Chicago Sports

Halfway through the first season of the Bears latest rebuild, there’s good cause for optimism. It’s still going to take a while, perhaps until the 2024 season, for them to hit maturity as a legitimate contender if all goes well, but there are indications that it’s off to a good start.

Matt Eberflus seems capable of managing all the new responsibilities that came with his jump from defensive coordinator to head coach.

His CEO-style approach to running the team has been a good change from Matt Nagy’s setup of focusing on offense and giving his defensive coordinator autonomy. Eberflus oversees everything, and if this works and his coordinators and position coaches get plucked for promotions elsewhere, he should be in good position to replace them.

From a personnel standpoint, general manager Ryan Poles has gradually filled in deficiencies and still has a long way to go. He acknowledged he’d need more than one draft class to assemble a quality roster. There are many more problems to solve, but he has certainly added to the very small core of young talent he inherited.

But everything still hinges on quarterback Justin Fields.

The Bears can — and should — address every detail of their roster and organizational structure. But even if they get all those aspects fixed, it won’t matter unless they solve the riddle that has flummoxed them for decades.

They’ve already seen what happens when “everything else is there” besides the quarterback, as president Ted Phillips put it last year. That path led the Bears to their current rebuild, meanwhile teams that have seemingly only a quarterback always have a chance.

Fields’ next opportunity to fortify his case as the franchise quarterback is Sunday against the Cowboys. It’s another game against a top defense. Dallas has allowed the second-fewest points at 14.9 per game and is seventh in opponent passer rating at 77.7.

If Fields keeps advancing and arrives by the end of the season, he’ll enhance all the subtle upgrades the Bears have made. If he doesn’t, the Bears doing all the other little things right won’t be enough to vault them into contention.

He has made impressive plays and had great halves and even some complete performances like the one he delivered in the win over the Patriots on Monday, but the next checkpoint for Fields is to do it consistently and establish baseline expectations. The Bears are still waiting for him to play three good games in a row.

He played one of his better games against the Vikings in Week 5 and was threatening to at least force overtime before Ihmir Smith-Marsette got stripped with about a minute left. But Fields followed that by sputtering through a 12-7 loss to the Commanders at home.

The Bears had 10 days between that game and their Monday night visit to the Patriots and used that break to install designed runs for Fields. It activated him and their offense, and while opponents like the Cowboys will counter it with their defensive game plans, it looks like a viable part of the Bears’ offensive identity.

Fields turned in 179 yards passing and 82 yards rushing, which was his sixth-highest combined total. As the Patriots devoted more resources to restricting him to the pocket, there was more space for receivers to get open. If Fields gets better at playing those strengths off each other, the production should increase.

It took the Bears and offensive coordinator Luke Getsy a while to get there, but they finally seem to have tailored the offense to Fields’ talent.

While the overall picture is still from perfect, and Fields will play behind a tattered offensive line Sunday, there should be enough here with which to work. Now it’s on him to thrive and elevate the players around him, particularly the receivers, because that’s what franchise quarterbacks do.

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This season’s final rankings of Illinois high school football teams in each class, according to an Associated Press panel of sportswriters.

Class 8ASchool W-L Pts Prv

1. Lincoln-Way East (6) (9-0) 87 2

2. Loyola (3) (8-1) 82 1

3. York (9-0) 74 3

4. Glenbard West (8-1) 59 4

5. Warren (8-1) 42 5

6. O’Fallon (8-1) 37 7

7. Maine South (7-2) 35 6

8. Marist (6-3) 22 9

9. Plainfield North (9-0) 20 8

10. South Elgin (9-0) 11 10

Others receiving votes: Palatine 9, Glenbrook South 7, Naperville North 6, Naperville Neuqua Valley 3, Edwardsville 1.

Class 7ASchool W-L Pts Prv

1. Mount Carmel (9) (9-0) 90 1

2. Hersey (9-0) 77 2

3. Prospect (8-1) 68 3

4. St. Rita (7-2) 57 4

5. St. Charles North (8-1) 52 5

6. Wheaton North (8-1) 41 7

7. Pekin (9-0) 38 6

8. Jacobs (8-1) 27 8

9. Lake Zurich (8-1) 20 T9

10. Batavia (6-3) 10 T9

Others receiving votes: Yorkville 6, Moline 6, Brother Rice 3.

Class 6ASchool W-L Pts Prv

1. East St. Louis (8) (7-2) 83 1

2. Simeon (1) (9-0) 80 2

3. Lemont (9-0) 73 3

4. Crete-Monee (7-2) 59 5

(tie) Prairie Ridge (8-1) 59 4

6. Normal West (8-1) 41 7

7. Grayslake North (8-1) 27 NR

8. Chatham Glenwood (7-2) 20 NR

9. St. Ignatius (7-2) 15 9

10. Wauconda (7-1) 14 6

Others receiving votes: Kaneland 12, Notre Dame 5, Kenwood 3, Bremen 2, Champaign Centennial 1, Belvidere North 1.

