A Bears defense that has allowed 821 yards and 10 touchdowns in the last two games will be short-handed against the Lions.
Cornerback Kindle Vildor, who played just two snaps against the Dolphins because of an ankle injury, is out. Defensive end Al-Quadin Muhammad is doubtful after not practicing all week because of a knee injury.
Cornerback Jaylon Johnson (oblique) and right guard Teven Jenkins (hip) are questionable after being limited in practice Friday.
Rookie cornerback Jaylon Jones played 29 snaps in place of Vildor against the Dolphins and likely would replace him again Sunday. Lamar Jackson, whose only four snaps on defense this season came against the Vikings in Week 5, also could play.
Johnson called his oblique a “battle wound” and sounded like he would be able to play.
“I take good care of my body. I feel good — just some things [happen] with the battle of the game,” Johnson said. “That comes with it every year. Overall, I feel very good. I feel healthy.”
Muhammad, who has one sack in nine games, might be the bigger concern in the wake of Robert Quinn being traded to the Eagles two weeks ago. Muhammad and Trevis Gipson have picked up virtually all of Quinn’s snaps — with Muhammad playing 92 of 115 (80%) and Gipson playing 81 snaps (70.4%). The Bears didn’t have a sack last week for the first time in 18 games — since a 33-23 loss to the 49ers in Week 8 last season.
If Muhammad doesn’t play, rookie Dominique Robinson figures to get more playing time. Undrafted rookie Kingsley Jonathan has played 16 snaps in the two games since Quinn was traded.
Robinson had 1½ sacks in the opener against the 49ers but has not had a sack or quarterback hit since.
“We’re excited where [Robinson] is,” coach Matt Eberflus said.
“He’s really practiced well. He’s expected to make more splash plays, plays that are more impactful. More tackles, more [quarterback] pressure, and we expect that out of him.”
Upon further review
The NFL acknowledged two missed calls in the fourth quarter of the loss to the Dolphins: Eddie Jackson’s 47-yard pass-interference penalty against Jaylen Waddle and a non-call of pass interference on Justin Fields’ pass to Chase Claypool with 1:29 to play.
The Claypool play would have been a 36-yard gain to the Dolphins’ 22, putting the Bears at least in range for a tying field goal.
Eberflus didn’t seem to get much solace out of the league’s admission.
“Those plays are over,” he said. “Once they made them, there’s nothing you can do about it. You can complain and whine about it, but that doesn’t do any good.”
At least Jackson’s penalty was a teachable moment.
“With Eddie you can say, ‘You played the right way. You did a nice job,’ ” Eberflus said. “ ‘You turned [around], you played the ball and there was incidental contact.’
“The other one [involving Claypool], there’s not much you can do on that.”
