Carolina Panthers vs. Chicago Bears injury report and scouting report for Week 6
The Panthers have won three straight after starting the 2020 season 0-2, and now look like a team capable of winning their division.
But in recent days, they’ve been beset by injuries to three starters and a key reserve.
Defensive tackle Kawann Short, who injured his shoulder last Sunday, is out for the season; Defensive end Brian Burns, the Panthers top defensive lineman, suffered a concussion last Sunday; cornerback Donte Jackson continues to deal with a injured toe; Rookie defensive end Yetur Gross-Matos injured his ankle and was placed on IR Friday.
How that will effect a Panthers defense that seems to finding its groove remains to be seen. But the Bears are a tough team as evident by their 4-1 record.
The Panthers are 4-6 all-time against the Bears, but have lost four of their last five matchups dating back to the 2010 season. A win here gives the Panthers much needed momentum before their game against the Saints.
Let’s break down the matchup:
When the Panthers have the ball
The Panthers offense has been rolling since their Week 3 performance against the Los Angeles Chargers. Quarterback Teddy Bridgewater has completed 73.4% of his passes, which is first in the NFL. He’s also ranked sixth in passing yards, averaging 292 yards passing per game.
Wide receiver Robby Anderson has been the benefit of a lot of those passes, and DJ Moore got into the action with a 57-yard touchdown catch last week. But perhaps the biggest positive has been Mike Davis’ play, who has had to fill in for All-Pro running back Christian McCaffrey.
Because of Davis, the Panthers haven’t missed a step.
Davis leads the league in broken tackles with 21, despite playing only a few snaps Week 1. In his three starts, he is averaging 117 yards from scrimmage.
Meanwhile, the Bears rank ninth best in total defense, and have a penchant for keeping teams out of the end zone. Teams are averaging 20 points per game against the Bears, which is fourth best in the league. The reason for that is because they have the second-best third down percentage and the best red zone defense. Opponents convert only one-third of their third down attempts against the Bears, and score a touchdown on only 36% of their red zone opportunities.
“To me it’s about us,” Panthers coach Matt Rhule said. “About us being able to run. When we’re able to run in the red zone, we’re able to score....We have to find a way to run the football against a very stout defense.”
Former All-Pro linebacker Khalil Mack leads Bears’ defensive unit. He has 3.5 sacks through five games, including two in a win over the Bucs last week. He can be a terror for any offensive line, and will be a challenge for the Panthers, who haven’t given up a sack in the past two games.
“He’s just a dominant force,” Rhule said of Mack. “He plays really, really hard, really well... He plays the run as well as the pass.”
Edge: Bears
When the Bears have the ball...
After former UNC quarterback Mitch Trubisky struggled in the first few games, the Bears decided to go with Nick Foles, who won a Super Bowl as a starting quarterback with the Eagles in 2017. In three games, Foles is 2-1, having helped the Bears complete a comeback against the Falcons in Week 3 and the Bucs in Week 5.
He’s averaging 226 yards passing per game, but also has four turnovers in those three games. The Panthers have forced at least one turnover in each of the last three games, including a game-saving interception by safety Juston Burris. The Panthers are 3-0 when they force at least one turnover.
If the Panthers can force Foles to turn it over, then they have a better chance. Burns, who is in concussion protocol, gives them the best chance to do that.
He’s been the Panthers best pass rusher, and has forced two fumbles. The Panthers have been great against the pass this season, so forcing Fole to pass is their best option.
However, they’ll need to stop the run first, which is something they haven’t done all season. The Bears, though, have struggled running the ball. They average 95.4 yards rushing per game, which is 26th in the league. By contrast, the Panthers, who are ranked in the 12th the league, average 117.8 yards rushing.
Edge: Panthers
When they kick...
Kicker Joey Slye is proving that the Panthers made the correct decision to go with him over veteran Graham Gano. Slye is 13 of 14 on field goal attempts this season, and is 9 of 11 on extra point attempts, though the latter stat is nothing to brag about.
On the Bears side, kicker Carlos Santos is 7 of 9 on field goal attempts and 11 of 11 on extra points.
Panthers-Bears score prediction
The Bears are solid defensively, and on offense can come from behind, making this a dangerous game for the Panthers. The Panthers have led big in each of the past three games, then allowed their opponents to come back and make it close.
Burns seems to be a full go. He wasn’t listed on the injury report after suffering a concussion last week. Rhule said doctors still need to sign off to clear him for Sunday’s game.
If Burns can play, the Panthers have a much better chance than they did without him, considering they’ve lost two pass rushers this week to injuries. Confidence is high on this Panthers team, and I think they’ll use that momentum heading into this game with the Bears.
Davis will have a good game against a team that once cut him. He’ll probably play “pissed off,” as he normally says. And Bridgewater will remain accurate. The key for the Panthers here will be converting on third downs and minimizing turnovers. I think they will.
But it will be a close one.
Panthers 23 Bears 20
Injury report
Panthers: C Tyler Larsen (COVID-19/reserve) OUT, DE Yetur Gross-Matos (high ankle sprain) OUT, DE Kawann Short (shoulder) OUT, DE Brian Burns (concussion) PROBABLE, WR Curtis Samuel (elbow) QUESTIONABLE, DT Zach Kerr (toe) QUESTIONABLE, Donte Jackson (toe) QUESTIONABLE, CB Eli Apple
Bears: S Deon Bush (hamstring) OUT, S Sherrick McManis (hamstring) QUESTIONABLE, DT Brent Urban (knee) QUESTIONABLE, LG Alex Bars (shoulder) QUESTIONABLE.
