The Chicago Bears are back at home. Will a return to the friendly confines of Soldier Field bring a return to the win column? We’ll find out in a few hours…
- One of the messages throughout the preseason from Bears Head Coach Matt Eberflus is that he was looking for consistency from the offensive line. A reason the team hasn’t found it is because of Nate Davis’ inability to get (and stay) in the lineup. Matt Pryor, who worked in Davis’ place at right guard throughout the summer, is set to start for a second consecutive week. Maybe Davis will get some playing time in a rotation. But if he doesn’t, then it’ll mean that the big-money free agent from the 2023 offseason will have been benched just two years into a three-year contract. This is something worth keeping tabs on as the season rolls along.
- On the other side of the line of scrimmage, NBC Sports Chicago insider Josh Schrock shares that defensive tackle Andrew Billings will be giving it a go — and with no snap count limitations. Billings missed time this week during practice with a knee injury and was listed as questionable to play when Friday’s injury report dropped. Pro Football Focus ranks Billings as its 27th-highest-graded interior defensive lineman. There are 117 who qualify for the leaderboard, so ranking in the top 30 means you’re doing something right.
- Speaking of doing something right, Bears radio analyst Tom Thayer breaks down rookie Rome Odunze’s tape from last week’s 100+ yard performance against the Indianapolis Colts. Going inside the breakout game is a nice two-minute treat to get you geared up for what Odunze could put up in an encore this week:
- OPE! There is other receiver news: Keenan Allen *IS* expected to play this week, much to the chagrin of Los Angeles Rams defensive backs.
- In teasing his column about the Bears’ running game, Brad Biggs of the Tribune tweets to expect a bigger workload for running back Roschon Johnson. Signs have been pointing to Johnson getting an unexpanded role in Week 4 after being Chicago’s best ball carrier in Week 3. To be clear, I don’t want to banish D’Andre Swift to the nether regions. But until Offensive Coordinator Shane Waldron finds a niche for this offseason’s big backfield addition, the Bears should give him fewer assignments.
- Some minor roster shuffling: The Bears have put tight end Stephen Carlson on injured reserve after suffering a collarbone injury during this week’s practice, per Marquee’s Scott Bair. Also worth pointing out is news of the Bears elevating defensive lineman Byron Cowart and defensive back Tarvarius Moore from the practice squad and onto the game-day roster. With injuries in the secondary and along the defensive line, this is a heady move.
- NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport writes about how the Kansas City Chiefs are confident that Travis Kelce will get it going soon. The KC TE has been slow out of the gate for a second consecutive season. I still think the Chiefs are playing the long game and the 34-year-old tight end the NBA-style load management treatment. But even if that is the case, that isn’t helping my fantasy team one bit.
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- Tab has three stars and key takeaways from the latest Chicago Blackhawks preseason game. (BN Blackhawks)
- I can’t believe the Chicago Sky fired Teresa Weathersoppon as their head coach after just one season. However, I can believe that star player Angel Reese isn’t happy about the news. (BN Bulls)
- It was a pleasure to be in attendance for what was (very likely) Kyle Hendricks’ last start at Wrigley Field as a member of the Chicago Cubs:
WATCH: Kyle Hendricks Leaves the Wrigley Field Mound for Maybe the Final Timehttps://t.co/S3YrHPSbAx pic.twitter.com/n70GIdkyRe
— Bleacher Nation (@BleacherNation) September 28, 2024