Chicago TV station confirms Cody Parkey’s night practice session

Cody Parkey had a rough outing last week, and now there’s visual evidence of a practice session at Soldier Field.

The Chicago Bears easily handled the Detroit Lions in Week 10, with a 34-22 win that didn’t feel that close. It didn’t matter to the result, but one big negative for the Bears was four missed kicks from Cody Parkey, with a concerto of plunked uprights.

Bears head coach Matt Nagy was quick to say Parkey wouldn’t be replaced. But the idea of him going to Soldier Field for a special practice session surfaced, and Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune reported it would occur Wednesday night.

Television stations typically deploy a helicopter to cover far more urgent stories or events than sports. But apparently it was a slow news night Wednesday, and WGN sent a chopper to Soldier Field to see if Parkey was there.

The team’s practice restrictions prevented more extensive filming, but there’s visual evidence of Parkey down on the field.

As late-fall and winter descends on Chicago, Parkey has to tighten up his kicking with a tough stretch of games coming. After Sunday night against the Minnesota Vikings, the Bears take on the Detroit Lions on Thanksgiving Day, followed by a potentially windy road game against the New York Giants in Week 13 and home games against the Los Angeles Rams (Week 14) and Green Bay Packers (Week 15). That game against the Rams is now a Sunday night game, too, so getting a better feel for the conditions at night in Soldier Field should help Parkey.

Kicking in Chicago’s wind is always challenging, and Parkey had some struggles last week that could have cost the Bears in a closer game. The team going with a mid-week, in-stadium practice session to get Parkey back on track should make everyone further appreciate Robbie Gould, who made over 85 percent of his field goals over 11 seasons as the Bears’ kicker.