Chicago Sports

A Bears rookie is having trouble fielding the ball

Muffing two returns in three games was not the start to Velus Jones Jr.’s NFL career that the Chicago Bears had hoped for when they drafted him this year. General manager Ryan Poles received some fair criticism when he drafted the 25-year-old in the third round. Poles said after the draft that age was a plus for the Bears rookie as he’d bring maturity and would be pro-ready this season.

Jones’ start to the season has been a mixed bag. Jones battled a hamstring injury that kept him sidelined for the first three weeks. (He also had hamstring issues in college.) He’s been limited in the offense since returning in Week 4. However, Jones was able to score a touchdown against the Minnesota Vikings. Offense aside, the Bears rookie has been awful at special teams. And that was what he was supposed to excel at in Chicago. Jones has fumbled the ball in crucial moments twice for the Bears.

He’s also just made dumb decisions.

The Bears might move on at returner

Two fumbles in three games are concerning. Before the Bears’ Week 7 game, the team appears to be trying out other players for punt and kick return duties. According to Chris Emma with 670 The Score, the Bears special-teams coordinator said Friday that he wasn’t set on who would return kicks against the New England Patriots. Richard Hightower suggested that safety Eddie Jackson, cornerback Josh Blackwell, and wide receiver Dante Pettis are also contending for the job.

This is about as disastrous of a start as Jones could have, and it’s making the new regime look bad for drafting him so high this year. The Bears rookie had said he was “manifesting” success while rehabbing his hamstring. So far, that visualization has yet to come to fruition. If Jones gets the opportunity to return kicks against the Patriots, he needs to hold on to the ball and make the most of what could be limited opportunities with the Bears.

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Should the Chicago Bears trade for Elijah Moore if he becomes available?

On Thursday, the second-year wide receiver Elijah Moore was sent home from practice. This led to a report from Ian Rapoport that Moore had requested a trade from the Jets. I

t has been rumored that Moore is unhappy with his role on the team. There are not many teams who need a weapon like Elijah Moore as badly as the Chicago Bears. Will they pick up the phone and try to get Moore in a Bears uniform? Let’s discuss why they should absolutely put a deal together for the second-year wide receiver.

Robert Salah spoke to the media following the incident and assured them that things were fine and guys are just competitive. We all know where there is smoke, there is fire. Is this the beginning of the end for Elijah Moore? Should the Chicago Bears make an offer to enhance their wide-receiving core? The Jets have already ruled Elijah Moore out of their upcoming game against the Denver Broncos. Although the team says they have no indication of moving Moore, we all know it is bound to happen soon.

It is no secret that the Chicago Bears lack weapons at the wide receiver position. Currently, the Chicago Bears wide receiving core ranks 30th overall per PFF. This is a direct result of not having enough reliable options for Justin Fields to throw to. Darnell Mooney is a nice weapon but after him, it is not much there. Bringing in Elijah Moore would be a big boost for this offense.

In his rookie season, Elijah Moore had 43 receptions on 77 targets for 538 yards. He finished 3rd in receiving touchdowns by rookie wide receivers with five. Currently, Elijah Moore is 5th in targets and 6th in receptions on the Jets roster. Being inserted into the Chicago Bears lineup, he would be 2nd in yards and receptions with his current stats.

The Chicago Bears would benefit greatly from having a weapon like Elijah Moore. He makes the offense more multi-dimensional and takes some pressure off of Darnell Mooney. There would be ample opportunity for Elijah Moore in the Bears’ offense which would solve his current problem. Will these opportunities lead to success? That remains to be seen but he will definitely have the volume to be productive.

The production this year has been underwhelming from Elijah Moore. Is some of that on him? Of course. Is some of that on the offensive scheme set by offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur? Absolutely. In my estimation, Elijah Moore has a couple of other problems that are resulting in his lack of production. All of these combined are reasons why I feel he is unhappy with his current role.

The first issue for Elijah Moore is that the Jets have more weapons at their disposal this season. Rookies Garrett Wilson and Breece Hall have been phenomenal thus far. Add that to the new addition of tight-end Tyler Conklin, and we are already at the 4th option. This does not include the team’s leading weapon Corey Davis who has over 350 receiving yards with two touchdowns.  Mike LaFleur was asked about Elijah Moore’s role and why he has not been productive, and he stated it was due to several factors. This is the perfect coach answer to the question but what really is going on, is that the Jets just have better pieces this year.

