There are some things that simply can’t be chalked up as coincidences.
At the top of mind, as far as this Chicago Bears team is concerned, is a pair of return touchdowns by the Baltimore Ravens that came after cornerback/special teams ace Sherrick McManis left the game with a hamstring injury. Unfortunately, it seems as if the Bears should prepare themselves for a few more games without McManis’ presence.
Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune tweets McManis could miss a few weeks because of the hamstring injury he suffered during Sunday’s win. With games against the Carolina Panthers and New Orleans Saints coming up before the Bears’ bye week, Biggs speculates McManis could be back as early as November 12 when the team hosts the Green Bay Packers. Relatively speaking, that would be a win for a team that already has eight players on injured reserve.
While meeting with the media on Monday at Halas Hall, head coach John Fox didn’t offer up much detail regarding McManis’ status:
John Fox on Sherrick McManis: “He’s got a hamstring. We’ll keep you guys posted."
— Kevin Fishbain (@kfishbain) October 16, 2017
Injuries to special teams contributors don’t generally garner headlines, but eyebrows are certainly raised when that player is a special teams captain and his unit allows two touchdowns after his departure. A case could be made those special teams miscues don’t happen with a healthy McManis on the field. But since McManis won’t be around for a few weeks, special teams coordinator Jeff Rodgers is now tasked with rallying his group and tying up some loose ends.