AP Photo/Kamil Krzaczynski

First and Long: Bears Need Huge Third Quarter Improvements, Bush Placed on Reserve/COVID List, Trubisky Will Not Require Surgery

Photo of Michael Canter Michael CanterNovember 8, 2020

If the Chicago Bears are to beat the Titans in Tennessee today, they are going to have to get much better offensive production in the third quarter. I don’t know what happens at halftime in the Bears locker room, but head coach Matt Nagy is not firing up the team or making the necessary adjustments to properly attack the opponent. Chicago has been outscored 49-7 in the third quarter, their lone score coming on a one-yard run by Nick Foles against the Panthers in Week 6. The Bears needed three plays to get that final yard.

Perhaps the Bears should elect to receive if they win the coin toss, setting up the defense to take the field at the start of the second half because the offense just isn’t sparking the team. In Week 2, quarterback Mitch Trubisky threw an interception on the second play of the third quarter. When he did it on the third play of the second half the following week, he was benched for Foles. But that’s just a small sample size of the sloppy play that has hurt Chicago coming out of intermission.

Nagy’s squad has been just as ineffective running the ball after the break, and the offense has turned the ball over seven times, six by interception, and once on downs. They’ve also punted seven times, and have just five third quarter first downs. Yikes.

Today’s game is relatively big for the 5-3 Bears because the Packers (6-2) won on Thursday night. Chicago is also struggling to create distance in the race for a Wild Card berth in this year’s playoffs. The 49ers and Lions are each within striking distance. The Bears’ next three tilts after today’s game are against each of their NFC North opponents starting with the Vikings next Monday night.

Bears News & Notes

There’s a Flag…On the Play

No. 4 Notre Dame upset No. 1 Clemson 47-40 last night in what is now the signature game of coach Brian Kelly’s career with the Fighting Irish, but the postgame celebration is cringeworthy.

Northern Exposure

Aaron Rodgers and the Packers seem to be getting better with each passing week. That doesn’t bode well for the rest of the NFC North.

Green Bay WR Davante Adams is confident he is “the best wideout in the league.”

Lions QB Matthew Stafford will start Sunday’s game against the Vikings after testing negative for coronavirus earlier this morning. Stafford landed on the reserve/COVID-19 list Wednesday after recently coming into contact with someone who had tested positive for the infectious disease.

“The results are not final. There is a path to victory, however narrow or challenged. The path winds through battleground states and traditional strongholds. Patience is advised, and there is no need to declare a winner until all of the results are in.” Sorry, I’m talking about the 2-5, last place Vikings, and not Donald Trump.

League News & Notes

NFL Insiders expect the Texans to trade defensive end J.J. Watt in the offseason.

Saints QB Drew Brees was a full participant during Friday’s practice and is expected to play against the Buccaneers tonight. WR Michael Thomas is expected to play barring any setbacks in his recovery from ankle and hamstring injuries.

New Orleans safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson was fined $5,128 for unsportsmanlike conduct for the incident against the  Bears that led to a scuffle with WR Javon Wims, who has been suspended by the league for two games for his role in the incident.

The Cowboys may have some colorful options when it comes to replacing injured punter Chris Jones. One is backup P Hunter “The Punter” Niswander, a 6-5, 240 pound ex-XFL player who can kick with either leg. They’ve also brought in Marquette King on a tryout.  ing set records as a punter for the Raiders but also brought a great deal of attention to himself with his celebrations following successful punts. King even wrote a reggae song called “Here Comes the King” about his on field exploits.

The Ravens could activate WR Dez Bryant for their game against the Colts today. Bryant hasn’t played since 2017.

The Seahawks are deviating from their all-blue uniforms for today’s game against the Bills.

Gimme Bradshaw’s Money

If you are not aware, Fox Sports is trying to give away $1 million in its NFL Sunday Challenge. The money allegedly belongs to Terry Bradshaw, but we know better. Here are my picks for today.

  1. Chiefs minus 7-9 points against the Panthers.
  2. Bears over the Titans by 1-3 points.
  3. Seahawks minus 4-6 points against the Bills.
  4. The Washington Football Team defeating the Giants by 4-6 points.
  5. Colts over the Ravens by 1-3 points.
  6. Buccaneers minus 4-6 points against the Saints.

By the way, last week I went 1-5, though I did pick five winners. I was way off on the point spreads.

Fumblerooski

Antonio Brown is back, and hopefully lessons learned will be the prevailing attitude.

At The Podium

  • “The biggest thing is just going in at halftime and talking through things, and it’s making sure we’re ready to roll going into the third quarter. And that’s something we can work through and get right. But once again, it goes back to trusting one another to get it right. The third quarter has been a lull for us throughout the season.” – Nick Foles
  • “Penalties [have] really derailed many of our drives. We’re getting close to the 50-yard line, something like that, third-and-four, third-and-five, we get a delay-of-game or a false start or whatever penalty, and now it’s third-and-11. Things like that really take the momentum out of your drive.” – Allen Robinson

Halftime Entertainment

Creeque Alley by The Mamas & The Papas – Did you know the phrase “gettin’ fat” used to meant getting paid what your due?

Photo of Michael Canter Michael CanterNovember 8, 2020
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