Snappy days are here again for OLB Quinn
There was a lot more of outside linebacker Robert Quinn in the Bears’ 20-19 victory against the Buccaneers on Thursday, and it made a big difference.
While Quinn never got to Tom Brady or made a tackle (he did think quickly to pounce on the fumble caused by cornerback Kyle Fuller in the second quarter), his presence helped Khalil Mack get two sacks for the first time in more than a year. Mack would’ve had another, too, had it not been negated by a personal foul.
“It’s only up from here,” Mack said. “It was great to see the success from the hard work we’ve been putting in, but there’s more hard work to be done. There’s no letting up from this group. I’m going to do my best to make sure of that.”
The Bears held back on Quinn the first three games after a choppy preseason and a Week 1 ankle injury but played him a season-high 58% of the defensive snaps (41) against the Bucs. It was a big jump from the 43% he averaged previously.
There’s no question it’s fruitful. But there is a question of whether it’s viable.
The risky part of the Bears signing Quinn to a five-year, $70 million deal is that he’s 30, in his 10th season and hasn’t been an everydown player since 2014. His playing time Thursday is near the high end of what is feasible for him at this point. In 14 games for the Cowboys last season, when he had 11½ sacks, he played an average of 68% of the snaps.
Pineiro still sidelined
It’s getting to a point with Eddy Pineiro that it’s reasonable to wonder whether he’ll kick at all this season. Pineiro has been out since the preseason with a groin injury and is on injured reserve. Coach MattNagy said Friday that there was no update on his condition, meaning there hasn’t been significant improvement.
It helps Pineiro that the Bears have a nineday layoff between beating the Bucs and visiting the Panthers on Oct. 18, but Cairo Santos’ success in his stead will probably push the Bears to be exceedingly patient.
Santos has made 7 of 9 field goals, including the game-winner with 1:17 left against Tampa Bay. His only misses have been from 46 and 50 yards.
The Bears signed journeyman kicker Kai Forbath to their practice squad as additional insurance as Pineiro recovers. Forbath kicked in one game for the Cowboys and three for the Patriots last season.
Weird but true
Three oddities about the Bears’ 4-1 start, which gives them a 77% likelihood of making the playoffs based on the last 30 NFL seasons:
† The Bears are one of seven teams at 4-1 or better and have the lowest point differential in the group at plus-5. They’re also behind the 49ers (2-2), who are at plus-36, and the Cardinals (2-2), who are at plus-6, and even with the Patriots (2-2).
† They have led for just under 69 of the 300 minutes (23%) they’ve played, including merely 7:49 of the game against the Bucs.
† The Bears are the first team since the 2014 Eagles to come back from double-digit deficits three times in their first five games, doing so against the Lions, Falcons and Bucs. Nick Foles, by the way, was the quarterback who led the Eagles to a 5-1 start thanks to those comebacks. ✶