Class 5ASchool W-L Pts Prv

1. Sycamore (6) (9-0) 87 2

2. Mahomet-Seymour (1) (9-0) 76 3

3. Kankakee (2) (7-2) 74 1

4. Highland (8-1) 59 5

5. Morgan Park (8-1) 55 6

6. Rockford Boylan (8-1) 40 8

7. Peoria (8-1) 39 7

8. Morris (7-2) 25 4

9. Sterling (7-2) 19 9

(tie) Nazareth (5-4) 19 10

Others receiving votes: Glenbard South 2.

Class 4ASchool W-L Pts Prv

1. Sacred Heart-Griffin (8) (9-0) 89 1

2. Richmond-Burton (1) (9-0) 82 2

3. Rochester (8-1) 64 4

3. Joliet Catholic (7-2) 64 5

5. St. Francis (8-1) 59 3

6. Carterville (9-0) 43 7

7. Wheaton Academy (8-1) 34 8

8. Macomb (9-0) 21 9

9. Providence (5-4) 18 NR

10. Rochelle (7-2) 12 NR

Others receiving votes: Hyde Park 3, Breese Central 3, Coal City 1, Columbia 1, Phillips 1.

Class 3ASchool W-L Pts Prv

1. IC Catholic (9) (8-1) 99 1

2. Reed-Custer (1) (9-0) 90 2

3. Princeton (9-0) 78 3

4. Byron (8-1) 63 4

5. Fairbury Prairie Central (9-0) 57 5

6. Williamsville (8-1) 46 7

7. Genoa-Kingston (7-2) 31 10

8. Stillman Valley (8-1) 26 6

9. Seneca (9-0) 24 8

10. Mt. Carmel, Ill. (8-1) 21 6

Others receiving votes: Tolono Unity 10, Benton 4, Durand-Pecatonica 1.

Class 2ASchool W-L Pts Prv

1. Decatur St. Teresa (9) (9-0) 99 1

2. Maroa-Forsyth (1) (9-0) 91 2

3. Wilmington (8-1) 78 3

4. Bismarck-Henning (9-0) 69 4

5. Rockridge (8-1) 55 5

6. Pana (8-1) 36 8

7. Shelbyville (8-1) 24 7

8. Downs Tri-Valley (7-2) 23 6

9. Johnston City (9-0) 21 7

(tie) Athens (7-2) 21 5

(tie) North-Mac (8-1) 21 9

Others receiving votes: Nashville 5, Carmi White County 2, Knoxville 2, El Paso-Gridley 2, Mercer County 1.

Class 1ASchool W-L Pts Prv

1. Lena-Winslow (11) (9-0) 110 1

2. Colfax Ridgeview (9-0) 95 2

3. Hope Academy (9-0) 87 3

4. Camp Point Central (9-0) 79 4

5. Fulton (7-2) 57 6

6. Ottawa Marquette (8-1) 54 8

7. St. Bede (7-2) 32 NR

8. Gilman Iroquois West (7-2) 23 NR

9. Greenfield-Northwestern (8-1) 21 9

10. Kewanee -Annawan-Wethersfield (7-2) 15 10

Others receiving votes: Tuscola 14, Jacksonville Routt 13, Moweaqua Central A&M 2, Abingdon 2, Cumberland 1.

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We look at the NBA coaches that are under the most pressure this season

The NBA season started it’s 77th season on October 18 and while some teams start the season with a fresh perspective; others come into the season with the burden of their finish last year or the looming repercussions if the do not win this season. Here are the NBA head coaches who feel the most pressure this season:

Thibodeau is entering his third season as the Knicks coach and while the results have been better than when he was in Minnesota coaching the Timberwolves;  he is still not brought many happy days to the fans at Madison Square Garden. During his tenure as the Knicks coach, the team still lacks an identity and has only played one NBA Playoff series. Last year in particular was shocking for the Knicks going 37-45 and finishing 11th in the Eastern Conference.

One of the biggest criticisms I have had of Thibs is his refusal to play younger players and instead play veterans who are past their prime. Promising forward Obi Toppin who the Knicks drafted 8th overall in 2020 was losing playing time to 36 year-old Taj Gibson last season and is not effective in large stretches of playing time. The Knicks traded for Cam Reddish who showed flashes of potential in Atlanta but Reddish only started to get playing time with the Knicks after injuries to other veteran players.

With the addition of point guard Jalen Brunson this summer and maybe a return to an All Star level play for forward Julius Randle, the Knicks should have the look of a playoff team and if they don’t then fans and general manager Leon Rose could look toward Thibodeau as the culprit of another disappointing season in Gotham.

Rivers is starting his third season as head coach in Philly and while he has won a playoff series in his first two seasons the 76ers have not gotten past the second round of the NBA Playoffs during his time as the head coach. When he was hired in 2020 to replace Brett Brown, the thought was that Doc would bring his experience of appearing in two NBA finals and winning a championship with the Celtics to this team who had only made the playoffs 3 out of the last 10 years.

The truth is that Doc Rivers has not made the conference finals as a coach since 2012 and has twice coached teams that have squandered 3-1 series leads and lost those series in seven games (Clippers vs the Rockets in 2015 and Clippers vs Nuggets in 2020). The pressure to win this year is huge with the uncertainty about Joel Embiid ability to stay healthy, the possible upcoming free agency of guard James Harden and the fact that general manager Daryl Morey did not hire Rivers.

