Gloomy outlook
Injuries to Jackson and Mooney cast a bigger cloud over blowout
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — On a dreary afternoon, after the Bears’ fifth consecutive loss, the vibe inside the visiting locker room at MetLife Stadium felt predictably glum. For starters, a 31-10 pummeling by the Jets triggered a different kind of disappointment within a last-place team that had lost eight times before Sunday.
“I thought we got our asses kicked, honestly,” tight end Cole Kmet said.
But there was much more to this latest dejection: the anguish that comes with watching team leaders fall by the wayside. Safety Eddie Jackson hobbled out of the locker room with a walking boot on his left foot. He was hurt in the second quarter, his foot giving out as he tried to cut on what turned out to be a 54-yard Jets touchdown pass.
Almost immediately, Jackson’s absence was felt.
“He’s a (bleeping) leader, bro,” defensive tackle Justin Jones said. “He’s a hell of a player. I hope he’s OK and I hope he can come back soon. Because we need him on defense. We really do.”
Added linebacker Nicholas
Morrow: “It’s hard to replace a guy like that.”
In the third quarter, receiver Darnell Mooney exited with a left ankle injury, his day ending when Jets safety Jordan Whitehead landed on the back of his leg as Mooney engaged in a block during a David Montgomery run.
Mooney couldn’t put an ounce of weight on his leg as he was assisted to the locker room. His exit also hit teammates hard.
“It stinks,” quarterback Trevor Siemian said. “As a player, (losing him) is terrible. But if you’ve spent any time with Darnell, he’s one of the best dudes in our locker room. That’s the part of the game that stinks.”
Added Kmet: “You hate to see a guy like Moon go down. He’s just a bright, vibrant guy in the huddle and obviously a big playmaker. When you lose him, it’s tough for sure.”
From the look of things, it would be stunning if either Jackson or Mooney is available for next Sunday’s game against the Green Bay Packers at Soldier Field. Until more is known about the specifics of either injury, the prospect of one or both players landing on injured reserve can’t be ruled out. NFL Network reported Sunday night that Mooney likely will require season-ending surgery.
“When you lose the production of those guys, number one,