Amid injuries, Bears must find ways to make it work

The Chicago Bears' revolving door of injured skill-position players spun again this week and spit out starting tight end Martellus Bennett (rib) and wide receiver Marquess Wilson (foot), who were placed on season-ending injured reserve.

Before Wilson was hurt in practice he started four straight games in place of injured Eddie Royal. Wilson, the Bears' seventh-round pick in 2013, leads the Bears with a 16.6-yard average on his career-best 28 receptions.

The absence of Bennett and Wilson for the rest of the schedule are just the latest in a season that has seen three wide receivers, running back Matt Forte, quarterback Jay Cutler and Bennett in and out of the lineup because of injuries.

Through it all the Bears have won five of nine games after an 0-3 start, and the last 4 losses have been by a total of 14 points, with two going to overtime.

"I think we've handled it pretty good," said offensive coordinator Adam Gase, who keeps plugging in different players without a noticeable drop-off in production. "The hardest thing for us is just practice, trying to get that rhythm."

The longer the route, the more difficult that rhythm is to maintain, according to Gase.

"It's more for down-the-field throws," he said. "I think you saw in this last game we're close to hooking up on a lot of these, but we just don't quite have the timing we need. That comes through guys being in and out and just not being able to develop that kind of timing."

Pro Bowl wide receiver Alshon Jeffery has missed five games, and the Bears were 2-3 without him. Royal, the other starter, has missed six games, including the last five with a knee injury, but he is expected back Sunday against Washington at Soldier Field.

Forte caught 102 passes last season, an NFL-record for running backs, and rushed for 1,038 yards, but he missed three games with a sprained knee. Cutler missed 1½ games with a hamstring injury, and the Bears lost both games (Weeks 2-3).

Cutler could complain about the 13 games his top three wide receivers already have missed, counting Wilson on Sunday. And that doesn't even include first-round draft pick Kevin White, who is unlikely to play a snap this season after August surgery for stress fractures in his left shin.

"I give Jay and Adam Gase and all of those guys a lot of credit for what they've been able to do with the injuries that we've had," Royal said. "It's kind of unique to me."

But those injuries to the starters gave Wilson an opportunity to step up, as well as Josh Bellamy (13 catches, 158 yards) and rookie Cam Meredith (9 catches, 101 yards), both getting unexpected opportunities.

"Yeah, it's tough," Cutler said. "The good thing about it is, it's a really good room. Availability is key in this league, and a lot of the guys have been up and down, up and down.

"But I think it goes back to coaching. (Wide receivers coach) Mike Groh has done an excellent job with those guys and making sure the next guy up is prepared. And I think Adam and the rest of the guys have done a fabulous job of being able to use their talents and what their strengths are."

Bennett's injury gives Miller the chance to be the No. 1 tight end, which he has earned with a team-best 4 TD catches as a complement to Bennett. Having spent two full seasons on injured reserve, Miller knows better than anyone that injuries are part of the game.

"We've had an up-and-down roller-coaster of guys in and out," Miller said. "It's frustrating because we lose that continuity. But it's the next man up; that's the nature of the business. Everybody is professional here. They know you've got to step up and be ready to play."

Cutler has had to trust that whoever is on the field does his job. His numbers are the best of his 10-year career (90.1 passer rating), so it's working out pretty well so far.

"They've done a really good job of being where they're supposed to be," Cutler said. "It's a credit to how hard they work, how much they study, and Mike (Groh) making sure that they're prepared each and every week."

With Royal expected to play Sunday, the starting wide receivers will be on the field together for the first time since Game 7, barring any last-minute catastrophes.

"It would be huge for us," Cutler said. "He's a smart player and knows the offense. Just gets (us) some more quickness, some catch-and-run, some separation between the numbers. That will really help us out."

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