NEWSLETTER
Consider this to be fair warning: Valentine’s Day is in 10 days. Maybe you should get something nice for your person. If you don’t have a person, then you should definitely do something nice for yourself. Heck, why wait until Valentine’s Day? Do something nice for yourself today. You’ve certainly earned it!
• This is the most electrifying play in Super Bowl history, and there’s nothing you can say to change my mind:
On this date in 2007, Devin Hester returned the opening kick of Super Bowl XLI for a TD.
And frankly, nothing that happened after that matters. pic.twitter.com/daEc6mp8OT
— Bleacher Nation Bears (@BN_Bears) February 4, 2021
• People forget that the Bears had leads of 7-0, 7-6, 14-6, and 14-9 in the first half of that game. They trailed by just two points at halftime and by just five at the end of the third quarter. But no one will ever forget Devin Hester’s ridiculousness to start that game.
• Another memorable moment from that game was Prince’s halftime performance:
On this day in 2007, Prince wows at the Super Bowl halftime show, closing with an rendition of ‘Purple Rain.’ #RIP pic.twitter.com/Smi4OVw6Az
— Monsters Of Rock® (@MonstersOfRock) February 4, 2021
• I’m not someone who has many regrets in life. But not seeing Prince live in concert is one that sticks out in my mind. So I’m glad I was able to see this halftime performance. It’s an all-timer in my book.
• As much as I cherish memories of Hester running circles around Colts and Prince’s awesomeness, I’d like to cherish some new Super Bowl moments. Specifically, moments in which the Bears are winning the Super Bowl. And not from Super Bowl XX either. I’m talking about one of the Super Bowls in the not-too-distant future. After consecutive 8-8 seasons, this feels like I’m asking for a lot. But you can’t get what you don’t ask for, so you might as well ask for the moon.
• I don’t think Nick Foles will be the quarterback to bring that future Super Bowl glory, but The Athletic’s Kevin Fishbain lays out how the Super Bowl LII MVP could be QB1 in Week 1 in 2021:
Let’s consider the possibility that Nick Foles starts Week 1 for the Bears, shall we? https://t.co/gwyNVXyxXA
— Kevin Fishbain (@kfishbain) February 4, 2021
• Foles being Chicago’s Week 1 starter is a realistic possibility. After all, he *IS* the only quarterback on the roster at this time. But the things that need to happen for Foles to be The Guy in Week 1 are numbing. They’ll have to whiff on every trade, free agent, and draft option in one way or another. Imagining Foles winning a training camp battle after last year’s performance makes my head hurt. Perhaps you can talk me into Foles being a short-term bridge to a high-end quarterback prospect. Maybe you let Foles take the hits for Justin Fields, Zach Wilson, or Trey Lance. But in what might as well be a “win now” year, it’s tough to envision GM Ryan Pace and Head Coach Matt Nagy go to battle with Foles playing place-holder.
• I’d feel better about Foles if I knew he could steadily get the ball in the hands of Darnell Mooney:
Most missed tackles forced on catches among rookies:
🔹 James Robinson – 17
🔹 Darnell Mooney – 17 pic.twitter.com/OdSs6E2zlK— PFF College (@PFF_College) February 3, 2021
• I’d also feel better if the Bears ran the ball as often as they did with Mitchell Trubisky. Chicago simply wasn’t effective or efficient running the ball with Foles. Part of that comes down to player usage and scheme. The Bears got way too pass-happy with Foles, especially in early down-and-distance situations. Should the worst-case scenario play out and the Bears run it back with Foles, then they’ll need to do some heavy lifting in tweaking the offensive scheme in order to get the most out of who’s left at Halas Hall.
• Game recognize game:
"I learned a lot from a lot of Bears running backs, like Walter Payton and Gale Sayers." –@BarrySanders
Respect. #CountdowntoKickoff (@MillerLite) pic.twitter.com/wHEEHcISzR
— Bears Talk (@NBCSBears) February 3, 2021
• Wallets, belts, tea, and weighted blankets are among the Deals of the Day at Amazon today. #ad
• Ugh! Shut up, Bert:
Brett Favre shared his thoughts on Deshaun Watson's trade request from the Texans. pic.twitter.com/JHGVRVgL8S
— ESPN (@espn) February 3, 2021
• Of all players to speak against wanting to get out of a work environment they don’t like, I didn’t expect Brett Favre to be the one. And the delivery … what? “I think we make too much money to voice an opinion,” says someone voicing an opinion. Maybe we should stop asking old-heads to comment on a game that’s clearly passed them by.
• I don’t know if I would’ve watched, but I would’ve thrown it on the DVR to save for a later date when I need something to watch that I haven’t previously seen a dozen times:
CBS did consider doing a Nickelodeon broadcast for the Super Bowl but opted to stick to CBS solo to protect highest rating for CBS. "But we will think about doing potential Nickelodeon broadcasts for the NFL and other sports down the road," says CBS Sports Chairman Sean McManus.
— Richard Deitsch (@richarddeitsch) February 3, 2021
• Wait ’til next offseason, Troy. There’s a non-zero chance a plum gig in a football-crazed city opens up next winter:
“I think I’d be really good if I did it”: Troy Aikman talks about GM aspirations with Colin Cowherd https://t.co/fRTu6tUgZT pic.twitter.com/H1Qwqb3hPy
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) February 4, 2021
• It’s always good to see players around the league give back:
Eagles’ QB Jalen Hurts surprised a family whose child is battling cancer with a $30,000 donation to go toward a new home. https://t.co/u4lsIYqcBo
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) February 4, 2021
• A most pleasant scoreboard to gaze upon:
Silvy: 1. Cancer: 0. @WaddleandSilvy @DeanTsarwhas #WorldCancerDay #NonHodgkinLymphoma #CancerSurvivor #cancer https://t.co/EhuFaevNYK
— Northwestern Medicine (@NorthwesternMed) February 4, 2021
• Don’t forget to sign up for some deposit matches and Super Bowl boosts this weekend! Might I suggest the Draftkings Illinois Sportsbook? You can click on the tweet below, or go right here to sign up.
DraftKings Sportsbook is going big for Super Bowl 55 with up to a $1,000 deposit match and a 2x your money touchdown bonus for the big game: https://t.co/659XbTu45P
— Bleacher Nation Bears (@BN_Bears) February 4, 2021