Monty Williams-Phoenix Suns (Record as Suns Head Coach: 170-92 including playoffs)

On April 10, 2022, the Phoenix Suns ended the regular season with a 64-18 record and the number one team in the Western Conference, let’s look at all the things that have happened since then:

–Played a six game NBA playoff series in the first round vs the 36-46 New Orleans Pelicans-Lost a game seven on their home-court to the Dallas Mavericks by 33 points in the second round of the playoffs–Had a COVID outbreak that happen during their series vs Mavericks that may have violated NBA policy–Re-signed starting center Deandre Ayton who has a frosty relationship with Williams to a four-year contract-Trade demand by forward Jae Crowder– Owner Robert Sarver being suspended for the entire year by the NBA for violating workplace standards and then facing pressure from sponsors and players he putting the team up for sale.

Since the Suns won Game 2 of the NBA Finals in 2021, they have a 7-10 record in the playoffs and are 1-6 in playoff road games. For a team that has a top 10 payroll this year and the 2nd best player on the team (Chris Paul) is 37 years old, the time is now in the Valley of the Sun. Basketball fans and media will be looking to see can Williams guide this team back atop the Western Conference and further in the playoffs.

Nate McMillian-Atlanta Hawks (Record as Hawks Head Coach: 81-62 including playoffs)

Coming into last season, the expectations for the Hawks was very high after making the Eastern Conference Finals in 2021 however the Hawks did not leave up to those expectations in 2022. The Hawks struggled for the first three months of the season and at one point their record was 17-25. The team would start to turn things around and eventually earn a playoff spot but would then lose to the Miami Heat in the first round. In the off season, the Hawks traded for guard Dejounte Murray who made his first All-Star game last season and can help share some of the ball-handling responsibility with Trae Young.

Of the eight players that are returning to the team and played the most minutes, all of them are under the age of 30 so the time is now for this team to take the next step and be consistent contenders in the Eastern Conference. The question that general manager Travis Schlenk may be asking is McMillian the coach to make the Hawks a consistent contender. The season will be key in answering that question.

Steve Nash-Brooklyn Nets (Record as Nets Head Coach: 99-71 including playoffs)

Nash’s tenure as Nets coach is one where you will fans and media are very divided about his performance going into his third season. On one hand, you can say that he has to deal with injuries to Kevin Durant (Durant has missed 74 games in the last two seasons), the refusal of Kyrie Irving to get vaccinated causing him to miss games in cities that required vaccinations, the depletion of their depth to make the trade for James Harden in 2021 and because of their bloated payroll an inability to add depth to the roster.

The critics of Nash point to constant lack of cohesion on offense and defense, inability to make adjustments vs the Celtics in the playoffs, not playing the younger guys on the roster more and not taking more authority with his two star players.

This offseason, Durant asked for a trade or the removal of Nash and general manager Sean Marks which owner Joe Tsai did not do and the Nets did not trade Durant. Can the Nets finally live up to hype and win important games in May and June?

Mike Budenholzer (Record as Head Coach of the Milwaukee Bucks: 251-118, including playoffs)

Of all the coaches on this list, Budenholzer has been with his team the longest and is the only coach to win a title with his current team. So you may ask why is he on this list? One of the reasons that he is on this list is because of the age of this Bucks roster. Of the projected nine players expected to play the most minutes this season, seven of them are 30 years old or older (Reserve forward Pat Connaughton will turn 30 in January).

While having experience can be helpful in winning games, it also puts pressure to win with an older group that could be prone to injuries and can have trouble playing lots of minutes. Also, forward Khris Middleton could potentially be a free agent at the end of the season (he has a player option), Brook Lopez will be a free agent as well as backup point guard George Hill.

The reason that the Bucks have been so successfully recently is players like Lopez and Middleton that surround Giannis Antetokounmpo and compliment his strengths as a player. The Bucks are going to have to ask themselves how much they are willing to pay to bring these players back to keep Milwaukee a title contender. The time to win with this group is now and Budenholzer has to manage this roster to make sure that they are ready for the important NBA playoff games next spring.

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Khalil Herbert didn’t realize it until someone told him Thursday morning: the Bears’ 181 rushing yards per game are most in the NFL. No team ran more often through seven weeks, and only four averaged more yards per carry when they did.

“It’s amazing,” Herbert said.

What’s even more amazing is how the Bears have gotten to that point: by using a running back platoon between Herbert, who leads all NFL running backs with 6.2 yards per carry, and starter David Montgomery.

Montgomery is in the final year of his contract; in theory, every handoff to Herbert costs him future earnings. Herbert, who is in his second season, has more staying power entering the Bears’ matchup against the Cowboys on Sunday.

In some years, on some teams, that dynamic would cause a rift. The two say they remain close, though, even as they trade off carries.

“We feed off each other’s energy,” Montgomery said. “Khalil’s playing lights out right now. I’m proud of him. He works for that. And I’m following suit, just trying to be the best version of myself so that we all can come to a point and get this thing rolling and get some wins.”

Bears head coach Matt Eberflus said the Bears ride the “hot hand” when it comes to carries, but there’s no mistaking the role that has emerged for Herbert. In the first two games after Montgomery returned from an ankle injury, he outpaced Herbert in carries (27-11) and snaps (92-30). After the team regrouped during a “mini-bye,” though, Montgomery led Herbert by smaller margins in carries (15-12) and snaps (40-29) against the Patriots.

