NEWSLETTER
It looks like I’ll need to make a sacrifice to the deities of BBQ for clearing the skies today, the day of my attempt at a socially distanced gathering of friends and neighbors.
• Discuss amongst yourselves:
Discuss. pic.twitter.com/tBjnhM9CkL
— Bleacher Nation Bears (@BN_Bears) June 26, 2020
• Is Tyler Bray too low? His NFL.com 2013 draft profile at the time mentions a favorable comparison to Jay Cutler. Did I put Mitchell Trubisky too high on the list? What about Nick Foles? Am I short-changing Matt Nagy? He was a third-team Division I-AA All-American in 2000 as a college player. And in the AFL, Nagy was second team All-Arena League in 2005 in a year in which he threw for 66 TDs against just 10 INTs.
• What does it say about the Bears that Foles pops up as Kristopher Knox’s one player the Bears should be excited to see this preseason? Don’t get me wrong. I get it. The quarterback is the most important position on the field and the Bears have a head-to-head showdown at the position that we are set to obsess over as this summer unfolds. But I’m geeked up for guys at so many other positions. UGH. I wish we were in a position to have open training camp practices in Bourbonnais.
• I’m sharing this, in part, as a reminder that the Bears are slated to have their own first-round pick for the first time since 2018:
Since 2010, 31 quarterbacks drafted in the 1st round.
In the last five years (18) 1st round quarterbacks.
2020 Burrow, Tagovailoa, Hubert, Love
2019 Murray, Haskins, Jones
2018 Mayfield, Darnold, Allen, Rosen, Jackson
2017 Trubisky, Mahomes, Watson
2016 Goff, Wentz, Lynch pic.twitter.com/m2aKEdXQlX
— Mike Jurecki (@mikejurecki) June 26, 2020
• Allen Robinson is a stud:
Last year, only four wide receivers saw at least 20% of their team’s targets in over 90% of their games:
* Michael Thomas (20% target share in 16-of-16 games)
* DeAndre Hopkins (15-of-16)
* Allen Robinson (15-of-16)
* Davante Adams (11-of-12)— Graham Barfield (@GrahamBarfield) June 26, 2020
Allen Robinson caught 98 passes in 2019, seventh most in NFL. pic.twitter.com/TzZANkigy8
— Evan Silva (@evansilva) June 24, 2020
• A Robinson extension would bring some real juice to this news cycle. I’m just saying! And with that in mind, it’s worth sharing that NFL Network analytics expert Cynthia Frelund lists Robinson as one of the 10 players who most deserve new contracts.
• Also on Frelund’s list are Deshaun Watson, Dalvin Cook, and Alvin Kamara — three players whose teams are scheduled to face the Bears in 2020. I’m all for guys making their cases for new deals during a contract year. But I’d prefer it not come against the Bears.
• grumblegrumblegrumble:
Trubisky actually gets the Bears into a great call on 3rd & 7 (GB had struggled all year against crossers and did so again here) but kills his own team by predetermining his throw and missing it. Just take the shallow cross and move the chains. pic.twitter.com/roh2MVQbVJ
— Aaron Nagler (@AaronNagler) June 27, 2020
• Nagler isn’t wrong here. A good QB hits Anthony Miller between the two defenders. But a smart one takes the crosser, picks up the first down, and lives to see the extension of a drive. I’m at a point where I’d prefer Trubisky to reel himself in and make the smart play that allows him to look good rather than attempt the hero play that amounts to nothing.
• There’s still a huge clothing sale going on at Amazon right now, with all kinds of one-day-only type things. Keep checking it out. #ad
• I’d rather pour gasoline on a wad of bills and light it on fire:
The Lions are who you should bet on to win the NFC North pic.twitter.com/FyQdnZRFPV
— PFF (@PFF) June 26, 2020
• Heck, that might be more entertaining than watching the Lions try and win the NFC North.
• 😬:
“ The Packers wasted his career. You got one Superbowl out of Aaron Rodgers? Are you kidding me? Now it’s too late.”
– Brandon Marshall
— Max Markham (@MaxMarkhamNFL) June 27, 2020
• Who doesn’t love BINGO?
https://twitter.com/ChicagoBears/status/1276893048048218112?s=20
• I’ve got the top row covered. And I have 12 spots filled (plus the free space). But I have too many blank spaces on the card for my liking.
• FINALLY! The truth is out there:
NBA SCAM: There Really Was a Conspiracy Against the Bulls!https://t.co/m3BvBczHgH
— Bleacher Nation Bulls (@BN_Bulls) June 26, 2020
• Story time with Lu is as follows. NBA Jam was one of my first video game loves. So you know I was absolutely jacked to get NBA Jam Tournament Edition when it dropped for Super Nintendo. I absolutely loved the tournament challenge, wherein you need to beat all of the teams in order to unlock new players and teams. I was rolling through teams until I got to the Pistons. But with time running out and a clear path to the hoop, I thought Scottie Pippen was going to slam home a game-winning dunk. I was ready to celebrate until I heard the clang noise. HE MISSED THE DUNK! “Pistons win!” And run at perfection was over. That happened about 25 years ago, but I’m still not over it.
