NEWSLETTER
Are you in search of a last-minute big-game meal to cook up tonight? Check out my friend Jim’s short-rib chili, which is superb on so many levels. Chow down today, have some leftovers for tomorrow, and don’t leave your house unless you have to do so. It’s cold and you don’t need to deal with that nonsense.
• The Bears did not trade for a quarterback while you were sleeping. But if you need to catch up, we’ve got you covered. There was a big Carson Wentz rumor last night in which the Bears were nearing a deal with the Eagles that would send Nick Foles and Tarik Cohen to Philly. That one was an eye-opener. And while Cohen tweeted he talked to GM Ryan Pace and Head Coach Matt Nagy, adding he was “locked in” to Chicago, this was sufficiently a big enough deal that we needed to get it in front of you. Especially since it was reported that a trade was expected “in the coming days.” The waves of hints suggesting a deal could be brokered “sooner rather than later” has us on Obsessive Wentz Watch.
• Pulling off a deal for Wentz takes a whole lotta nerve (and just a little bit of gumption) because it’ll be a tough sell for the fanbase based on last year’s production:
Lowest accurate pass % on throws beyond the line of scrimmage in 2020:
♦️ Carson Wentz: 45.4%
♦️ Mitchell Trubisky: 46.2% pic.twitter.com/KX3JW4vkmA— PFF (@PFF) February 6, 2021
• On the other end of the spectrum, fun facts can be fun:
Everyone seems to be tweeting about Carson Wentz, so here’s a fun fact…
In three career games against the Bears (2016, 2017, 2019), Wentz is 3-0, completing 64.2 percent of his passes with five touchdowns, zero interceptions and a passer rating of 96.0.
— Kevin Fishbain (@kfishbain) February 7, 2021
• Nothing sums up the Bears fan experience like obsessively following trade rumors of a quarterback you hope is a significant upgrade (but might not be) while the Packers quarterback collects his third MVP award at age 37. Football can be painful, even for those of us who aren’t putting on helmets and shoulder pads.
• This is a trip down memory lane:
Looking back at Jalen Ramsey's ratings of various quarterbacks just prior to the 2018 season. pic.twitter.com/ijdavG8bq2
— Lee Sharpe, Fully Vaccinated (@LeeSharpeNFL) February 7, 2021
• From the Eagles side of things:
Thoughts on expected Carson Wentz trade:
– The organizational failure that led to this point
– Risk of Wentz returning to form elsewhere
– What it says about the Eagles' rebuild
– Coaching changes went beyond Wentz
– Remembering the '16 drafthttps://t.co/rC1KaxGrZ9— Zach Berman (@ZBerm) February 7, 2021
• I’m a believer in the idea that if “you play stupid games, you win stupid prizes.” But with that being said, it sounds like the Saints played stupid games in skirting COVID protocols throughout 2020. And if that turns out to be the case, they should be in for some serious punishment. The reporting from Tom Pelissero and Ian Rapoport (NFL.com) is eye-opening.
• On the one hand, I’m glad the NFL was able to play a full schedule and get to Super Bowl Sunday. However, I’m also reminded that had we – as a society – been given the resources the NFL had and shown the restraint that many players, coaches, and staffers showed in their isolation tactics, we might be better off now than where we are currently sitting.
The @NFL played an entire season in a pandemic with a case positivity rate of .08% – pretty incredible for a contact sport. So what was their secret? pic.twitter.com/Qp81CJyXvN
— Dr. Sanjay Gupta (@drsanjaygupta) February 5, 2021
• Something to keep an eye on with the Super Bowl being the only thing remaining between us and the offseason:
Some perspective on the team's that will have their work cut out for them this offseason with the current highest cap commitments for 2021:
1. Saints: ~$259M
2. Eagles: ~$252M
3. Steelers: $216M
4. Packers: ~$212M
5. Falcons: ~$206M https://t.co/S2LCh9uh9C— Field Yates (@FieldYates) February 7, 2021
• I hate that Peanut never got his ring:
I wish I had a ring to go with the grade! 😩
🥜🥊 https://t.co/UcAZPSYbHq— Charles Tillman (@peanuttillman) February 6, 2021
• That makes two of us…
WE 👏 WILL 👏 NEVER 👏 STOP 👏 TALKING 👏 ABOUT 👏 THE 👏 85👏 BEARS #BigGameMemories (@MillerLite) pic.twitter.com/9sO4f9phT5
— Bears Talk (@NBCSBears) February 7, 2021
• … then again, I’d like to talk about something I was alive to see. So … how about we get to cracking on a third Super Bowl appearance?
• Seriously, it’s a black-and-white photo. Go win a Super Bowl in an era where black-and-white photography is done for the sake of nuance with a wink-and-a-nod to the olden days.
• Former Bears lineman Ted Larsen gets his Super Bowl shot:
Some #Bucs moves: The team elevated G Ted Larsen and QB Drew Stanton from the practice squad for Super Bowl LV.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) February 6, 2021
• Patrick Mahomes is on a trajectory unlike anything I’ve ever seen:
Patrick Mahomes is a new breed of NFL star — he has a social conscience with a massive social presence and a diverse business portfolio. All at age 25.
The making of Mahomes, Inc | @TheAthleticNFL https://t.co/ktpPSNQlmP— Lindsay Jones (@bylindsayhjones) February 6, 2021
• And it sounds like his offensive coordinator is sticking around, even though his contract is expiring:
Kansas City OC Eric Bieniemy’s contract with the Chiefs is set to expire after Super Bowl LV, but both sides are eyeing a new deal for 2021 and beyond, per sources.https://t.co/q9iEqEiATo
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) February 7, 2021
• The NFL lost one of its best and most respected reporters:
A tribute to our friend, Chris Wesseling. ❤️🙏 pic.twitter.com/vIlSFL1kdB
— NFL (@NFL) February 7, 2021
• Friend of the program Alex Patt is pivoting to sharing his sports thoughts in blog form. If you’re following us, you’ve likely come across his tweets in the past. So check out his new venture here.
• Last call for the big sports betting promos today if you’re wanting to get a little extra scratch while you watch the Super Bowl. I can’t guarantee it, but we’ve now been doing this a while, and I suspect these are the best promos you’ll see for a good bit. Just go here and scroll through the latest promo posts. They are good, and we appreciate your support.
Easily one of the best PointsBet promos we've ever seen …
Bet $25 and Get $155 if the Chiefs or Bucs score a point on Sunday. No-brainer.
Use promo code "BN155"
Go: https://t.co/xoLWlwMMub pic.twitter.com/yTQ3Eky3mC
— Bleacher Nation Bears (@BN_Bears) February 7, 2021
