Chicago Sports

Former Bears QB Mitch Trubisky helps lead Steelers to upset win

Mitch Trubisky replaces Kenny Pickett and leads Steelers to upset win

Former Chicago Bears quarterback Mitch Trubisky was benched a few weeks back in favor of rookie Kenny Pickett in Pittsburgh. But it didn’t take long for Trubisky to find his way back into the game and help lead a big upset in the process.

On Sunday, Trubisky came in relief of Pickett who took a big hit and had to leave the game due to an injury against Tampa Bay. That forced Trubisky to get back into the game and the quarterback played well.

Trubisky completed 9 of his 12 attempts for 144 yards and a touchdown, appearing in the second half of the 20-18 win:

Mitch Trubisky off the bench vs the Bucs:

⚫️ 9/12 (75%)
🟡 144 yards
⚫️ 12.0 YPA
🟡 1 TD
⚫️ 0 INTs
🟡 142.4 passer rating pic.twitter.com/gzeZtkv3OA

— PFF PIT Steelers (@PFF_Steelers) October 16, 2022

Will Mitch Trubisky start in Week 7?

Pickett was being evaluated for a concussion which is why he had to leave the game. So he will have to clear protocol before he can play in Week 7.

If Pickett can’t go, the Steelers will turn to Trubisky for the Sunday Night Football matchup at Miami.

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Former Bears QB Jay Cutler had special gift for Tennessee after beating Alabama

Former Bears QB Jay Cutler gifted cigars to Tennessee after beating Alabama

Saturday was one of the best days in college football in recent memory, headlined by Tennessee ending a long losing streak and beating Alabama for the first time in 15 years.

Following the game, an epic celebration ensued including taking the goal posts out of the stadium and dumping them into the Tennessee River.  And a former Chicago Bears quarterback had a role in that celebration after the game.

Per Ross Dellenger of Sports Illustrated, Jay Cutler supplied the Vols with the victory cigars following the win and had a good reason why:

One of the people who supplied the Tennessee football team with cigars was none other than Jay Cutler, the former Vanderbilt QB.
Why did he do it?
“He wanted us to beat Bama,” says a Vols administrator.

The former Vanderbilt quarterback had some respect for the fellow in-state program and really wanted them to enjoy the celebration.

Cutler took the Smokin’ Jay nickname to a whole new level.

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High school football: Four Downs, news and notes from Week 8

Simeon’s undefeated run has been keyed by some major stars and big-time college prospects: Malik Elzy, Andre Crews, Christopher Burgess Jr. and Mikeshun Beeler.

The Wolverines have large, athletic and talented lines and game-breakers at several key offensive positions. Dante Culbreath’s squad also has a weapon that very few Public League teams have had over the past few decades: a quality kicker.

Senior Amusat Pelumi arrived in Chicago from Nigeria in 2018. He was a soccer player at that point. Last year he learned how to kick a football and he made Simeon’s varsity team during tryouts this season.

“My dad and I came here because we felt like we had to change some stuff,” Pelumi said. “And one of those changes was switching from soccer to football. I wanted to do something unique.”

Simeon has mostly played blowout games this season, so Pelumi hasn’t had a high-pressure kick. But his long extra points turned several heads in the win against Morgan Park on Saturday at Gately Stadium.

Pelumi is 3 for 3 on field goals this season. He made two from 30 yards and one from 28. He’s only missed one extra point. Culbreath says Pelumi is consistent from about 40 yards in practice.

“We’ve been working diligently with him and our special teams because he’s going to be important in the playoffs,” Culbreath said. “His teammates love him. He speaks so differently and teaches them things about Nigeria so it’s been good to have him on the team.”

Player of the Year update

It’s probably a stretch to say it has been an exciting Player of the Year race this season, but two of the top candidates had big games in Week 8.

Prairie Ridge quarterback Tyler Vasey rushed for more than 300 yards and five touchdowns in a 48-41 win against Crystal Lake South.

Prospect junior Brad Vierneisel was one of the few quarterbacks in the area that was able to succeed in Friday’s rain. He was 13 for 14 for 165 yards and three touchdowns against Wheeling.

Underrated rivalry

The Oswego vs. Oswego East football game is one of the area’s hidden gems. It’s relatively young at just 18 years, but the game is usually a sellout and there is a traveling trophy. The game means something.

This seasons was especially important. Oswego East came back to win 35-21 to knock Oswego (3-5) out of playoff contention. The Panthers haven’t missed the playoffs since 2010.

Oswego East running back Tre Jones ran for more than 250 yards and scored four touchdowns to lead the Wolves (5-3) to the win.

