With today being a massive travel day, DBB will take a brief two-day movie sabbatical and return Friday with the game preview and prediction for Bears at Jets. (There’s no preview to write before we have an injury status update.)
I don’t think what follows required much of a preamble. If you like Christmas movies, here is a guide to watching one every single day until Christmas, with a few Thanksgiving affairs to kickstart the series. A few notes:
November 23rd: Planes, Trains and Automobiles (John Hughes, 1987)
November 24th (Thanksgiving): Mouse on the Mayflower (Rankin & Bass, 1968)
November 25th: Home for the Holidays (Jodie Foster, 1995)
November 26th: National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation (Jeremiah Chechik, 1989)
November 27th: The Muppet Christmas Carol (Brian Henson, 1992)
November 28th: Home Alone (Chris Columbus, 1990)
November 29th: Home Alone 2: Lost in New York (Chris Columbus, 1992)
November 30th: White Christmas (Michael Curtiz, 1954), Die Hard (John McTiernan, 1988)
November 31st: It’s a Wonderful Life (Frank Capra, 1946)
December 1st: A Very Harold & Kumar Christmas (Todd Strauss-Schulson, 2011)
Again, there just isn’t much to cover right now when it comes to the Chicago Bears. So, let’s take a look around the league and see what’s cooking elsewhere.
It is a fascinating season. And the Bears will face contenders just about every week the rest of the way.
The Bears are at a very interesting point in their organizational development. The wins and losses simply don’t matter. And the quarterback has displayed he’s capable of being one of the most dynamic, exciting players in the sport. So, where exactly are we supposed to focus our attention? Here are a few thoughts.
I never direct the comments section, but I do have a request. Below, I want you to comment on how you think we should approach these games for the remainder of the season. Start each with APPROACH so I can easily locate the on-message comments.
Three Things I Think Will Happen:
Chicago Bears 34, Atlanta Falcons 30
Let’s bowl, let’s bowl, let’s rock and roll…
Why Do I Like the Chicago Bears this Week?
I.
Always.
Like.
THE.
Chicago.
Bears.
(3) Chase Claypool. Kadarius Toney was acquired by the Chiefs around the same time the Bears acquired Claypool and the former is already a prominent contributor in Kansas City’s offense. Come up with a dozen plays for him and run them.
(2) Velus Jones Jr. It must be “tough love” coaching because benching Jones on Sundays makes no sense otherwise. Jones has speed and this offense desperately needs it. Who cares if he is struggling with his route tree? Who cares if he misses a few blocking assignments? Put the ball in his hands a few times each Sunday and see what he can do with it.
(1) Alex Leatherwood. It is time to see everyone in the offensive line room. This is a pivotal eight weeks of evaluation, and the Bears can’t waste a day of it.
Are you serious, @justnfields?!
: #DETvsCHI on FOX pic.twitter.com/aNYLmrOpSx
— Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) November 13, 2022
Where do the off-season needs rank? We’ll keep updating our top five.
5. Corner. Jack Sanborn showed that Roquan Smith’s replacement is quite possibly on the roster. Jaylon Johnson showed the Bears don’t have a top tier corner in the building. Johnson is good. Kindle Vildor is serviceable. Kyler Gordon has potential. The Bears need to address the CB position with urgency in March.
4. Right Tackle. Braxton Jones is having the kind of rookie season one might expect. But the Bears need to improve their protection and if there’s an elite tackle prospect available to them in the first round, they have to consider it.
3. Wide Receiver. In Claypool and Mooney, the Bears have solid pieces to a receiving corp. But they need to find game-breaking talent at the position. This wasn’t just evident watching the Bears Sunday, but it was vividly on display in the Vikings v. Bills game, where two top receivers on two top teams squared off.
2. Defensive Tackle. The Bears get blown off the ball every Sunday. They need size in the middle.
1. Pass Rush. There is no such thing as a contending team that can’t pressure the opposing the QB. The Bears can’t do it without blitz packages, and even those are failing to get home. Strengthening the pass rush will remain the focus for the next six months.
Quarter One
Quarter Two
Overall, I’m not sure I have watched a first half with less to write about.