The second issue is that Moore just doesn’t have chemistry with quarterback Zach Wilson. His splits with Joe Flacco at quarterback versus Wilson are night and day. During the first three games, Elijah Moore had targets of seven, five, and nine. Once Zach Wilson returned, the production plummeted. In the last three games, his targets were four, four, and zero. I’m not saying this is the main reason for frustration by Elijah Moore but it doesn’t help at all. In this Chicago Bears offense, he will not have that problem. He would be the bonafide second option and receive a ton of volume.

In summation, the trade between the New York Jets and Chicago Bears makes a lot of sense. Now, will it happen? We will have to wait and see, but there is no doubt this is beneficial for both teams. The November schedule is manageable for the Chicago Bears who are not out of the playoff mix. They sit one game out of a wild card spot behind a slew of 3-3 teams. The addition of Elijah Moore could give this offense a jolt in pursuit of a playoff push.

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The Chicago Bulls will have to wait another game for Zach LaVine to make his season debut

Zach LaVine, a two-time All-Star guard for the Chicago Bulls, is anticipated to make his season debut against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Saturday after the Bulls announced he will miss his second consecutive game on Friday due to left knee injury management.

LaVine unexpectedly missed the Bulls’ victory over the Heat on Wednesday because coach Billy Donovan informed reporters he felt some soreness and discomfort in his left knee during the week of workouts between the final exhibition and that game. In May, LaVine underwent arthroscopic surgery on the left knee that had been bothering him from January through the playoffs the previous season. He talked about how powerful he felt the entire training camp, and last week he mentioned how, unlike last season, he no longer has to worry about the knee.

According to Elias Schuster, “The question now is whether or not LaVine does make his debut at the United Center on Saturday. While this seems to still be the expectation for both parties, the Bulls also haven’t been the most forthcoming with information about exactly what LaVine is experiencing. So, as much as I’d like to expect to see him back in the lineup against the Cavaliers, I don’t think we can guarantee he’ll be ready until the Bulls give the official word”.

At least early in the Bulls’ schedule, according to Donovan, Zach LaVine and his medical staff will coordinate with the team’s medical staff to deal with back-to-back scenarios. The Bulls’ first home game on Saturday ends their first stretch of back-to-back contests. LaVine is currently expected to play.

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The 1-0 Chicago Bulls look to build off of their season opening win in Miami as they head to Washington for a battle with the 1-0 Wizards.

The Chicago Bulls opened the season on Wednesday night with an upset win in Miami as 7.5 point underdogs, led by 37 points from Demar Derozan. Despite the victory, the Chicago Bulls find themselves, at the time of writing, as underdogs once again on the road in Washington.

If you missed the NBA action on Wednesday, the Wizards opened the season with a 114-107 victory on the road in Indiana as three point favorites, led by a combined 45 points from Bradley Beal and Kyle Kuzma. it remains to be seen if the Bulls will remain as betting underdogs by tip-off, but with Zach LaVine ruled out, the oddsmakers are making a bit of a statement by listing a Wizards team with a 35.5 season win total over/under, favorites over a Chicago Bulls team currently with an over/under of 42.5 wins.

I am going to stay away from the spread or money line on tonight’s game for the best bet, but you better believe we’ll be seeing an immense amount of red as we watch the Bulls look to move to 2-0 on the young season. Best of luck, and Go Bulls!!

2022 Bulls 1 Best Bet Record: (1-0)

Nikola Vucevic Over 18.5 Points (Sportsbook odds may vary)

After a gorgeous 15 point, 17 rebound performance in Miami on Wednesday, we are heading to Vooch’s point total tonight against the Wizards in DC. Taking Vucevic props is a very selective process that is incredibly matchup based, and in tonight’s case I think he has a favorable one against Kristaps Porzingis and company.

Dating back to both Vucevic’s days in Orlando, and Porzingis’ days in Dallas, Nikola has had some very solid performances in the all facets of the game when facing Porzingis’ teams, but point production has been especially bright. Of course, these guys won’t be matched up against each other for the entirety of the contest, but the playing style of both leads to a lot of spacing and a lot scoring opportunities for both players, not just Vucevic. In the last five meetings between the two players, Vooch is averaging a crisp 24.0 per game, including a 27 point outing near the end of last year in the only matchup between the two in their current uniforms.

With Zach LaVine absent for the second consecutive game, you would expect the volume of opportunities to be high for Vucevic, who of course will only be second in scoring opportunities only to Demar Derozan. There is also the potential, if the Wizards choose to put extra pressure on Derozan, that Vucevic becomes the lead option throughout moments in this game.

I also like the potential for a shooting bounceback from the big man tonight. On Wednesday, despite the solid output, Vucevic shot a measly 1-5 from 3-point range, well below his career average, and well below his numbers from the preseason. In four preseason games, Vooch shot 7-14 from behind the arc. If he can find any success from behind the 3-point line, this prop will become a lot easier for us to get to the window.

