NFL injury report: Bears suffer numerous injuries in Week 14 loss to Minnesota

Unable to finish out Sunday's narrow loss to Minnesota due to a neck injury, Bears quarterback Jay Cutler was one of a handful of injuries suffered by Chicago in Week 14's losing effort.

Head coach Lovie Smith confirmed to Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune after the game that a striking number of his players could not escape the injury bug on Sunday against the Vikings.

"We had a lot of injuries in the game," Smith said. "Robbie Gould before the game, out kicking, hurt his (left) calf muscle. Shea McClellin had a knee injury. Craig Steltz injured his chest. (Sherrick) McManis, his knee. And Jay Cutler there late hurt his neck. All of the injuries, of course, affected the game a little bit."

To make matters worse, defensive tackle Henry Melton appeared to suffer a leg or ankle injury before hurting his shoulder later in the first half. With the Bears already playing without the services of nose tackle Stephen Paea, Melton's injury came at a devastating time for a Chicago defensive line that struggled to slow down Minnesota tailback Adrian Peterson all afternoon.

Hit in the head on an illegal hit by lineman Everson Griffen, Cutler was forced to give way to backup Jason Campbell in the fourth quarter. While Campbell managed to toss a touchdown pass to receiver Brandon Marshall to keep the Bears' hopes alive late, Cutler's neck stiffness is sure to land him on the team's Week 15 injury report heading into a key game with Green Bay.