Week 15 of the 2024 NFL season is underway. The Thursday Night Football game didn't offer much scoring for football fans, but hopefully the Minnesota Vikings and Chicago Bears will put more points on the scoreboard.
Vikings fans must wait until Monday Night Football to see the NFC North squads face off. Although the 4-9 Bears are still mathematically alive in the playoff hunt, they face steep odds of making the postseason. On the other hand, Minnesota is 11-2 and fighting for the NFC North while firmly holding onto a Wild Card spot.
Both teams are hungry for a win. Having as many contributors as possible available for the prime-time matchup, Thankfully, the injury report for the upcoming game doesn't include many players for either team.
Week 15 injury Report: Vikings vs. Bears
Here are the players who received an injury designation and are in danger of missing Monday night's game according to the official Vikings website:
Minnesota Vikings
QUESTIONABLE
Stephon Gilmore, CB - hamstring
Stephon Gilmore missed last week's game against the Atlanta Falcons and is questionable this week against the Bears. Seeing that he wasn't ruled out is a great step toward getting him back on the field, but it's also no guarantee that he will suit up for Monday Night Football.
If Gilmore can't play, expect Shaquill Griffin to step back into that role. Of course, having the former Defensive Player of the Year on the field would be a huge plus, but Griffin is an experienced defender who would be up for the challenge of covering Chicago's talented receivers.
Chicago Bears
OUT
Ryan Bates, OT - concussion
QUESTIONABLE
D'Andre Swift, RB - groin
Ryan Bates is not a starter for the Bears, but he is a talented backup/swing tackle who Chicago could miss. Since quarterback Caleb Williams has taken a league-most 56 sacks this season (15 more than C.J. Stroud, the next most at 41) having any protector out is a bit of a kick in the shin for their offense. Getting to the rookie quarterback will be a priority this week.
On the other hand, the Bears invested in D'Andre Swift to carry the load at running back this season. A groin injury is a tough one to play through, but backup Roschon Johnson has shown enough potential to be a threat if Minnesota struggles to hold the line in the trenches against the run.