The Bears are getting a couple of players back on the practice field this week as they get ready to face the Packers on Saturday night.
Chicago announced cornerback Kyle Gordon and offensive lineman Braxton Jones have been designated for return from injured reserve.
Gordon has been dealing with a groin injury and has not played since Nov. 28. He appeared in just three games this season, recording seven total tackles with one fumble recovery and a sack.
Jones has a knee injury and has been sidelined since October. He played six games with four starts during the regular season.
Playing on Saturday, Chicago’s first injury report of the week is due out later on Tuesday.
Sports books are all over the map on who’s favored in Saturday night’s Packers-Bears playoff game.
At some books, the Bears are favored by as much as 1.5 points. At other sports books, the Packers are favored by as much as 1.5 points.
Some bettors are undoubtedly betting both Bears +1.5 and Packers +1.5 and hoping for a 21-20 final score.
The two teams played two close games this season. The Packers won 28-21 in Green Bay on December 7, in a game that was tied late in the fourth quarter. The Bears won 22-16 in Chicago on December 20, in a game that went into overtime.
They’ll meet for a third time on Saturday in Chicago, and it’s likely to be another close game that comes down to the final minute.
The Bears could see the return of slot cornerback Kyler Gordon to practice this week.
“That’s the hope,” coach Ben Johnson said, via James Neveau of NBC 5 Chicago.
Gordon went on injured reserve Dec. 13 after injuring his groin during warmups at Lambeau Field on Dec. 7. The Bears ruled him out of that game against the Packers just before kickoff.
He has appeared in only three games this season, totaling seven tackles and a sack. Gordon has played 117 snaps and none since Nov. 28.
Gordon’s return to the lineup would provide a boost to the Bears at the right time, with C.J. Gardner-Johnson in concussion protocol.
The Dolphins have started requesting interviews with candidates for their General Manager job.
The team has had some time to come up with names since they fired Chris Grier on October 31. Champ Kelly finished out the year as the team’s interim G.M.
According to multiple reports, the first set of names includes 49ers vice president of player personnel Tariq Ahmad, Eagles assistant G.M. Alec Halaby, Rams assistant G.M. John McKay, Packers vice president of player personnel Jon-Eric Sullivan, and 49ers director of scouting and football operations Josh Williams.
Halaby, Sullivan, and Williams have made the interview rounds in recent years and all five candidates work for teams that have been regulars in the playoffs in recent seasons. The Dolphins have missed the postseason the last two years and would like their eventual hire to have a hand in ending that drought.
Home-field advantage might not mean much in the first round of the NFL playoffs.
Of the six games in the wild card round, the road teams are favored in four.
The biggest favorites are the Rams, who are 9.5-point favorites to beat the Panthers in Carolina. But that might be just fine with the Panthers: The Rams were previously 10-point favorites at Carolina in the regular season, but the Panthers won 31-28.
The Packers are 1.5-point favorites on the road in Chicago. It will be the third meeting of the two teams in the last six weeks after they played twice in December. The Bears beat the Packers 22-16 in overtime in Chicago in the regular season, while the Packers beat the Bears 28-21 in Green Bay.
The Bills are 1.5-point favorites against the Jaguars at Jacksonville. The Jaguars lost twice at home in the regular season.
The Eagles are 3.5-point favorites at home against the 49ers. The Eagles lost twice at home in the regular season.
The Patriots are 3.5-point favorites at home against the Chargers. The Patriots went 14-3 this season, but all three losses were at home.
The Texans are 3-point favorites on the road against the Steelers. The Steelers lost at home three times in the regular season.
If the betting lines are to be believed, only two division winners, the No. 2 seed Eagles and Patriots, will advance to the divisional round.
