I have nothing more to say about the 2022 Chicago Bears. So here are some thoughts on the other teams.

• The Jets have to decide if they believe Mike White is a quarterback capable of leading a talented roster into the postseason. If they believe he is, and don’t believe Derek Carr or Jimmy G would be significant upgrades, the team should abandon the Zach Wilson Project and select a quarterback early in the draft. The Jets are talented, but they’re also young. White and a rookie could be the ideal QB room for them next summer.
• Denver fired Nathaniel Hackett but it’s not going to matter. Russell Wilson is shot, and his teammates hate him. There is no easy escape from this situation for the franchise but if they were smart, they’d simply eat the financial horror and move in a different direction. Start rebuilding the entire team now. Trade off viable assets.
• The most complicated contract negotiation this off-season: Daniel Jones. It is highly unlikely the Giants don’t resign him, but at what price? At what length? If the Giants don’t get a deal done with Jones, he’ll end up a starting QB next September somewhere in the league.
  • Also, I think Brian Daboll has been every bit the coach of the year. He won’t win the award but he’s getting absolutely everything possible out of an undermanned and decimated Giants roster.
• There is a lot of talk about potential landing spots for Sean Payton in 2023 but I don’t see him going anywhere without a quarterback already in place. Where is that? Maybe the Chargers, should things get wonky down the stretch. But there is little appeal in Denver, Indy, Carolina right now.
• Amazon should fire Kirk Herbstreit, Joe Thomas and Tony Gonzalez. Move Ryan Fitzpatrick into the booth next Al and let the “studio” show be Charissa and Richard Sherman. Fitzpatrick has intelligence/wit to be great in the moment, and Sherman’s analysis is wasted by time limitations. If they did this, they would have the best NFL broadcast around.
• With those receivers, Tua will always have production. But he’s simply not that talented a player. He’s got off-the-chart intangibles and a bottom of the league arm. He’s an MLB fourth starter who thrives against bad competition.
• Is that the most Lions loss ever? Just when they’ve built their fan base to a fever pitch, they get run over by the Carolina Panthers. 320 rushing yards? 320!?!?!?
• This is Bill Belichick’s worst season as a head coach. The Patriots are losing games mentally every week and it is still inexcusable that Bill handed over the offense to Matt Patricia.
• Deshaun Watson. Almost like professional football is difficult and you can’t take two seasons off.

Quarter One

• Defense looked noncompetitive on the opening drive. Wide open Jets all over the field.
• Offense moved it well in response, with Trevor Siemian’s accuracy issues the only thing keeping them out of the endzone. When you have Chase Claypool’s size advantage in the end zone, the ball must be elevated. (Siemian also missed throw to Kmet earlier on the drive.)
• Claypool’s integration into the offense is happening slowly, but this quarter showed the advantages of having a receiving threat that can separate from defenders and win 50/50 balls.
• If Velus Jones is only going to run jet sweeps, don’t be surprised when defenses key on it. The Jets knew what play was coming as soon as Jones walked onto the field.
• Very solid quarter for Siemian overall, however. You want your backup quarterback to be a stabilizing force. He’s unlikely to win games but you don’t want him to lose them. Siemian looked the part in the first quarterback.

Quarter Two

• What a catch by Byron Pringle for the touchdown. Blanketed in coverage. Poor throw. But Pringle went and got the football.
• Bears simply can’t get off the field on third downs and the reason is their total lack of pass rush. With the Bears likely to find themselves in the top five or six picks in the draft, it won’t be a reach to seem them look at the edge over wide receiver.
• Jets fumble the field goal attempt, and it leads to a lengthy Benny Hill sketch. The rain is going to be a factor the remainder of the afternoon as a storm is approaching the NYC area. (I know because I just had to turn the lights on in my living room. That’s how dark it’s gotten outside.)
• Siemian trying to sneak the ball off tackle is one of the silliest things you’ll see in an NFL game. After watching Justin Fields over the last month, Siemian looks like he’s operating in slow motion at times.
• Bears let an interception go through their hands and lose Eddie Jackson to a non-contact injury on the same play. Brutal moment. Bears will now play the rest of this game with backups at all over their secondary.
• Joe Davis: “This is a big drive for the Bears.” Is it? Not a single moment of this game feels “big” for the Bears.

Bears down 17-10 at the half. And the difference on offense has been the lack of explosive possibilities. Fields presents a nightmare for opposing for defenses to defend. With Siemian, the game is right in front of them. That’s why the Bears only have 10 points.

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