The Chicago Bears comeback win over. the Green Bay Packers in the wild card round was nothing short of a miracle. But unfortunately, Chicago was unable to leave without catching the injury bug.
Linebacker T.J. Edwards fractured his fibula, and left tackle Ozzy Trapilo ruptured his patellar tendon, ruling them both out for the remainder of the playoffs. The more concerning of these two injuries for the remainder of the playoffs is Trapilo, as the left tackle position has been very volatile behind him.
It will likely be backup Theo Benedet filling in at left tackle for Trapilo vs. the Rams, and it's no secret that Benedet has had his concerns when he's seen the field this year. In a game vs a scary Los Angeles defensive line, Bears fans are concerned with how Caleb Williams will be protected from the left side on Sunday in Trapilo's absence. While these concerns are valid, the NFL's playoff scheduling has offered the Bears extra time to get Benedet as ready as he can be.
Chicago Gets a Whole Week to Prepare Theo Benedet to Start vs. Rams
Out of the three wild card weekend game days, Chicago got to play on Saturday, and their divisional round game has been scheduled for Sunday. This gives the Bears the most possible time to prepare Benedet to start at left tackle vs. the Rams, and that time may prove to be invaluable. One extra day of preparation may seem insignificant, but in the case of replacing your left tackle position in the middle of the playoffs, it be taken for granted.
While Williams has become a wizard to avoid taking sacks, Benedet not being up to speed vs. the Rams could catch up to the Bears. The Packers were without star defender Micah Parsons in the wild card round, leaving their pass rush as a shell of what it once was. The Rams on the other hand have a healthy defensive front which includes star pass rushers Jared Verse and Byron Young.
Bears All-Pro right tackle Darnell Wright should be able to handle business on his side of this pass rushing attack, but how Benedet is able to hold up on the left side will likely have a heavy influence on the outcome of this game. The Bears got lucky with having their game vs. the Rams be on Sunday, and they must take advantage by getting Benedet prepared for a tough challenge.