Why Do I Like the Chicago Bears This Week?
I always like the Chicago Bears.
But I’m not even sure what it is I’m liking this week. If Justin Fields doesn’t play, there is nothing to be gained on Thursday. But it’s Thanksgiving. And it’s football. And we’ll all be watching…I think.
Thoughts on A Quick Turnaround in 2022
Robert Quinn, the team’s MVP in 2021, and Khalil Mack, the team’s best player, are returning in 2022. Roquan Smith is the best ILB in the sport, Jaylon Johnson is a top corner, and the Bears have shown a propensity for finding talent at the interior DL positions. They need corners, but they’ll have off-season assets to acquire them.
While many malign the offensive line, the group is having a decent 2021, especially as a mauling/run-blocking unit. If Teven Jenkins solidifies the left tackle spot, the pass protection should be dramatically improved as well. If you believe Fields will only get better – and I do – the Bears need to concentrate their efforts on adding weapons, weapons, weapon on the outside. Again, the assets are there to do so.
(And for you schedule junkies, the Bears have two road games in the Meadowlands next season, against certainly still-bad Giants and Jets teams.)
But it will all come down to the coaching hire. Terrific quarterback play can cover for bad coaching (Aaron Rodgers won Mike McCarthy a Super Bowl) on the offensive side of the ball, but the Bears currently suffer from a lack of leadership. There is no commitment to the game day plan because there doesn’t seem to be anything resembling a game day plan. They don’t need to hire an offensive mind, or a defensive mind. There are plenty of coaches out there that can call plays. Find the guy who stands in the front of the room and inspires his players to perform at their best.
They find that guy, they win ten games in 2022.
Christmas Movie Quarterbacking Tiers
Every year, from Thanksgiving to Christmas, I gorge on Christmas movies, usually updating my viewing experiences on the Twitter feed. This year, I decided to tier the films, with a little note added when explanation was required, and with a little football flair. This is a solid guide to season for you and your family. In each category, the films are listed in no particular order.
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The Prospects (Thanksgiving)
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Planes, Trains and Automobiles
Home for the Holidays
Mouse on the Mayflower
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The Elite QBs
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These are the top shelf Christmas movies, and I’ll be watching most of them at least twice over the next month.
Home Alone
Elf
The Muppet Christmas Carol
Scrooge (Albert Finney)
A Very Murray Christmas
Scrooged
Miracle on 34th Street (original)
The Ref
Emmet Otter’s Jug-Band Christmas
Love Actually
The Night Before
Bad Santa
The Year Without Santa Claus (1974)
The Santa Clause
National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation
Klaus
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The Game Managers
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These are watchable films but they’re unlikely to win you a title.
Home Alone 2
It’s a Wonderful Life (Yea, I know. You love it. I don’t. Get over it.)
Jingle All the Way
A Christmas Story (Yea, I know. You love it. I don’t. Get over it.)
The Nightmare Before Christmas
A Very Harold & Kumar Christmas
Christmas With the Kranks (Based on a Grisham book called Skipping Christmas, a far better title.)
A Christmas Carol (Alastair Sim)
Gremlins
Santa Claus: the Movie
Frosty the Snowman (1969)
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (1969)
Trapped in Paradise
Office Christmas Party
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The Backups
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If you need them in a pinch, they’re reliable. But they’re not good.
Miracle on 34th Street (1994)
The Bishop’s Wife
The Preacher’s Wife
Mickey’s Christmas Carol
March of the Wooden Soldiers
The Family Stone
Ernest Saves Christmas
Christmas in Connecticut
Mixed Nuts
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Wide Receivers Throwing Passes
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These are not Christmas movies, but they are great movies that live on the periphery of Christmas, so they are included.
Die Hard
White Christmas
Trading Places
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The Clipboard Holders
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Charlie Brown is a sad sack. The Grinch is a terrible character. Sequels to these Christmas movies never work. (At least Home Alone 2 is absurd.) These are movies you only put on if you don’t have access to any of the movies above.
All Grinch-related material
The Santa Clause sequels
Bad Santa 2
The Man Who Invented Christmas
Jingle Jangle
The Holiday
Four Christmases
The Christmas Chronicles (both)
Arthur Christmas
Fred Claus
A Charlie Brown Christmas
A Christmas Carol (2009)
The Family Man
