NFL1 hour ago2 minute read

Chicago Bears Rule Out Kyle Monangai for Patriots Clash

Kyle Monangai will miss his third straight game as the Chicago Bears prepare to face the New England Patriots on Thursday night.

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Monangai Sidelined Again

The Chicago Bears will be without running back Kyle Monangai on Thursday night when they host the New England Patriots at Soldier Field. Monangai did not practice in any walkthroughs ahead of the Week 7 matchup.

This will be his third consecutive missed game due to turf toe and thumb injuries. The issues began late in a Week 4 win over the New York Jets by a score of 23-12, where Monangai carried 30 times for a career high 146 yards and two touchdowns. He hurt his thumb late in that fourth quarter, and his toe problem was added to the injury report the following week.

Big Drop in Rushing Production

Losing Monangai has slowed Chicago down considerably. The Bears still lead the NFL with 161 rushing yards per contest, but they have failed to reach 100 rushing yards in back to back games without him. Monangai is averaging 5.4 yards per carry, which ranks fourth in the league behind Kenneth Walker III at 6.3, Bijan Robinson at 5.8, and Jaylen Warren at 5.5.

Chicago has also seen its overall efficiency drop. The offense averaged 6.8 yards per play when Monangai was active, but that number has fallen to 4.7 yards per play in his absence. Moving the ball on the ground will not get easier against New England, as the Patriots have held five of their six opponents under 100 rushing yards.

Bears Avoid Injured Reserve

Coach Ben Johnson said the toe injury was a bigger deal than Chicago expected early on, leading the team to consult a specialist. The staff still opted against placing Monangai on injured reserve, which would have forced him to sit out at least four games.

Johnson spoke on Oct. 16 about the decision, explaining, "It wasn't one of those things we felt like we needed to put him on IR for. So, it's still week to week and as far as I know, he's trending in the right direction." Johnson also indicated that Monangai should return without missing more than four games.

What it means for the next game

New England Patriots at Chicago Bears (NFL, Fri, 23 Oct): Chicago Bears win 54%, New England Patriots win 46%; projected score Chicago Bears 27, New England Patriots 22. Our safest pick: Under 57.5 points.