NEWSLETTER
Sometimes, I feel like I’m a little too online. And because of that, I felt the need to log off for an evening. To be honest, it was incredibly difficult. I often found myself checking my phone to answer a text message, then clicking on apps I said I wasn’t going to open just because that’s just a habit now. But for the most part, it felt good to be away for a little bit. If I can, I should probably make time to do it more often.
On a completely unrelated note, I’m very much looking forward to this re-boot:
• A morning dose of optimism from SI.com’s Albert Breer, who answers a question regarding the Bears’ realness by noting that there’s nowhere to go but up for the Bears offense:
“Rookies Cole Kmet (who I think is a real one) and Darnell Mooney should continue to ascend, and that’ll help. GM Ryan Pace could add a piece on the line before the deadline. It’s realistic to expect improvement.”
• Chicago’s issues on offense are duly noted. The running game has struggled mightily over the last three games. And the offensive line play has taken a step back after losing James Daniels. Nick Foles can execute within the offense, but isn’t a game-breaking quarterback. But for as bad as things have been, they can certainly get better because no one at the skill positions (save for Allen Robinson) has played to their potential. And even Robinson would contest that he, too, could improve. The Bears’ 5-1 start has some saying the “f” word, but the only way to prove they’re not frauds is to show tangible improvement in the coming weeks. Monday would be a nice place to start.
• We’ve already established the Bears aren’t the worst 5-1 team to ever play. But even I’ll admit their fortunes have been favorable to this point:
Are the Chicago Bears good or just lucky? https://t.co/iTx16suObB
— FiveThirtyEight (@FiveThirtyEight) October 21, 2020
• I suppose what stands out most is the fumble luck because that probably won’t last. Then again, that was a common refrain during the Lovie Smith era. Sometimes you make your own luck. And if you’re a team that forces a high number of fumbles and has a defense coached up to swarm the ball, then one could argue some of the “luck” is baked into the formula. Even with the luck factor being what it is, FiveThirtyEight’s QB-adjusted Elo forecast has the Bears making the playoffs in 86 percent of its simulations. All things considered, I’ll take it.
• Have the Bears signed Quinton Spain, yet? Spain could be an option for the Bears, writes 670 The Score’s Chris Emma. Cam Ellis (NBC Sports Chicago) chimes in to add the Bears would be smart to add Spain to their roster. Meanwhile, Andrew Dannehy of Da Bears Blog explores other potentially available offensive line options. No matter how you slice it, the Bears need help there. ASAP.
• The Bears’ Chief Recruitment Officer has the best post-win celebration:
https://twitter.com/thecheckdown/status/1319017689164070912
• Cairo Santos earned NFC Special Teams Player of the Week honors for his performance in the Bears’ Week 6 win against the Panthers. But my favorite anecdote comes via Chris Emma (670 The Score) who notes that Santos learned about American football after buying a copy of Madden NFL 2007. Don’t laugh. I learned about basic route concepts playing Madden. I once had a high school football coach tell me he used Madden to teach freshman quarterbacks about coverages. Sure, the Madden franchise has tanked in recent years. But I can envision how it’s easy to pick up some basics if used as a learning tool.
• Imagine how good Santos would be if he learned football from NFL 2K5!
• OPE:
Mitch Trubisky vs Baker Mayfield career stats:
Trubisky Mayfield
44 Starts 35
32 INT 41
63.1 Comp% 61.3
949/7 Rush Yds/TD 309/3
85.9 Pass rating 85.7
26-18 W-L 16-19 pic.twitter.com/rUG7BeYpBE— CBS Sports HQ (@CBSSportsHQ) October 22, 2020
• You already know what it is:
https://twitter.com/thomasqjones/status/1319059028006285312
• So much for it being fake money:
NEWS: #LSU is self imposing penalties for FB violations connected to booster payments, including reduction in 8 scholarships, sources tell @SINow.
School banning Odell Beckham Jr. from its facilities for 2 yrs for handing out cash.
From @PatForde and me- https://t.co/dNJh77mOZL
— Ross Dellenger (@RossDellenger) October 21, 2020
• It’s wild that coaches can get all kinds of bonuses for winning championships in college, but the players responsible for making it happen can’t benefit financially.
• OBJ is cut from a different cloth, man:
Was Odell Beckham, Jr. worried when he was sick last week that he had COVID-19?:
"No, not in an arrogant way. I don't think COVID can get to me. I don't think it's going to enter this body. I don't want no parts of it, it don't want no parts of me. It's a mutual respect."
— Field Yates (@FieldYates) October 21, 2020
• I’ll say this in defense of the talented LSU product, at least he did the right thing and got checked out when he was feeling ill. No matter how you feel about his quotes or actions at LSU’s championship-clincher, he did the right thing in getting tested as quickly as he did.
• As a fellow member of the #BeardGang, I feel bad for FitzMagic:
Ryan Fitzpatrick: "I basically got fired yesterday and my day today consisted of zoom meetings with the guy who fired me and sitting in a room with the guy who replaced me for four hours."
— Armando Salguero (@ArmandoSalguero) October 21, 2020
• If I was a team in the NFC East with playoff aspirations, I’d be sending “u up?” texts to the Dolphins in an attempt to pry him out of Miami.
• These two guys are real ones:
https://twitter.com/ESPNNFL/status/1319276019124060160
• Look who’s back and breaking news:
The #Ravens plan to sign veteran WR Dez Bryant to the practice squad if his workout goes well and he passes a physical, source said. Baltimore previously worked out Bryant in August, so this is more of a check-in. He should land in Baltimore, finally.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) October 22, 2020
• Take your time coming back, guy:
Sean Payton said WR Michael Thomas' discipline is over but didn't want to get into any specifics or how Thomas responded, etc. … As for Thomas' ankle injury, Payton said he's feeling better but didn't want to get into any predictions about whether he'll play Sunday.
— Mike Triplett (@MikeTriplett) October 21, 2020
• Our friends at Obvious Shirts are having a big sale:
BE ADVISED: everything is now 40% off at @obvious_shirts. Use the code SPORTS40 at checkout: https://t.co/X9HB2Q70fy pic.twitter.com/qxrnE4OySZ
— Bleacher Nation (@BleacherNation) October 22, 2020
