[CBFF] CS: Johnson's Injury Not Serious (and other info)

[Steve Behrens]

 Whew! Johnson's injury not serious

November 28, 2006
BY BRAD BIGGS <bbiggs at suntimes.com> Staff Reporter
The best news the Bears received Monday is that an MRI exam revealed *Todd
Johnson's* sprained right ankle is not a serious injury.

The strong safety still could miss a week or two, but he was able to get
around Halas Hall gingerly without the walking boot that he left Gillette
Stadium wearing Sunday night.

''That's all it is is an ankle sprain,'' coach *Lovie Smith* clarified when
asked if it was a more serious high-ankle sprain. ''Hopefully we'll get him
back before long.''

The secondary will get one player back as nickel cornerback *Ricky Manning
Jr.* returned to the facility after serving his one-game suspension for
violation of the league's personal conduct policy. That should help, but if
Johnson misses time, it figures that *Chris Harris* will replace him. He was
up and down at New England, making a couple big hits vs. the run, but
getting caught out of position in the pass game. *Chad* *Jackson* would have
had an uncontested 57-yard touchdown had he not dropped a ball on a route
that Harris missed.

''You just have to learn,'' he said. ''The 24-hour rule is what we have
around here and you have to take the good with the bad in this league.''

*DOWN AND DIRTY: *Right tackle *Fred Miller *is hopeful the league will
review the hit he took from Patriots nose tackle *Vince Wilfork* following *Rex
Grossman's* second interception. Miller was well away from the play and was
not involved when Wilfork blindsided him. In meetings with officials this
summer, they emphasized such hits would be deemed illegal in hoping to avoid
the kind of gruesome hip injury suffered by Green Bay's *Chad Clifton* when
Tampa Bay's *Warren Sapp* clobbered him on a change-of-possession play away
from the ball several years ago.

''It was a [cheap] shot,'' said Miller, who injured his right knee on the
play.

''I thought he was totally behind me [making it illegal] as well, and the
ref was standing right there. What can you do?''

*NOT SO SPECIAL:* There was blame to go all the way around and it didn't
miss special teams, where the Bears were soundly beaten for the first time
this season. The Patriots blocked a field goal and deflected a punt, and
coverage units did not perform particularly well.

''It was a disaster for our standards,'' coordinator *Dave Toub* said.
''Every phase did something wrong.''

*Robbie Gould* hit a 40-yard field goal, but it was wiped off by a false
start by *Alfonso Boone.* Turns out New England's *Mike Vrabel* moved across
from him, inducing him to jump and the officials missed it. On the try from
45, *Richard Seymour *wedged his way between *Terrence* *Metcalf* and *John
St. Clair* in the A gap. Harris blew a blocking assignment on the deflected
punt.

*IN FROM THE COLD:* The Bears are expected to announce the signing of tight
end *Richard Angulo* to the practice squad this week. Typically, it's
another line in transactions, but Angulo was released from Minnesota's
practice squad last Wednesday. He first popped up at Halas Hall 48 hours
later and obviously has knowledge of Sunday's opponent -- the Vikings.

*HEALTH BEAT:* Linebacker *Leon Joe *might need a little longer rest than he
has gotten. He re-injured his left hamstring on the opening kickoff against
the Patriots and did not return. Joe first pulled the muscle against the New
York Giants and then sat out the meeting with the Jets. He missed two games
earlier in the season with a right hamstring pull. Newcomer *Darrell
McClover* will take his spot.

• • Special teams will get a boost from the return of cornerback *Dante
Wesley,* who was inactive for the third game since suffering a deep bruise
in his left knee.

• • Left tackle* John Tait* probably will be on Wednesday's injury report
with a sprained left ankle that was re-taped during Sunday's game.