Don’t miss the playoff game between the Bears and the Saints on Sunday at 4:30 p.m. on RDS and RDS Direct.
Avant-match Bears-Saints
The Chicago Bears could be forced to make do without a few important players in their first-round playoff showdown against the New Orleans Saints on Sunday.
Linebacker Roquan Smith, who led the Bears in tackles in 2020, and rookie wide-end Darnell Mooney have not participated in any practice this week due to injuries. Both players are uncertain cases, as is cornerback Jaylon Johnson.
Smith injured his left elbow in the first round of the Green Bay Packers offense last Sunday. Mooney left that same game in the fourth quarter with an ankle injury.
Smith’s injury could deprive the Bears of an impact player in the inside linebacker position, especially if all-star running back Alvin Kamara’s name is removed from the injured / COVID-19 list and returned to the game, which should be.
Smith had a career-high personal best with 139 tackles, and he finished second in the league with 18 tackles resulting in field losses.
If he’s unavailable, Josh Woods could make his first career start, having appeared in 28 games last week. But Woods, a three-season veteran in the league, is himself an uncertain case due to injuries to his toe and buttocks.
“Smith is a completely dominant player. The way he plays he’s on a whole new level, ”said head coach Matt Nagy.
“Losing a player like that is part of football. And whoever is called upon to replace him must appear in the field and do the work, ”Nagy continued.
For his part, Mooney set personal career highs in the loss to the Packers last week with 11 catches for 93 yards.
Claimed in the fifth round, he finished second among the team’s receivers with 61 passes caught for gains of 631 yards.
Johnson, a second-round pick, has been out since Week 14. He has started each of the 13 games he’s been in.
