AP Photo/Kamil Krzaczynski

First and Long: Bears Plod to OT Loss, Wims Takes Shot at Saints CB, Brees Passes Brady (For Now) in Career TD Passes

Photo of Michael Canter Michael CanterNovember 2, 2020

The Bears plodded their way to a 26-23 overtime loss to the Saints on Sunday and lost a chance to seize first place in the NFC North from the Packers, who lost a key division tilt to the Vikings at Lambeau Field. I may be a little generous in using the term “plodding,” because the Bears have all the forward mobility of George Foreman when he fought against Shannon Briggs in 1997. The champ was 48 at the time.

At least Foreman fought a clean fight. You can’t say the same about Bears WR Javon Wims.

Wims is a third-year receiver who was taken in the seventh round of the 2018 draft out of Georgia. He’s been consistently third or fourth on Chicago’s wide receiver depth chart for each of the last two seasons. Before his ejection Sunday, Wims had one catch for nine yards.

An investigation will need to be launched if Matt Nagy doesn’t immediately cut Wims. Then again, where the heck was Nagy from the Bears’ last drive of the first half until the fourth quarter started? The Bears looked like a team without a head coach for those 20 or so minutes.

The Monsters of the Midway also look like a team that needs a lot of help on the O-line. Nick Foles was sacked five times yesterday, including one in overtime when the Bears needed just a field goal to win. Foles also threw an interception as Chicago managed 329 yards of total offense, compared to 394 for the Saints. The Bears QB finished 28-of-41 for 272 yards.

There were a couple of positives, though. David Montgomery had his best game of the season, gaining 89 yards on 21 carries while continuing to show a penchant for breaking tackles. Kicker Cairo Santos had another outstanding game, making all three of his field goal attempts, including a 51-yarder that sent the game into overtime. Santos is now 14-of-16 on the season.

The Bears (5-3) will travel to Tennessee next Sunday to take on the Titans (5-2). Both teams carry two-game losing streaks into the game.

Bears News & Notes

There’s a Flag…On the Play

Sibling Rivalries

  • Four scoreless trips into Vikings territory without a score cost the 5-2 Packers dearly, as Green Bay lost 28-22 to Minnesota. Though Davante Adams caught three TD passes, no other Packers receiver had more than one catch. The Vikings used a strong running game to control the clock and the loss was the first against an  NFC North rival since Green Bay head coach Matt LaFleur took over last season. With the win, Minnesota improved to 2-5, though they still sit in last place in the division.
  • Lions QB Matthew Stafford lost a fumble and threw an interception that was returned for a touchdown on consecutive plays in the second half; DT Danny Shelton and CB Justin Coleman committed drive-extending penalties that led to Colts touchdowns; Detroit had no answer for QB Philip Rivers or the Colts menacing defense in a 41-21 loss.

Pick Six

  1. Patrick Mahomes – The Kansas City QB is no stranger to big plays, and yesterday was no exception. Mahomes completed five passes of at least 25 yards to four different receivers with four of the throws going for touchdowns as the 7-1 Chiefs demolished the winless Jets 35-9.
  2. Dalvin Cook – The fourth-year Vikings running back gained 226 yards from scrimmage and scored four touchdowns in Minnesota’s win yesterday. Cook finished with 163 yards on 30 carries, including three scores. His fourth TD came on a 50-yard pass from QB Kirk Cousins.
  3. Russell Wilson – The Seattle QB terrorized San Francisco’s defense, orchestrating a touchdown in four of five drives spanning from late in the first quarter to the end of the third quarter. It was Wilson’s fourth game this season with four or more TD passes. The Seahawks are now 6-1 after their 37-27 win over the 49ers (4-4).
  4. D.K. Metcalf – The second-year Seahawks wideout was Wilson’s favorite target yesterday, catching 12 passes for 161 yards and two scores.
  5. Aaron Rodgers – The veteran QB had a subpar afternoon and still managed to pass for 291 yards with three TDs.
  6. Drew Brees – The New Orleans signal-caller will be 42 before the end of the season, but he and Tom Brady are still among the best in the business. Brees was 31-of-41 for 280 yards with two TDs against the Bears, giving him 560 in his career to put him one ahead of Brady for most career passing touchdowns.

Fumblerooski

Without Brady, the Patriots are 2-5 and looking like a lock for a top 10 draft pick. Meanwhile, the Buccaneers can improve to 6-2 with a win over the Giants tonight.

At the Podium

  • “You got to let it hurt sometimes. You’ve got to let it hurt. You don’t work all week to come out on a Sunday and not perform the way you want to perform.” – Akiem Hicks
  • “We’re in the fire right now. We’re going through it. We’re going to keep getting better.” – Nick Foles
  • “That’s what bothers me and what pisses me off is that there is still that [pre-snap] issue going on. And excuse my French. We’re reading it from a wrist band, so, you know, I’m struggling with that right now. It’s getting [Foles and the offense] into a hole so that has to change.” – Matt Nagy

Halftime Entertainment

Tubthumper by Chumbawamba – Though blindsided, Saints safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson barely moved when Wims socked him. Gardner-Johnson responded on Instagram: “That man punch like a female.”

Photo of Michael Canter Michael CanterNovember 2, 2020
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