Rookie Chicago Bears safeties big help in securing first win

After 11-year veteran Antrel Rolle left Sunday's game with an ankle injury on the first play of the second half, the Chicago Bears played with two rookies at safety — fifth-round draft pick Adrian Amos and undrafted Harold Jones-Quartey.

Quartey has been with the Bears for just one month since he was waived by the Arizona Cardinals, and his previous playing time was limited mostly to special teams.

“So that was pretty admirable,” coach John Fox said of the Findlay University product's most extended playing time. “Sam Garnes (assistant defensive backs coach) and Ed Donatell (defensive backs coach) felt good about the guy. He's smart, and he works at it.”

Amos has started all three games and is fifth on the team with 26 tackles.

“Adrian Amos just gets better every week,” Fox said. “He did a great job communicating to the corners. We had a lot of different things we were doing from a coverage standpoint where you need that communication. It just stepped (his development) up a little bit.

“He's more experienced as a rookie than Harold, and I think he had to pick his game up some, especially from a communication standpoint, making sure Harold knew what he was doing, and (keeping) the corners involved.”

Rolle's X-rays were negative, according to Fox, but there was no update on his status for Week 5.

Keanu Cutler?

All three of Jay Cutler's interceptions this season have been on passes intended for tight end Martellus Bennett, whose 24 catches, 201 receiving yards and 2 TD receptions are all team bests.

“I think the wind caught the ball and it was behind a little bit,” Bennett said of Sunday's fourth-quarter interception. “Charles Woodson's an excellent player. He's been making plays like that his whole career, and that's why he's still playing.

“It was a great play by him. The ball hung up a little bit. I tried to stop and get back to it; wasn't able to. He made a great play.”

Bennett said Cutler's return provided a huge boost for the offense, so he was asked what accounts for the quarterback's success.

“It's a little bit of everything,” he said, “you have to get the whole package. Like Falco out there from 'The Replacements.' I'm talking Keanu Reeves, not (Joe) Flacco.

“Flacco's the guy from the Ravens. No offense to Flacco, he's good, too, but I'm talking about Falco.”

Defensive leader:

In addition to leading the Bears with 8 tackles Sunday, outside linebacker Pernell McPhee had the first interception of his five-year NFL career.

“Pernell was exceptional,” coach John Fox said. “All in all, I thought that position played pretty well.”

Sam Acho started for the first time in place of Jared Allen, who was traded after starting the first three games.

“Pernell brings it every day,” Acho said. “He brings it to practice on Mondays, on Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays.

“Even on Tuesdays, our off-days, he watches film, and you can tell that he watches film because when we get out to practice he almost knows the plays that are coming before they come.

“So when the game comes he knows what's coming. He doesn't just show up on Sundays and say, 'Hey, I'm here to play.' ”

Club pro:

Robbie Gould has hit all 9 of his field-goal attempts, including Sunday's 49-yard game winner and a 54-yarder earlier in the fourth quarter.

“He's a golfer,” offensive tackle Kyle Long said. “If he can be a scratch golfer, he can do anything in my book, because that must be the toughest (darn) game on the face of the earth.”

Gould has a franchise record 19 field goals of 50 yards or longer (out of 24 attempts), and his 76 percent success rate from 50 or farther is second best in NFL history.

Sunday's boot tied his personal best for longest of his 12 career game-winners.