NFC North Injury Report: Week 2
Photo Credit: Kirby Lee/Imagn Images
Week 2 of the NFL season is approaching for the NFC North, with three quarters of the division walking away with a win in their previous matchups. However, for multiple teams in the division, key players are either questionable or out for their matchups.
Green Bay Packers
Quarterback Jordan Love suffered an MCL sprain in the Green Bay Packers game against the Philadelphia Eagles in Brazil this past week. The timetable for his return, as first reported by NFL Insider Tom Pelissero is at least three weeks. Love could be out for as long as six weeks if his recovery doesn’t progress or any setback occur.
A crucial blow for the Packers offense, who now has to rely on former Tennessee Titans backup QB Malik Willis, for their next games against the Indianapolis Colts, the aforementioned Titans, and their divisional rival Minnesota Vikings, who are also facing injury concerns.
Two other Packers who are listed as questionable on their injury report are wide receiver Jayden Reed and running back MarShawn Lloyd.
According to the Packers official injury report, Reed has a calf/shin injury and was a limited participant in Friday’s practice. Reed was not listed on the injury report on Wednesday or Thursday.
Lloyd is on the list with a hamstring injury and has been a limited participant at practice since Tuesday.
Chicago Bears
For the Chicago Bears, their injury report gives them a more grim outlook for their upcoming matchup against the Houston Texans.
On the Bears official injury report, there are five key names that are either questionable or out.
The two biggest names on the list are WR Keenan Allen and rookie WR Rome Odunze. Allen has been dealing with a heel injury for months now and seems to have reaggravated it during the Bears Week 1 contest against the Titans. Allen has not participated in any practice this week and is listed as questionable.
Odunze suffered an MCL sprain against the Titans and is listed as questionable for Sunday’s contest. He did not practice on Wednesday or Thursday but was a limited participant on Friday.
Bears beat reporter for the Chicago Tribune Brad Biggs reported that both Odunze and Allen are game-time decisions for their next matchup. Bears fans will likely have to face the possibility of one or both of their three best receivers being out for their Week 2 game.
Defensive end DeMarcus Walker is also listed as questionable with a foot injury, he was a full participant in Friday’s practice after being a limited participant the day prior.
Offensive tackle Ryan Bates (shoulder/elbow) and full back Khari Blasingame (hand/knee) are out for Sunday’s game. Bates hasn’t practiced since Wednesday when he was a limited participant. Blasingame also hasn’t practiced since Wednesday where he was a limited participant.
ESPN reporter Courtney Cronin recently reported on Saturday that Bates has been put onto the IR by the team ahead of the contest against the Texans.
Minnesota Vikings
The Vikings have their share of injury issues plaguing the team at this moment. With four key participants listed as questionable for their Week 2 matchup against the San Francisco 49ers.
WR Jordan Addison is out for Sunday’s game. According to the Vikings official injury list, Addison is out with an ankle injury and hasn’t practiced this week.
Safety and career-long Viking Harrison Smith is questionable for the game with a hip injury. He was a limited participant in Friday’s practice and did not participate the day prior.
OT Brian O'Neill is questionable for the next game with an elbow injury and has been a limited participant since Thursday’s practice. He is the starting tackle on the right side of the offensive line.
Offensive guard Ed Ingram is also listed as questionable, this time with a triceps injury. Ingram was a limited participant in Friday’s practice.
For the Vikings, their injury report is almost as daunting, if not more, than the Bears. The Vikings are now without one of their starting receivers, and potentially two-thirds of their starters on the offensive line.
Ingram is the only right guard listed on their roster, so if he’s out they’ll likely have to play musical chairs with the offensive line against one of the best defenses in the NFL. Harrison Smith is also a key blow to a rebuilding defense that retooled in the offseason.
Detroit Lions
The Lions have a few key players listed as questionable and two confirmed players that will be missing their game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Per the Lions official injury report, S Ifeatu Melifonwu and WR Isaiah Williams are out for their matchup against the Buccaneers. Melifonwu is out with an ankle injury and Williams with an abdomen injury. Both players did not participate in Friday’s practice and Melifonwu hasn’t practiced in practice this week.
DE Marcus Davenport is listed as doubtful with a groin injury, he hasn’t participated in practice this week. S Kerby Joseph (hamstring), OT Penei Sewell (ankle), and WR Jameson Williams (ankle) were limited participants in practice on Friday.
