The struggling Chicago Bears might have to get by without quarterback Jay Cutler.
Coach John Fox said Cutler has a sprained right thumb that does not appear to require surgery and would not rule him out for this weekend’s game against the Cowboys. If he is not ready, Brian Hoyer will start.
‘‘It’s hard for me to give timelines,’’ Fox said Tuesday. ‘‘We'll evaluate tomorrow. We've got practice tomorrow, we’re on a short week already. If Jay’s ready to do it, fine. If not, we'll go with Brian Hoyer.’’
While Cutler’s status was in doubt, the word was definite — and bad — for the defense, which suffered its own losses in Monday’s 29-14 defeat to Philadelphia.
Linebacker Danny Trevathan was scheduled for surgery Wednesday on a sprained thumb and linebacker Lamarr Houston will miss the rest of the season with a torn ACL in his left knee.
Houston tore the ACL in his right knee celebrating a late sack in a blowout loss at New England in October 2014.
The Bears also lost nose tackle Eddie Goldman (sprained ankle), who left the field on a cart.
But once again, the Bears find themselves in a familiar spot with their quarterback hurt.
Cutler has not played in all 16 games since 2009, his first season in Chicago, and if he is sidelined, that would be a big blow for the Bears. They are 0-2 in their second season under Fox after finishing last in the NFC North a year ago, and the last thing they need is to have to get by without their quarterback.
It’s not clear when the injury happened. Cutler reportedly suffered ligament damage to his thumb during the season-opening loss at Houston. He was not on the injury report leading up to the Eagles game.
Fox said the thumb ‘‘didn’t appear’’ to affect Cutler in practice last week and he was a full participant.
Cutler said Monday night he couldn’t pinpoint when the injury occurred but acknowledged he was having trouble early in the game.
It worsened when he tried to plant his hand breaking his fall on a strip-sack by Philadelphia’s Destiny Vaeao in the third quarter. Cutler played two more series and exited the game after the Eagles’ Nigel Bradham stepped in front of a badly underthrown pass intended for Alshon Jeffery, who was about 10 yards up the field.
McCoy sued by police
Bills running back LeSean McCoy was sued Tuesday over a Philadelphia nightclub brawl that left two off-duty police officers injured. The civil suit claims McCoy beat and kicked one officer while he was on the ground and punched another officer in the eye.
The suit was filed in Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas and seeks money damages from McCoy, two other men and the nightclub.
‘‘Our investigation has confirmed that Darnell Jessie and Roland Butler were viciously attacked and beaten by LeSean McCoy and the other defendants. As a result of the violent assault, both men have suffered serious and permanent injuries,’’ the plaintiffs’ lawyer, Fortunato Perri Jr., said in a statement.
McCoy’s agent, Drew Rosenhaus, declined comment.
McCoy’s attorney has said he was only trying to break up a fight between the officers and his friends over a $350 bottle of champagne. Police have said the Feb. 7 fight broke out over a misunderstanding about who had bought the bottle.
District attorney Seth Williams announced in April that no charges would be filed in connection with the brawl, saying he couldn’t prove who started it. The Pennsylvania attorney general’s office reviewed the case at the request of the president of the Philadelphia police union but declined to intervene.
Gregory drops appeal
Suspended Dallas defensive end Randy Gregory has dropped an appeal on another substance-abuse violation and now faces a 10-game ban on top of the four games he already will miss. A 14-game suspension would make Gregory, 23, ineligible to play until Week 16 . . . With Marshall Newhouse’s status uncertain because of a calf injury, Bobby Hart and Will Beatty will have a competition this week to determine the Giants’ starting right tackle against the Redskins. Newhouse was hurt in the fourth quarter of Sunday’s 16-13 win . . . The Chargers signed running back Dexter McCluster to replace the injured Danny Woodhead. Woodhead is out for the season after suffering a torn ACL in his right knee in Sunday’s victory against Jacksonville.
