Cutler, Briggs Out At Least 4 Weeks With Injuries

By Chuck Sudo in News on Oct 21, 2013 6:30PM

Bears fans anticipating the worst won’t be surprised to find out that quarterback Jay Cutler and linebacker Lance Briggs will each be sidelined at least four weeks with injuries. An MRI revealed Cutler suffered a torn groin injury in the second quarter of Sunday’s 45-41 loss to Washington while Briggs could be out as much as six weeks with a shoulder fracture.

Coach Marc Trestman told media at Halas Hall this morning neither player required surgery but their absences will be felt by the team as Cutler and Briggs are the Bears’ best players on offense and defense, respectively.

"The positive thing is they're not out for the season," Trestman said. "They're going to be back."

The sack that injured Cutler was the 188th time he was sacked as a Bear, a club record. Briggs, meanwhile, was one of the few bright spots of an aging Bears defense that can’t get pressure on the quarterback from the defensive line and has been porous against the run all season. Briggs suffered his injury trying to twist and extend away from Logan Paulsen's block on a Robert Griffin 1-yard run.

Briggs’s loss will possibly be the harder felt one to the team. He’s the playcaller on the defensive unit and the Bears allowed 234 yards and scored touchdowns on three of four drives after he left the game. The Bears brought in Jordan Palmer to add depth at quarterback. Josh McCown, who performed well in relief of Cutler, will be the starter.