NEWSLETTER
If the Chicago Bears continue be cautious when it comes to player health, then you might expect to see wide receiver Allen Robinson listed as a limited participant when the team’s first Week 17 injury report is released later today.
#Bears HC Matt Nagy says WR Allen Robinson (ribs) might not be full participation in practice today.
— Zack Pearson (@Zack_Pearson) December 26, 2018
On Sunday, Robinson made six catches for 85 yards, but played on just 68.8 percent of the team’s offensive snaps in Chicago’s Week 16 win against the San Francisco 49ers. Today, Bears Head Coach Matt Nagy told reporters at Halas Hall that Robinson might not be a full-go at practice, as he continues dealing with injured ribs.
It’s possible Robinson was shaken up on this impressive deep-ball snag early in the first quarter against the 49ers:
Robinson really laid out to make the catch, but landed awkwardly, then headed to the sideline after the play and directly into the team’s medical tent on the sideline. But he returned and ended up with a solid overall performance (save for the fourth-quarter fumble) in a Bears win.
Hopefully, because Robinson finished the game and put up a pretty decent showing, the Bears are simply being cautious in Wednesday’s practice and ahead of the playoffs. As we’ve discussed a thousand times over, it wouldn’t be the first time they took an extra dose of playin’ it safe.
Indeed, the Bears have proceeded with caution while dealing with Robinson’s health throughout the 2018 season. They slow-played his return from the ACL injury that ended his 2017 season before it could get started, then held him out of back-to-back games in the middle of the year after a groin issue popped up. Since returning from his two-week absence, Robinson has caught 30 passes for 469 yards, and two touchdowns. That would put him on a 16-game pace of 69 catches, 1,072 yards, and 5 touchdowns. It’s a nice-looking stat line that suggests Robinson is at full strength, which is good new for a Bears team that has eyes on playing deep into the postseason.
Chicago still is playing for the No. 2 seed in the NFC. So as long as that is a possibility, healthy Bears starters are expected to be giving it a full-go. But it wouldn’t surprise (or disappoint) me if Nagy pulled back at some point to ensure the health of his most important players. We’ll continue to monitor this situation as it develops.
