Virginia Halas McCaskey, the matriarch of the Chicago Bears, is celebrating her 98th birthday today. I’ve long fancied myself as a great gift-giver. And if you ask my friends, they’d tell you I’ve got a knack for suggesting awesome gifts. So here’s some free gift-giving advice from me to the Bears: Go win a playoff game on Sunday, because I’d bet Mrs. McCaskey would love to celebrate a playoff win as a birthday gift.
Take it or leave it. But just know that the suggestion is out there.
• Khalil Mack will sack your quarterback. But he’ll do so much more. Hence, he earns high praise from Pro Football Focus:
https://twitter.com/PFF/status/1346230175760003074
• Mack finished the 2020 regular-season with 9 sacks, 11 tackles-for-loss, 13 quarterback hits, 3 forced fumbles, 2 fumble recoveries, an interception, and a safety. It’s Mack’s second consecutive year with fewer than 10 sacks, which is a bit bothersome. But Mack does so much more than takedown quarterbacks, so I’m glad that PFF’s metrics note that with their grading scale.
• How’s this for perspective: No other Bears regular finished the year with a grade higher than 80. Brent Urban (79.5) and Bilal Nichols (74.3) earned grades in the 70s. But Tashaun Gipson Sr. (67.6), Roquan Smith (67.2), Akiem Hicks (66.0), Kyle Fuller (64.1), Robert Quinn (60.0), and Eddie Jackson (59.8) finished with grades that left much to be desired. I don’t want to dive into a debate about PFF’s grades. But instead, I want to share them within the context of being disappointed with the overall defensive effort. I think we’re all in agreement that the names on this defense should (1) grade out better and (2) should play better than their season stats show.
• Chicago finished 11th in yards and 14th in points. The group also collected 35 sacks (17th) and snagged just 10 interceptions (23rd). Given the talent, this says a lot, doesn’t it? That type of production doesn’t match the names lining up weekly, nor does it match the money and draft picks GM Ryan Pace has invested in that phase of the game. I understand why Defensive Coordinator Chuck Pagano is on the hot seat in the eyes of fans. But the players we know can perform better need to do just that — starting on Sunday against the Saints. Otherwise, it’s easy to envision Sunday being the last time this core group lines up together.
• I understand why there is hesitance to jump all in on the Bears making the playoffs as the seventh seed, but I’m with Cordarrelle Patterson on this one:
I’m so mf ready for Sunday!!!!!
— cordarrelle patterson (@ceeflashpee84) January 5, 2021
• If you wanna be the best, you gotta beat the best:
Bears road to the Super Bowl goes through Drew Brees, Aaron Rodgers and then probably Tom Brady or Russell Wilson.
— Dan Wiederer (@danwiederer) January 5, 2021
• But it totally gets easier after that … right?
• We won’t likely get an update on Roquan Smith’s injury until tomorrow, but here’s a look at the play in which he sustained the elbow injury:
Here is the play Roquan Smith was injured on. TV copy was ambiguous but this angle shows the left arm being injured. pic.twitter.com/sx3o7a9Mzh
— Brad Biggs (@BradBiggs) January 4, 2021
• For your listening pleasure:
https://twitter.com/The46Pod/status/1346286540205543424
In one corner, @thetonygill and @thekapman say being the 7 seed shouldn't be notable.
In the other, @JJStankevitz and @KingsleyEllis say whatever, just enjoy it.
What side are you on? Listen to the debate on the latest Under Center Podcast: https://t.co/xvTjGO0OGP pic.twitter.com/Dmv9aH1eUE
— Bears Talk (@NBCSBears) January 4, 2021
#DaBears are playoff bound!
How far can they go with this roster & what might hold them back against the Saints?@AdamHoge & @adamjahns bring you full postgame reaction following the Packers loss & kick off the playoffs on a NEW Hoge & Jahns.
Stream/Subhttps://t.co/71b2fWNXOq pic.twitter.com/jEZp5IGBO3
— The Athletic Chicago (@TheAthleticCHI) January 4, 2021
• I don’t blame you if you’re already looking forward to next year. And if you’re one of those people, then I think you might like this chart that shows every team’s 2021 opponents:
https://twitter.com/LeeSharpeNFL/status/1345897017302634496
• Or to put it in a different way, the Bears have home games against the following teams: Ravens, Browns, Cardinals, 49ers, and Giants. They also have road games against these foes: Seahawks, Buccaneers, Rams, Browns, and Steelers. That’s in addition to their regularly scheduled annual series against the Packers, Vikings, and Lions. I’ll dive deeper into next year’s opponents at a later date. But I didn’t want to get too far into my week without mentioning that their opponents list is already set.
• One last schedule nugget: The NFL will likely have a 17th game, which will likely pit teams against same-place finishers in the opposite conference. For the Bears, that would be the Raiders, Dolphins, or Colts. As far as I’m concerned, I’m already pulling money together for a 2021 Bears-Raiders game in Las Vegas.
• The Browns, who are making their first playoff appearance since 2002, have a mountain to climb in their return to the postseason:
We were informed this morning that Head Coach Kevin Stefanski, two additional members of the coaching staff and two players have tested positive for COVID-19.
Our contingency planning calls for Special Teams Coordinator Mike Priefer to serve as the acting Head Coach. pic.twitter.com/Mhh9Zt1e4d
— Cleveland Browns (@Browns) January 5, 2021
• I’m looking forward to watching playoff football in a different way:
ESPN’s Wild Card Megacast features Film Room, data/gambling broadcast https://t.co/rm3cjs3Izc pic.twitter.com/lfDqyP8YoJ
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) January 4, 2021
• Water filters, jewelry, makeup, and more are your Deals of the Day at Amazon. #ad
• I wasn’t too keen on the Patrick Williams pick when it went down, but his game has quickly grown on me:
No One is Safe From a Patrick Williams Swathttps://t.co/WtJBQMmT2r
— Bleacher Nation Bulls (@BN_Bulls) January 4, 2021
• Ever since I joined the BN family, I’ve been asked about when we would add Blackhawks coverage. And I’m now happy to say we have those questions from that particular fanbase answered:
At Least They’ll Get the Red Wings? Shaw Returns (Now Sporting a Visor), Slaggert Playing for Gold, and Other Blackhawks Bulletshttps://t.co/sNjSPSOJAu
— Bleacher Nation Blackhawks (@BN_Blackhawks) January 5, 2021