In Week 4, the Chicago Bears managed to overcome the severely injured Los Angeles Rams, but they now have a serious injury worry of their own.
Due to a rib injury, left guard Teven Jenkins had to leave the game in the first half and was unable to return.
Teven Jenkins (ribs) has been downgraded to OUT.
— Courtney Cronin (@CourtneyRCronin) September 29, 2024
On Sunday, September 29, ESPN’s Courtney Cronin announced via an X post that “Teven Jenkins (ribs) has been downgraded to OUT.”
Jenkins was originally deemed to be “questionable” to return. The offensive lineman’s suffering after the injury may have contributed to the team doctors downgrading him to “out.” On the other hand, it might also be connected to particular results that the training team looks into more closely, like X-rays.
Jenkins’ position will probably be discussed by Chicago on Monday, and maybe even later in the week. The Bears’ already subpar offensive line will suffer if he winds up missing any sizeable amount of time.
More significantly, though, it will be felt by rookie quarterback Caleb Williams, who has already experienced serious problems in just four games.
Jenkins, Teven Bears’ Best Offensive Lineman, Undoubtedly
First and foremost, Jenkins is the best offensive linemate the struggling Bears have, which makes his absence a significant concern for a number of reasons.
Only Jenkins and left tackle Braxton Jones are regarded as being in the top half of their positions across the league, according to Pro Football Focus (PFF), which ranks 28th out of 64 guards in the NFL who have seen enough snaps to qualify through four games.
Chicago’s run game consequently faltered for three weeks until making some progress on Sunday. The Bears amassed 131 rushing yards and two touchdowns on the ground as a unit, with running back D’Andre Swift accounting for 93 yards on 16 touches.
Chicago’s ability to run the football will be severely hindered by Jenkins’ departure, since his departure on Sunday forced Matt Pryor to switch from right guard to left guard and reinstall Nate Davis at right guard. Prior to Week 3, head coach Matt Eberflus benched Davis due to the lineman’s subpar performance and problems with his work ethic throughout practice.
The Bears’ schedule for the next two weeks is favorable.
In the meantime, Williams has already been sacked 16 times this season by opposing pass rushers—among the lowest totals in the NFL—and has been sent to the ground by strong hits considerably more frequently than that.
Before Week 4, Chicago’s offensive line was ranked 20th out of 32 teams by PFF’s Zoltán Buday. Jenkins was identified by him as the team’s top player.
On September 25, Buday reported, “Jenkins has allowed pressure on 4.1% of pass plays this season, which is the best rate of his career.”
The only thing that might save Chicago might be the fact that its next two games at Soldier Field are against the Carolina Panthers (1-3) and the Jacksonville Jaguars (0-4), two of the league’s poorest teams.
According to NFL.com, the Panthers have only allowed five sacks as a team all season, and the Jaguars have only allowed seven sacks through four games. However, without Jenkins, the Bears offensive line is vulnerable to even weak pass-rushing defenses, so any updates regarding Jenkins’ health will be critical to Chicago’s chances in the upcoming weeks.
‘Weapon’ Tory Taylor from Australia helps the Chicago Bears defeat the Los Angeles Rams, an important victory.
Punter Tory Taylor, who was born in Australia, is adjusting to life in the NFL and helped the Chicago Bears defeat the Los Angeles Rams in an unexpected game.
The team selected the 27-year-old in the draft earlier this year, drafting him alongside promising rookie quarterback Caleb Williams.
Taylor was instrumental in the Bears’ 24-18 victory over the Rams on Monday morning (AEST) following a disappointing season to start.
In the last quarter, Taylor unleashed two enormous punts, one of which was a 66-yarder that really revved up the Melbourne product.
“I knew it was good right away,” he remarked after the match.
With just over a minute left, he followed it up with a precise attempt from within his own half that stopped the Rams on their own 10-yard line.
In Chicago’s second victory, Taylor punted five times, averaging 55.4 yards per try.
Tory Taylor is a WEAPON
— Big Cat (@BarstoolBigCat) September 29, 2024
Williams, the former Heisman Trophy winner, led four scoring drives and completed passes for 157 yards during a great effort.
Additionally, the first overall draft pick claimed that not giving up any points went a “long way” in helping the Bears secure a vital victory.
“The most crucial thing is when there aren’t two turnovers,” Williams stated.
It makes a big difference when you have a defense like ours, a punter and a kicker like we have, and you’re not turning the ball over. You’re going to have a ton of victories.
In a strong performance, running back D’Andre Swift gained 165 yards and a touchdown.
