The 2013 calendar year brought many glad tidings for the Chicago Bears. A new coach. A new offensive line. The first great Bears offense of the modern era. Now Phil Emery and the organization embark upon their most important off-season in many a moon as they attempt to rebuild the defense into a competitive unit for 2014.

Here are the Bears 2014 opponents:

Home

Green Bay, Detroit, Minnesota, Dallas, Tampa Bay, New Orleans, Miami, Buffalo

Away

Green Bay, Detroit, Minnesota (outdoors at University of Minnesota), Carolina, Atlanta, San Francisco, New York Jets, New England

Why do I like the Chicago Bears this week?

I always like the Chicago Bears.

• A lot of column space has been dedicated to Josh Gordon this week and rightfully so but Jordan Cameron should frighten Bears defenders far more this week. If the Bears don’t pressure Jason Campbell, Cameron will dominate the middle of the field.
• Who is the running back to beat the Bears for triple digits this week? Edwin Baker was signed Tuesday. Does he have a shot? Chris Ogbonnaya and Fozzy Whittaker are not good but that hasn’t stopped opposing backs yet. (Has Brandon Jacobs even played since running over the Bears?) Or might this be the week/circumstances that allow the Bears defense to make a few tackles?
• It’s difficult to assess just how good the Browns defense is but I watched their tape against Jacksonville and it was none-too-impressive. I don’t care about field position. Chad Henne’s Jags can’t put up 32 on you.
• Weather: Field was covered in snow Saturday and snow is expected all day Sunday. But unless there’s a howling wind in Cleveland, I don’t see conditions have much of an effect on play.
• So Jay Cutler is a human being and one would think he’ll attempt to showcase the distinct skill that separates he and Josh McCown: arm strength. I say Bears try to beat Browns over the top a few times, weather permitting.
• Jason Campbell wants to check the ball down. But he’ll only do so if the Bears manufacture pressure. Without it, they’re susceptible to Gordon/Cameron.
• Hester is breaking this record. And he’s doing it in the next three weeks.

Chicago Bears 27, Cleveland Browns 16

This is an absolutely classic. The best rant of 2013. I no longer discuss Haugh’s work on this site because in all honesty I haven’t read him since the season began. He’s a terrible writer with boring opinions. Why bother?

Also because JQ told me he’s a fan of the rants, you folks have to find your way to Chicago Shakespeare before December 22nd to see the Q Brothers Christmas Carol. It is one of the most fun nights I’ve had in the theatre in years and you should support these guys. They are one of Chicago’s great gifts to the modern theatre. For tickets and information, CLICK HERE.

ESCALATING QUARTERBACK CAP NUMBERS

Phil Emery wants to build a championship contender in 2014 and he knows that tying up too much money in a single position can drastically effect his ability to plug needs, mostly on the defensive side of the ball. If Emery franchises Jay Cutler, the cap number for next season is thought to be between 16 and 17 million. That money is a directly assault on the salary cap. Here’s a bit from a NFP post from Brad Biggs on the Aaron Rodgers deal:

Now, Rodgers is on the books for seven seasons – through 2019 – at a total of $130.75 million, an average of $18,678,571 per season. Probably the best part of the contract for the team is the salary cap numbers never get out of whack. That is good for Rodgers too because those issues can lead to restructures and players getting cut. Here are his cap numbers through the life of the deal:

2013 $12 million
2014 $17.9 million
2015 $18.6 million
2016 $19.6 million
2017 $20.65 million
2018 $20.9 million
2019 $21.1 million

When Emery said he didn’t like the idea of using the tag on Jay Cutler in 2014 it was not because he didn’t want Jay Cutler on the roster for next season. Emery knows a long-term extension with Cutler affords him cap wiggle room and opens the door for mid-contract restructures to fit players when necessary. If the Bears franchise Cutler and pay Josh McCown the 2-3 million he’s earned this season, they would have a larger cap hit at quarterback than the Denver Broncos and Green Bay Packers in 2014.

I will reiterate what I’ve said since the Cutler/McCown conversation began. I believe both will be back next year and I think the Bears will have the league’s best quarterbacks room. Or as Potash wrote in his Sun-Times piece, “It’s a new era in Chicago. Krenzel/Hutchinson is a problem. Cutler/McCown is a luxury. The Bears have bigger issues with three games to go.”