“When David gets a little tired — and he doesn’t seem like he ever gets tired – you throw Khalil in,” tight end Cole Kmet said. “And Khalil doesn’t seem to ever get tired.”

As his rushing yards pile up, it’s fair to wonder when Herbert will pass Montgomery in carries. That’s worth considering before Tuesday’s NFL trade deadline, where Montgomery could be attractive as a rental. But so’s this: a Bears offense that has figured out so little this season doesn’t want to mess with a good thing.

A strong run game helps quarterback Justin Fields, not hurts him. Fields leans on the team’s two-headed running back monster as much as Montgomery and Herbert lean on each other.

“It’s hard to be successful without getting the run game going,” Fields said. “Really, just, the run game just opens up play-action pass and every other element of your offense. So of course, always getting the run game going is definitely going to help me out playing quarterback.”

Fields helps the run game, too. The Bears are the only NFL team with three players — Herbert (66.3), Fields (52) and Montgomery (51.3)–averaging 50 yards per game or more. Only three other teams can claim even two such players.

“I feel like it’s a problem for the defense to account for all three of us,” Herbert said. “That’s three different styles you have to account for. Being back there, there’s a lot they have to think about.”

It’s up to offensive coordinator Luke Getsy to sort that out.

“Against Washington, I think it was the fourth quarter, I didn’t want to stop giving it to David,” Getsy said. “He was just killing it. This week, Khalil had a bunch of really good runs. He didn’t want to stop giving it to him.

“It’s really good that we have that. … Having those two guys on our side is a big benefit.”

Coaches often determine which running back is on the field, but Montgomery and Herbert do have the autonomy to take themselves out of the game. When one is in the game, the other is on the sideline, waiting for a look over.

“I always give him a thumbs up,” Herbert said. “Like, ‘You good? You good? You need me to come? And vice versa.

“We look out for each other.”

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As Blackhawks goalie Alex Stalock made a save to stop play in the third period Tuesday night, defenseman Caleb Jones turned around and shoved Panthers center Aleksander Barkov away from the net.

It was a small, almost meaningless display of resistance. But it caught Hawks coach Luke Richardson’s eye.

“We’ve talked about that, having a presence there,” Richardson said. “I don’t care who it is, [we need a] five-man mentality to get them out of our crease, not let them in. And we have Caleb Jones — probably our smallest defenseman out there — doing it, knowing he has the other four guys out there to back him up. That’s huge.”

Recognition like that is huge for Jones, too. At 25, entering his second year with the Hawks and his fifth in the NHL, the 6-1, 195-pounder realizes the clock is ticking on his long-awaited career breakthrough.

If he doesn’t prove this season that he can be more than a depth option revolving in and out of the lineup, he might never prove it. That’s a harsh, big-picture perspective that many players would avoid, but Jones has embraced it.

“I’m getting to that age where it’s time to really get established,” he said Thursday. “There’s a lot of guys that want to play in the NHL, and you only get so many opportunities. That’s something I’ve learned: When [opportunities] come along, you have to make sure you grab them. Every time you get on the ice, you have to make sure you’re playing your best. Once you show that consistency, they can’t take you out of the lineup.”

Jones did show flashes on offense last season, with 15 points in 51 games. But the flashes were usually just that, and he struggled with turnovers and coverage in his own zone.

“I had good stretches of games, and then I’d fall off, and then have another good stretch, and that just doesn’t work,” he said, chuckling. “I’m just trying to stay consistent and do everything off the ice right and keep myself healthy. I think my talent and my game will take care of itself on the ice.”

Staying healthy has indeed been a challenge. Jones missed six weeks last season with a wrist injury, then the World Championships and some summer training with another wrist injury, then most of camp and this season’s opener with a shoulder issue.

But in between it all, he watched the playoffs closely, hoping to learn from what he saw. His main takeaway was exactly what delighted Richardson on Tuesday.

“[When] you look at the best teams, they make it hard for other forwards to get to the front of the net,” Jones said. “It’s a battle. I know for myself, personally, I wasn’t very good at that last year. All of us want to be better at that and be harder to play against, and that’s something I’ve tried to focus on coming into this year.”

Jones’ first two appearances this season — against the Golden Knights and Sharks — were disappointing. His turnover tendencies continued, and he often was caught out of position. But he looked better against the Red Wings and Panthers, convincing Richardson to halt a sixth-defenseman rotation with Filip Roos to play Jones again Thursday against the Oilers, his former team. He had an assist on Reese Johnson’s goal late in the first period.

Entering Thursday, opponents’ expected-goals rate against Jones at even strength had decreased from 2.62 last season to 2.17 this season — an encouraging trend.

“He’s not the biggest guy, but he has been playing big,” Richardson said. “He has the skating ability to [be an NHL regular]. It’s just [about] calming down with the puck [and] making sure he’s not rushing things and having more confidence. The more he plays, the more confidence he’ll gain.”

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By the end of the season, the Cubs finally had Adbert Alzolay, Justin Steele and Keegan Thompson back in the clubhouse together — the three pitchers at the frontline of refurbishing the club’s reputation for developing pitching.

