Early Injury Situation Favoring Bears

Packers linemen still hurting after Bears benefited from key 49ers injuries last week.

The Bears caught injury breaks last week against the San Francisco 49ers and it appears they could benefit again on Sunday Night Football against the Green Bay Packers.

According to a comment by Ian Rapoport made on Pat McAfee's sports talk show, the Packers are anything but certain they'll have either left tackle David Bakhtiari or guard/tackle Elgton Jenkins available to play against the Bears.

Neither of those two players faced the Vikings in Week 1 as they are still recovering from ACL tears. Bakhtiari's problem is well over a year old and Jenkins' was last season.

The Bears benefited last week when 49ers tight end George Kittle couldn't play, and then during the game when 49ers starting running back Elijah Mitchell went out with a knee injury after averaging 6.8 yards per six carries.

The Jenkins and Bakhtiari injury situations are not the only ones facing the Packers. 

One of their more dependable young linemen, guard Jon Runyan, suffered a concussion in the game with Minnesota. As a result, Bill Huber of FanNation's Packer Central reported Green Bay has had to promote practice squad lineman Caleb Jones to the 53-man roster.

By the end of the loss to Minnesota, the Packers were blocking for Aaron Rodgers with two regular starting offensive linemen on the field.

Jones is a massive player, at 6-foot-9, 338 but has weighed as much as 370 in the past. Jones would be the tallest Packers player in history if he gets in the game.

The Packers also have injury troubles at linebacker, as Quay Walker (shoulder) and Krys Barnes (ankle) were hurt against the Vikings. Barnes is a backup who came on once Walker, the rookie from Georgia, was injured. NFL Network said Barnes' injury is a high ankle sprain and calf injury. They're hoping Walker will be able to play.

There were no injuries reported by the Bears after Sunday's game and coach Matt Eberflus said he wouldn't talk about any injuries until Wednesday.

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