NEWSLETTER
I’ve come to the conclusion that I’d like to buy up some more candles because of the calming presence and soul-warming smells they provide.
• It doesn’t sound like Matt Nagy’s ripping the defense is causing divisiveness within the locker room:
Eddie Jackson says Matt Nagy’s comments calling out the defense were “just motivation… No one took offense to it.” #Bears @cbschicago pic.twitter.com/3rXBKvt1UN
— Matt Zahn (@mattzahnsports) December 3, 2020
Akiem Hicks on Matt Nagy's criticisms of the defense: "I like tough coaching. I respect it."
— Mark Grote (@markgrotesports) December 4, 2020
#Bears DL Akiem Hicks was fine with Matt Nagy's public comments on the defense. Says he likes tough coaching. Said earlier in the year, when they gave up a bunch of rushing yards, Nagy told the D they looked like 'swiss cheese.'
— Patrick Finley (@patrickfinley) December 4, 2020
Say what you want about Matt Nagy's handling of the Bears offense, but his comments on Monday about the GB game were spot on, and required no further clarification. Nagy did circle back and address the defense, a gesture Tashaun Gipson said was appreciated, but unnecessary.
— Jeff Dickerson (@DickersonESPN) December 3, 2020
• Well, at least that’s the case going into Week 13. The responses from the players who were made available for Zoom press conferences backed their coach’s message. They discussed how Nagy’s words were accurate, as well as how what was said could be used as motivation. From a fan perspective, I enjoyed Akiem Hicks’ retorts the most. You’ve gotta love when a player says he embraces hard coaching. Part of me still thinks Nagy was out of line for essentially bus-tossing his most productive group. But Nagy himself said the only reason he did it is because he knew they could handle it. To this point, Nagy’s assessment is accurate. We’ll see how much longer it lasts.
• Maybe the players won’t take Nagy’s words personally. But for Khalil Mack, he’s taking the defense’s recent slide personally. Mack has gone back-to-back games without a sack. That comes after a four-game run in which he recorded 5 sacks, 6 tackles-for-loss, and 5 QB Hits. As far as I’m concerned, Mack is due. Although, he’s not really worried about raw numbers. “My game speaks for itself,” Mack told the Sun-Times earlier in the week. “It’s not really about me. I want to win. I know they’re going to come when they come and that’s always going to be my mindset — to do everything I can to help this team win games. Obviously getting to the quarterback is what I’m here for, and I definitely have to do that.”
• Food for thought: Chicago is 15-6 when Mack records at least one sack, but 7-12 when he records none. The Bears win when Khalil Mack sacks quarterbacks. Admittedly, that’s an over-simplistic way to look at things. But it is what it is.
• No pressure, Matt Nagy. But there’s a report that the Bears are likely to make a coaching change this offseason and have even targeted Northwestern’s Pat Fitzgerald as a potential replacement.
• The Bears have their own issues, so it’s not like I’m throwing rocks from a glass house where I am. HOWEVER, as PFT’s Mike Florio points out: “[W]hatever the Lions do (with Matthew Stafford), it’s going to create a cap issue, and if they keep Stafford there also will be a cash issue.” Detroit doesn’t have a GM right now. But whomever takes that job has the unenviable task of figuring out what to do with a franchise QB who will be costly one way or another. Could we be on the verge of seeing Stafford’s last game at Soldier Field?
• On this date last year, we were waking up and basking in the glory that was the best offensive showing for a Matt Nagy team:
https://twitter.com/ChiSportsDay/status/1335259923001839619
• It was Mitchell Trubisky’s best game as a pro. He played with confidence and swagger en route to scoring four touchdowns. Allen Robinson made two of the most ridiculous touchdown catches I’ve seen. Anthony Miller displayed his excellence int he open field. And the Bears won, boosting their slim playoff hopes. Who’s up for a repeat performance today?
• Bears-Lions is obviously front-and-center for us today. But it’s not the only game we’ll keep tabs on:
Sunday's @RamsNFL vs @AZCardinals game is the biggest in Kyler Murray's young NFL career.
A Cardinals loss brings the Vikings, Bears and even 49ers right back into the Wild Cad race.
Rams are 6-0 vs the Cardinals under Sean McVay.
— Evan Kaplan (@EpKap) December 5, 2020
• Cardinals-Rams is arguably the second-most-important game on Sunday’s slate. Well, at least from a certain point of view. A Bears win and Cardinals loss bumps the Bears’ playoff odds to 33 percent, according to FiveThirtyEight’s projections. And for what that’s worth, it would shoot Chicago ahead of Arizona (30%) when it comes to postseason probabilities. But a Bears loss and a Cardinals win drops the Bears’ playoff chances to 5 percent. In other words, Sunday’s Lions game is a must-win if the Bears want to have realistic playoff hope and they’ll need help from the Rams. This is what happens when you don’t take care of business when given a chance to control your own destiny.