The big one

Mount Carmel at Loyola has been circled on the calendar all season long. Both teams have taken care of business and are undefeated heading into the showdown in Wilmette on Saturday. The Caravan has been No. 1 all season and Loyola has spent most of the year at No. 2. The U will televise the game live.

Here’s one factor to keep in mind: Michael Baker has developed into a secret weapon for the Ramblers. He kicked a 56-yard field goal against St. Patrick in Week 8. That’s tied for the fifth-longest in state history.

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Analyzing the Bears through 6 games

One-third of the way through the 18-week season — the Bears play 17 games and have one bye –Sun-Times reporter Patrick Finley issues a report card:

What is Matt Eberflus’ grade through 6 games?

C. As expected– and demanded by his H.I.T.S. system — Eberflus coaches a team that plays hard on every snap.They’ve yet to fracture despite a disparity in performance between the defense, which is competent, and the offense, which is not. But the Bears’ main goal this season is to develop Fields into a franchise quarterback –and they’re stuck in the mud on that front.

Is Justin Fields getting better or worse?

The numbers say he’s getting worse. Fields is averaging fewer yards per game and has a lower passer rating this year than last season. His sack rate and interception rate are higher this year than last. The Bears, though, are treating this season as a 17-game test, and quarterback growth is rarely incremental. If Fields can figure it out — and if his coaches can find the best way to use him — those numbers can flip quickly.

What is one change the Bears must make offensively?

The Bears need to find a way to better protect Fields schematically. That means more screens and quick throws, play-action passes that get him moving and cut the field in half and — yes — handing the ball off on some obvious passing downs. The only thing worse for the franchise than Fields struggling is him sitting on the sideline, injured. They must find a way to get him to Week 17 intact.

What is the biggest problem facing the Bears overall?

The same problem facing them in March and August –and one that they’ll still have to deal with in November, December and January: they lack the offensive playmakers to properly evaluate Fields. Velus Jones’ fumbles aren’t making their decision to pass on drafting a receiver in Round 2 look any smarter.

What has been the best surprise?

This season is about finding players who can star on the next good Bears team. Running back Khalil Herbert has proven he can start in 2023 and beyond.

Whathas been the biggest disappointment?

Defensive end Robert Quinn has one sack after setting a franchise record with 18.5 last year. Quinn is one of the few valuable pieces the Bears could trade by the Nov. 1 deadline. They need him to show signs of life first.

What is your revised prediction of the Bears’ final record?

Still 6-11. If we’ve learned anything about the NFL this season, it’s that, short of a half-dozen teams, anyone can be mediocre in a given week.

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High school football schedule: Week 9

Please send additions or corrections to [email protected].

