Bears down but not out
When Bears running back Matt Forte stayed on the ground after a tackle in the first quarter, a sellout crowd at Soldier Field knew something was wrong.
By the time the scoreboard clock went to 0:00 in the fourth quarter of the Bears' 10-3 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, many fans in that sellout crowd already had headed for the exits.
Forte sprained his right knee when he absorbed a tackle to the middle of his leg by Chiefs linebacker Derrick Johnson, Bears coach Lovie Smith confirmed after the game. It's uncertain how long Forte will be out, although speculation has ranged from two to eight weeks.
Only four weeks remain in the regular season for the Bears (7-5), who remain in control of their playoff hopes despite a miserable loss to the Chiefs (5-7). The Bears started and finished Sunday with the NFC's No. 5 playoff seed because their primary rivals in the playoff hunt -- Detroit, Atlanta and the New York Giants -- all lost their games Sunday, as well.
Smith and a couple of Bears players are expected to address reporters Monday at Halas Hall. Check back with nwherald.com after noon for an update on the team's plans without Forte.
-Tom Musick
