CaptainHook Posted September 10, 2007 Share Posted September 10, 2007 (edited) The defending NFC champion Chicago Bears have lost two defensive starters, free safety Mike Brown and nose tackle Dusty Dvoracek, to season-ending knee injuries sustained in the team's opening-day defeat at San Diego on Sunday afternoon. Follow-up MRI examinations on both players confirmed on Monday that both have suffered ligament damage to their left knees. Bears officials had feared as much on Sunday evening. Coach Lovie Smith would not confirm a report on the NFL's official Web site that they would miss the rest of the season. But he did say: "They both have serious knee injuries." "I'll give you some other information later on," Smith said. "Right now, in a situation like this, I'd like to talk to the players first. I'm sure you guys can understand that. Then, I'll let you know after that." The loss of Brown is particularly devastating since this will mark the fourth year in a row in which the star-crossed defensive back will miss significant playing time, and the third time in four seasons that his campaign ended prematurely with him on the injured reserve list. It will increase to 43 the number of games that Brown has missed in the past four years. Fearing the worst, Brown, 29, was emotionally distraught in the Chicago locker room on Sunday evening, after injuring his knee with 10 minutes remaining in the game. He called the injury "another sad day in the chapter of my football career." Said Brown, who is recognized as the emotional leader of the Chicago secondary, and a safety who specialized in big, game-altering plays early in his career: "It's a shame. It hurts my feelings really bad." Brown missed 14 games in 2004 with a ruptured Achilles tendon, four in 2005 because of a severely strained calf, and 10 last season with a Lisfranc foot sprain. The former Nebraska star never missed a game the first four seasons of his NFL tenure (2000-03), but has not played a full season since 2003. The former Pro Bowl performer (2005) moved from strong safety to free safety this spring to accommodate the Bears' acquisition of Adam Archuleta in a trade, and had a strong training camp. Before the injury on Sunday, he was authoring an excellent game, with four tackles, an interception that set up Chicago's only score, two passes defensed and a fumble recovery that rebuffed a San Diego scoring opportunity. For his career, Brown, a second-round choice in the 2000 draft, has 304 tackles, four sacks, 15 interceptions, 22 passes defensed, and four forced fumbles. Chicago coaches likely will choose between Danieal Manning and Brandon McGowan as his replacement at free safety. Manning started 14 games as a rookie in 2006. Dvoracek, 24, missed his entire 2006 rookie season when he was placed on injured reserve with a foot injury sustained in preseason. His starting assignment on Sunday represented the first appearance of his career, and he had two tackles before his injury. A third-round choice, the former Oklahoma standout won the starting job in training camp this summer, filling the void left by the Bears' release of suspended nose tackle Tank Johnson. Veteran tackle Darwin Walker, acquired last month in a trade with the Buffalo Bills, is the likely replacement for Dvoracek in the starting lineup. from ESPN.com Edited September 10, 2007 by CaptainHook Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uglytuna Posted September 10, 2007 Share Posted September 10, 2007 Huge Loss ugly tuna Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Swerski Posted September 10, 2007 Share Posted September 10, 2007 That sucks. Brown's a hell of a play-maker and one of the leaders on that D. I imagine that he'll be cut after this year, as this is like the third-straight year that he's suffered a season-ending injury. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jelap1 Posted September 10, 2007 Share Posted September 10, 2007 That sucks. Brown's a hell of a play-maker and one of the leaders on that D. I imagine that he'll be cut after this year, as this is like the third-straight year that he's suffered a season-ending injury. Sadly, I think this is year #4 for him. And I'm to demoralized to go look it up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mystykoekaki Posted September 10, 2007 Share Posted September 10, 2007 Man huge blow for my ff defense. They still will be solid having Harris finally but Brown was icing on the cake. Oh well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kpholmes Posted September 10, 2007 Share Posted September 10, 2007 Man huge blow for my ff defense. They still will be solid having Harris finally but Brown was icing on the cake. Oh well. Second year in a row he'll be on my IR. sucks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chavez Posted September 10, 2007 Share Posted September 10, 2007 The Bears just aren't as good without Brown in there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jumbie Posted September 10, 2007 Share Posted September 10, 2007 To add insult to this injury, it happened on a play where Lorenzo Neal missed his block and horse collored Brown...and no flag. It was an ugly play on Neal's part. