In a Thursday night matchup, the Chicago Bears triumphed over the Carolina Panthers with a close score of 16-13, despite the absence of their starting quarterback Justin Fields due to a dislocated right thumb.
Stepping into the spotlight, undrafted rookie Tyson Bagent from Division II Shepherd University secured his second win in four starts. He delivered a solid performance with 162 passing yards and avoided interceptions. This is a significant improvement considering his five interceptions in the previous two games.
The Bears are optimistic about Fields' recovery, anticipating his return for the upcoming game against the Detroit Lions on November 19.
The Panthers faced their own setbacks. They played without their leading sack artist Brian Burns, sidelined by a concussion. They are hopeful for his return in time for their game against the Dallas Cowboys, also scheduled for November 19.
Other injury updates
In wider NFL news, wide receivers are making headlines. The Cincinnati Bengals face a mixed situation: they will be without Tee Higgins but expect Ja'Marr Chase to play. The San Francisco 49ers are looking forward to Deebo Samuel's comeback, aiming to boost their faltering offense. In a surprising development, Stefon Diggs of the Buffalo Bills has unexpectedly appeared on the injury report this Friday.
Deebo Samuel of the San Francisco 49ers missed almost all of the last three games but will return for Sunday's game. Samuel joined team practice on Monday and participated in all four sessions this week. The Niners averaged more than 30 points per game in the first five weeks. But over the past three games that has dropped to 17. Now that Samuel's back, fans can expect him to play a big role again for the team's offense.
The Niners have also missed Trent Williams. He played through an ankle injury in Week 6 but missed the last two games. Williams has been practicing on a limited basis but coach Kyle Shanahan still considers him "real questionable" on Friday. If Williams can't play, Jaylen Moore is expected to replace him again.
The Baltimore Ravens listed Keaton Mitchell as questionable due to a hamstring injury. But he participated fully in Friday's practice. So there's a trend towards playing for him.
Mitchell had a breakout game on Sunday when he rushed 138 yards, but durability has been his biggest problem. The undrafted rookie has a chance to be the No. 2 back behind Gus Edwards, replacing Justice Hill.
The Minnesota Vikings listed K.J. Osborn as questionable after suffering a concussion on Sunday at Atlanta. He was hit and left motionless on the field. But Osborn went into the concussion protocol and recovered quickly. After the game, he was able to stand in front of the locker room and congratulate his team for the win.
Osborn also participated in some of the practice and participated fully on Friday. He will need clearance from multiple doctors to play on Sunday. Meanwhile, tight end T.J. Hockenson is suffering a rib/oblique injury. But he is pretty sure he'll play on Sunday.
Dawand Jones is suffering from knee and shoulder injuries. With that, the Cleveland Browns will have to go on without their top three offensive tackles. This includes Jones, Jack Conklin and Jedrick Wills Jr.
Conklin is out for the year with a knee injury. Wills Jr. also has a knee injury and is on Injury Reserve. As the Browns face the Baltimore Ravens, backup tackle James Hudson II will have to play a key role somewhere. Alternatively, they could also move All-Pro left guard Joel Bitonio to left tackle.