The Bears came out of last Sundays game losing a valued running back when Michael Bush went on injured reserve with a rib injury. They arent expected to lose another one this week, but Matt Forte leaving the game after a half with an injury to his right ankle has the franchise again holding a little of its breath.
Its not the worst that Ive ever felt, but its the third time, Forte said. Its just getting a little aggravating.
The unofficial sense was that the move was precautionary as much as anything, with the Bears leading 21-6 at halftime and in no danger of being overtaken by an outclassed Arizona Cardinals team.
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Forte left Game 2 in Green Bay and missed all of Game 3 this season with an ankle injury and suspicions have persisted that he has been playing through a nagging injury as he has in seasons past.
Before he left, however, Forte was accounting for most of the significant offensive production in the first half when Jay Cutler was struggling through a 1-of-11 start with his passing. Forte scored once on a four-yard run that he helped set up with a 36-yard run and finished the half with 11 carries for 85 total yards. He carried once in the third quarter for three yards.