I pickle-brined some chicken breasts and tenders, sprinkled them with Old Bay, grilled them, and had the best meal I’ve had in a hot minute. It was truly refreshing and would 100 percent recommend to others.
After doing the math, this is the bit of optimism I was needing this morning:
Let’s give this four-game stretch some context: 80/128 (62.5%), 975 yards, 5 TD, 4 INT; 34 rush attempts, 257 yards; 1 TD. Extrapolate those passing numbers over 17 games and it comes to 340/544, 4,143 passing yards, 21 passing touchdowns, and 17 interceptions. That would come out to an 85.7 passer rating. As for the rushing numbers, that would calculate to a 144-rush, 1,092-yard, 17-TD year. Uhhh … where can I sign up for that!?
If Fields can do that with this offensive line and that receivers room, he’ll do more than make fantasy football fans happy. Cam Ellis (670 The Score) sums up how fluid of a situation the Bears’ offensive line is as we’re a little more than a week away from preseason football that matters to us:
“When the Bears open up the season against the 49ers on Sept. 11 at Soldier Field, their offensive line looks to be Braxton Jones (or Larry Borom), Cody WHitehair, Doug Kramer (or Sam Mustipher) until Lucas Patrick Returns, Michael Schofield (or Ja’Tyre Carter) and Larry Borom (unless he’s playing left tackle.”
Don’t get me wrong. I’m all for competition in the trenches. But I would feel much better about that situation if there was more stability up front. And maybe it is too early to worry about what the lineup looks like on Sept. 11 when we don’t even know what it’ll look like next week. However, even that bit of uncertainty gives me reason to feel itchy about it all. Ugh. Just get me to some Bears football!
To be clear, I’m not trying to be the guy throwing stones while I live in a glass house. And I know the Bears have monumental receiver issues of their own. But imagine how apoplectic this fan base would be had the team spent a significant amount of its cap space to sign Marquez Valdes-Scantling, only to see the drop problems that were a cautionary flag during his free agency pop up throughout camp:
Sometimes, the best moves are the ones you don’t make. Although … I suppose it is fair to ask where MVS would rank on Chicago’s depth chart right now if he *WAS* on the team. Then again, it is probably better that this isn’t a thing we’re discussing in this universe right now.
The NFL made its triumphant return with its annual appearance in Canton, Ohio for the Hall of Fame Game. Trevor Lawrence, Derek Carr, Davante Adams, and pretty much anyone else you were probably hoping to see didn’t play. But if you like kicks, then last night was for you. Twelve total punts and four field goal attempts won’t do much to get the juices flowing. But it’s football with professionals, which I suppose is better than the alternative of watching Jose Quintana handcuff your favorite baseball team to the tune of 6 innings, 1 hit, 1 run, and 7 strikeouts. Whatever.
Logan Reardon (NBC Sports Chicago) has five preseason games that might be worth watching this summer. Y’know … in case the Hall of Fame Game didn’t tickle your fancy.
Other notable dates? August 16 is the first cutdown date, which trims rosters from 90 to 85. The second roster cut date is August 23, where rosters go from 85 to 80. And on August 30, we get the big chop from 80 to 53. That last cutdown date should be a doozy. And I’m curious see if we’ll see any trades ahead of that date as teams try to jump the market and not let players who would otherwise be subject to waivers get to that final cutdown date.
Football (that is more relevant to our interests) is coming. Just 8 days until the Bears-Chiefs preseason opener, 37 days until the Bears-Niners regular-season lid-lifter, 44 days until the next installment of the Bears-Packers rivalry, and 265 days until the 2023 NFL Draft. I thought you might want to know where we stand as we count down toward some important dates on the NFL calendar.
This is a different way to look at the Deshaun Watson situation:
More from NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport, who digs into Commissioner Roger Goodell appointing Peter Harvey as the designee responsible for hearing the Deshaun Watson’s appeal:
The Cubs are back in town. And to the surprise of many, Willson Contreras and Ian Happ are back, too! As members of the Cubs, no less:
Good to see these Bulls put in offseason work:
Rob Klinkhammer is such a hockey name:
NEWSLETTER