The core of that “next great Cubs team” is poised to be centered on pitching. And in the midst of an unpredictable postseason with a new format, the playoffs have made one thing clear: the importance of homegrown talent.

Take the two teams headed to the World Series, for example. Besides the Astros’ 2017 sign-stealing scandal, the club is best known for its player development, which has kept its championship window open long after the Cubs’ snapped shut.

The Phillies had the opposite reputation in recent years. But this season, homegrown players Alec Bohm, Bryson Stott, Matt Vierling and Seranthony Dominguez have helped power the team’s postseason success.

“When the series gets shortened, certainly you don’t have to have a perfect team to win in the postseason,” Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer said after the season. “We’ve seen that year after year. But our goal has to be higher. Our goal has to be to create one of those teams that you feel like has the best chance in October.”

Aggressive trades and signings put the finishing touches on those teams, but homegrown talent builds the foundation.

The last rebuild notoriously was missing homegrown pitching. Even for Alzolay and Steele, development wasn’t a straight line because of injuries.

When Craig Breslow took over the leadership of the pitching department in the fall of 2019, however, the trio was poised to compete at upper levels of the farm system — or in the majors, in Alzolay’s case.

Breslow’s influence as the Cubs overhauled their pitching department has garnered praise from colleagues throughout the organization. This past season, another wave of young pitchers arrived: Caleb Kilian, Javier Assad and Hayden Wesneski (whom the Cubs acquired from the Yankees for homegrown reliever Scott Effross). All three made their MLB debuts.

The next question is what roles Thompson, Alzolay and Steele will take. Steele has been a starter for the Cubs since August 2021. Thompson and Alzolay, on the other hand, also have served as multi-inning relievers.

“We’ll see what happens,” said Thompson, who posted a 1.47 ERA as a reliever but also steadied the rotation in late June, when it was reeling from injuries to veterans, with a string of dominant performances that secured his spot. “I hope it’s a starting role, but we’ll have to wait and see what kind of acquisitions we make in the offseason and just see how spring goes.”

Alzolay has been forced into a relief role since late last season because of injuries. But it could prove to be the best fit to keep him healthy and maximize his effectiveness against right-handed hitters. Alzolay plans to build up as a starter leading into spring training.

“But the option coming out of the bullpen is still there,” he said. “To be honest, I really like it. I really like that ‘long guy in a high-intensity situation’ role.”

The foundation is being poured. What’s in store for this offseason? Hoyer was hesitant to promise a top-of-the rotation starter, calling into question how the term should be defined.

“We’re actively looking for quality innings,” he said, “pitchers we feel like we can work with and potentially make better.”

Hoyer emphasized the need for depth. When the injury-hobbled rotation struggled early in the season, it was clear the Cubs were lacking it. But in the second half, Cubs starters posted a 2.89 ERA, trailing only the playoff-bound Dodgers and Astros.

That late success is not an invitation to sit back, nor does the club see it that way.

“As far as the future of the rotation,” Steele said, “if you go and add a top-of-the-line arm to what we already have, you can see something really special unfold.”

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After Tyler Johnson was placed on injured reserve Thursday, Blackhawks coach Luke Richardson said the plan to replace Johnson on the special-teams units would depend on “just how many power plays and penalty kills we have.”

The answer, at least in the Hawks’ 6-5 lossThursday against the Oilers? More than Richardson ever could’ve imagined.

Referees Chris Rooney and Jon McIsaac called an extremely tight game and the Hawks and Oilers played an extremely undisciplined game, leading to a parade to the penalty box of proportions rarely seen before in the United Center.

Twenty minor penalties were called in total, including 14 in the second period alone. The Hawks finished 2-for-10 on the ‘PP’ and the Oilers finished 3-for-7. Oilers forward Evander Kane was singlehandedly tagged for two cross-checking minors, one unsportsmanlike conduct penalty and an incidental goalie interference call that, while not a minor, did disallow a goal.

“We did a good job on the penalty kill at times,” Richardson said. “But if you take that many penalties, special players in the league like [Connor] McDavid and [Leon] Draisaitl are going to make you pay.”

The game’s scoring ended up nearly equaling its refereeing in terms of absurdity. The two teams scored a combined five game-tying goals. McDavid completed his hat trick with a filthy deke past Jake McCabe and shot through Alex Stalock with 10 minutes left, but even that was ultimately overshadowed by more drama.

Evander Kane made up for his antics — and overcame a late goal by Hawks namesake Patrick Kane –by setting up Draisaitl for the game-winner with 37.6 seconds left.

“You tie it with three minutes left and you think you’re giving yourself a good chance at a point, and [then Draisaitl] finds those open areas,” Patrick Kane said. “That’s what he’s so good at. That’s why he scores so many goals.”

Johnson sidelined

Richardson didn’t offer an exact timeline for Johnson’s recovery from his sprained ankle. But he compared the injury to the one Boris Katchouk suffered in training camp, after which Katchouk was ruled out for four-to-six weeks.

The Hawks had initially feared Johnson’s injury would keep him out even longer than that.

“Ankle sprains are common nowadays, especially with the stiff boots and skates they wear,” Richardson said. “We’re lucky it’s hopefully short-term. He was playing so well, too, we’re going to miss him. But it’s definitely good news because it could’ve been worse.”

