CHICAGO – Matt Eberflus let the kids play Sunday, and the Bears rookies made the most of their opportunities on defense.
Safety Jaquan Brisker and cornerback Kyler Gordon played all 68 defensive snaps in the Bears’ 19-10 win over the San Francisco 49ers at Soldier Field. Gordon finished the game with six tackles, while Brisker notched four and recovered a fumble.
Fellow rookie Dominique Robinson played just 28 snaps, but the defensive end recorded 1.5 sacks, two pressures, and seven tackles in his debut.
“We’re just letting people know how skilled we are,” Brisker said of the Bears’ defensive rookies. “We can keep getting better, you know. It’s just the first game, you know. We just going to keep building and getting better and make sure we are doing everything right for this team.”
Brisker had a loud preseason debut against the Kansas City Chiefs but suffered a thumb injury that forced him to miss the remainder of the exhibition slate. When he took the field Sunday, it was like he never left.
“When I first got out there, I was like, ‘Hold up! This is my for real first game,’” Brisker said, laughing. “I had kind of forgot, but as long as I got back out there. I love playing football. That’s what I love to do. So as long as I was out there, I was good.”
Brisker was happy the Bears got the win but noted he had a couple of missed tackles that he needs to clean up before they travel to Green Bay to face the Packers next Sunday night.
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Gordon offered a similar review of his NFL debut. The Washington product got beat for a 44-yard gain by Jauan Jennings but was otherwise solid playing both outside and in the nickel.
But it was Robinson who stole the show Sunday at soggy Soldier Field.
Early in the first quarter, Robinson beat 49ers right tackle Mike McGlinchey, got hold of Trey Lance with one hand, and threw the quarterback to the ground for his first career NFL sack. Six more tackles and another half-sack followed for what was a sterling debut.
“A rookie is just a title,” Robinson said after the win. “I got drafted. I’m here to play football. I showed them that I can play football and I made the 53-man roster. So that’s what I’m doing”
But that opening sack of Lance gave the former dual-threat quarterback turned wide receiver turned defensive end a jolt.
“Quick confidence,” Robinson said. “I was confident coming in, but after that, confidence boosted to the roof. At that point, I’m playing now.”
Drafted in the fifth round out of Miami of Ohio, Robinson is still early in his development as a pass rusher. But he has waited for this moment and didn’t want to let it go to waste.
“It’s just football,” Robinson said. “I’m just making plays. Honestly, I prayed. My prayers, man. Hustle hard, do everything I can, and when the play comes, let me make the play. Play came. I made the plays.”
Here is how much action every Bears player saw in the win over the 49ers
Quarterback: Justin Fields 58
Running back: David Montgomery 38, Khalil Herbert 17, Khari Blasingame 11, Trestan Ebner 4
Wide receivers: Darnell Mooney 52, Equanimeous St. Brown 44, Dante Pettis 23, Byron Pringle 10, Ihmir Smith-Marsette 3
Tight end: Cole Kmet 48, Ryan Griffin 31, Jake Tonges 9
Offensive line: Braxton Jones 58, Cody Whitehair 58, Larry Borom 58, Sam Mustipher 58, Teven Jenkins 31, Lucas Patrick 27
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Defensive line: Robert Quinn 49, Angelo Blackson 47, Justin Jones 43, Al-Quadin Muhammad 43, Dominique Robinson 28, Trevis Gipson 26, Armon Watts 21, Mike Pennel 14
Linebackers: Nicholas Morrow 68, Roquan Smith 68, Matt Adams 15
Cornerbacks: Kyler Gordon 68, Jaylon Johnson 67, Kindle Vildor 54
Safeties: Jaquan Brisker 68, Eddie Jackson 68, DeAndre Houston-Carson 1