"Play to Win the Game" Say Bears and Matt Nagy

Rather than playing out the string, the Bears insist they are fighting out the string.

Coach Matt Nagy all week has said the goal is to win out, and not to look at young players with an eye on the future. Nevertheless, the Bears might be looking at a few more backups than they'd like.

Cornerback Prince Amukamara went back onto the injury report after playing through a hamstring injury last week, and then practicing Wednesday with it. On Thursday he practiced only on a limited basis. It could mean more playing time for cornerback Kevin Toliver II.

"When he has gotten his opportunity, he has gone out there and done some good things," Bears coach Matt Nagy said of Toliver. "It's never perfect. It's a hard job. He's doing a nice job with the reps that he's getting."

The thought of Toliver playing more doesn't bother Nagy nearly as much as all the talk the Bears should play their untested young players because they're now officially out of the playoff chase with a 7-7 record.

"I think for anybody—coaches, players—everybody at this time, because you get eliminated, (people say), 'You've got to do this. You've got to do that. ... What changes? Nothing changes for anybody.'

"We signed up for 16 games as coaches and players. That's what we're going to do. We're going to prepare and go play. So it doesn't matter who you are. If you're on the football field, there's an expectation."

Nagy doesn't view a 9-7 finish as a gift with a bow wrapped around it.

"Nine-and-seven is a hell of a lot better than 7-9," Nagy said. "But there's no bow at 9-7 for me. That's not what I'm in it for. "

Defensive end Akiem Hicks wants to play enough to risk more pain in his injured left elbow.

Hicks went out twice Sunday to the injury tent, but returned both times as he finished his first game since going on injured reserve after the game in London against the Raiders. He played with a huge brace on the left elbow, about the size of a knee brace.

"It isn't the most fun thing, but I'm going to have to have it for a little while so I've got to get used to it," Hicks said Wednesday at Halas Hall.

The dislocated elbow he suffered should heal without requiring surgery.

"That's what we want to avoid," Hicks said. "As of now the healing process has been good."

Hicks hasn't appeared on the injury report and Nagy is proceeding as if he'll have Hicks available.

"The mindset of where we're all at right now as a team is that we're all going," Nagy said. "And I think when you risk-reward all that stuff or you start playing heistant a little bit, then that’s where (bad) things happen. For us, we feel good with where he's at. I know he does too. So that's just the mindset of all of us."

So the question for Hicks is why risk it by playing in a game so meaningless for the Bears.

The answer is the same for all the Bears, who have nothing to gain in the standings but are playing a Chiefs team which still can clinch a first-round AFC playoff bye.

"Guys want to win," Hicks said. "If for nothing else at all, it's momma is sitting at the house right now watching you play football and she's proud of her son and she doesn't want to have someone lean over her shoulder (and say) 'woo, they're not playing very good.'

"So you go out there and have that pride and respect for yourself."

Whether they can sum up enough pride and respect to beat a team as dangerous as the Chiefs remains to be seen.

"This is the National Football League," safety Ha Ha Clinton-Dix said. "We get paid to play this game.

"I don't think there's that one guy that's taking a day off or checking out."

Twitter@BearsOnMaven