Bears WR Luther Burden in concussion protocol after helmet-to-helmet hit vs. Buccaneers
Ben Johnson confirmed Luther Burden has a concussion after a helmet-to-helmet hit late in the Bears' 27-24 win. The Week 10 bye gives him extra time.
Luther Burden III has a concussion, and he left the Chicago Bears' Sunday night win over Tampa Bay with one of his best games of the season unfinished. Head coach Ben Johnson confirmed the diagnosis after the 27-24 victory, according to ESPN's Courtney Cronin. The rookie receiver now has to clear the NFL's five-step concussion protocol before he can play again.
The injury came on a key play late in the game. SB Nation reported that Chicago called a screen to Burden on third down late in the fourth quarter. Buccaneers rookie defensive lineman Rueben Bain Jr. hit him helmet to helmet short of the line to gain, and the ball came loose right away. Burden went to the blue medical tent and did not come back. The Bears led 24-16 at the time, according to the Associated Press account carried by CBS Sports. Ifeatu Melifonwu returned the fumble to the Chicago 17, and Tampa Bay tied the game a few plays later. Cairo Santos then won it with a field goal as time ran out.
Before the hit, Burden had been the best part of a messy offensive night. He caught seven passes for 97 yards. That total included a 56-yard touchdown on third-and-8 in the first quarter, when he broke a couple of tackles to put Chicago up 14-0. RotoWire noted that the score gave him a touchdown in three straight games and called him Chicago's leading receiver. Losing him for any stretch would take away the offense's best yards-after-catch threat.
The Bears turned the ball over five times and still won. The AP reported that it was their most giveaways in a victory since 2006. "It's hard to win with five turnovers and yet we found a way to do it," Johnson said, per the AP. Jaylon Johnson's 67-yard interception return for a touchdown helped make up for the mistakes.
Burden's concussion also wasn't the only injury concern. ClutchPoints pointed to injury questions involving cornerbacks Tyrique Stevenson and Kyler Gordon during the game.
What it means for the Saints game
The timing helps. Chicago has its Week 10 bye, so its next game is Sunday, November 22, at home against the New Orleans Saints on Fox. That gives Burden about two weeks to get through the protocol. The team has not given a timeline, and he can't be cleared until he passes every step.
The Bears are 7-2 and have won four straight: 31-23 at Atlanta, 30-24 over New England, 34-17 at Seattle and now this three-point escape against Tampa Bay. They have outscored opponents 241-184 over nine games. Three of the four wins in this streak came by eight points or fewer, though, and Sunday's game showed how thin the margin is when the offense gives the ball away. Their only losses were a 9-3 home loss to Minnesota and a 31-7 defeat at Green Bay.
If Burden clears the protocol, the Bears get their leading receiver back for the Saints. If he doesn't, Johnson will have to find yards after the catch somewhere else on an offense that just showed it can't afford more giveaways. The first real sign will come from the practice reports once the bye week ends.