Bears rule out Hicks, Bates vs. Lions

The Chicago Bears have officially ruled out two players for their Thanksgiving Day game against the Detroit Lions.

Chicago will be without safety Elijah Hicks and backup guard Ryan Bates. They both also missed this past weekend due to their injuries — a concussion for Bates and an ankle injury for Hicks

The good news for the Bears is nobody else is listed on the injury report heading into Thursday.

In Hicks' absence, expect Jonathan Owens to again get the start at safety next to Kevin Byard. In his first start for the Bears last week, Owens was solid, posting eight tackles, plus a key forced fumble and fumble recovery in the red zone. The 29-year-old will now get another shot in a starting spot on Thanksgiving.

Meanwhile, the Lions are dealing with several injured players. The team hasn't yet officially announced its game-day designations but head coach Dan Campbell said earlier this week that he was particularly concerned about three players — Carlton Davis III, Taylor Decker and Kalif Raymond — not being ready for Thursday. If they're out, that's a big impact that could certainly impact the Bears.

Kickoff at Ford Field on Thursday is set for 11:30 a.m. with the Bears trying to snap their five-game losing streak and the Lions trying to push their winning streak to 10.