NEWSLETTER
I’m counting my blessings after seeing images and videos from yesterday’s storm in Chicago. My pocket of the world wasn’t hit all that hard, but I realize others weren’t as fortunate. I hope everyone is being as safe as they can right now.
• One of my favorite things about Allen Robinson is that he can line up anywhere in a formation and run every route on the tree. And yet, even I didn’t realize how dangerous he was out of the slot:
https://twitter.com/PFF_Fantasy/status/1292869084204404736?s=20
• Let’s put this another way. Even without PFF providing us TD/INT ratios here, Bears quarterbacks posted a 101.2 passer rating when targeting Allen Robinson in the slot. QBs completed 74.6 percent of their passes when throwing to them. And because there are no drops here, that means there were 16 errant throws. Or in other words, these (already great) numbers could’ve been better. If only Robinson had consistent quarterback play …
• As I dream about better QB play, rookie tight end Cole Kmet is living the dream. The Chicagoland/Notre Dame product is living out the boyhood dream of playing for the NFL team they cheered for while growing up. “It was pretty amazing, pretty surreal,” Kmet said about entering the Bears’ facility, via the team’s official website. “You dream about that as a kid, being able to play for the hometown team. And then being able to actually go into the practice facility and see your locker was pretty special and really cool for me.”
• If the Bears can get a worthwhile up-tick I offensive output this season, they should be well-positioned to make us forget about that 8-8 mess we watched last season.
• ICYMI: Eddie Jackson is good at football:
.@NextGenStats' Top 10 coverage players in 2019! https://t.co/nsXvU8LRxk (powered by @awscloud) pic.twitter.com/xlhlChu1Tp
— NFL (@NFL) August 10, 2020
• So long as Jackson and the other playmakers stay healthy, the ceiling is the roof for the Bears defense:
https://twitter.com/nflnetwork/status/1293004208497721358?s=20
• The Bears shared a photo gallery from Monday’s practice, but didn’t feature any pictures of kickers working in the rain. I mean, how else are they supposed to prepare for the rigors of kicking at Soldier Field?
• Good stuff at Amazon’s Deals of the Day today, including super cheap inflatable mattresses, cast iron cookware, snacks, and noise-cancelling headphones. #ad
• This tweet from blogging icon @SportsByBrooks put me in the mindset to think about George Halas and the history of the NFL with regards to the color line era from 1934-45. It also put me in a place to re-visit this post from Jack Silverstein, who provides perspective, context, and information regarding Halas and the league’s ban on Black players. There’s always time to read and learn about things you previously did not know about.
• While my mind is thinking about different perspectives, I appreciate the thoughts from Eagles tight end Zach Ertz, who envisions a big loss if high school football is canceled. When talking up football’s importance, some people lean way too much into the lore of it. But for Ertz, he talked about how playing sports allowed him to release stress and pressures of his teenage years. And for me, this quote is the kicker: “Obviously, football costs money. So if they were to disband football, where does that money go? I would love to see it invested in these kids to make sure that they’re OK and taken care of, and not on the streets from 3 to 7.” If high school sports cannot be played, my hope is that the money can be funneled into other ways to help keep student-athletes productive and continue their growth outside the classroom.
• RT for change:
#WeWantTheBearsToChangeTheirAll22Angle
— Alex Rollins (@AlexRollinsNFL) August 10, 2020
• College football rumor SZN is wild:
RE: reports of Iowa, Michigan, Nebraska and Ohio State exploring potential move to the Big 12, source at one of those schools just told me, "That would be news to us."
— Bruce Feldman (@BruceFeldmanCFB) August 10, 2020
• Jim Harbaugh wants to coach:
Statement from Jim Harbaugh. pic.twitter.com/CftMW7d5lC
— Bruce Feldman (@BruceFeldmanCFB) August 10, 2020
• I chuckled:
#Raiders LB @nkwiatkoski27 said former #Bears teammate @FiftyDeuce reached out to him upon his signing with the Raiders. "He was happy, but no advice. No."
— Paul Gutierrez (@PGutierrezESPN) August 10, 2020
• Time flies:
Five years ago today: Geno Smith vs IK Enemkpali — one of the most infamous days in #Jets history. What really happened. https://t.co/9KYibAEmk0
— Rich Cimini (@RichCimini) August 11, 2020
• I laughed:
Me if the Bulls walk away from the lottery with the No. 7 pick again:
pic.twitter.com/F6EgBGS2z2— Bleacher Nation Bulls (@BN_Bulls) August 10, 2020
