NEWSLETTER
I’m looking for a clean sweep of football victories from my favorite football teams this weekend after watching Lane Tech and Southern Illinois triumph on Saturday. It is now up to the Chicago Bears to finish the job. Go get ’em!
- Here’s a sneak peek at what the Bears are wearing when they take the field today:
- For what it’s worth: The Bears are 3-2 in these classic throwback joints. They began 3-0 in them, winning twice in 2019 (Vikings, Cowboys) and again in 2020 (Texans) before falling twice (Vikings, Packers) while wearing them last year. Time to get back into the win column and make it 2-0 against Houston. Lucky jerseys? Hey, whatever works!
- Look good, feel good. Feel good, play good. That’s how it is supposed to go. And it is hopefully how things will go for the Bears defense today. An interesting find from Kevin Fishbain (The Athletic), who notes that the Bears have blitzed on just 1.6 percent of drop backs this season. Blitzing simply isn’t in Matt Eberflus’ DNA. And it’s not something Alan Williams has been known for either. But at least Williams hinted during the preseason that he might be willing to take some more shots (something to watch for today!) and dial up extra pressure. This quote from Williams from something we wrote earlier in the offseason clues us in:
“I do think there needs to be, from time to time, something to throw the offense off schedule, things they may not have seen on tape. I think the coaches in this league do such a great job of scouting you, preparing for you and when you make them play left-handed that is always a good thing, something they haven’t seen.”
- If I didn’t know any better, it’s almost as if being flexible with your scheme is the best way to attack opponents. We’ll see if this quote was predictive or nothing more than a smokescreen.
- It feels good knowing the defense will have the main man back in the middle of that linebackers group:
- Speaking of linebackers, Joe Thomas got the call from the practice squad and is being flexed onto the active game-day roster. Dieter Eileen, who was flexed onto the roster last week, didn’t get the call in Week 3. And it makes me wonder if we’ll see a fully operational Lucas Patrick at center.
- Oh my! Laremy Tunsil doesn’t sound afraid of this Bears rush defense:
- There has been plenty of chatter about the Bears getting right against a lowly Texans squad. But after watching the Packers bully the Bears on the ground in primetime, I guess you can understand where Houston’s left tackle is coming from in seeing Chicago in a similar light. Then again, he should know better than to poke Da Bears.
- You love to see Soldier Field’s green grass on a Sunday morning, don’t ya?
- Yeah, they won in their most recent home game. But do you remember what it looked like at this time on that date? Or are you like me and trying to forget all the water that probably leaked into your basements.
- Fashion Corner! Throwback threads remain unbeaten:
- Good luck and best wishes to our old friend (and former Bears beat writer) JJ Stankevitz, who adds Colts PA announcer to the his résumé:
- Go get ’em, JJ!
- Something neat to watch for in a game that doesn’t involve the Bears:
- Make sure all your Dolphins receivers are starting on your fantasy team today:
- The Jets don’t come up on the Bears schedule until much later in the year. Nevertheless, there’s nothing wrong with keeping an eye on future opponents and their players’ health status. Some positive news regarding NYJ QB1 Zach Wilson:
- It’s cringeworthy seeing people who should know right from wrong still do questionable things. The Brett Favre situation in Mississippi is getting uglier with each news update that comes out of it:
- Elsewhere on the Packers front, it sounds like Green Bay is getting left tackle David Bakhtiari back from injury. (PFT)
- I’ve never seen a field goal miss like THIS:
- Or a college football game end like this in overtime:
- The boos fuel Javier Báez, who is hitting .349 with a .621 slugging percentage in 17 games (68 plate appearances) against the White Sox this year. This homer was only the latest bit of damage:
- Stepping away from an not-so-savory recent past feels like an important piece suggesting future development from the Blackhawks:
