Sam Mustipher is at the Center of it All and Other Bears Bullets

A cool thing that Pierce Tavern in Chicago is doing: 20 percent of all sales today are going back to their workers. So I would encourage you to shop local if you can and boost businesses if you can. ‘Tis the season of giving, after all.

•   Here’s a playoff scenario featuring the Bears that would absolutely blow my mind:

•   At the risk of getting way-too-ahead of myself, a Matt Nagy-Ron Rivera matchup would be ridiculously juicy. Two former Andy Reid assistants going against each other would be a treat. As would a potential game in which Nagy faces off against Alex Smith. Oh, and maybe we could dust off the 2017 NFL Draft weekend comps of Smith and Mitchell Trubisky? OK, I’ve traveled too far down that rabbit hole.

•   Andrew Dannehy (Da Bears Blog) digs up how the Bears are finding answers to what ailed them earlier in the season. Better late than never, I suppose. What’s wild about Chicago’s newfound success is that it makes the team’s offseason look better now than at any previous point. There are flashes showing why Cole Kmet and Jaylon Johnson were second-round picks. Examples of why the team rolled the dice on Darnell Mooney, a little-hyped receiver out of Tulane. The hires of Bill Lazor and Juan Castillo as new voices and perspectives appear to be shining through on the offense. Plenty of little things are adding up to bring the Bears new life.

•   At the center of the changes along the upgraded offensive line — which I believe is sparking the offensive renaissance — is Sam Mustipher:

•   There are some good reads about the re-vamped interior offensive line. More specifically. Mustipher’s story is a fascinating one. There is something fascinating about making that climb from undrafted free agent to starting on an NFL team. Seeing someone do it on the Bears obviously piques my interest more than usual. Moreover, watching someone do it along the offensive line is special. And to play center? With all those responsibilities? And to do it well? I tip my cap to Mustipher, but also to GM Ryan Pace, former OL Coach Harry Hiestand, and every scout who had an hand in bringing the player on board. It’s a real team effort.

•   Allen Robinson II is the only receiver in this group not to get an invite to the Pro Bowl:

https://twitter.com/PFF/status/1341783390870269952

•   The Bears have a new running back, and the team is already doing its part to make sure he can’t be poached:

•   Let’s keep an eye on the injury report this week. Because of Cordarrelle Patterson’s knee injury, I can envision the Bears using one of their practice squad call-up options on promoting Spencer Ware as a reserve back for game day. Just something to keep an eye on this week.

•   Speaking of Pro Bowl snubs:

https://twitter.com/ChicagoBears/status/1341545650597621760

 

•   I love art:

•   For your listening pleasure:

https://twitter.com/bearly_pod/status/1341753383108141057

•   Fanatics is now running its end-of-year clearance sale, up to 70% off.

•   This would be a bigger deal to us had the Bears not won back-to-back games:

•   Oh, sure. Now the league wants to tweak things.

•   The Bulls are back:

•   Soon enough, the Blackhawks will join them. And with that, our sister site’s coverage will begin with it:

https://twitter.com/Mario_Tirabassi/status/1341414527297085440

written by

Luis C. Medina, who you can find on Twitter at lcm1986, has been covering the Chicago Bears at Bleacher Nation since 2017. Since then, he has written about 3 head coaches, 5 play-callers, and 11 starting quarterbacks. Previously, Luis wrote about the Cubs and MLB at BN (2015-16) and worked in the Chicago Tribune sports department (2011-16). He also co-hosted a Cubs postgame show, Outside the Ivy, in 2019.

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