John Fox calls Leonard Floyd’s knee injury ‘fairly serious’

SHARE John Fox calls Leonard Floyd’s knee injury ‘fairly serious’
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Floyd was carted off the field in the fourth quarter against the Lions. | Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images

Coach John Fox called Bears outside linebacker Leonard Floyd’s right knee injury “fairly serious” after the 27-24 loss to the Lions on Sunday.

Floyd and cornerback Kyle Fuller were trying to tackle running back Theo Riddick early in the fourth quarter when Fuller ran into Floyd’s right knee.

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Floyd was carted off the field after doctors conducted tests. With six games left, it’s possible the injury is season-ending.

“I hate to speculate, but usually when you get taken out on a cart, it’s not great,” Fox said.

Fuller ran to the locker room to clean up his hand, which appeared to have been cut by Floyd’s cleat. He returned later in the quarter.

After the game, Fuller admitted he was “shook” after hearing Floyd wail in pain.

“Floyd is definitely a key part for us, so first of all we hate that for him,” Fuller said. “We have to definitely keep it going for him.”

The Bears have had bad luck keeping their first-round draft picks healthy. Wide receiver Kevin White, who was picked seventh overall in the 2015 draft, has had a career maligned by injuries. White was put on injured reserve in September for the third time in three seasons after suffering a shoulder injury.

Losing Floyd, the ninth overall pick in 2016, is a blow to the Bears’ defense, which already was missing outside linebacker Willie Young and inside linebacker Danny Trevathan.

Cornerback Prince Amukamara said the defense has to have the “next man up” mentality to fill Floyd’s void.

“[Floyd is] our edge setter,” Amukamara said. “He’s a man of a lot of talents that helps our defense out. The next guy is just going to have to try to fill those shoes the best that he can.”

Slip in coverage

For a fifth-year pro,  defensive back Marcus Cooper Sr. made a costly mistake in the second quarter.

Cooper got mixed up on his coverage of Lions wide receiver Marvin Jones Jr., who caught a 28-yard touchdown pass that cut the Bears’ lead to 17-14. 

Cooper said that his slip in coverage was because Jones ran a double move, an out and up.

“I need to make that play,” Cooper said. “It’s as simple as that. We all know that. But I just look to come back there and make a play next time.”

This and that

Running back Jordan Howard led the Bears with 125 rushing yards. His 50-yard run in the first quarter tied for his second-longest run this season. Howard and Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott lead the NFL in most 100-yard games since 2016 with 11.

• Guard Kyle Long made his first start since hurting a finger on his left hand Oct. 29 against the Saints. He said he felt all right. Long has been dealing with pain in his left shoulder and right ankle.

• Wide receiver Josh Bellamy left the game in the third quarter and entered concussion protocol.

Follow me on Twitter @madkenney.

Email: mkenney@suntimes.com

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