AZ54

I’d tell you to be prepared for the cold weather. Then again I’m from AZ and you’re Alaskan perspective might be that it’s hot.

That cheap shot on Kyler Murray’s head should merit a suspension

I’m going to be celebrating all week after this. No NFL team is perfect and that’s nearly impossible to build in the modern era. Win the way your team is built to win. Seattle did it last year with focus on defense. Bears fans (myself included) are always focused on defense. After 5 decades enjoying wins with scores like 20-17, I will be bragging at work all week in having a Bears team that can score more than 50pts in a game. Building the offense has been the focus for the last 3 drafts and this is one heck of a payoff. See where our team is at mid-season and then maybe swing a trade for a guy like Crosby if he’s still healthy. That gives the rookies time to learn. The entire NFL is on notice.

Jahdae deserves a game ball. He’s everywhere from special teams plays to big blocks on running plays to TDs.

I was thinking the same

He’s an old man. He’s lost that quick twitch. Hopefully getting more game reps he gets some of it back. These running plays behind Darnell Wright. I’m just going to call him I-58 because he’s opening up a highway.

Ben!

Dayo still sucks. Not sure why he’s getting so much time inside on 3rd and long but he’s useless. Likely concerned about the rookie having bad eyes but at least VDB will get upfield. Let him learn.

Early returns. Dline is much better or their oline is bad. Likely a combo of both. Thieneman is a stud.

Hard to say with the active roster because we have so many DTs and Oline. Kaden adds more to special teams. So Rome might be fine

Strategy time. Seeing the Panthers give Jaelan Phillips $120mil after a 5 sack season certainly makes me feel better about Dayo's contract. They have a good DT in Derek Brown and they run a 3-4 front. They will be starting rookie Lee Hunter, one of the pundits draft targets for the Bears at DT. They have some good DBs but that LB group seems like the place to attack. Between Phillips and the other starting OLB Patrick Jones II they don't have much pass rush off the edge. Trevis Gipson (remember him) is a backup and his best year statistically was as a Bear in 2021. At ILB they signed Devin Lloyd and he's good but next to him starting is Bobby Okereke who just signed the last week of training camp. I'm thinking we're going to attack the edge of the defense on runs and kick those OLBs out with a TE or pulling OG. None of these OLBs seem like they are the athletic type to be any good in coverage either. If we run the DBs off by sending someone deep then who fills in that intermediate gap on the sidelines 10-20 yards downfield? Loveland destroyed the Packers in the playoffs in that exact location on numerous plays. I don't have a strategy for the defense other than hoping they can stop the run. Then Jordan VDB can get in Bryce Young's face on 3rd and long.

Cheap: Based on AAV this puts him 14th in the NFL among RBs this year. But he's a year early in signing so of course that doesn't include any inflation in RB salaries next offseason. Players like Rhamondre Stevenson of the Patriots, who has only exceeded 1000 yards once, makes $9mil/yr. Just below that tier sits players like Chubba Hubbard, who we get to see tomorrow, and Montgomery both making around $8mil/yr. Before next season starts and this contract extension kicks in he's likely going to have a top 15-20 RB salary. IMO that fits very well for a mid-tier starting RB. For reference Kenneth Walker III, who is pretty much in the same category statistically, just signed for $14mil/yr in FA. Except I think Swift is a better receiver. https://overthecap.com/position/running-back

we got two rookies that will make plays this year. Loving will need more time to get ready but it’s not hard to see him taking snaps from Gallimore later this year.

This is CHEAP! With the recent contract explosion at RB I expected he'd get closer to $15mil/yr. Which is in the neighborhood of Breece Hall and Kenneth Walker. I'm good with the extension because I think he's a good versatile player for us and really fits what Ben wants out of the backfield. I expect Poles went heavy on the guarantees which is big for a RB and before the season even started. Swift eliminates the risk of an injury affecting his next deal. From a team building standpoint we can now head into next years draft with no need to use a Day 2 pick on a RB. Poles has basically locked up the entire offense and this offseason should be almost entirely defense. I can see one Olineman being drafted early if they really like someone to replace Thuney at LG in the future, or perhaps a LT falls to us for some odd reason.

https://pantherswire.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/panthers/2026/09/10/nfl-week-1-panthers-prediction-upset-bears/91673848007/