I found it to be too warm during a visit with to grandmother’s house yesterday, so I removed my hoodie and set it aside. After a brief trip to the kitchen to cut up some bread for us to eat, I came back to my grandmother using my hoodie as a blanket because she felt a little chilly. When it was time to leave, I asked her for my hoodie back and at first she said no (before (begrudgingly?) giving it back). I guess I need to buy my grandmother a hoodie, if only so I can keep mine.
My buddy Zack sent me this, which put a unique thought in my head:
Odds to win 2020 Superbowl
KC 7/1 LAR 8/1 NO 8/1 CHI, NE 10/1 LAC 12/1 PIT 14/1 GB 16/1 PHI, MIN 18/1 IND 20/1 DAL 22/1 BAL, HOU 25-1 CLE 28-1 ATL, CAR, SEA 33/1 JAX, SF, NYG 40-1 TEN 50/1 AZ, BUF, CIN, DEN, DET, TB, WAS, NYJ, OAK 66/1 MIA 100/1
To me, I’m not sure there is anything that encapsulates the Bears’ franchise turnaround better than the fact that the team went from being 100/1 long shots to win the Super Bowl to being among the betting favorites at 10/1 in the span of 10 months. I’m not going to say that’s completely unprecedented, but wowzers, it’s not something you see every year. The change in perception from our friends in the desert is a testament to the changes the franchise has made on the field, because the Bears definitely wouldn’t be 10/1 had they gone 8-8 and finished third in the NFC North.
So while I’m bummed that I won’t get a tremendous value like the Bears being 100/1 next year, I’m encouraged that the reality of the Bears’ situation has changed the big-picture perspective on what they’ve put together. Better talent and better results will lead to more faith in the fan base, as well as the wagering public.
One of the biggest factors in the improved play of the Bears is defensive lineman Akiem Hicks”
Hicks’ upcoming Pro Bowl appearance has been a long time coming. talk about hicks big year and the years he had before that. Snubs after 2016 (7 sacks, 17 quarterback hits, 11 tackles-for-loss) and 2017 (8.5 sacks, 20 quarterback hits, 15 tackles-for-loss), coupled with a loaded position group made me wonder if Hicks would ever get his due. Let’s face it, 3-4 defensive ends generally don’t get much love for anchoring front sevens or defensive lines. Thankfully, a rambunctious Bears defense helped build Hicks’ profile and allowed him to get the notoriety he deserves. Gotta love when hard work pays off in the form of major accolades.
We often talked about Khalil Mack’s primetime exploits, but Hicks was doing damage, too. In the four primetime games the Bears played in, Hicks came away with three sacks, 8 tackles-for-loss, 5 quarterback hits, and a forced fumble. That’s certainly one way to get some national recognition.
Do you want to check out every Akiem Hicks highlight from 2018? Of course you do.
You probably wouldn’t have thought so, but Tarik Cohen had a roller-coaster year:
Do the Bears have their solution at running back in Tarik Cohen and Jordan Howard, or will they be looking for an addition in the offseason? pic.twitter.com/WL4RWrCFO8
Cohen saw an increase in offensive snaps while growing into a reliable receiving target for Mitch Trubisky. And while he produced 1,169 scrimmage yards and eight touchdowns in 2018, there were some peaks and valleys we wish would be smoothed into steady production on a weekly basis. Cohen is a solid role player who wears many hats on this Bears team, so the feeling is he’ll continue to get his. It’s just that we’d like to see it at a more consistent level.
I suppose it would help if he received more than four touches in a win-or-go-home game. Just saying.
It was at this time six years ago when Marc Trestman was being introduced as the Bears’ head coach, a position Bevell interviewed for back in 2013. Once a hot-shot offensive coordinator, Bevell never got the head-coaching gig he (and many other) coordinators seek. Perhaps he will now settle into a role running the offense for a team with a defensive-minded head coach. But going from Jim Bob Cooter, whose history developing Matthew Stafford from a top overall pick into a viable NFL quarterback is worth noting, to Bevell (who was dismissed from Seattle earlier this month) just looks odd.
And if you didn’t know, Bevell was the OC who made this brilliant decision:
New year, new us, same fun on the podcast talking Bulls:
Luis C. Medina, who you can find on Twitter at lcm1986, has been covering the Chicago Bears at Bleacher Nation since 2017. Since then, he has written about 3 head coaches, 5 play-callers, and 11 starting quarterbacks. Previously, Luis wrote about the Cubs and MLB at BN (2015-16) and worked in the Chicago Tribune sports department (2011-16). He also co-hosted a Cubs postgame show, Outside the Ivy, in 2019.
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