ATLANTA — The Bears continue to catch breaks by matching up against undermanned offenses.
Falcons receiver Julio Jones, whose 181 receiving yards ranks ninth in the NFL, won’t play Sunday. He didn’t practice all week because of a hamstring injury. Coach Dan Quinn said Friday that the team planned to test him right up until 90 minutes before the game, the deadline for submitting inactive players. He was not spotted warming up before the game.
The Bears opened the season against the Lions, who played without star receiver Kenny Golladay. Last week, Giants stud running back Saquon Barkley tore his ACL early in the second quarter.
The Falcons also ruled out right tackle Kaleb McGary defensive end Takk McKinley and linebacker Foye Uluokin — all starters — as well as defensive end Deadrin Senat.
The Falcons on Friday said safety Ricardo Allen and cornerback Kendall Sheffield would not play.
Cornerback A.J. Terrell, the Falcons’ first-round draft pick this year, won’t play after the team put him on the reserve/COVID list Saturday. He became the first NFL player to miss a game because of a positive test. The team did not produce any more positive results in testing that was returned both Saturday and Sunday, sources confirmed to the Sun-Times.
The Bears’ injury report has been clean all week, save a thumb injury that sent backup nose tackle John Jenkins to injured reserve. The Bears’ inactives Sunday are cornerback Duke Shelley, outside linebacker Trevis Gipson, offensive lineman Arlington Hambright, new defensive tackle Daniel McCullers and receiver Riley Ridley. Ridley is the little brother of Calvin Ridley, the Falcons’ other star receiver.
