NEWSLETTER
The Jimmy Graham revenge game story line intrigues me, but the Bears are his third team since the Saints traded him in 2015. I’m also fascinated by the idea of a Mario Edwards Jr. statement game. Chicago snagged Edwards off the waiver wire easy in the football season, and the former Saints defender is the latest fun find among rotational Bears defensive linemen.
But there’s nothing I love more than the idea of an Akiem Hicks revenge game:
Hicks is the perfect mix of football skill and IQ, teamed with a non-stop motor, and oozing confidence. He’s probably your favorite Bears player’s favorite Bears player. And few will be as motivated as him today.
The Saints drafted Hicks in the third round (89th overall) in the 2012 NFL Draft. He played 48 games (33 starts) in four years with the team, but was ultimately traded to the Patriots in 2015. New Orleans misused Hicks in their defensive alignment, but New England carved out a niche for him and watched him grow as a player. Then, when given a chance by GM Ryan Pace (who was in the Saints organization in 2012) to play an expanded role, Hicks really took off.
Every game Hicks plays is one where I want to turn my hyper-focused attention to whatever No. 96 is doing. But a game against the team that drafted him? Yeah, I’m even *MORE* interested.
Game Info
Chicago Bears (5-2) vs. New Orleans Saints (4-2), 3:25p.m. CT on on FOX (Joe Buck, Troy Aikman, Erin Andrews), WBBM-AM 780 and WCFS-FM 105.9 (Jeff Joniak, Tom Thayer, Mark Grote), Sports USA (Larry Kahn, Doug Plank)
Odds: Bears (+5, -110), Over/Under 41, via the DraftKings Sportsbook.
Week 8 Game Thread (Preview)
Your game thread is down in the comments, so let’s have some good, clean (safe-for-work) fun. Let’s get the Bears back in the win columns.
Coaches
Matt Nagy (25-14) vs. Sean Payton (135-79)
Starting Quarterbacks
Bears: Nick Foles
Last week at Rams: 28/40 (70%), 0 TD, 2 INT, 68.8 rating
versus
Saints: Drew Brees
Last week at Panthers: 29/36 (80.6%), 287 yards, 2 TD, 0 INT, 118.4 rating
Bears Expected Starters
Offense
• QB Nick Foles
• RB David Montgomery
• WR Allen Robinson II
• TEs Jimmy Graham, Demetrius Harris, Cole Kmet
• LT Charles Leno Jr., LG Rashad Coward, C Sam Mustipher, RG Germain Ifedi, RT Bobby Massie
Defense
• DT Akiem Hicks, NT Bilal Nichols, DE Roy Robertson-Harris
• OLBs Khalil Mack, Robert Quinn
• ILBs Roquan Smith, Danny Trevathan
• CBs Kyle Fuller, Jaylon Johnson
• FS Eddie Jackson
• SS Tashaun Gipson Sr.
Specialists
• Cairo Santos (kicker), Pat O’Donnell (punter, holder), Patrick Sales (long snapper), Cordarrelle Patterson (kick returns), Dwayne Harris (punt returns)
Saints Expected Starters:
• QB Drew Brees
• RB Alvin Kamara
• FB Mike Burton
• WRs Deonte Harris, Tre’Quan Smith (Sorry, no Michael Thomas!)
• TE Jared Cook
• LT Terron Armstead, LG Andrus Peat, C Erik McCoy, RG Nick Easton, RT Ryan Ramczyk
Defense
• LDE Cameron Jordan, LDT David Onyemata, NT Malcolm Brown, RDE Trey Hendrickson
• SLB Kaden Elliss, MLB Alex Anzalone, WLB Damario Davis
• CBs Janoris Jenkins, Marshon Lattimore, Chauncey Gardner-Johnson
• Ss Marcus Williams, Malcolm Jenkins
Specialists
• Will Lutz (kicker), Thomas Morstead (punter, holder), Zach Wood (long snappers), Deonte Harris (kick and punt returns)
Bears Inactives:
Inactives for #NOvsCHI: pic.twitter.com/hK05XwNTXt
— Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) November 1, 2020
Saints Inactives:
#Saints inactives
WRs Michael Thomas & Marquez Callaway
CB Ken Crawley
S DJ Swearinger
OL Nick Easton & Derrick Kelly
DL Malcolm Roach— Brad Biggs (@BradBiggs) November 1, 2020
