Bear Digest

Bears get huge injury update ahead of Wild Card showdown vs Packers

With Chicago's season on the line, a major playmaker is set to make his return.
Pete Martuneac|
Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images

In this story:

Chicago Bears

Playoff football is finally back for the Chicago Bears, and this time the stakes could not be any higher. To win their first postseason game since 2010 and advance to the Divisional Round, the Bears must defeat their ancient foe, the Green Bay Packers. Luckily, the Bears have been getting healthy at just the right time, and Thursday brought even more good news for the team.

Wide receiver Rome Odunze, who's missed the last five games with a lingering foot injury, is officially off the Bears' injury report and will make his return against Green Bay in their Wild Card showdown. DJ Moore, who had been limited in practice on Tuesday and Wednesday, is also good to go.

The Bears will need an all-hands effort to overcome the Packers on Saturday, and getting Odunze back for this game should have the fans feeling confident. Despite a couple of rough patches this season, Odunze is a game-changer when he's on the field. Don't forget about his start to this season, when he rattled off five touchdowns and 296 yards in the first four games.

It's not just the passing game that should get a boost from the return of the second-year receiver, either. Head coach Ben Johnson has emphasized a 'no block, no rock' rule for his offense since he first arrived, meaning that receivers and tight ends who want passes thrown their way better block their butts off in the run game. Odunze seemed to take to this philosophy more than any other receiver on the team, and his absence over the last month can partly explain why Chicago's rushing attack has softened.

A hungry Rome Odunze will be a game-changer for Chicago

Odunze missed both of the Bears-Packers games this year, and while he certainly enjoyed that sensational comeback victory over the Packers in Week 16, watching from the sidelines just isn't the same as being on the field. You can bet your bottom dollar that he's itching to get out there and make some big plays in what is shaping up to be one of the greatest games in this historic rivalry.

Rome Odunz
David Banks-Imagn Images

More Chicago Bears News:

Sign Up For the Bears Daily Digest - OnSI’s Free Chicago Bears Newsletter

Published
Pete Martuneac
PETE MARTUNEAC

A former Marine and Purdue Boilermaker, Pete has been covering the Chicago Bears since 2022 as a senior contributor on BearsTalk. He lives with his wife, two kids and loyal dog.

Home/News