To close things out, I will be staying away from betting on the Bulls tonight, as Friday nights in the NBA can be big trap spots for the general public, and our Bulls are heavily bet, especially around our parts. Listing them as an underdog against a Wizards team that isn’t garnering a ton of respect is concerning to me, but the Bulls have defied those indicators in the past, and with a big night from Vucevic could prove me wrong and move the Bulls to 2-0.

No matter what happens tonight, you will see me again with another best bet for Saturday’s home opener against Cleveland! Let’s see some red tonight and Go Bulls!

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An off-duty Chicago police officer was caught in an exchange of gunfire during an attempted robbery in Calumet Heights on Thursday night, police said.

Just after 6 p.m., the officer was standing near a car in the 8800 block of South Constance Avenue when three people approached and demanded the officer’s car and belongings, police said.

The encounter escalated to an exchange of gunfire, leaving one of the subjects with a non-life threatening gunshot wound, police said.

The person was taken to Trinity Hospital, police said.

In response to the incident, the Civilian Office of Police Accountability is conducting a comprehensive use-of-force investigation, police said.

The officer involved will be placed on routine administrative duties for 30 days.

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Cubs manager David Ross points to Christopher Morel when talking to players who felt that their chance in the big-leagues was too brief.

“The one thing he did was put himself on the map really early with his performance,” Ross said, “and it’s hard to take them out of the lineup when they do that.”

Now, as the Cubs prepare for an offseason that president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer promised would be spent being “aggressive” filling roster holes “in the best way possible,” Morel’s value is evident from another angle.

From a teambuilding standpoint, his versatility gives the Cubs flexibility when prioritizing holes to fill.

Putting aside their pitching needs for a moment, the Cubs could use fortification in center field, first base and third base – with room to improve up the middle, depending on whether defensive standout Nico Hoerner remains at shortstop next year or moves back to second base.

Morel played centerfield and every infield position but first base this past season. Which is his future?

For assistant coach Jonathan Mota, who works with the infielders and has known Morel since he was a teenager, the answer is all of them at once.

“There’s not many guys in the big-leagues that can do what he does,” Mota said, “the consistency he’s shown at times in each position.”

Mota sees Morel’s potential to develop into a player like Kris Bryant, Chris Taylor or Kik? Hern?ndez.

“If there’s a certain position that they want me to play next year,” Morel said through team interpreter Will Nadal,”or they move me around certain positions, the day that I’m playing each defensive position, I’m going to focus on it as if it’s the position that I’m playing throughout the whole year.”

Morel’s debut season leaves a reasonable expectation for year to year improvement. Injuries to middle infielders Nick Madrigal and Nico Hoerner in mid-May sped up Morel’s introduction to the major leagues.

He was in Double-A but hitting and already on the 40-man roster, which made Morel an easy choice to fill in. Then, he never left.

“My goal was really just to start in the minor leagues and hopefully end up in the big leagues at the end of the season,” he said. “And thanks to God, it did work out. I only lasted more than one in the minors, so it was pretty good.”

Looking ahead to the winter, the length of the major-league season is font-of-mind for Morel on both the mental and physical sides of his offseason work.

Morel homered in his debut and went on a franchise-record 22-game on-base streak to start his career. But he cooled off late in the season, finishing the year with a .235 batting average.

His defensive highs – showcasing his arm strength, athleticism and versatility – were mixed with 10 errors, the most glaring of which came on overthrows in the infield.

“A lot of his inexperience, and the youth, and being in Double-A [when he was called up] has shown at times in the field, and he’s had a lot of growing moments,” Ross said. “But then he’s also come out of those a better baseball player. And he’s a better baseball player here now than he was when he started the season.”

Morel’s already thinking and talking about carrying that theme forward.

“A lot of experiences, a lot of highs and lows,” he said when asked to reflect on his year. “A lot of things that I take with me that I can use for the next season.”

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No. 1 Mount Carmel at No. 2 Loyola, 1:30 p.m. Saturday

The most anticipated game of the season kicks off just hours before the IHSA playoff pairings are revealed, and it will have major seeding implications. Both teams are 8-0 overall, 2-0 in the CCL/ESCC Blue and have steamrolled opponents all year; the only one-score win for either was Mount Carmel’s 28-21 road victory at Brother Rice in Week 6. Both have savvy senior quarterbacks: Mount Carmel’s Blainey Dowling and Loyola’s Jake Stearney, a Holy Cross recruit. Among the other playmakers: running back Darrion Dupree and defensive linemen Asher Tomaszewski and Danny Novickas of Mount Carmel; defensive lineman Brooks Bahr and tight end Jack Parker of Loyola.

