NEWSLETTER
The Chicago Bears shared their list of inactives, which unfortunately includes some key starters we wish were healthy enough to play in the regular-season finale against the Minnesota Vikings:
Today's inactives for #DaBears:
12 Allen Robinson II
39 Eddie Jackson
46 Michael Burton
69 Rashaad Coward
85 Daniel Brown
97 Nick Williams
99 Aaron Lynch#CHIvsMIN— Chicago Bears (@BearsPR) December 30, 2018
Wide receiver Allen Robinson II and safety Eddie Jackson are the most notable inactive Bears players for Sunday’s game against the Vikings. Robinson is sitting out due to an injury to his ribs that kept him from participating in practice in the team’s Week 16 win against the San Francisco 49ers, while Jackson will miss his second consecutive game while nursing an ankle injury sustained in the fourth quarter of the Bears’ Week 15 division-clinching win against the Green Bay Packers. But because the Bears have the NFC North locked up, there is no reason to put two key players in harm’s way when there will be bigger fish to fry as early as next week.
Where there is an absence on the football field, there is an opportunity for someone to make the most of a chance they would have not otherwise received. This week, those opportunities could go to receivers Kevin White and Javon Wims. Both wideouts have been stuck on the inactive list for a while now and could reap the benefits of Robinson sitting this one out. Altogether, the Bears are rolling with five wide receivers (Wims, White, Josh Bellamy, Taylor Gabriel, and Anthony Miller) and three tight ends (Trey Burton, Adam Shaheen, Ben Braunecker) so it’s not like quarterback Mitch Trubisky is short on targets.
Oh, and this guy is playing, too:
Jay Glazer is reporting that RG Kyle Long will indeed start today. #Bears
— Aaron Leming (@AaronLemingNFL) December 30, 2018
I don’t expect Kyle Long to be on the receiving end of any touchdown passes from Mitch Trubisky, but can you ever rule anything out? Didn’t think so.
On the other side of the field, the Vikings have some key injuries of their own in a game that could ultimately decide their playoff fate:
Inactive for #Vikings are CB Xavier Rhodes (groin), LB Eric Kendricks (hamstring), punt returner Marcus Sherels (foot), FB C.J. Ham (elbow), WR Chad Beebe (hamstring), QB Kyle Sloter and DE Tashawn Bower.
— Chris Tomasson (@christomasson) December 30, 2018
Starting cornerback Xavier Rhodes, middle linebacker Eric Kendricks, and top punt returner Marcus Sherels are out. Those are some important pieces now out of the picture for Sunday’s game.
We’re a little more than an hour away from kick-off and the playoff puzzle become that much closer to being complete.