With the Hawks not wanting to disrupt the chemistry of the current third line (Jason Dickinson centering Philipp Kurashev and Sam Lafferty), Jujhar Khaira was promoted from the fourth to second line, taking Johnson’s spot on Jonathan Toews’ left wing.

Reese Johnson slotted into Khaira’s spot and scored his second career goal in the first period.

Father Kane

Patrick Kane’s son will turn 2 next month, and he’s old enough now to attend Hawks’ matinee games –including the win last weekend against the Kraken.

But there’s a difference between attending the games and enjoying them.

“He hates hockey,” Kane said this week with a sly smile. “I shouldn’t say he hates it, but he’ll play for like 30 seconds with me and then grab my stick and puts them back. He’d rather play with his construction trucks, or watch his mom cook or play in his little kitchen.”

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Friday

Class 8A: Bolingbrook at No. 13 Maine South, 7 p.m.

There aren’t a lot of programs that go into most seasons expecting to contend for a state title — especially in the biggest class — but these are two in that select group. Bolingbrook (6-3) had a quarterback competition in the preseason and freshman Jonas Williams emerged as the starter. He has been nothing short of spectacular, starting with a remarkable seven-touchdown effort in Week 1 against eventual playoff qualifier Minooka. The Raiders have other playmakers as well, including junior receiver I’Marion Stewart, who has 19 offers; and defensive back Damon Walters, a Northwestern recruit. Maine South (7-2) graduated 19 starters from last year’s 8A runner-up team, but its only two losses were by a combined three points to Warren and Prospect, who are both 8-1.

8A: No. 20 Naperville North at No. 10 Marist, 7 p.m.

Naperville North (7-2) has the state’s top senior quarterback prospect in Northwestern-bound Aidan Gray, who has completed 66% of his passes for 1,380 yards and 13 touchdowns. Junior Luke Williams, who has 13 offers, is his favorite target. Gray is also one of four Huskies who have rushed for at least 380 yards; Cole Arl, Danny Eloe and Nathan Jacobs are the others. Marist’s losses came to three top-six teams who are a combined 25-2: Mount Carmel, Loyola and Glenbard West. Converted receiver Dermot Smyth has been excellent for the RedHawks (6-3) at quarterback, throwing for 1,605 yards and 11 TDs with four interceptions. At 6-3 and 200 pounds, Miami (Ohio)-bound receiver Ryan Sims is a tough matchup for opposing defensive backs. Big Ten recruits John Nestor, a defensive back committed to Iowa, and Jamel Howard, a lineman committed to Wisconsin, lead the Marist defense.

Class 7A: No. 23 Brother Rice at Jacobs, 7 p.m.

Brother Rice is one of the more dangerous 5-4 teams in any bracket, toughened by playing in the CCL/ESCC Blue and owning a win over defending 4A champ Joliet Catholic. The Crusaders have one of the deeper receiver groups around with Owen Lyons, Rickey Taylor, Marty O’Keeffe and Michael Bos. Wisconsin-bound lineman Roderick Pierce III leads the defense. Jacobs (8-1) shared the Fox Valley title with Prairie Ridge and Huntley after reaching the 7A quarterfinals last season. Four-star tight end Grant Stec has 15 offers and is the consensus No. 4 junior in Illinois.

7A: Geneva at No. 11 St. Rita, 7 p.m.

St. Rita (7-2) has gone to state the past two postseasons, finishing second in 5A in 2019 and second in 7A last season (the playoffs were canceled because of the pandemic in 2020-21). Can the Mustangs make it three in a row for coach Todd Kuska, who is retiring after 25 seasons? St. Rita has won six straight after starting off 1-2 with losses to Mount Carmel and Loyola. DJ Stewart and Ethan Middleton are productive backs for the Mustangs. Geneva (6-3) is one of four playoff qualifiers from the DuKane. Junior quarterback Nate Stempowski has passed for 1,332 yards and 17 TDs, and also has rushed for five scores.

Class 5A: Nazareth at Glenbard South, 7 p.m.

Don’t be fooled by Nazareth’s 5-4 record. The Roadrunners’ schedule featured six playoff qualifiers, including 2021 state runners-up Kankakee — a 2-0 Nazareth win in the season opener — and St. Rita. Quarterback Logan Malachuk and multitalented receiver Justin Taylor are an effective pass-and-catch combo. Glenbard South (7-2) also has a potent passing game led by quarterback Michael Champagne (1,703 yards, 26 TDs) and receiver Cam Williams (44 catches, 882 yards, 13 touchdowns), a Notre Dame recruit.

Saturday

Class 8A: Lockport at No. 6 Glenbard West, 1 p.m.

As its 5-4 record indicates, it’s been an up-and-down season for defending 8A champ Lockport. The Porters lost 34-3 to 3-6 Sandburg but also beat Bolingbrook 34-33. Hyatt Timosciek, a 6-6 tight end, committed to Northern Illinois this week. Glenbard West (8-1), whose only loss was to unbeaten West Suburban Silver champ York, is built to go deep into the playoffs with a big, experienced offensive line led by Wisconsin commit Chris Terek, some productive backs and a typically stingy defense.

