Matt Forte Injury: Devastating Blow Cripples Chicago Bears' Playoff Chances

Jay Cutler going down was a huge setback for the Bears, but the offense cannot function now that Matt Forte has sustained a devastating injury.

According to Pro Football Talk, it appears as though Forte sustained an MCL tear against the Chiefs today.

The degree of the tear has a huge impact on how much time he will miss, but in the highly competitive NFC North, the Bears can't afford to have their only true offensive weapon sidelined.

It's a shame, given that Forte has shown up every Sunday despite being displeased with his contract situation. To see him go down without a deal done is the worst-case scenario for Forte's camp.

They have no shot at winning the division even with everyone healthy, but the Bears are right in the thick of the wild card playoff hunt.

Unfortunately, their inability to score more than three points against Kansas City today points to just how badly the injury bug has affected Chicago.

The now 7-5 Bears have encountered injuries that are too significant to overcome. Marion Barber is not Forte by any means, and with the Lions, Falcons and Giants all fighting for the two spots, the skidding Bears aren't going to be able to hang onto their grasp on a wild-card spot.

Team	Wins	Losses
Lions	7	4
Bears	7	5
Falcons	7	5
Giants	6	5

While all three of the aforementioned teams have their faults, the Bears' already porous offense has been beaten beyond recognition.

Their defense only allowed 10 points today and they still couldn't come away with a victory. They put all of their eggs in the Forte basket, and his injury has wiped away their playoff chances.