Bears making do with young, patchwork O-line

The offensive line had a youthful look in Week Five.

Rookie Hroniss Grasu had not taken a snap in the NFL before he started Sunday's game at center. Charles Leno, a seventh-round pick last year, played just the second complete game of his NFL career at left tackle. Right tackle Kyle Long started his fifth game at right tackle following two seasons at right guard.

But Long believes the group should be graded the same as any other O-line.

“I don't think there's any (grading) curves in the NFL,” he said. “As much as you like to say, ‘It's Hrnoniss' first start, I'm new at right tackle, Charles Leno is (23) years old,' you can look at any of those things. But, at the end of the day, we're in the NFL, and we have a job to do.”

With opening-day center Will Montgomery on injured reserve and Jermon Bushrod (concussion) not even practicing yet, the current group could be the intact for some time. Long says they all have work to do.

“Obviously it's nice to get a win with a patchwork O-line,” Long said. “But you've got to look at yourself and figure out what you can do better. There were a lot of plays I wish I could have had back, and I'm sure all the other guys will echo that.”

Next man up:

Coach John Fox did not provide an update on Shea McClellin's knee injury that sidelined him in the third quarter Sunday, but he was impressed with the job that newcomer LaRoy Reynolds did in relief of the team's leading tackler.

“We lose Shea McClellin,” Fox said. “(But) we've got LaRoy Reynolds, and I don't know, he's been here 10 days, but he's in there with the starting defense.”

Reynolds had actually been with the team 13 days since signing on Sept. 29, after he was waived by the Jaguars where he played from 2013-15 after being signed as an undrafted rookie.

There was also no update on cornerback Terrance Mitchell's hamstring injury.

Leaving and arriving:

Running back Jacquizz Rodgers, who suffered a fractured arm in Sunday's game, was placed on season-ending injured reserve. He rushed for 41 yards on 14 carries and caught 1 pass for 10 yards. He is tied for second with 3 special teams tackles.

Veteran running back Antone Smith was signed to take Rodgers' place on the roster. The 5-foot-9, 192-pound Smith played the previous five seasons for the Falcons and rushed for 286 yards and 4 touchdowns on just 29 carries, a 9.9-yard average that included runs of 50 and 48 yards. He also has 15 receptions for 232 yards, a 15.5-yard average and 3 touchdowns. He also has 26 career special teams tackles.

New No. 1:

With his 30-yard field goal late in the third quarter Sunday, Robbie Gould became the franchise leader in points scored with 1,118, two more than Kevin Butler.

Gould has 254 field goals and 356 extra points in 155 games. Gould is also the franchise leader in field goals made, field goals of 50 yards or longer (19) and longest field goal (58 yards).

He has hit all 11 of his FG attempts this season and has an 86.0 percent success rate, seventh best in NFL history.