The Chicago Bears defense needed no help to shutdown the Cleveland Browns on Sunday, December 15 at Soldier Field, but the story may well be different next weekend against the Green Bay Packers as well as in Weeks 17 and 18 against the San Francisco 49ers and Detroit Lions, respectively.
In a stroke of good injury luck and timing, Chicago was able to clear the path on Monday for the return of linebacker Tremaine Edmunds.
“Help is on the way: The #Bears are opening the 21-day window for LB Tremaine Edmunds, as [he] begins to ramp up,” Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reported via social media. “Real chance he returns Saturday vs. the #Packers.”
Tremaine Edmunds Huge Addition to Struggling Bears’ Run Defense Ahead of Games Against the 49ers, Lions
GettyChicago Bears linebacker Tremaine Edmunds.
Edmunds sustained a groin strain during Chicago’s Week 11 contest against the Minnesota Vikings. The team subsequently sent him to injured reserve (IR), which mandated he miss at least four games.
The two-time Pro Bowler, who joined the Bears ahead of the 2023 campaign after spending his first five years in the NFL with the Buffalo Bills, has played in 10 games for Chicago this season. Over that stretch, Edmunds has tallied 89 tackles, including three tackles for loss, nine pass breakups, four interceptions, three quarterback hits and a sack.
Pro Football Focus currently rates Edmunds as the No. 28 linebacker in the league out of 88 players at the position who have seen enough snaps to qualify for a ranking. He is top 10 (No. 9 overall) against the run, with a player grade of 85.5 in that category.
The Bears defense is 23rd against the run through 15 weeks and faces two of the best rushers in the league — Christian McCaffrey of the 49ers and Jahmyr Gibbs of the Lions — in the final two weeks of the season.
Edmunds is also an above-average pass-rusher and coverage player at his position, according to PFF. Chicago’s defense is 18th against the pass to this point in the year.
Bears Regained NFC North Division Lead With Win Over Browns in Week 15
GettyHead coach Ben Johnson of the Chicago Bears.
The Bears recaptured the lead in the NFC North Division by a half-game over the Packers following Chicago’s victory over Cleveland and Green Bay’s loss to Denver in Week 15. The Packers seized the divisional advantage in Week 14 by defeating the Bears 28-21 at Lambeau Field.
Chicago and Green Bay meet again on Saturday, December 20, this time at Soldier Field. The stakes are exactly the same next weekend as they were two weeks ago, with the Lions (8-6) lurking two games back of the Bears and just 1.5 games behind the Packers.
However, this time around Green Bay will be without superstar pass-rusher Micah Parsons, who suffered a torn ACL against the Broncos on Sunday and will now miss the remainder of the season. Parsons’ absence will undoubtedly impact the make up of the game, as he was again among the top edge defenders in football before going down with the non-contact injury on December 14.
The winner of Saturday’s matchup in Chicago will have a stronghold on the division with just two weeks to play in the regular season. And should the Bears come out victorious, they will remain in the hunt for the No. 1 seed in the NFC and a bye through the opening weekend of the playoffs.
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