As the Chicago Bears are preparing to face the Philadelphia Eagles Sunday, there’s still discussion about Eddy Pineiro’s game-deciding missed field goal against the Los Angeles Chargers.
That’s Pineiro’s fault, who let slip with reporters Tuesday that he would’ve preferred that the ball be centered rather than downed on the left hash. He realized his mistake in letting that piece of information slip, and since then it’s developed into a new controversy.
When you’re not winning, the little things have a habit of becoming magnified.
As Bears coach Matt Nagy diplomatically deflected reporters’ questions about the spot all week, special teams coordinator Chris Tabor made his thoughts abundantly clear about the situation.
The spot didn’t matter. That’s a kick that Pineiro has to make.
“First of all, I would prefer that Eddy makes the kick . . . ” Tabor said, via the Sun-Times. “And he will make that kick, I do know that. I also think, [Nagy] has addressed it, there’s nothing to say. . . .
“So really to me, there’s no story. I know what the narrative is, but that’s that.”
Tabor would prefer that Pineiro’s attention is focused on making his next kick, which will likely come Sunday against the Eagles.
As for the communication of ball placement on Mitchell Trubisky’s kneeldown, Tabor said it was “spot on.”
The kicker’s preference “doesn’t matter,” Tabor said.
“It was a 41-yard field goal,” Tabor said. “It wasn’t a 54- or 55-yard[er].
“As I have stated here multiple times and I told the kid: ‘You hit your ball, you play your line. If Mother Nature takes it, we will have to talk to Mother Nature.’ And I’ve also said that sometimes it’s also going to hurt if it’s in that type of situation.”