Class 6A: No. 15 Prairie Ridge at Crystal Lake South, 1 p.m.

Two weeks after Prairie Ridge (8-1) escaped with a 48-41 win, the neighborhood rivals meet again. Prairie Ridge quarterback Tyler Vasey had 301 of his 334 rushing yards and all five of his touchdowns after halftime in that game. Nathan Greatham is another proven runner for the Wolves. Caden Casimino passed for 296 yards for Crystal Lake South (5-4), which has scored at least 30 points six times this season.

6A: Kenwood at Perspectives, 1 p.m.

Kenwood (6-3) has plenty of talent, especially on the defensive side. Senior defensive backs Kahlil Tate and Kiwaun Davis are committed to Iowa and Western Michigan respectively, edge rusher Marquise Lightfoot’s 24 offers include Notre Dame and five from the SEC, and linebacker K’Vion Thunderbird has 17 offers, four from the SEC. Perspectives (8-1), which finished second behind Hyde Park in the Red South-Central, is in the IHSA playoffs for the first time since 2012 and the second time in program history.

Class 5A: Morgan Park vs. Fenwick at Gately, 5 p.m.

Morgan Park (8-1) has lost only to unbeaten Simeon and has been pointing toward this season as its best chance in years to make a deep state playoff run. Junior Tysean Griffin is a dynamic talent on offense, defense and special teams who has 14 offers from the likes of Tennessee, Arkansas, Missouri and Illinois. Sophomore Jovan Clark has 10 offers, including Maryland and Syracuse. Fenwick (5-4) graduated 16 starters from last year’s 5A championship team, including most of its offensive firepower. One player to watch is sophomore edge rusher Nathaniel Marshall, who picked up his first offer this week from Kent State.

Class 4A, Hyde Park vs. Johnsburg at Gately, 1 p.m.

Hyde Park (9-0) qualified for the IHSA field for the fourth straight season and is seeking its first state playoff victory. The Thunderbirds mostly run behind a pair of sturdy two-way linemen: 6-foot, 330-pound senior Aaron Matthews and 6-2, 325-pound junior Sedrick Washington. When Hyde Park does throw the ball, keep an eye on 6-6 tight end Maasai Gibson. Johnsburg (5-4), in the state playoffs for the first time since 2018, averages more than 35 points a game and allows more than 31 points a game. Sophomore quarterback AJ Bravieri has passed for 2,023 yards and 22 touchdowns.

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Democratic U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth and her Republican challenger Kathy Salvi couldn’t be further apart on gun control, abortion rights, inflation, or just about any other key issue facing residents in Illinois and beyond.

But they did find one rare patch of common ground during a televised forum Thursday night, as both Senate candidates agreed the Chicago Bears should ditch Soldier Field in favor of greener pastures in Arlington Heights.

“I do think they should go to Arlington Heights with a new stadium, because more people will get to it, and I think there’s a greater chance of having greater growth out there,” Duckworth said when tossed that political football during the forum sponsored by the Chicago Sun-Times, WBEZ and WTTW.

A move to the Democrat’s former congressional district is far from a done deal, but the incumbent from Hoffman Estates said if any public money is involved, it should come with “tremendous strings so that the taxpayers are compensated for any type of subsidies that they [the Bears] are provided with.”

Salvi, the Mundelein attorney vying to prevent a second Duckworth term, quickly took the handoff, saying: “I’d love to see the Chicago Bears in the Arlington Heights area, too, but don’t you love Soldier Field? It’s an iconic place, a lot of history. But if they want to move to Arlington Heights, let’s keep the Bears here in Illinois, that’s for sure.”

That was about the extent of the candidates’ time in sync during an hourlong question-and-answer session that saw Salvi consistently circling back to attack Duckworth as a “radical extremist” on abortion rights and a “rubber stamp” vote for President Joe Biden’s policies that the challenger claims are fueling inflation.

“I’m running because the economy’s in the tank, and you’re part of the cause of that. Crime is out of control, and you’re part of the cause of that,” said Salvi, 63.

Duckworth, 54, stood by her record in Washington, pointing to legislation she helped pass to stiffen punishment for straw purchasers, or people who illegally buy guns for people who aren’t allowed to have them.

“The voters sent me to Washington to find those common-sense solutions,” Duckworth said.

With the nation’s ongoing gun violence epidemic, the sitting senator said “we need to pass an assault weapons ban and a high-capacity magazine ban that will get those guns off the streets.”

Duckworth went after Salvi for her “A” rating from the National Rifle Association.

“She’s never going to vote for an assault weapons ban,” Duckworth said of Salvi, who said the emphasis should be on treating mental illness rather than restricting firearms.

Asked if they own guns, both candidates said no. Salvi said some of her adult children own firearms with concealed carry licenses, for “target practice and for protection.”

Salvi tried to tie Duckworth the rising Chicago crime through her “reckless” support of Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot, and she also went after the senator for supporting COVID-19 regulations that shut down schools early in the pandemic — a decision made by Gov. J.B. Pritzker.

Duckworth repeatedly suggested Salvi was confused about what was covered by federal, state or local laws.

