Little by little, I’m going through my freezer to plan out how I’ll cook the things I threw in there over the winter and spring. There is plenty for me to grill this summer and I can’t wait until the weather allows me to do so without worrying about rain.
For those of us longing for meaningful football, the NFL has a countdown keeping us posted:
https://twitter.com/NFL/status/1130133580905099266
It’s not soon enough, but it will come in due time. For the time being, let’s enjoy some images from the NFLPA’s Rookie Premiere of prized prospects Riley Ridley and David Montgomery:
https://twitter.com/ChicagoBears/status/1130140918424788993
https://twitter.com/ChicagoBears/status/1129802615649443841
Nothing like a first look at future Bears rocking the navy blue tops. Gets me feeling tingly just thinking about the great things those guys will do once they hit the playing surface. I know I’m not alone when saying I can’t wait to see what these rookies do when they get their first taste of the Bears-Packers rivalry.
Remember how good Roquan Smith looked in his first plays as a pro? Sure, it was a small snap share, but he made his presence felt. More than that, it was evident the Bears missed Smith and his athleticism when the Packers were attacking his replacement on pass plays during their miraculous comeback. Because a lack of training camp reps won’t be an issue this summer, Smith should be ready to go from the jump. That’s good news for Chicago, not so much for Green Bay.
Part of me doesn’t think either Ridley or Montgomery will get a huge work-load in Week 1, but they don’t need to be on the field all the time to make an impact. It just takes one play to etch your name in the record-books in this rivalry. Then again, each rookie will get a fair number of snaps. Anthony Miller was in on 56 percent of the team’s offensive snaps in Week 1, while someone has to scoop up the 71 percent snap share Jordan Howard was given out of the backfield in Week 1 last year. There are snaps to be had, to be sure. It’s up to the Bears’ rookies to get them.
Mike Davis will get his reps in when it comes to trying to make up for what was lost in Howard’s departure, but my gut tells me Montgomery is going to wow us at some point. If you make enough “wow” plays, you’re going to get more snaps. It can be as simple as that sometimes, so let’s not count this guy out:
You always remember your first:
https://twitter.com/RidleyCa/status/1129905480824963076
Even as the Bears add young talented rookies, they still have this monster throwing around opposing linemen like a child’s play-thing:
Every time I stumble across Bears-Giants highlights from last year, I get mildly annoyed that the Bears didn’t win that game. Had they done so, they would’ve had a first-round bye. And who knows how this offseason would have played out had the Bears been that fortunate. It’s possible (heck, even probable!) that “double-doink” doesn’t even enter our lexicon. Oh, what could’ve been.
On a brighter note, here are some good-looking Bears who dressed to the nines:
I’ve been wrong before, but I don’t see the Lions going from worst-to-first happening:
Every NFL season has a team that goes from the outhouse to the penthouse, climbing out of last place to make some big-time noise. I’m just not sure that’s going to be the Lions. They should be better than they were last year, but it’s harder to be any worse.
I wonder if the Lions are that trendy worst-to-first pick because the other options around the league aren’t all that appetizing. Would you bet on the Jets, Bengals, Jaguars, Raiders, Giants, Buccaneers, or Cardinals to make the jump from last place in their respective division to first? Jacksonville could conceivably do it with a new quarterback and a defensive core that is just one season removed from being in the conference title game, but the AFC South sent two teams to the playoffs last season. Other than that, I guess the Lions have as good as chance as anyone to turn it around. I just wouldn’t bet on it. Not when the Bears, Packers, and Vikings are clearly better.
Kyle Long’s brother has called it a career:
Long is a two-time Super Bowl champion and the 2018 Walter Payton Man of the Year Award winner. A first-round pick by the Rams (2nd overall) in the 2008 NFL Draft, Long put together a mighty fine career. In 162 games with the Rams, Patriots, and Eagles, Long collected 70 sacks, 150 quarterback hits, 85 tackles for loss, 15 forced fumbles, six fumble recoveries, and one defensive touchdown. That’s a pretty strong 11-year career. Here’s hoping Mr. Long enjoys retirement to the fullest.
Amazon’s Deals of the Day are a treat today! Patio furniture, sound machines, books, air fryers, and yard equipment highlight a loaded set of deals.