NEWSLETTER
The Chinese fortune cookies that came with my order (from a place I’ve been ordering from since I was a child) came with an advertisement. That, on its own, bothers the heck out of me.
• Thursday’s Jets-Colts game was a snoozer … until it wasn’t. A 42-10 game finished 45-30 (Scorigaami! To the 1,069th power!) because the Jets offense woke the heck up while the Colts defense was trying to coast on its way home. I’ll be honest when I say that game was turned off in my household when it was visiting Blowout City. In fact, I sent a friend a text saying: “At least the Bears aren’t the Jets.” And then the Jets go off and score 30 points. Ope!
• Let’s put that into some perspective. The Bears haven’t scored 30+ points in any of their eight games this year. The Jets have done it in consecutive games. And without rookie Zach Wilson pulling the trigger. D’oh! At this point, I’m putting Jets OC Mike LaFleur on my hypothetical future Bears head-coach candidate short list for those efforts alone.
• Sometimes, I watch other teams do simple things and think to myself: Why can’t the Bears do this?
.@colts and Frank Reich love “13 personnel; 1 rb/3te’s”. Great to run from and can explode in the passing game and it protects the QB. More teams should adopt the package in the #NFL. #BaldysBreakdowns pic.twitter.com/fXWQpWfmv3
— Brian Baldinger (@BaldyNFL) November 5, 2021
• Not to be lost in the shuffle is that the more we’re removed from the Eagles’ Super Bowl championship, the more I realize how important Frank Reich was to Philly’s success. The Colts have been middling in recent years, but Reich’s scheme and coaching style have kept them more competitive than I’d probably otherwise expect.
• We got a Peanut Punch reference on TNF last night:
https://twitter.com/BN_Bears/status/1456429607239012357
• For what it’s worth, Charles “Peanut” Tillman has been retired since after the 2015 season came to an end. And yet — any time a defensive player does *THAT MOVE* — it’s Tillman’s name that immediately gets brought up. That’s the stuff of legends. In fact, it’s the type of thing that should get you Hall of Fame consideration. Peanut Tillman was a game-changer and deserves rightful recognition for it.
• When the Bears make their next appearance on TNF, it will be exclusively on Amazon Prime. It’s a media rights deal worth $10 billion annually, or $110 billion over the course of what will bean 11-year deal, per Sports Business Journal. And with a big primetime spot and big money comes big responsibility in terms of packaging. And from the sounds of it, Al Michaels — one of the greatest broadcast voices in American sports history — could be up for the job:
https://twitter.com/SInow/status/1456289395884142599
• For what it’s worth, TNF in 2022 (and beyond) will still be available over-the-air in teams local markets. It will be like when MNF is on ABC-7 or WGN-9 locally in Chicago. But a weekly primetime game on a streaming only platform is one heckuva way for the NFL to attempt to reach the next frontier of sports consumption.
• A little late night transaction action from the Bears, who announced the signing of linebacker Sam Kamara to the practice squad at 9:31 p.m. CT during the TNF game. In a corresponding move, receiver Jon’Vea Johnson was let go from the practice squad.
• While transactions are on our mind, Odell Beckham Jr. is set to hit waivers after his release this morning. It was a disappointing run in Cleveland, but it wasn’t without its charm (especially for those of us who enjoy watching drama from afar). Part of me thinks the Bears should keep an eye on the Beckham situation, if only because buy-low options when it comes to players who have something to prove after leaving a situation disgruntled can tend to turn out well. Remember when Randy Moss left Oakland for New England? But because the Bears don’t have that kind of stability, it’s probably not a good fit. Could be entertaining though…
• Something to keep in mind when it comes to OBJ watch:
Current #NFL Waiver Order
1. DET
2. MIA
3. HOU
4. JAX
5. NYJ
6. NYG
7. WSH
8. PHI
9. SEA
10. CHI
11. ATL
12. SF
13. MIN
14. IND
15. NE
16. DEN
17. CLE
18. KC
19. CAR
20. LAC
21. PIT
22. CIN
23. NO
24. TB
25. BUF
26. LV
27. DAL
28. GB
29. BAL
30. LAR
31. TEN
32. ARZ— Spotrac (@spotrac) November 5, 2021
• Talented as OBJ is, I’m not sure he is a schematic fit for the Bears. The last thing this team needs is another high-volume receiver option when the offense’s best weapon is its running game. We’ll probably see ample opinions about Beckham being a distraction or a locker room problem was reasons as to why it wouldn’t work in Chicago. But in all reality, the personnel fit just isn’t there at this time. And that is a bit disappointing, seeing that the Bears really aren’t in a position to turn down pass-catchers with talent because *gestures at Bears WR depth chart*
• For chaotic reasons, I’d like for the Lions or Jaguars to be the team that ends up with Beckham on a waiver claim. Those teams can’t get enough drama. Just keep him out of Packerland, where he would be more likely to end up on his best behavior than he would be to bring the thing down from the inside.
