Which Chicago Bears were winners vs. Giants?

Chicago Bears Week 17 Winner No. 2: Robert Quinn

I do not think fans truly understand how great of a season Robert Quinn has had. Coming off one of the worst seasons of his career with only two sacks and a hefty five-year contract, Bears fans were ready to give up on the veteran. It was a big risk giving a player over 30 years old a five-year deal, but this season it has cultivated into something special. 18 sacks and a franchise record later, Quinn is now etched in Bears history and will be remembered for one of the greatest seasons ever by a Chicago Bear.

Robert Quinn set the franchise record for most sacks in a season with 18, passing Richard Dent’s 17.5. He did it on a sack fumble that seemed to have been the story of the night for the Giants. No pass protection and a terrible passing scheme led to the pass rushers in the backfield all night. The sack was great, but the story is even greater. After one of the worst years of his career, Quinn now leads the NFL in sacks for the time being and could potentially get near the NFL record of 22.5 sacks in a season set by Michael Strahan. He would have to have an insane game against Minnesota next week, but it is doable.

Quinn also did not have Khalil Mack for a good portion of the season, meaning he was the focus of opposing pass blocking schemes. Thankfully guys like Trevis Gipson and Bilal Nichols took some pressure off Quinn, but it is crazy how he was able to beat double teams and chips. There were plenty of games where I was in awe of how athletic Quinn looked for his age, bending around tackles and beating players off the line.

This game against the Giants was a culmination of a historic year for Robert Quinn, and he could be in the conversation for Comeback Player of the Year, although he will not win it. Still, he has been a huge force all year for this defense and deserves a lot of credit for his effort all year.