Tabor a kicker picker-upper
Cody Parkey’s 40-yard missed field goal against the Jets came on a “tough day to kick” at windy Soldier Field, special teams coordinator Chris Tabor said.
“I think it would be a little bit like if you were going to golf at the British Open,” Tabor said. “Some days it’s going to be nice out there and other days you get out on the tee box and the wind is blowing all over the place and you just have to play what the conditions are that day.
“That’s where he’s really strong. He’s mentally — he doesn’t overthink things . . . . It’s just you have to trust your line, hit a good ball, make good contact and then, what Mother Nature does with it, you have to live with.”
He said Parkey, who has missed three field goals this season, has rebounded well from misses. He has followed each miss with a perfect game the next week.
“We’ve got to eliminate those things and it’s going to get tougher and tougher to kick with the wind,” he said. “But he can do it and I’ve got a lot of confidence in him.”
Nichols sits out
Coach Matt Nagy said that Bilal Nichols being limited with a knee injury Wednesday was precautionary, but he did not practice at all Thursday afternoon.
The rookie defensive tackle has shined in limited action this year.
“You can see the energy that he is playing with,” Nagy said. “He’s playing strong. He’s splitting the gaps, making plays.”
Still no call on Long
The Bears are still weighing whether to place guard Kyle Long, who injured tendons in his right foot against the Jets, on injured reserve. The move would allow him to return in eight weeks.
“Hopefully that’s not the case,” Nagy said. “But we’re not 100 percent either way.”
Guard Eric Kush, who could start in his place, was limited Thursday with a neck injury.
This and that
As expected, tight end Ben Braunecker (concussion), outside linebacker Khalil Mack (right foot), receiver Allen Robinson (groin) and Long did not practice. Nagy has said that Mack and Robinson were on a similar practice plan as last week, when they made their only appearance Friday.
◆ Defensive coordinator Vic Fangio doesn’t believe safety Eddie Jackson should be fined for the unnecessary-roughness penalty he received for hitting Jets receiver Andre Roberts on a third-and-13 incompletion. He said the flag was correct, though.
“There’s been too many guys that are getting fined for plays that are just in the normal flow of the game,” he said. “They’re not egregious or vicious or out of the scope of the way we want to play the game.”
◆ Receiver Taylor Gabriel practiced in full after being limited Wednesday with a knee injury.