Massive Injury List Plagues Buccaneers for Bears Game

Tampa Bay's O.J. Howard done for the season while receivers Chris Godwin and Mike Evans hurting as well.

The Chicago Bears continue to enjoy good injury fortune both on their own roster, and in terms of who they face.

The Bears host Tampa Bay Thursday night at Soldier Field and injuries are plaguing the Buccaneers.

The league requires teams playing on Thursday night to put out an injury report of who would have practiced and who wouldn't due to injuries, even though neither team practices on Monday. The Bears had only backup defensive backs Deon Bush and Sherrick McManis as missing practice with hamstring injuries. 

Linebacker Khalil Mack would have been limited due to his knee, as he has been throughout the season.

The Buccaneers had seven players who would have been unable to practice and one was their latest bad injury, a season-ending Achilles to tight end O.J. Howard.

Howard just seemed to be coming into his own as a receiver in a different role than he's played in the past. He has 11 receptions and has never made more than 34 catches in a season.

Tampa Bay also has wide receiver Chris Godwin out due to a hamstring injury and wide receiver Mike Evans out due to an ankle injury. Godwin had missed the season's second game with a concussion.

Other Buccaneers who would have missed practice were running back Leonard Fournette (ankle), running back LeSean McCoy (ankle), wide receiver Scott Miller (hip/groin) and wide receiver Justin Watson (chest).

Defensive end William Gholston (neck), tight end Rob Gronkowski (shoulder) and outside linebacker Jason Pierre-Paul (knee) would have been restricted.

The only serious injury to date suffered by the Bears was a torn ACL by running back Tarik Cohen, but each week it seems they've faced opponents without key players.

The Colts were the healthiest team the Bears have played and Indianapolis came away Sunday with a 19-11 victory.

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