No. 14 Crete-Monee at No. 19 Kankakee, 6 p.m. Friday

The Southland title is at stake in this meeting of two teams that are rolling into the playoffs. Crete (6-2, 5-0) has won six straight after opening losses to Lincoln-Way East and defending Indiana Class 2A champ Andrean, while Kankakee (7-1, 5-0) is averaging 45 points a game since losing 2-0 to Nazareth in Week 1. Crete is paced by a pair of multitalented Mid-American Conference recruits: Josh Franklin (Western Michigan) and Lynel Billups-Williams (Miami, Ohio). Four-star Kankakee cornerback Jyaire Hill, the state’s top uncommitted senior, is No. 3 in Illinois and 202nd nationally in the 247Sports composite rankings.

No. 16 St. Charles North at No. 18 Batavia, 7 p.m. Friday

St. Charles North (7-1, 6-0) is looking to win the DuKane outright, while Batavia (6-2, 5-1) is seeking a share of the title with the North Stars and possibly Wheaton North (7-1, 5-1). Drew Surges, who has a couple service academy offers, is a productive two-way player for North with 681 total yards and 70 tackles. Batavia’s defense, led by Power Five linebackers Tyler Jansey (Wisconsin) and Jack Sadowsky (Iowa State), has allowed just 27 points during a five-game winning streak.

No. 10 Marist at No. 23 Brother Rice, 7 p.m. Friday

The Pulaski Road Super Bowl is for playoff seeding as well as bragging rights, with both teams heading in at 5-3 overall, 0-2 in the CCL/ESCC Blue. Converted receiver Dermot Smyth has 1,352 passing yards and a 104.9 quarterback rating for Marist, while Iowa-bound defensive back John Nestor (41 tackles, two interceptions) and lineman Jamel Howard (Wisconsin) lead the defense. Ricealso has a defensive lineman committed to Wisconsin: Roderick Pierce III.

No. 24 St. Francis at IC Catholic, 7:15 p.m. Friday

It’s the unofficial Metro Suburban title game, matching Red champ St. Francis (8-0) and Blue winner IC Catholic (7-1). Two-way lineman TJ McMillen, an Illinois recruit, sets the tone for St. Francis, which is outscoring opponents by an average of 47-9. Versatile junior KJ Parker, who has Iowa and Wisconsin offers, paces IC, whose loss was a one-pointer to Joliet Catholic.

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It isn’t a particularly strong year in the area for quarterbacks. There are several solid high school players but almost a complete lack of top college prospects in the senior class.

That makes Aidan Gray a unique weapon for Naperville North. The Northwestern recruit is the only quarterback among the state’s top 20 prospects in the Class of 2023.

Gray led the Huskies to a dominant 31-3 road win against rival Naperville Central on Thursday.

He was 16-for 21-passing for 131 yards with one interception. Gray is comfortable and composed in the pocket and showcased a strong, accurate arm. But there was an added dimension to his game on Thursday.

The 6-3, 200-pounder had 14 carries for 70 yards. Gray looked like a quarterback that enjoyed running the ball, regularly picking up a handful of extra yards after that first hit.

“We haven’t been showing that much,” Naperville North coach Sean Drendel said. “It was something we wanted to unveil as the season went on. He’s not afraid of contact and he’s not afraid to play hard. He’s a special kid.”

Naperville Central (6-3, 4-2 DuPage Valley) beat the Huskies (7-2, 4-2) in a low-scoring, 10-7 game in Week 6. The Redhawks also knocked Naperville North out of the playoffs last season. The natural rivals are a little too well-acquainted.

“At this point we have figured each other out and know everyone’s tendencies,” Gray said. “So it’s just down to being the tougher person on each play. We had a lot of emotion built up for this game because we felt like we didn’t give it our all the first time we played.”

Naperville Central managed a field goal on the opening drive of the game. It was all Naperville North from then on.

Danny Eloe (six carries, 64 yards), Cole Arl (six carries, 25 yards) and Nathan Jacobs (six carries, 44 yards) all scored short touchdown runs and Arl added a 12-yard TD run in the third quarter.

Naperville Central had an effective run game with Tyler Dodd rushing 16 times for 70 yards.

Quarterback Chris McCormack was 8 of 17 passing for 93 yards with two interceptions. McCormack and Dodd connected for a 47-yard pass in the first half but that was the only big play the Redhawks managed.

