LAKE FOREST – Chicago Bears fullback Evan Rodriguez is hoping to see some snaps on Sunday when his team takes on the Carolina Panthers after a quiet game last week. Rodriguez was in uniform on the sidelines for Monday’s night win over the Detroit Lions but failed to get into the game.

“My package (of plays) was small during the week,” Rodriguez said after practice on Friday. “I have no control over that. I’m just preparing myself to play.”

Rodriguez had been battling a knee injury but says he’s fine and isn’t sure why he didn’t play last week. The silver lining is his knee did get another week without contact.

“Does it suck that I didn’t play yet? Yeah it does, but at the same time it was good in a way for me to get rested,” he said.

Rodriguez says playing time is sometimes determined by “practice decisions” but didn’t feel like he had a bad week of drills leading up to Monday night. He stressed it’s out of his hands.

“You’re just waiting for your number to be called,” Rodriguez stated. “You patiently wait. It’s all you can do.”

Rodriguez has yet to catch a ball or rush with it in his first year playing fullback after beginning his career at tight end.