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The co-sponsor of Sunday night’s event to benefit the Otis Wilson Charitable Organization is called Art of Men. Art of Men is a soon-to-launch digital platform that pairs the knowledge, experience and expertise of men with good works projects in their communities. Art of Men does not ask men to donate their money. They ask men to donate themselves; to donate their time. (To see video of Art of Men’s work with senior centers in NYC and the New York Yankees, CLICK HERE.)

Art of Men will be gathering volunteers Sunday night for two Chicago-based organizations desperate for the assistance. (For full event details, CLICK HERE.)

COMMON PANTRY

Common Pantry is Chicago’s oldest, continually-operating food pantry. On Friday December 20th they are receiving a shipment of more than 3,000 pounds of food to be served to the city’s neediest citizens. Their problem? They lack the man power (about ten people!) to unload the trucks and organize the food. From an email I received from the pantry’s Executive Director:

We are confirmed for the food drive pickup on December 20th.  It will be at Lane Tech High School at 10am.  The school is at 3500 N. Western Ave. We can have volunteers meet at the pantry (3744 N. Damen Ave) around 9:45a and then head over to the school.  It is only about a mile away from the pantry.  The process should last about 2 hours.  I have confirmed a large truck to use for transporting the food, volunteers will just need a vehicle to transport themselves (we can definitely car pool).

We’ll be signing up volunteers at the event and contacting them in the days after.

LEAVE NO VETERAN BEHIND

This is a truly unique organization to benefit Chicago’s veterans, providing educational and employment services to veterans facing economic hardships. Many organizations service the mental/physical needs of returning vets (though nowhere near to the extent they should) but LNVB helps them transition back into the working world. Here is an appearance the organization did on Windy City Live:

What we are attempting to mobilize is 2-3 individuals to work with veterans on mentor level. We’d like two or three men to meet regularly with a veteran or two and provide guidance on all those elements that aid in the transition to the working world: resumes/cover letters, interview approach…etc.

It is going to be a terrific night. I hope many of you will join us and help us make Chicago a better place to live.

CLICK HERE TO BUY TICKETS! (ONLY $10)

Thanks to Bears beat writer Adam Jahns our event received some promotion from Emily McFarlan Miller in the Sun-Times:

Did No Shave November work out really well for you?

Have you been looking for an opportunity to bust out your favorite sweater vest and stogie?

Then have we got an event for you: The Mike Ditka Look-a-like Competition at 8 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 8, at Double Door, 1572 N. Milwaukee Ave.

The event, presented by DaBearsBlog and Art of Men, will benefit the Otis Wilson Charitable Association. It also includes a Christmas toy drive and a performance by the Black Oil Brothers.

Anyone can enter the Mike Ditka Look-a-like Competition, and each entrant will get a moment to walk the stage for celebrity judges, including 1985 Super Bowl champion Otis Wilson and Bears legend James “Big Cat” Williams, according to the event page on Ticketfly. The winner will receive two tickets to the Chicago Bears v. Dallas Cowboys game on Monday, Dec. 9, where the Bears will retire Ditka’s No. 89 jersey at halftime, it said.

Anyone who brings a toy to donate to the Christmas toy drive at the event also will be eligible to win an signed Otis Wilson jersey, it said.

The Otis Wilson Charitable Association provides an all-inclusive health and fitness program for at-risk youth to educate and empower them to lead healthy lifestyles, according to its website.

DABEARSBLOG STILL HAS ROOM ON OUR COMPLIMENTARY RSVP LIST. ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS EMAIL ME: JEFF@DABEARSBLOG.COM

After the jump you can once again experience the event’s amazing poster art…

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Bye bye Metrodome. Here were my Quick Hits on Twitter from yesterday:

Quick hits for Bears v Vikings. #1 of 5. Bears need to dominate offensively & force Minnesota to throw. Keep Podlesh on the bench 1st half.

#2 of 5. Trest can say all he wants about run fits but safeties are reason the 6 yd run is going for 60. 1 bad Conte angle = 6 AP points.

#3 of 5. Bears gave Minnesota 14 defensive/special teams pts the first go-round. Need a clean sheet from both departments.

#4 of 5. I can see Christian Ponder rolling casually to his right & hitting the TE for a meaningful 1st down. McClellin/Woot can’t let him.

#5 of 5.Time for Bostic & Greene to grow up. Play aggressive, violent yet disciplined game. Watch some Singletary tape. Or just ask Briggs.

One more week without the game chat. Live in the comments, my friends!