Wednesday, October 19

RED NORTH-CENTRAL

Steinmetz vs. Senn at Winnemac, 3:45

Thursday, October 20

RED CENTRAL

Rowe-Clark vs. Pritzker at Lane, 7:15

Woodlawn vs. Hansberry at Stagg, 3:45

RED NORTH-CENTRAL

Lake View vs. Von Steuben at Winnemac, 3:45

RED SOUTH-CENTRAL

Dunbar at Perspectives, 7

RED SOUTHEAST

Comer vs. Vocational at Eckersall, 3:45

South Shore vs. Corliss at Gately, 7:15

RED WEST

Kennedy vs. Little Village at Rockne, 4:15

Raby vs. Bulls Prep at Rockne, 7:15

BLUE CENTRAL

Noble Street vs. Golder at Lane, 4:15

DUPAGE VALLEY

Naperville North at Naperville Central, 7

Neuqua Valley at Metea Valley, 7

Waubonsie Valley at DeKalb, 7

SOUTH SUBURBAN BLUE

Hillcrest at Oak Forest, 6

Lemont at TF South, 6

TF North at Tinley Park, 6

SOUTH SUBURBAN RED

Evergreen Park at Argo, 6

Reavis at Richards, 7

Shepard at Eisenhower, 7

WEST SUBURBAN GOLD

Hinsdale South at Addison Trail, 6

Morton at Willowbrook, 7:30

WEST SUBURBAN SILVER

York at Oak Park-River Forest, 6

NONCONFERENCE

Oak Lawn at Bremen, 6

Young vs. Hubbard at Gately, 4:15

Friday, October 21

RED CENTRAL

UIC Prep at Speer, 7:15

RED NORTH-CENTRAL

Schurz vs. Sullivan at Winnemac, 3:45

RED SOUTHEAST

Goode vs. Dyett at Eckersall, 3:45

Julian vs. Carver at Gately, 4:15

RED WEST

Lincoln Park vs. Crane at Rockne, 7:15

North Lawndale vs. Payton at Lane, 4:15

CCL-ESCC BLUE

Marist at Brother Rice, 7

CCL-ESCC GREEN

Nazareth vs. Benet at Benedictine, 7

Notre Dame at St. Rita, 7:30

CCL-ESCC ORANGE

Montini at Joliet Catholic, 7:30

St. Laurence at Providence, 7:30

CCL-ESCC PURPLE

Carmel at Marian Catholic, 7:30

CCL-ESCC WHITE

Marmion at De La Salle, 7

St. Ignatius vs. Fenwick at Triton, 7:30

CENTRAL SUBURBAN NORTH

Deerfield at Niles North, 7

Highland Park at Maine West, 6:30

Maine East at Vernon Hills, 6

CENTRAL SUBURBAN SOUTH

Evanston at Glenbrook South, 7

Glenbrook North at Niles West, 7

New Trier at Maine South, 7

DUKANE

Geneva at Lake Park, 7:30

St. Charles East at Wheaton North, 7

St. Charles North at Batavia, 7

Wheaton-Warrenville South at Glenbard North, 7

FOX VALLEY

Burlington Central at McHenry, 7

Crystal Lake Central at Prairie Ridge, 7

Crystal Lake South at Huntley, 7

Dundee-Crown at Jacobs, 7

Hampshire at Cary-Grove, 7

ILLINOIS CENTRAL EIGHT

Coal City at Streator, 7

Herscher at Reed-Custer, 7

Lisle at Peotone, 7

Manteno at Wilmington, 7

KISHWAUKEE BLUE

Harvard at Johnsburg, 7

Plano at Marengo, 7

Richmond-Burton at Rochelle, 7

KISHWAUKEE WHITE

LaSalle-Peru at Kaneland, 7

Morris at Sycamore, 7

Woodstock at Ottawa, 7

MID-SUBURBAN EAST

Buffalo Grove at Hersey, 7

Elk Grove at Wheeling, 7

Prospect at Rolling Meadows, 7

MID-SUBURBAN WEST

Barrington at Fremd, 7:30

Hoffman Estates at Palatine, 7:30

Schaumburg at Conant, 7:30

NORTH SUBURBAN

Lake Forest at Mundelein, 7

Lake Zurich at Waukegan, 7

Libertyville at Stevenson, 7

Zion-Benton at Warren, 7

NORTHERN LAKE COUNTY

Antioch at Round Lake, 7

Grant at North Chicago, 7

Grayslake Central at Lakes, 7

Wauconda at Grayslake North, 7

SOUTHLAND

Kankakee at Crete-Monee, 6

Thornwood at Thornridge, 5

SOUTHWEST PRAIRIE EAST

Joliet Central at Plainfield Central, 6:30

Joliet West at Plainfield South, 7

Romeoville at Plainfield East, 7

SOUTHWEST PRAIRIE WEST

Minooka at West Aurora, 7

Oswego East at Plainfield North, 7

Yorkville at Oswego, 7

UPSTATE EIGHT

Elgin at Glenbard South, 7

Fenton at East Aurora, 7

Glenbard East at Bartlett, 7

South Elgin at Streamwood, 7:30

West Chicago at Larkin, 7

VERMILION VALLEY NORTH

Clifton Central at Momence, 7

Dwight at Seneca, 7

Watseka at Iroquois West, 7

NONCONFERENCE

Aurora Christian at Wheaton Academy, 7:30

Chicago Christian at Ridgewood, 7:15

Clark vs. Curie at Rockne, 4:15

DePaul Prep at Marian Central, 7:30

Homewood-Flossmoor at Lincoln-Way West, 7:30

Lincoln-Way East at Bradley-Bourbonnais, 7

Lockport at Andrew, 7

Ottawa Marquette at Sherrard, 7

Phillips vs. Kenwood at Lane, 7:15

Riverside-Brookfield at Bishop McNamara, 7:15

Sandburg at Lincoln-Way Central, 7:30

St. Edward at Elmwood Park, 6

St. Francis at IC Catholic, 7:15

Stagg at Bolingbrook, 7

Taft vs. Morgan Park at Gately, 7:15

Walther Christian at Christ the King, 7:30

Westmont at Aurora Central, 7

Woodstock North at Hope Academy, 7:30

Saturday, October 22

RED CENTRAL

Catalyst-Maria vs. Rauner at Lane, 1

RED NORTH-CENTRAL

Amundsen vs. Mather at Winnemac, 1

RED SOUTH-CENTRAL

Bogan vs. King at Eckersall, 10 a.m.

