Bear Digest

Bears Rookie Debuts on the Solid Side

Dominique Robinson's surprising first day on the job in the NFL.

Gene Chamberlain

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It's not often players give a game ball to a GM unless it's the Super Bowl or some kind of championship.

Players gave one in the locker room to Ryan Poles after Sunday's 19-10 win by the Bears over San Francisco and it was easy to see why.

The rookies brought in by Poles and assistant GM Ian Cunningham with the draft played key roles in the game.

The best-case scenario coming in would have been for the players who were making their pro debuts not to get the Bears beat with a few poor big plays. Instead, they were the ones making the big plays.

"It was good by really all the rookies," coach Matt Eberflus said. "I mean, you look at the way the rookies performed, you know, from the punter (Trenton Gill) to our nickel (Kyler Gordon) to Dominque (Robinson) to all the guys, all the guys that played, Braxton (Jones), they all played well.

"And that’s really a tribute to Ryan Poles and his staff bringing the guys in here that have the maturity to be able to handle an NFL game and the coaches getting them ready, and then the guys going out there and doing it. But yeah, I was happy with all the rookies."

1. DE Dominique Robinson

The fifth-round draft pick from Miami (Ohio) had a sore knee that limited him in practice twice last week but was ready by Sunday for a role as a situational pass rusher.

Boy, was he ready. 

He played only 28 snaps, 41%, but he made seven tackles. That's the second-highest total for the team. He had 1 1/2 sacks going against highly respected veteran tackles Trent Williams and Mike McGlinchey.

Robinson got on the field 28 plays, 41% of the defensive reps. Yet, he finished second in tackles with seven, including five solos. He made 1 1/2 sacks, splitting a sack with Roquan Smith while going again Williams, the former All-Pro. He got the other against McGlinchey and actually spotted a flaw in McGlinchey's game before applying a cross-chop move he learned from Robert Quinn.

"On film he (McGlinchey) oversets, 69 (McGlinchey) will overset," Robinson said in the locker room after the game. "He overset and I took it and I swiped and then I got to the quarterback."

A very strong debut for a defensive end who was a wide receiver a few years ago in the MAC. 

The 174th pick in the draft, Jones is one of only three rookies drafted in the NFL who has sacks after the first week of the season, and he has half a sack more than both of the other two—Jacksonville's Travon Walker and Atlanta's Arnold Ebiketie.

2. S Jaquan Brisker

Their starting safety finished with three tackles, including one for loss, and made a play that set a tone for the defense by recovering the ball after Jaylon Jones stripped it from Deebo Samuel on the first 49ers possession at the Bears 12. Pro Football Focus looks down on his performance, giving him only a 49.6 grade. The fumble recovery was worth far more than a PFF grade.

3. CB Kyler Gordon

Their top draft pick finished third with six tackles, including one for loss. He gave up five catches on five targets, according to Pro Football Focus, so his day wasn't perfect. Still, six tackles from the slot cornerback is a solid day. When the opposing quarterback completes only 13 passes in 28 attempts, job well done.

4. T Braxton Jones

He allowed two sacks, including one to Nick Bosa. Getting your NFL debut against Bosa is one of the most severe challenges possible. Jones still wound up with a PFF pass blocking grade over 62, which for a rookie going against a former Pro Bowl player is solid.

5. P Trenton Gill

Besides making the mistake of bringing a towel onto the field to blot the ground so kicker Cairo Santos would have better footing, he did punt. He averaged 46.2 yards for six punts on what had to be the worst weather day he has ever faced as a North Carolina native who went to college in the state. After a low first punt he handled that aspect of it well.

6. DB Jaylon Jones

The undrafted rookie from Mississippi got on the field for 15 special teams plays and had one tackle.

Twitter: BearDigest@BearsOnMaven

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Gene Chamberlain
GENE CHAMBERLAIN

BearDigest.com publisher Gene Chamberlain has covered the Chicago Bears full time as a beat writer since 1994 and prior to this on a part-time basis for 10 years. He covered the Bears as a beat writer for Suburban Chicago Newspapers, the Daily Southtown, Copley News Service and has been a contributor for the Daily Herald, the Associated Press, Bear Report, CBS Sports.com and The Sporting News. He also has worked a prep sports writer for Tribune Newspapers and Sun-Times newspapers.

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