• Northwestern product Trevor Siemian gets the first crack at it under center in New Orleans after Jameis Winston was a lost for the year:
The #Saints are expected to start QB Trevor Siemian on Sunday vs. the #Falcons, sources say. Not a surprise considering how poised he was in relief last week.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) November 5, 2021
• Perhaps there will be a sprinkle of Taysom Hill here and there to keep defenses guessing. Nevertheless, the Saints should’ve simply dealt conditional late-round draft capital for proven performers such as Andy Dalton or Nick Foles. That’ll be a missed opportunity should it come back to bite them in the butt.
• It is good to see NFL players (new and old) take their mental health seriously:
My full conversation with Eagles Pro Bowl tackle @LaneJohnson65 on Mental Health @nflonfox. Pleaseeeee, people, don’t bottle it up! pic.twitter.com/CJFzJ83iJE
— Jay Glazer (@JayGlazer) October 31, 2021
Calvin Ridley released a statement saying he will be stepping away from football at this time to focus on his mental well-being.
(via @CalvinRidley1) pic.twitter.com/66VjFwph5g
— ESPN (@espn) October 31, 2021
https://twitter.com/brgridiron/status/1454901896641142787
.@LaneJohnson65 that story U and @JayGlazer did on DEPRESSION really hit home with me!….It ruined my time in the @NFL!!…I wish the #NFL understood it better back in the 80's…GOD SPEED BROTHER! @FOXSports #FlyEaglesFly pic.twitter.com/bBYCeGriuH
— Dan Sileo (@DanSileoShow) November 4, 2021
• Oh, yeah. The Bears play a game this week:
Mike Tomlin is 24-4 against rookie QB's in his coaching career. He's won six-straight against rookie quarterbacks. #Bears
— Zack Pearson (@Zack_Pearson) November 4, 2021
• The short-list of rookie QBs to beat Mike Tomlin-led Steelers squads: Dak Prescott, Carson Wentz, Brandon Weeden, and Troy Smith. Maybe Justin Fields can follow him the footsteps of Smith, a fellow Ohio State Buckeyes product. And for what it’s worth, Mike Glennon was a winning starting QB (for the Bears, no less!) against the Steelers in 2017. So it’s not as if we haven’t seen stranger things happen.
• Oh, gosh. Here’s a headline from 2017: Mike Glennon’s Numbers Are Getting Worse Despite Bears Win Against Steelers.
• I hope this is one of those things were Nikola Vučević is just something of. slow starter:
The Bulls Are Still Waiting for Nikola Vucevic to Find His Shothttps://t.co/Sw1MlgoDEn
— Bleacher Nation Bulls (@BN_Bulls) November 4, 2021
• Bring him back:
Nick Castellanos Opts Out of His Contract, is Now a Free Agent – https://t.co/RHN7wncomf pic.twitter.com/Gh78XOBxI2
— Bleacher Nation (@BleacherNation) November 4, 2021
• Sounds like it’s #LoseTodayForABetterTomorrow time for the Hawks:
If The Blackhawks Are Going To Be This Bad This Year, They Better Make It Count https://t.co/0TGF9xnsed
— Bleacher Nation Blackhawks (@BN_Blackhawks) November 4, 2021