• Cordarrelle Patterson, the most electric kick returner in the game, wants to leave his mark on the game:
• Patterson is a little more than halfway through the second year of his two-year contract with the Bears. But I struggle to find a role player who has endeared himself to the fanbase as quickly as Patterson. Between the passion he brings to the game, his social media presence, hard running style, and excellence in multiple phases of the game, there’s a lot to like. And while we’ve long focused on an extension for Allen Robinson, Patterson has made a case for himself to get another contract with Chicago. I’m not quite sure what it would look like, but considering his all-purpose contributions, whatever deal he gets (and wherever he gets it from) should be rewarding.
• The #MyCauseMyCleats initiative brings awareness to things near and dear to the hearts of the players we root for weekly:
🧡: Remain to Reach Foundation
👟: Criminal justice reform@BoJack39 x #MyCauseMyCleats pic.twitter.com/5nhQJyOxO6— Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) December 5, 2020
🧡: @ThumbsUpMission
👟: Pediatric Cancer@Mtrubisky10 x #MyCauseMyCleats pic.twitter.com/l5e1bUZVuT— Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) December 5, 2020
🧡: @LLSusa
👟: Leukemia@Darnell_M1 x #MyCauseMyCleats pic.twitter.com/4VO0QsBTdZ— Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) December 5, 2020
• Seeing the 2012 Bears atop Bleacher Report’s list of worst late-season collapses since the turn of the century stings. This isn’t to say it isn’t deserved. It was. The 2012 Bears started 7-1, but lost 5 of 8 after that point and missed the playoffs as the Packers couldn’t beat a Vikings team that held a tiebreaker over the Bears. If there are any takeaways from this, it’s to (1) never leave anything to chance and (2) never trust the Packers to do you a solid.
• So, do the Bears now get credit for one (1) hit on Aaron Rodgers last week?
Bears defensive lineman Bilal Nichols was *not* fined for his roughing the passer penalty in Green Bay.
— Kevin Fishbain (@kfishbain) December 5, 2020
• Ah, well, nevertheless:
Green Bay's Za'Darius Smith & Kenny Clark were NOT fined for grabbing Bears QB Mitch Trubisky's facemask on his fumble last week, per source. The play was not flagged.
— Jason Lieser (@JasonLieser) December 5, 2020
• Yesterday was quite the showing for our favorite college football signal callers:
Touchdown number four on the day, Kyle Trask is having a ballgame for @GatorsFB. pic.twitter.com/nKtN1mQCdZ
— SEConCBS (@SEConCBS) December 5, 2020
Zach Wilson with a big-time throw to keep BYU alive. Also a great catch by Gunner Romney. pic.twitter.com/4SivZWj3yf
— The Comeback (@thecomeback) December 6, 2020
DEVONTA SMITH IS RIDICULOUS pic.twitter.com/NhCkPJAccB
— CBS Sports (@CBSSports) December 6, 2020
Justin Fields dropped an absolute DIME on this TD 👀 pic.twitter.com/FCSB0RCMrk
— ESPN College Football (@ESPNCFB) December 5, 2020
• Tough pick to throw in that moment. That *should* drop him down to the middle of the first round:
🚨 TREVOR LAWRENCE GOAL-LINE INTERCEPTION 🚨 pic.twitter.com/92zV0x5FJi
— The Comeback (@thecomeback) December 6, 2020
• #CollegeSpecialTeams was in peak form on Saturday:
Illinois has its backup kicker, Caleb Griffin, returning punts. 👀@IlliniFootball | @calebgriffiin pic.twitter.com/Blil6YDXSG
— Big Ten Network (@BigTenNetwork) December 5, 2020
Kyle Trask can do it all!
Add pooch punt to the Heisman resume@GatorsFB | #GoGators pic.twitter.com/nfhiDUDVEX
— CBS Sports HQ (@CBSSportsHQ) December 5, 2020
• Something to watch on the other sideline:
The #Lions also announce that DE Austin Bryant (thigh) and RB D’Andre Swift (illness) have been downgraded to DOUBTFUL for Sunday’s game at Chicago.
RB Jonathan Williams (hip) has been added to the practice report and is listed as QUESTIONABLE.
— Detroit Lions (@Lions) December 5, 2020
• Yikes! The Ravens said they had four different strains of COVID-19 in their facility, which led to the organizational breakout:
Statement from Ravens team president Dick Cass: pic.twitter.com/UmZFDUpUWX
— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) December 5, 2020
