Even if Chicago could have avoided bad news on the injury front, Bears fans still would have considered Thursday night's loss at Green Bay to be an absolute flaming disaster. Jay Cutler tossed four picks, Brandon Marshall dropped a ball in the end zone, and tackle J'Marcus Webb played as if he were an embedded double-agent.
But the Bears, of course, did not avoid bad news on the injury front.
Matt Forte suffered a right ankle injury in the third quarter, and early reports suggest that it's a high sprain. He was brought down by Charles Woodson after a 14-yard gain, and the defender's knee pinned Forte's foot to the ground while his leg twisted. Not good.
This is clearly a multi-week issue, with the potential to affect Forte all season.
Forte was the only non-terrible component to the Bears' offense on Thursday prior to the injury, gaining 80 scrimmage yards on 11 touches (seven carries, four receptions). Michael Bush ultimately led Chicago in rushing with 54 yards on 14 carries. (Armando Allen carried once, for -3 yards. This team needs to sign somebody. Perhaps fumbly Kahlil Bell will get a call).
Bush obviously gains fantasy value in Forte's absence, and the schedule ahead isn't too intimidating: vs. St. Louis, at Dallas, at Jacksonville, bye, vs. Detroit, vs. Carolina. He's not in Forte's tier as a runner, but he's a quality back. Without question, Bush will rank as a must-start in Week 3 against the Rams.
But as a Chicagoan, I am not prepared to think about future NFL games just yet. I shall now retreat into my hermetic bubble, inside of which it's always 1985. Thank you for your understanding.
When the Chicago Bears signed Matt Forte to a big new contract in July, Michael Bush, who had just signed with the Bears in March, was worried about his role in the offense. He didn't want to be just a short-yardage back.
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