NEWSLETTER
I’m having trouble understanding how my sleep-tracking app calculated that I slept at a 98 percent efficiency last night. Maybe I need to stack more of those types of nights together in order to feel like slept at a 98 percent efficiency? Because I’m certainly not feeling it today.
• There’s only one thing left to do, according to Bears linebacker Danny Trevathan. And that’s to win the whole stinkin’ thing, Because while Trevathan has a ring from his time with the Denver Broncos, he clearly wants more. And, he wants it in Chicago. Not just because he plays here now, but also because what it would mean to do so as a Bears linebacker. “I want to leave that out there because this is such a great tradition of linebackers the Bears have,” Trevathan said, via 670 The Score’s Chris Emma. I want to be up there in there. And to do that, I have to make plays. A Super Bowl would definitely put a stamp on that.”
• Winning a championship in Chicago is different. Just ask anyone on the 2010s Blackhawks. Check in with a member of the 2016 Cubs. Throw it back to someone with the dynasty Bulls of the 1990s. Even touch base with someone on the 2005 White Sox (provided ESPN acknowledges their title run). Don’t get me wrong. Every championship run has something that makes it special. It’s just that doing it in Chicago amplifies it to another level.
• I really like Trevathan’s overall perspective as he enters his age 30 season: “I want to be remembered. Legacy lives forever. You always want to leave behind something that can be remembered for yourself.” That’s pretty deep. Fame, notoriety, and cash are things that come with being a professional football player. But at this stage of his career, Trevathan is reaching for something more significant. I dig it. And should it happen, Trevathan will likely be fondly remembered as the first marquee free agent signing GM Ryan Pace brought in during the Bears’ tear-down-and-rebuild effort of the mid-to-late 2010s. Trevathan was a free agent in his prime who spurned offers elsewhere to reunite with John Fox and go on a journey that ultimately turned around one of the NFL’s worst defenses and became one of the best. Winning a Super Bowl would do wonders for re-telling Trevathan’s story. Just saying.
• Want to dream on a Bears Super Bowl winner? Cool. Me, too. If it’s going to happen, it will be on the back of an elite defense:
Top-5 NFL defenses for this season:
1. Ravens
2. Chargers
3. Steelers
4. Saints
5. BearsRanking all 32 here:https://t.co/mQ6Fp8LhBj
— Sheil Kapadia (@SheilKapadia) August 8, 2020
• I know, I know … we’ve heard this story before. We’ve seen how this movie plays out. High-powered defense bails out moribund offense. I hate that there’s not more balance as much as you do. Especially since the Bears went out of their way to hire an offensive-minded head coach who has a background in quarterback development. But at least Chicago has one elite side of the ball it can lean on. There are worse places to be on the football landscape.
• Should the Bears make it happen, it will be because they had an offense that played complementary football. And if that’s how it plays out, I imagine Tarik Cohen will be a key figure in the action. In a collaborative effort with Pro Football Focus, ESPN highlighted one potential bounce-back player on each NFL team. For the Bears, it’s Tarik Cohen. The 2019 season for Cohen was a disappointment. His 669 scrimmage yards and 4.7 yards/touch weren’t just a step back from 2018 — they were worse than his rookie-year numbers. Performing better in a Fox/Loggains scheme than a Nagy scheme is a red flag that alerts me that something went terribly wrong. It’s a contract year for Cohen, who still figures to be a focal point for defenses who aim to slow down Chicago’s offense. So maybe if other pieces around him get off to a good start, it could leave him to max out on single coverage. Otherwise, the new-look Bears offensive coaching staff will need to get creative in order to feed one of its most talented players.
• A strong year from Allen Robinson will certainly help things:
That all of the lights still go hard lol https://t.co/fxCM1fOjay
— Allen Robinson II (@AllenRobinson) August 10, 2020
• It would help if Mitchell Trubisky can throw it back and play like this guy:
"Mitch Trubisky was nothing short of spectacular in his NFL debut Thursday night, electrifying the Soldier Field crowd with a stellar performance that exceeded all realistic expectations.”
— Midway Minute (@MidwayMinute) August 10, 2020
• Not that you’re surprised, but Kristopher Knox (Bleacher Report) names Trubisky as the Bears’ biggest liability heading into this season. As if Trubisky needed any more motivation.
• Albert Breer rounds up a list of recent visitors to teams around the league. And it’s noteworthy that the Bears had a defensive back in for a visit:
And here’s today’s list of visits, with some interesting names on there. pic.twitter.com/fnNFfLVebU
— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) August 9, 2020
• Marqui Christian has 55 games of playing experience at safety for the Rams dating back to his rookie year in 2016. Christian, 25, has one start under his belt and plenty of special teams experience. Remember, Jordan Lucas opted out of playing in 2020 due to COVID-19 concerns. So with that in mind, the Bears could use a safety with special teams experience to challenge for a spot at the back of the roster. Let’s keep an eye on Christian and others who could fit Lucas’ role for one season.
• Heads up: the Eero wi-fi system is on a big sale at Amazon right now, so if you’ve been considering a mesh system, check it out. #ad
• Always good to see the Bears chip in to help their community:
More than 1,300 Zion District 6 families/students registered for yesterday's 12th annual #BearsCare Back to School Fair. Thanks to our partners at @PNCBank, @advocatehealth, @berniesbookbank & @ILfoodbank for their generous support! pic.twitter.com/Gp8GZxfJli
— Chicago Bears (@BearsOutreach) August 9, 2020
• Lions OC Darrell Bevell wants receiver Kenny Golladay to be revered as much as his contemporaries, such as DeAndre Hopkins and Michael Thomas. Golladay is a stud receiver. And that the Northern Illinois University product was a Lions third-round pick in the 2017 NFL Draft reminds me of how much of a steal he was in that class. But being a star pass-catcher in Detroit has been a bit of a curse. Look no further than Calvin Johnson, who put together a Hall of Fame career and has just two postseason games (both losses) to show for it. Golladay is going to be great. But his team will need to play in some more high-profile games for him to get his due. That’s just the way of the football world.
• Something to keep an eye on:
NFL refs can opt out of the 2020 season in exchange for a $30,000 stipend and a guarantee that their jobs will be protected in 2021 https://t.co/3S2Qm7FpLV
— Sports Illustrated (@SInow) August 9, 2020
• The Bills’ COVID-19 safety protocols are impressive:
A look at the COVID-19 safety protocols in place for @BuffaloBills training camp. (via @BuffaloBills)pic.twitter.com/B6chWIy02l
— NFL (@NFL) August 8, 2020
• One of my favorite football analysts hopped on Laurence Holmes’ podcast:
I got a lot of crazy ideas for topics and guests for House of L for the next few weeks. Invites are going out as we speak, but this week, Mina Kimes is the guest and it’s just a dope interview: https://t.co/eKYiHyBgyj
— Laurence Holmes (@LaurenceWHolmes) August 9, 2020
