Chicago Bears May Have Just Caught A Massive Break

The Chicago Bears have the week off, thanks to their bye. Guys have a chance to get healthy and take a breath before what figures to be a much tougher stretch in November and December. Their biggest challenge in the past month was directly ahead as they're set to visit the 4-2 Washington Commanders and their scorching hot rookie quarterback, Jayden Daniels. It figured to be a major challenge for this team after a stretch of three games against struggling opponents like the Rams, Panthers, and Jaguars.

Well, it appears their good fortune might still be intact. Washington was taking care of business against Carolina 10-0 when Daniels hit the turf. Nothing seemed amiss at first, but he did get up, seeming to cradle his rib area. Things got worrying quickly after that. Daniels made a visit to the medical tent, tried a few throws, and stopped. He was then escorted to the locker room.

The Chicago Bears might be catching a huge break.

At the time of writing, Daniels has not returned to the game. Given how things have gone, it is unlikely he will. David Chao, a former NFL doctor, believes it is likely a rib or soft cartilage injury. Due to several muscle attachments to that area, it can be extremely painful. Depending on the severity, the rookie could miss anywhere from two to six weeks of action. This puts his status for next week against the Chicago Bears in serious question.

Not having Daniels would mean Washington having to turn to backup Marcus Mariota. While he's not some no-name scrub, he isn't nearly as capable at this stage of his career as the reigning Heisman winner. The Bears have one of the best defenses in the NFL and will have had two weeks to prepare for the Commanders' offensive scheme under Kliff Kingsbury. If Chicago can make it a shootout scenario with their own surging offense, Washington may not be able to keep up.