Alaskan Grizzly

In related news I see Amukamua is doubtful with a hammy injury. So Tolliver is next man up it would appear. Also see Kyle Vanderesch (sp) is out for Dallas...that’s one less good LB on their team for our team to worry about. https://www.chicagobears.com/news/injury-update-amukamara-doubtful-with-hamstring

Something I heard on LeBetard and Stugotz yesterday was that since week 4 of this season, both Tom Brady and Trubisky have similar stats. “How ‘bout that? “.

Or not...as the case may be. But yeah I’m with you guys. He seems like a good kicker overall and agree that the injury seems to have affected him more than I think we know. For what it’s worth, the backup to Gould in SF looks pretty solid. So maybe Robbie will available again next off-season if needed?

THIS. I see the FS (Jackson or HHCD???) cheating over to Amukamura's side to help with coverage. And Skrine covering the front end of that gap when they don't have multiple receivers lined up. My biggest concern, besides Trubisky reverting to his bad habits, are the front 3-4. Without Hicks in there they will probably collapse on the line to allow second level blocking (while double and triple teaming wherever Mack is with a TE). Smith will have to have his head on a swivel and probably spy Prescott as his primary read. Zak can be mobile but don't think he really has shown that as much the last year or so. Kwit's primary concern will be Elliott and wherever he goes then (along with Smith) be on the lookout for a TE or Z receiver crossing over the middle.

Yes so no ‘talking heads’ trying to give you expert analysis and make big money doing it. Just a couple of former players weighing in on the team they used to ply for. Good perspective IMHO as they’ve ‘been there done that’ and probably have a strong interest in seeing the team succeed.

Might I recommend the series called ‘Football Aftershow on NBC Sports Chicago’? I subscribed to it recently on YouTube and the show offers some good no-nonsense perspective on how they think the team is performing. The panel consists of Olin Kreutz, Matt Forte, Lance Briggs and Alex Brown. So you’re not getting the alleged national bias against the team but more a home-grown organic take on how it looks. Alex Brown, by the way, generally has the more critical m of reviews from the group. As he does in the most recent installment below:

That literally made me LOL...and almost spit coffee everywhere.... I get it and you're right, the old adage of you have to play up or down to the team you're against in order to win holds true. NE has been able to do this time and again these last several years. Trubisky has only really done it a few times last year and for the last couple games in a row this year...against Detroit and the Giants....who are a 5-18-1 combined. If he is able to help steer a win against the Cowboys later this week and the others you mention afterwards, then I no doubt believe people will start to cast a more favorable light on him.

In other news; Akiem Hicks was back on the practice field earlier today . https://www.chicagobears.com/news/pro-bowl-tackle-hicks-returns-to-practice

Watching the game on replay and have to say Horstead reminds me of Zach Miller. Very similar style. He’s a keeper.

So far. Keep it in perspective... Watson is playing the #1 defense in the league (with Brady as the QB). And all Mahomes did today was get to 70 TD passes in 27 games (which is an NFL record) while putting the Raiders over his knee by winning 40-9. Yes Trubisky looks ‘improved’ but we have to remember how he’s played for a majority of his career. Maybe this will be his renaissance... time will tell.

I would actually think he’s more along the lines of DeShaun Watson. He’s been to two championship games and he’s only a Junior. Lost the national championship to Bama his Freshman year (but only by 5) and many would say he should’ve won that game. Last year he played against Texas in the Cotton bowl losinf by a TD. His stats read pretty solid and he’s played against some solid SEC teams with a winning record; much better than an ACC 13 game starter from NC.

Yeah...from his Wikipedia page (damn it). Wouldn’t it suck if Shaheen did the same?

If they want to have a chance going to the home stretch this year they realistically need to find a way to rotate him (Amukamara) out sooner than later. As much as I love the guy he’s been a liability ever since last season. He’s older and slower and only getting worse. Time to either put in Tolliver or Shelly or at the very least give him help at Safety (essentially exposing the middle of the field). Agree totally on Lynch . He was a pick up that I think Fangio liked from their SF days together (and before he knew he would get Mack). But yeah, he’s overstayed his welcome. Maybe Vic needs him in Denver. Floyd is a big disappointment for sure. Mack is still seeing double and triple manning where most of Floyd’s is single man, and sometimes just a chip block from a passing TE. But still his pressure lacks. Like you pointed out earlier maybe the GB game is where he’ll shine again (man I hope you’re right about Hicks). But after that it’s probably time to start looking for alternatives. Bubble players to keep (IMHO) are Skrine (not as good as Callahan but solid), Kwit, HHCD (yes I know he’s ‘meh’) but I can’t help think he and Jackson will at some point click in and Trevathan (at least for one more year). This guy is a true leader and as much as I think Kwit is rising, I’d like to see a bit smoother transition. The team owes Danny that much (again IMHO).

