ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — With three consecutive NFC North games awaiting the Bears, next week seems to be the perfect time to get outside linebacker Khalil Mack and wide receiver Allen Robinson back.
Coach Matt Nagy, though, couldn’t say if that would be the case.
“I hope so,” Nagy said after the Bears’ 41-9 victory Sunday against the Bills. “But it’s going to be very similar to what it’s been the last few weeks. That’s where we’re at.”
Mack (right ankle) and Robinson (groin) sat out a second consecutive game. Mack played catch and ran from end zone to end zone during pregame warmups but was ultimately ruled out. Robinson said Friday he wasn’t yet 100 percent.
The Bears’ defense had four takeaways without their star edge rusher, who played collegiately in Buffalo.
“That’s great when he comes back,” safety Adrian Amos said. “That’s not something where I go to bed excited for Khalil Mack or nothing like that. That’s our teammate. We want him to be healthy. We want him to be back. Last year he wasn’t here, and we were in the top 10.”
White a healthy scratch
Wide receiver Kevin White, the Bears’ 2015 first-round pick, was a healthy scratch for the first time in his career. Nagy said the decision had nothing to do with disciplinary action or injury. His staff just preferred other players.
“Kevin and our coaching staff and myself, we’ve had some talks,” Nagy said. “And that’s just the direction we decided to go for this game. Nothing by any means is permanent. He’s going to continue working hard.
“Kevin is in a good place, and I appreciate him being that way. We’re just going to keep plugging away.”
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In the final year of his rookie contract, White has three catches on five targets for 70 yards — with 54 coming on a Hail Mary against the Patriots that fell one yard short.
This and that
One day after the Bears put right guard Kyle Long on injured reserve, Nagy said he hoped he could return in eight weeks but couldn’t “make any promises.”
◆ To take Long’s place, the Bears rotated series between Eric Kush and Bryan Witzmann. Nagy said that Kush recovering from a neck injury and Witzmann being with the team for only a month contributed to the timeshare.
“It’s challenging to switch because I’ve done so much left guard,” Kush said. “You kind of have to flip everything that your body gets used to.’’
◆ Tight end Dion Sims went into concussion protocol after feeling ill in the fourth quarter, Nagy said.
◆ Wide receiver Taylor Gabriel left the game with about five minutes to play because of a “lingering injury,” he said, but wasn’t concerned. He was limited Wednesday with a knee injury.
