The Chicago Bears are officially rolling into their Thursday night matchup against the Patriots without a massive chunk of their offense, as running back Kyle Monangai has been ruled out for a third straight game. Yeah, you read that right, a *third* consecutive game. This isn’t just a bump in the road; it’s a gaping hole that’s getting harder and harder to ignore.
Monangai’s Missing Production Is A Real Problem For Chicago’s Offense
Let’s be real, losing Monangai again hurts. The guy has been a significant contributor for Chicago this season, putting up 324 rushing yards and three touchdowns, plus snagging five passes for another 39 yards. That’s a lot of production just *gone* from the offense. He’s been sidelined with thumb and toe injuries, and the fact that he was a non-participant on all three injury reports this short week tells you everything you need to know about his status. What’s the plan to replace that kind of impact against the Patriots? The Bears are gonna have to find some answers, and fast.
Some Relief On Offense, But Defensive Issues Mount
It’s not all bad news for the offense, though. There’s a silver lining with right guard Jonah Jackson. He’s officially off the injury report and is good to go for Thursday night. Jackson went from a non-participant on Monday’s report to limited on Tuesday, then full on Wednesday. That kind of progress is huge for the offensive line, and getting a key blocker back should help mitigate Monangai’s absence a little.
But flip to the defensive side, and it’s a whole other story. Linebacker Jack Sanborn is out with a concussion, which is a big hit to that unit. And it gets worse: linebacker T.J. Edwards is doubtful with a hamstring injury, and defensive back Tyrique Stevenson is questionable with a hip issue. Losing Sanborn completely, with Edwards likely out too, means the Bears’ defense will be scrambling to cover those gaps. At least linebacker Keyshaun Elliott is off the report and ready to play, so that’s something.
So, heading into Thursday night, the Bears are without their key rusher for the third time and are banged up on defense. They’re gonna need their healthy guys to step up big time if they want to make some noise against the Patriots.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Pro Football Talk.
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