Someday, the Chicago Bulls are going to be back in the NBA Finals. And when they get there, we’ll be following along.
It’s officially BN Bulls launch SZN with Elias Schuster running the point. He’s off to a good start having been working on things for a week or so. If you’re a Bulls or basketball fan, I think you’ll like what’s happening at the site (even if the the team has been maddening as heck in recent years). You can follow along on Twitter and a like on Facebook.
If there is one thing we know from doing the Bears thing that can be passed along to our Bulls friends is that change is a process. We compared the Bears’ rebuild to a right-turning semi-truck that you knew would eventually turn the corner, but didn’t know how long it would take. The Bulls are in a similar spot right now. So while expectations might be low for the Bulls at the moment, a good offseason could be the foundation for better things to come down the road. Good luck, gang!
It’s happening:
Isn’t it fitting that the NFL’s centennial season (which happens to be the Bears’ 100th anniversary) starts with its longest-standing rivalry? It’s only right that the Bears and Packers kick things off on Thursday Night Football. Even after suffering a heart-wrenching collapse in Week 1, Chicago took the NFC North by storm and is out to prove last year wasn’t a fluke. On the other side of the field, Green Bay is looking to re-assert itself as a contender with a new coach and some fresh faces on defense. I thought you couldn’t write a better script leading up to last year’s Week 1 matchup, but I have been proven wrong. Here’s hoping these next 100 days fly by.
Transitioning from the magic number of 100 to Jeff Ratcliffe’s top-200 fantasy football players in PPR leagues should be easy, right? Well, it was. I hope you’re happy for me. There are eight Bears who check in among the top-200, including three (Allen Robinson, Tarik Cohen, David Montgomery) in the top-75. Quarterback Mitch Trubisky comes in at 118th overall and the 16th ranked quarterback, well ahead of NFC North counterparts Kirk Cousins (141st overall) and Matthew Stafford (196th overall).
The top-ranked defense? You guessed it. BEARS. As Ratcliffe notes, this ranking puts that group at an eighth-round value. And while you could roll the dice with a value pick at tight end or a mid-tier quarterback, wouldn’t you want to have a decided advantage at a position where there aren’t too many groups that provide that? Or maybe that’s just me?
Riley Ridley isn’t expected to make a major fantasy impact this season, but Bleacher Report’s Gary Davenport picked the Georgia product to be the Bears’ surprise rookie gem. It feels like the Bears got away with one when they snagged Ridley in the fourth round of April’s draft. Many draft analysts figured he would have been long gone by Round 4, but the Bears could end up as the beneficiaries of Ridley being over-looked. With route-running skills being a strength, Ridley could warm up to his quarterback quickly if his hands prove to be reliable enough to be a guy who can move the chains.
Get your coffee ready for #Bears100, because it all starts with the signal callers on Saturday:
I got a kick out of Gennaro Filice’s one burning Bears question at NFL.com: “Who fills The Position That Must Not Be Named?”
Young at heart:
A former Bears offensive lineman shows up on Pro Football Focus’ list of best pass-protectors in pure pass-blocking situations, but I bet you can’t guess who it is. If you guessed Vladimir Ducasse, then bless your spirit. Ducasse was tied for seventh with an 81.8 grade, allowing just three pressures in 114 pass-blocking snaps for the Bills last season. That 2.6 percent pressure rate was the best among guards and ranked fifth among all offensive linemen. Ducasse played 15 games (11 starts) for the Bears in 2015 and never really stood out among the crowd.
Moving from the playing field to behind the mic has been smooth for any number of ex-Bears over the years:
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