Being one of the more strident ‘doubting Thomas’ers’ I’ll say in the highlight films I saw of yesterday’s game, Mr. Trubiksy...I am impressed. He looked composed, stood tall in the pocket, delivered relatively on-target throws to his receivers (which they didn’t drop) and he rolled out (the right way) when he felt pressure. Yes I get that this was the 24th ranked defense in Detroit but they were at home and wanted a win as bad if not more than the Bears. They especially were feeling good when they found what could be a pretty decent QB in Blough (or was it our defense playing so poorly?). Anyhow, overall Mitch did good yesterday. And by the by, has anyone else noticed lately he’s starting to develop a more harder snap count (from time to time)? I noticed it last week when the opposition had a fair amount of defensive line penalties and a few close calls yesterday for Detroit. This is a good thing for Mitch. Adds an extra element to the offense and causes the rush to pause that much more. Please keep this good thing going.

TP

DP

They can't keep their WC corps healthy. Gone through something like 6-7 different receivers in a few weeks....

To be fair, he did play behind this same (or nearly same) oline last year...and managed 935 yards with a 3.7 yard average. His overall average total yards (receiving and rushing) has remained constant for his three years with Chicago and the one year with Philly at 3.6. This time last year (after 10 games) he had 523 rush yards which is only 2 yards less than where he's at right now. And with regards to his being out (CBS Sports): "Jordan Howard: It’s now been over three weeks since Jordan Howard suffered a stinger against the Bears and he still hasn’t been cleared for contact, according to Pederson. Howard has missed the two games since the bye week and is in danger of missing another one this weekend. He won’t be allowed to play until he’s cleared for contact. Howard will again be limited in practice to start this week. “It’s day to day. It is progressing,” Pederson said. “It’s trending, obviously, in the right way. We just gotta make sure that he gets his strength back (in his shoulder) before we put him back out there.”"

I couldn’t help notice that in last nights game both GB and SF ran a variation (or had elements) of the offense Nagy runs. Of course we’ve all heard how the NFL is the copy cat league, but the issue with Nagy is timing. He has a tendency to call the wrong play at the wrong time and stick with what isn’t working. I’d agree that he is adjusting better to the game (unfortunately it took over half a season to figure it out). With Trubisky it’s execution. I went on this string yesterday during the game and commented how well he was playing. That was before his second interception and near misses with two others (one time into triple coverage). He still has spurts of solid play surrounded by others of not so good play. Watching the highlights of yesterday’s Bears game and the night game were not only literally night and day, figuratively as well. When SF runs their offense, even with Garrapolo being super mundane they collectively execute it well. (GB does well too but it’s apparent they are very one-dimensional). Hell they (SF) even ran a few plays with an actual fullback. From what I saw it was when they needed short yardage or were close to their own end zone. To me Shannahan is well ahead of Nagy running the same (or similar) offense or at the very least making the calls.

Don’t think it a fair assessment either; they played the Bengals who are 0-whatever. Their defense ranks dead last and allows an average of 425 yards a game. Against someone like the Pats or 9ers than maybe I’d be impressed. Speaking of; loving this SF - GB game so far lolololololol!!

Sorry, missed your comment on that the first time. I’m feeling good about SF winning tonight, they are a solid team and are at home (they are where the Bears should be). GB is totally one-dimensional. Rams should lose too. The Bears had LA on the ropes and could have beat them but didn’t in spite of themselves. Baltimore’s on a roll.

Doesn’t GB play SF tonight?

God I hope they don’t do Club Dub. ???

Nagy needs to go back to I-formation running. Plain and simple. And I’m tired of seeing Cohen as a primary back...not THE primary just sharing carries with Montgomery. Time to elevate Nall and keep Cohen to gadget and third down plays.

Would agree except most of the time, even against crappy teams they can’t seem to do anything right. Here, despite the sputtering, they are making forward progress.