Bears May Have Caught Not One but Two Big Breaks vs. Panthers

Do think for a second that winning in the NFL is all about talent and brilliant coaching? There is an added third element at work. One that is unpredictable. That being luck. The popular saying is good teams make their own luck but that's not entirely true. Ask the Oakland Raiders of the early 1970s. They had horrendous luck despite being a great team. As for the Chicago Bears luck? Well, let's just say it's been sub par. In fairness a lot of their losing ways can be chalked up to talent limitations and poor coaching. At the same time they've been the recipient of some horrendous moments of misfortune in recent years. It's a terrible penalty here. It's a key injury there. Every time they seem to get some momentum, something goes wrong. Fans are bracing themselves for more of the same this Sunday. After a big win against the Ravens in Baltimore, the Bears have a chance to climb back into the NFC North race. This due to an unexpected piece of good fortune with Aaron Rodgers breaking his collarbone. While it's never good to celebrate an injury, facts are facts. Rodgers being out helps the Bears immeasurably. Now they may have caught another break. (continue to next page)

Chicago Bears luck may have struck via Panthers injury report

The first half of the Bears schedule was considered pretty brutal by experts. It included several teams that had made the playoffs within the last two years. One of them was the Carolina Panthers, whom they play this Sunday. The Panthers are 4-2 this season and seem to have regained the form they showed when marching to the Super Bowl in 2015. That said their odds for winning this week may be taking a significant dip. Not just because the Bears won but also because two of their biggest stars may not be available. According to Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer, Pro Bowl linebacker Luke Kuechly and wide receiver Kelvin Benjamin are now nursing injuries and it's unclear if they'll play.

"Given where Kuechly is in the (concussion) protocol, it seems unlikely he would be cleared before Sunday’s game at Chicago. While Kuechly rode the bike, one of the Panthers’ other star players – wide receiver Kelvin Benjamin – left practice early."

Both players have a history of injury problems. Kuechly has suffered multiple concussions in his career. It's little wonder the team is taking things slow through the protocol. They can't afford to rush him back and risk him getting another, worse one. As for Benjamin he tore his ACL during practice in 2015. He also has a history of weight issues, which can lead to muscle strains. Time will tell whether his removal from practice was precautionary or not. If even one of those guys misses the game, it's a huge break for the Bears. If both do? There is no reason they should not be able to get their first back-to-back victory in two years. **************************UPDATE**************************************** It appears Kelvin Benjamin has been battling a knee problem the past few weeks. Seems he may have aggravated it during practice according updates from the Pantehrs. It's not clear how severe it is or his status for Sunday. Odds are whether he practices or not over the next couple days will determine that.