The Chicago Bears are facing a last-place team in the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday, but they’ll need all hands on deck to continue their playoff push. While Chicago has won six of their last seven games after an 0-2 start, both of those early losses came against NFC North opponents, making Sunday’s divisional game extremely important to the playoff race.
To make sure another divisional game doesn’t fall into the loss column, the Bears will have to rely on their pass rush to pressure quarterback J.J. McCarthy. That seems more difficult than it sounds, considering Chicago’s pass rush has been underwhelming and recently lost Dayo Odeyingbo to a torn Achilles tendon. But the Bears may have received some surprise reinforcements when Dominique Robinson was listed as a limited participant on the team’s injury report on Wednesday.
Bears Could Get Major Pass-Rush Boost with Robinson’s Return vs. Vikings
Robinson has been dealing with a high ankle sprain he suffered during an Oct. 26 loss to the Baltimore Ravens, but he could be a boost to Chicago’s pass rush. While he’s been limited to seven games, Robinson has been serviceable when on the field, logging 10 total tackles, two tackles for loss, and 1.5 sacks.
Pro Football Focus is also a fan of Robinson’s game this season, crediting him with nine pressures on 69 pass-rushing snaps. His 68.7 pass-rushing grade ranks third among Bears edge defenders who have logged at least 50 pass-rushing snaps this season.
If Robinson is healthy enough to play on Sunday, it would be a welcome surprise. Chicago has welcomed Austin Booker back to the lineup in recent weeks after he recovered from a preseason knee injury, and he has responded with six total pressures and a sack, according to PFF. The Bears have also acquired Joe Tryon-Shoyinka in a trade, but Robinson stands to benefit more from that move, as the Cleveland Browns import is more of a special teamer and a depth option.
With Montez Sweat already leading the team with 30 pressures and 5.5 sacks, the Bears could have a healthy rotation between Booker and Robinson even after rookie Shemar Turner went down with a knee injury. If Chicago has its full stable of pass-rushers, it could make life difficult for McCarthy and the Vikings on Sunday.