Is Roquan Smith OK?
The second-year linebacker hasn’t had the same spark since returning from a one-game absence against the Vikings in Week 4. He missed the game for personal reasons. He had nine tackles against the Raiders and six against the Saints with a pass break-up — but no splash plays in either game.
“He can definitely play better. And he knows that. That’s where we’re at right now,” coach Matt Nagy said. “I think he will [play better].”
Nagy said he did not know if Smith’s muted performance is related to the personal issue that kept him out of the Vikings game. “I can’t personally answer that,” he said. He noted that the entire defense has struggled the past two games — allowing 398 yards against the Raiders and 424 yards against the Saints — both losses.
“We all know exactly what we’ve all done together in the last couple of weeks,” Nagy said. “It’s a part of where we’re at right now. He’s doing everything he can. None of it is because of lack of effort or want. We all look out for each other. We all want to help each other. And we feel like we can coach and play better.”
Smith had a notable downturn in his playing time against the Saints — 54-of-78 snaps (69 percent) after playing 65-of-73 (89 percent) against the Raiders. He was an every-down player prior to missing the Vikings game, playing 218-of-221 defensive snaps (98.6 percent) in the Bears’ first three games.