Chicago Richards vs. Ag. Science at Gately, 10 a.m.

UP-Bronzeville vs. Hyde Park at Eckersall, 1

BLUE CENTRAL

Butler vs. Noble Academy at Lane, 10 a.m.

Longwood vs. Muchin at Rockne, 1

CCL-ESCC BLUE

Mount Carmel at Loyola, 1:30

CCL-ESCC PURPLE

St. Viator vs. St. Patrick at Triton, 1

SOUTHLAND

Bloom at Thornton, noon

WEST SUBURBAN GOLD

Leyden at Downers Grove South, 1

WEST SUBURBAN SILVER

Downers Grove North at Lyons, noon

Glenbard West at Hinsdale Central, noon

NONCONFERENCE

Lane vs. Simeon at Gately, 1

Proviso East at Proviso West, 1

Rich Township vs. Leo at St. Rita, 1

Westinghouse at Brooks, 1

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Firefighter among 6 hospitalized after crash on Eisenhower Expressway

A firefighter was among six people hospitalized after a crash on the Eisenhower Expressway, according to Chicago Fire Department officials.

The firefighter was taken to the Rush University Medical Center, where he was in fair-to-serious condition, officials said.

Five others were taken to Stroger and Mount Sinai Hospitals, officials said. Their conditions ranged from fair to critical.

Six others at the scene refused medical attention, authorities said.

Further information wasn’t immediately available.

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Bulls guard Zach LaVine feeling like knee problems are behind him

It was Zach LaVine’s damned if you do, damned if you don’t moment.

Late into the 2021-22 campaign, the Bulls guard was entering his first offseason as being an unrestricted free agent with a huge payday awaiting, but also finally being on a team that was playoff bound for the first time in his eight-year career.

All the while, his injured left knee was betraying him on a daily basis.

His choice was to play through it, publicly downplay the severity even at the cost of performance, and deal with the consequences.

“Me at 80%, 70%, whatever it is, I’m still one of the best players in the NBA and damn sure one of the best players on the court when we play,” LaVine insisted last March.

Admirable, but not entirely true, as he wasn’t even the best player on his own team in that second half.

The Sun-Times reported in April that LaVine was actually operating closer to 50%, as the source went on to say that getting him ready for games was an almost all-day procedure.

Fast forward to the start of this upcoming NBA season, and LaVine sounded like a man that had a bunch of weight lifted off his shoulders.

Then again, getting a max contract for $215 million over the next five years has that effect.

“I just feel good,” LaVine told reporters after playing in three of the four preseason games.

And not just because of his new tax bracket, but because of the cleanup surgery last spring that now has him playing basketball without limitations.

“I think that’s been the main thing, not having any aches and pains, and being able to go out there and really play without any limitations in my own mind, like, ‘OK, I can’t go left,’ or ‘I might not be able to dunk on this play.’ ” LaVine said. “You’re not supposed to be thinking that way when you play basketball. I dealt with that a lot last year.”

And it showed.

LaVine came out of the 2021 summer with Team USA looking like a player that finally understood the importance of dominating on the offensive end, but also being an irritant on the other side of the floor.

In his Olympic run to a gold medal, LaVine’s role on that team was to pick the opposing guard up full-court and disrupt the offense.

A mindset that he kept at the start of the Bulls season.

Between LaVine, Lonzo Ball and Alex Caruso, the Bulls backcourt started off last year as a nightly headache for the opposition. Whether it was turning teams over and getting out in transition or simple deflections to mess up the timing, the Bulls were among the top of both the steals and deflections categories.

By the end of November, however, LaVine’s left knee started acting up, and his defensive numbers plummeted each month after that.

With the surgery and rehab now in his rear view mirror, there are still question marks entering the tip-off with the Heat in Miami, as well as no clear-cut plan on how LaVine and the coaching staff will handle his workload this year.

“I’m going to still do some maintenance,” LaVine said of the knee. “That’s just the truth about it. I’m going to have to manage it and go through different things before and after practice to make sure I’m feeling good every day, but that’s life in basketball and guys get older – I’ve had two knee surgeries now – and I have to understand that I have to do the little extra things to make sure I’m feeling my best every game.”

What will this latest version of LaVine exactly look like on both ends of the floor? Wednesday night on South Beach will be a good place to start answering that question.

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High school football: Michael O’Brien’s Super 25 rankings for Week 9

Week 8 may have been the dullest week of the season. There weren’t any matchups between ranked teams other than Simeon vs. Morgan Park. It’s the calm before the storm.