“I think she’s running for mayor of Chicago in the municipal elections next year, not for Senate,” Duckworth cracked. “We’re here to talk about November.”

Salvi also briefly tripped up in saying Duckworth supports “nine-month elective abortion, taxpayer funded,” which she labeled “radical and extreme.”

The senator said she’d vote to codify abortion rights into federal law “consistent with Illinois law, which is at the 24 weeks at the point of viability.

“My daughters, I’m not gonna let them grow up in a world where they have fewer rights than I do,” Duckworth said. “We’ve had Roe v Wade now for 50 years, [rights] which have now just been ripped away, and frankly Kathy Salvi and Republicans are pushing for a nationwide abortion ban.”

Salvi called herself “pro-life, pro-woman and pro-child.”

“I support exceptions and regulation of big-business abortion,” she said, noting she supports abortion rights in cases of rape, incest or those that risk the life of the mother.

Without any knockout moments in the forum, Salvi continues to face an uphill battle in her bid to unseat Duckworth, who was shortlisted as a potential running mate for Biden in 2020.

Duckworth outpaces Salvi in terms of both name recognition and fundraising. The senator entered the home stretch of the election with more than $7.6 million in her campaign fund, compared to about $204,000 for Salvi, whose bid is largely self-financed.

Duckworth served two terms in a suburban U.S. House seat before she beat GOP former Sen. Mark Kirk in 2016 to become Illinois’ second-ever woman senator and the first double amputee ever elected to the U.S. Senate. The Army National Guard veteran lost her legs during a tour of duty in Iraq in 2004.

Salvi’s only previous political foray ended in a second-place finish in a 2006 GOP primary for a suburban congressional seat.

A Chicago Sun-Times/WBEZ poll earlier this month had Duckworth leading Salvi about 50% to 36%, with 5% of respondents supporting Bill Redpath, a financial consultant from West Dundee who is the Libertarian candidate on the ballot. About 9% of likely voters in the survey were undecided.

That same poll suggests it’s unclear whether the candidates’ support for a new suburban Bears stadium will help or hurt them with voters. About 31% of those surveyed said they think the Bears should move to Arlington Heights, compared to 29% who said they think the team should stay put. About 39% weren’t sure.

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The hallmark of general manager Ryan Poles’ rebuild of the Bears has been his discipline. It’ll take at least another year to see if his plan is prudent, but there’s no question that he has stuck to the course he plotted when he took the job in January.

That was to his detriment, it seemed, in free agency when he made only budget-friendly signings at offensive line and wide receiver rather than aggressively fortifying those positions to better facilitate quarterback Justin Fields’ progress.

But in the case of trading defensive end Robert Quinn to the Eagles for a fourth-round pick Wednesday, Poles reiterated that he’s looking far down the road with the rebuild. He did not fall into the trap of believing the Bears were better than their 3-4 record after the thrilling blowout of the Patriots.

It’s still a rebuild. And Poles is a realist.

That’s a key distinction between him and his predecessor, Ryan Pace.

Pace either couldn’t or wouldn’t see what mostly everyone knew about his recent Bears teams: They weren’t close. His inability or unwillingness to accept that led to the mess that Poles has had to clean up. Seeing clearly, rather than seeing what you want, is essential to the job. It comes down to facts, not feelings.

It’s another test Poles has passed. The longer he has been on the job, the more many of his moves have looked smart.

He staked his employment on hiring coach Matt Eberflus, who continually conveys competence. He played hardball with linebacker Roquan Smith and won. And now he has resisted the emotional rush of a big win and held steady in his plan for 2023 and beyond.

“In the moment it’s tough because you lose a guy who’s a captain who we all voted for, but you understand they’ve got business to do upstairs and they’ve got the best interest of the organization going forward,” tight end Cole Kmet said Thursday. “You understand that, but it sucks to lose a guy like Rob.”

Poles talks about running the Bears like he’ll be doing it for the next decade, and while this franchise isn’t known for giving general managers time, his actions have followed his words.

Here’s what Poles has lined up for the coming offseason: A full slate of draft picks for the first time since 2016, plus the fourth-rounder from the Quinn trade and an NFL-best-by-far $125.7 million in salary cap space.

That’s nearly double the next highest team, the Falcons, and while he’ll spend some of it on Smith, wide receiver Darnell Mooney, cornerback Jaylon Johnson and possibly Kmet and running back David Montgomery, Poles will still have plenty of resources to add talent.

A sensible timeline for the Bears is to use this season to free themselves from bad contracts, compete for the playoffs next season and ramp up to real contention in 2024 — all contingent, of course, on Fields being their franchise quarterback rather than having to reset that pursuit in the draft.

But make no mistake, this was the season to tear it down and start the rebuild.

Pace had that chance after the 2019 season but convinced himself the Bears were on their way up when it was quite the opposite.

Poles’ Bears actually are on their way up, but the important aspect for him to gauge is how quickly they’re moving. It’s still a multi-year rebuild, regardless of the win Monday, and veering from that approach would’ve been a mistake. As good and beloved as Quinn was, it always made sense to trade him. If there’s any criticism, it’s that Poles didn’t do it earlier.

As a first-time general manager, Poles still has to prove to everyone that his plan is a good one, but he’s already shown without a doubt that he’s committed to do it.

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