“It was a great defensive effort,” junior safety/wide receiver Luke Williams, who had three catches and an interception, said. “We had some determination to get revenge after what happened earlier in the season.”

Drendel pointed out in his postgame remarks to the team that the Huskies haven’t played a game in November since 2010.

“We’re trying to make the season last as long as possible,” Gray said. “We believe we have all the pieces to get down to Champaign. The seniors are all making great memories and the juniors want it for us a lot and that’s why we’ve been successful this year.”

The DuPage Valley hasn’t had a highly-ranked team for most of the season, which is unusual. Naperville North, Naperville Central, DeKalb and Neuqua Valley have all beaten up on each other.

“There are four really good teams in the conference,” Drendel said. “I wouldn’t want to be playing us right now.”

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It was once a target of nationwide protests and of what critics, including Chance the Rapper, called a symbol of then-Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s misplaced spending priorities.

Now, as the city’s expanded and more costly police and fire training academy nears completion, it’s seen by some as a source of excitement and possibility for a West Garfield Park community no longer forgotten.

Ald. Emma Mitts (37th) then bragged indirectly about the project (“a beautiful place,” she called it) she fought so hard to bring to the 4400 block of West Chicago Avenue in her impoverished West Side ward.

“I want to know now from you, what are your plans once you come into the new fire academy that’s being built in my ward?” Mitts asked.

Nance-Holt said it’s “very exciting” to think about the training that can be offered at the state-of-the-art facility.

“It’ll be a soft launch for a lot of us. They’re still going through a lot of training. Getting to know the building,” Nance-Holt said.

There will be opportunities for firefighters to train with each other and also with other first responders, she added. That includes special operations teams and CTA training, she said.

There’s also “a model city” with shells of buildings, and an ambulance, “which is very exciting, too, so they can have real-life experience being on an ambulance,” she said.

“Our recruits get trained there. We’re looking at promotional training there. We’re looking at executive development training for our staff as well. .. And being there by the [new] Boys & Girls Club is actually a benefit, too, because now, we can interact with those young people … and try to give them some insight into what we do and maybe considering doing what firefighters and paramedics do every day.”

Last summer, the City Council agreed to lease 20,000 square feet of land on the 34-acre-campus to the Boys & Girls Clubs of Chicago at $1 a year for up to 75 years.

That paved the way for an $8 million, 18,000-square-foot youth development center, separated from the academy by an open-air plaza.

At the time, Mitts called it a “history-making moment” for a West Side that desperately needs youth programming to provide a constructive outlet for young people.

“When I first came in, the first thing I asked for was a youth center for our children. It took me 21 years,” Mitts said that day.

Without mentioning the #NoCopAcademy movement by name, Mitts noted Thursday some had asked, “Why have a Boys & Girls Club next to a public safety academy?”

“Why not, I say? They can’t be what they can’t see,” Mitts said.

She told Nance-Holt: “I am so glad to hear you echo that same sentiment. We have to look for the positive. We can’t look for the negative.”

The value of having the club next to the academy became evident later in the hearing, when Ald. Jeanette Taylor (20th) hammered Nance-Holt about the shortage of minorities in the fire department — despite repeated outreach.

“We have all been out there trying to recruit. [But] I’ve found a lot of our youth don’t want to do this job,” the commissioner told Taylor.

“I need to take you with me in my car when I go talk to young people in high schools, and they look at me and go, ‘I don’t want to do that. I ain’t doin’ that. Are you crazy? I ain’t going in a fire.’ “

A $33 million “mock neighborhood” pushed the cost past the original $95 million.

The “tactical scenario village,” sort of like a movie set, includes a pretend city block complete with a six-story burn tower and a car crash area to simulate emergency rescues.

“The areas where they do the training on the upper floors — if you had a fire, a true-scenario, once they destroy, how long are you looking for the rebuild so that you can keep it going?” Mitts asked.

District Chief of Special Operations Jamar Sullivan said the burn tower is built with “very resilient material that can actually withstand repeated use.”

Mayor Lori Lightfoot was president of the Police Board in March 2018 when she said locating the facility “in this high-crime, impoverished neighborhood, where relations between the police and the community are fraught, without a clear plan for community engagement, is a mistake.”

But in June 2019, a month after taking office, she toured the academy, watched recruits apprehend mock suspects in a dark hallway, and said she came away convinced a new academy is essential.

“This is gonna be a significant investment on the West Side that desperately needs investment, but if we’re gonna make that kind of investment, I want to get it right. I want it to be the best-in-class training facility for first responders anywhere in the country. That’s what we ought to aspire to,” she said on that day.

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