CHICAGO — Braxton Jones found himself surrounded by fellow teammates as he was loaded onto a cart following an injury. Despite the circumstances, he managed to give a thumbs-up to the Soldier Field crowd, who responded with a wave of applause. This incident highlighted another challenging moment for the Chicago Bears, particularly their offensive line.
The Bears’ support for rookie quarterback Caleb Williams was significantly impacted when both Jones and Teven Jenkins exited the game in the first half during a 34-17 defeat against the Detroit Lions. Nevertheless, Williams still managed an impressive performance, throwing for 334 yards and two touchdowns, although he faced two sacks while trying to mount a comeback in the second half. Both players had been dealing with injuries going into this crucial matchup against the NFC North leaders; Jenkins was sidelined with a calf issue, while Jones had missed the recent Monday night game against Minnesota due to a concussion.
“It’s never the ideal situation, but both teams had their share of injuries,” stated Bears’ tight end Cole Kmet. “They seemed to figure it out, so we need to adapt as well. That’s part of being in the NFL.” In addition to Jenkins and Jones, two other offensive linemen were on the inactive list. Just the day before, the Bears placed backup guard Ryan Bates on injured reserve, while center Doug Kramer sat out due to a shoulder injury. Additionally, Kiran Amegadjie, a third-round draft choice out of Yale, was a healthy scratch after temporarily stepping in as the starting left tackle against the Vikings.
“We’re all professionals. It’s not personal,” Amegadjie commented, maintaining a positive outlook despite the team’s struggles. Unfortunately for Chicago, this loss marked their ninth straight defeat, leaving them with a dismal 4-11 record. Williams has faced an NFL-high 60 sacks this season, but he remains resolute about his development, indicating a preference to keep playing rather than take time off in the final two games of the season.
In the game against Detroit, the top overall pick completed 26 of 40 passes and led the team in rushing with six carries for 34 yards. “Every snap provides valuable learning opportunities,” expressed Williams. “There are various situations that arise during a game that contribute to my growth this year.”
The injuries began when Jenkins was forced to leave due to a calf issue, shortly before Jones sustained his own injury while blocking on a fourth-down pass play. Detroit defensive lineman Levi Onwuzurike fell onto Jones’ right leg, and as he went down, his left leg became trapped beneath him. Jones immediately complained of pain, and medical staff placed him in an air cast before transporting him off the field. The team later confirmed that he sustained an ankle injury.
After the game, Williams expressed his concern and support for his teammates, noting, “I told Braxton I care about him and we’re in this together.” While he indicated that Jenkins was still able to move around albeit with injury, Williams acknowledged the harsh reality of injuries in football. “It’s perhaps the most difficult aspect of the game. However, we need to embrace the next-man-up mentality to ensure execution on the field.”
As the Bears aimed to recover from a 34-17 deficit early in the fourth quarter, Williams managed to drive the team to the Lions’ 22-yard line, but the drive halted when he was sacked by Al-Quadin Muhammad for a substantial loss. Williams once again faced a sack on the game’s final drive.
“Overall, I felt we were solid,” interim coach Thomas Brown assessed the offensive line’s performance. “We need to improve and find better ways to engage in the flow of the game and relieve some pressure. However, being down by multiple scores significantly impacts the game’s rhythm and the urgency to catch up.”