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brentastic Posted September 10, 2007 Share Posted September 10, 2007 This just really sucks for Brown - poor guy cannot catch a break in the injury department. This is very sad and hate to see it happen to anyone. L. Neal should be ashamed - I had a lot of respect for him until he did that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CaptainHook Posted September 10, 2007 Author Share Posted September 10, 2007 To add insult to this injury, it happened on a play where Lorenzo Neal missed his block and horse collored Brown...and no flag. It was an ugly play on Neal's part. was it really? I don't know how the refs missed that hold. I don't know how they missed the offsides on Tommy Harris either . . . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MothAudio Posted September 10, 2007 Share Posted September 10, 2007 Holmes, now Brown. Bolts put guys out! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CaptainHook Posted September 11, 2007 Author Share Posted September 11, 2007 L. Neal should be ashamed - I had a lot of respect for him until he did that. I dunno, I don't think it was intentional, he missed the block and kinda just stuck his arm out. It's not like he was trying to hurt him . . . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zooty Posted September 11, 2007 Share Posted September 11, 2007 Second year in a row he'll be on my IR. sucks. +1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goopster24 Posted September 11, 2007 Share Posted September 11, 2007 Danieal Manning is a better player overall. Mike Brown is a big leader though and that is tough to lose. I am not too worried as this team has become accustomed to playing without him. Dvoracek is a big loss because we are already thin at DT. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goopster24 Posted September 11, 2007 Share Posted September 11, 2007 Also, I wanted Angelo to address the safety position earlier in the draft this year. Olsen was a great pickup, especially since he fell. Merriweather would have been nice but he obviously didn't last. Eric Weddle was a guy Angelo talked about but the Chargers took in the early part of the second round. That guy played awesome yesterday for the Chargers and he looks like he is going to be a great one. Let's hope Kevin Payne is a good one too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CaptainHook Posted September 11, 2007 Author Share Posted September 11, 2007 Didn't the Bears trade a safety before the season? Why would they do that if Brown is so brittle? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brentastic Posted September 11, 2007 Share Posted September 11, 2007 I dunno, I don't think it was intentional, he missed the block and kinda just stuck his arm out. It's not like he was trying to hurt him . . . You may be right, but the fact that it is an illegal play combined with the fact that I'm a bear homer, it really pisses me off. I feel soooo bad for Brown more than the Bears as a team - I think they will be fine without him. Still sucks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goopster24 Posted September 11, 2007 Share Posted September 11, 2007 Didn't the Bears trade a safety before the season? Why would they do that if Brown is so brittle? Chris Harris was the one they traded. Angelo said he had depth at the safety position and I believed it. I just hope Kevin Payne is as good as they think he is. Brandon McGowan is a young guy the Bears lost to the IR last season and they feel he is a young stud too. He was also the guy who the punt hit and the Bears lost the ball on Sunday to the Chargers. Not his fault though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pope Flick Posted September 11, 2007 Share Posted September 11, 2007 Holmes, now Brown. Bolts put guys out! You also go 14-2 and put yourselves out of the playoffs at home. Are you really happy guys get hurt? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MothAudio Posted September 11, 2007 Share Posted September 11, 2007 You also go 14-2 and put yourselves out of the playoffs at home. Are you really happy guys get hurt? Better them than us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hat Trick Posted September 11, 2007 Share Posted September 11, 2007 Holmes, now Brown. Bolts put guys out! Classy post jack@$$. Pretty much expected coming for a SD fan though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MothAudio Posted September 11, 2007 Share Posted September 11, 2007 Classy post jack@$$. Pretty much expected coming for a SD fan though "jack___"? You're trippin'. Charger fans are the most laid back in the league [w/LA out]. You must be refering to the other coast. Football, It's a hurt sport pal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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