NEWSLETTER
It’s about that time of the week where I get the itch to bake something. Last week’s experiment with no-bake cheesecake bars was “meh.” Not that it was bad, it’s just that I have a high bar to clear. The flavor and texture were there. It’s just that I learned that some things should remain in their intended form. That recipe is best suited for cheesecake and not intended to turn into cheesecake bars. Live and learn!
• Dang, I had been looking forward to this:
Good morning. We will hear from Mitchell Trubisky and Nick Foles later this month instead of today. Postponed.
— Mark Grote (@markgrotesports) June 4, 2020
• Getting to hear from Mitchell Trubisky and Nick Foles ahead of their highly anticipated quarterback competition was going to be appointment listening. But their meetings with the media have been postponed. The dueling quarterbacks will meet with the media later in the month. And because it’s the most important position on the field, we’ll wait with baited breath.
• This is an interesting collection of quarterbacks for Mitchell Trubisky to be lumped in with:
Most pass attempts behind the line of scrimmage last season
1. Aaron Rodgers – 104
1. Kyler Murray – 104
3. Mitchell Trubisky – 97
4. Jimmy Garoppolo – 94 pic.twitter.com/ckzAk93ip7— PFF Fantasy Football (@PFF_Fantasy) June 3, 2020
• I want to take a deeper dive into this from Chris Simms, but this tweet should serve as a fine jump start to a later conversation:
3️⃣1️⃣ NickFoles
Can make a lot of big time throws if you have the support around him (as we saw in the Super Bowl). Was #16 on my list last year but 2019 was disappointing and the Jaguars moved on for a reason. But he is big, plays big, and can perform under pressure.— Chris Simms (@CSimmsQB) June 1, 2020
• Andrew Dannehy (Da Bears Blog) checks out how the Bears offense stacks up against the rest of the NFC North. The results aren’t as dire as you might otherwise expect. I think Chicago’s offense can hang with the the NFC North contenders if the quarterback situation gets straightened out. Which suggests the Bears could be contenders to win this division (or make the playoffs as a wild-card team).
• Oh:
An analytical deep dive on the 2020 Chicago Bears.
Despite roster-building gaffes, is it crazy to think this team could make the playoffs with competent QB play and a great pass rush?https://t.co/wuOdspt5Y7@TheAthleticCHI pic.twitter.com/aCFqgC9gzI
— Sheil Kapadia (@SheilKapadia) June 4, 2020
• To answer the question: No, it isn’t crazy to think an 8-8 team can make the playoffs when it’s painfully evident that competent quarterback play could lift an otherwise well-rounded squad into the playoffs. Especially when there is another playoff seed to be had.
• Then again, the betting public doesn’t feel similarly:
Fwiw we had the Bears win total at 8½ when we put these up in March. The market has taken it down to 8.
— Circa Sports (@CircaSports) June 3, 2020
• The Bears have been bet down from 8.5 wins to 8 in some circles. That’s fine. Remember when they were overlooked ahead of the 2018 season? It’s not unreasonable to think history repeats itself (although, asking for a 12-4 season might be a bit much.
• A worthwhile nugget: The Bears have 7 games against 8 teams who have lower projected win totals than the Bears this season. Games against the Lions (6.5 wins), Giants (6), Falcons (7.5), Panthers (5.5), Texans (7.5), and Jaguars (4.5) are going to be key. But games against teams with similar projections like the Rams (8.5 wins) and Titans (8.5) could ultimately swing things.
• Even if Jaylon Johnson isn’t the starting cornerback in Week 1, Larry Mayer expects the rookie from Utah to snag the job eventually. Rookies winning starting jobs in a normal NFL camp don’t come around too often, but Johnson is uniquely skilled and has an inspiring prospect pedigree. I’m curious if a non-traditional camp will slow down his progression. But even if it does, I think talent wins out in the long run.
• Not football-related, but time sure does fly:
17 Years Ago Today: The Cork https://t.co/FcgGzoBqH6 pic.twitter.com/Y6mjQOMk2e
— Bleacher Nation (@BleacherNation) June 4, 2020
