The Bears could face the Falcons on Sunday without two of their best pass catchers.
The top one, though, is fine.
Neither tight end Cole Kmet nor receiver Darnell Mooney practiced Wednesday. Kmet is dealing with a knee injury that knocked him out of last Sunday’s win against the Cardinals at halftime. Mooney is in concussion protocol; he reported symptoms to Bears staff members on Monday morning.
Kmet ranks second on the team with 678 receiving yards. Mooney is third with 414.
The Bears’ leading receiver, DJ Moore, should play against the Falcons at Soldier Field. He practiced Wednesday after hurting his ankle on the Bears’ first completion of Sunday’s game, when he was rolled up on from behind. He returned but was mostly a decoy; he caught three passes for 16 yards.
“DJ’s good,” coach Matt Eberflus said.
Kmet appeared to get hurt when he was tackled after a 29-yard completion with about nine minutes left in the first. He finished the half with four catches for a career-high 107 yards.
“He’s always had great hands, to be honest with you,” quarterback Justin Fields said. “But I’ve seen him develop the most with his route running. You know, from my first year here to now, he’s developed as a great route runner. He’s always been able to block bigger guys on the line of scrimmage but each and every year he’s progressed better as a route runner. His speed has gotten up for sure. And he’s just a hard worker.”
Kmet did not return in the second half Sunday.
“He’ll get treatment throughout [Wednesday] and into [Thursday] and we’ll see where that goes,” Eberflus said.
Goal: Pitch a shutout
Since Week 10, the Bears have allowed the fifth-fewest points, second-lowest passer rating and fourth-fewest rushing yards in the NFL. Their players have a goal they want to reach before the end of the season, though.
“I think we’re due for a shutout,” cornerback Jaylon Johnson said. “That’s something I don’t think we’ve done this year …
“We’ve had four-turnover games, interceptions, touchdowns, but I think If we can come out with a shutout these next two weeks, one of these games, I think that’ll be very big for what we’re trying to do and establish [ourselves] as a dominant defense.”
The Falcons are coming off a season-high 29 points; a week earlier, though, they managed only seven in a loss to the Panthers, the worst team in the NFL. They’ve scored the ninth-fewest points in the NFL this season.
Line movement
Guard Teven Jenkins moved closer toward being activated Wednesday when he participated in full at practice. He remains in the NFL’s concussion protocol after hurting his head against the Browns and still has barriers to clear in order to play on Sunday.
Center Lucas Patrick did not practice because of a knee injury; Eberflus was able to participate in the walk-through portion as well as team meetings.
Cody Whitehair has been a backup at both spots, having started for Jenkins against the Falcons.
This and that
Falcons starting quarterback Taylor Heinicke was limited in practice with an ankle injury. Two veterans — defensive lineman Calais Campbell and running back Cordarrelle Patterson — took a rest day.
• Running back D’Onta Foreman, who missed Sunday’s game for personal reasons, is back with the team.
• Receiver Equanimeous St. Brown (pectoral) and linebacker Noah Sewell (knee) practiced in full for the first time in weeks. St. Brown last played on Nov. 19, Sewell on Dec. 10.
