another injury in the secondary after they've been trying to cope with longer-term injuries to cornerbacks Kyler Gordon and Jaylon Johnson.

So far, he's happy with the way they've fought through the injuries. A big part of it is C.J. Gardner-Johnson's role but he has seen the defensive line and linebackers assert themselves.

"Then maybe we get some reinforcements in the back end at some point as  well," Johnson said, referring to Gordon coming back from a groin injury off IR in a few weeks. "I think we're going to be just fine.

"Each week is its own story. I keep saying that, so just because we  play well one week doesn't mean it carries over just because we played poorly one week doesn't mean that carries over either. At the end of the day we just need to continue to find ways to win.”

It would be easier if they can continue to stay healthy now after battling through defensive injuries.

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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.