Today’s task was simple. Almost everything stayed the same. Neuqua Valley drops out after losing 14-0 to DeKalb. Morgan Park is gone after losing to Simeon.

Brother Rice makes its season debut. I knew the Crusaders belonged after watching them beat Joliet Catholic last week but couldn’t squeeze them in until now. Every team in the CCL/ESCC Blue is ranked in the Super 25.

Sycamore is the other new entry. I was impressed with the Spartans when I saw them play Fenwick in the playoffs last season and have been keeping an eye on them. Sycamore’s 35-7 win against DeKalb in Week 1 looks even more impressive now.

South Elgin, Wauconda, Reed-Custer and Richmond-Burton are all unbeaten and outside the Super 25.

Week 9’s Super 25

1. Mount Carmel (8-0) 1Saturday at No. 2 Loyola

2. Loyola (8-0) 2Saturday vs. No. 1 Mount Carmel

3. Lincoln-Way East (8-0) 3Friday at Bradley-Bourbonnais

4. York (8-0) 4Thursday at Oak Park

5. Simeon (8-0) 5Saturday vs. Lane at Gately

6. Glenbard West (7-1) 6Saturday at Hindale Central

7. Hersey (8-0) 7Friday vs. Buffalo Grove

8. Lemont (8-0) 8Thursday at TF South

9. Prospect (7-1) 9Friday at Rolling Meadows

10. Marist (5-3) 10Friday at Brother Rice

11. St. Rita (6-2) 11Friday vs. Notre Dame

12. Warren (7-1) 12Friday vs. Zion-Benton

13. Maine South (6-2) 13Friday vs. New Trier

14. Crete-Monee (6-2) 14Friday vs. No. 19 Kankakee

15. Prairie Ridge (7-1) 16Friday vs. Crystal Lake Central

16. St. Charles North (7-1) 17Friday at No. 18 Batavia

17. Wheaton North (7-1) 18Friday vs. St. Charles East

18. Batavia (6-2) 19Friday vs. No. 16 St. Charles North

19. Kankakee (7-1) 20Friday at No. 14 Crete-Monee

20. Lake Zurich (7-1) 21Friday at Waukegan

21. Plainfield North (8-0) 22Friday vs. Oswego East

22. Naperville Central (6-2) 23Friday vs. Naperville North

23. Brother Rice (5-3) NRFriday vs. No. 10 Marist

24. St. Francis (8-0) 25Friday at IC Catholic

25. Sycamore (8-0) NRFriday vs. Morris

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Tom Brady won’t retire to save marriage. That’s the allure of sports.

Every once in a while, real life intrudes on sports in a way that makes me smile, not because I’m drawn to darkness but because it brings out a type of reporting not typically seen in the sports pages.

Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady and his wife, supermodel Gisele Bundchen, reportedly are having marital problems. A sportswriter would make note of that out of journalistic duty but only in the context of how the stress might affect Brady’s play each week. What the exasperated scribe really would like to ask is what any of this nonsense has to do with zone coverage or a particularly nasty defensive line.

Here’s what Us Weekly wrote about the matter:

“Gisele and Tom’s friends are upset at Tom for going back on his word and coming out of retirement. They hate the way Tom is refusing to bend for Gisele.”

Every quote in every gossip story ever written has had the exact same tone. In fact, I think the same “friend” is commenting on the Khardashians, Prince Harry, and now Tom and Gisele. Brady’s refusal to bend on retirement might sound bad for the relationship, but I’m here to tell you that the situation has taken an ominous turn. The other day, Bundchen reacted to a social media post from Jay Shetty, whom Us Weekly referred to as a “purpose coach.” On an unrelated note, I love this country.

“You can’t be in a committed relationship with someone who is inconsistent with you,” Shetty posted. “Read that again.”

Not only did Bundchen “like” the post, she replied with the prayer hands emoji. The hands were next-level stuff.

I can save everybody, gossip writer and sportswriter alike, a lot of time and trouble. The first thing to understand is that professional athletes tend to be selfish and self-centered. The second is that none of them want to retire. That Brady is 45 doesn’t lessen any of that. So it doesn’t matter what the couple’s friends say about him or what a guru has to say about a healthy relationship.

Brady wanted to keep playing football, which is why he unretired soon after retiring following the 2021 season, much to the frustration of Bundchen. She and her two children should be frustrated, but why did they expect anything different from him? Because he said things would be different? The word this guy has used most in his life is “hut.”

Longevity is a decent possibility in many professions but not in professional sports. The competitive window is open a crack for most athletes, until it closes on their fingers, and then, well, it was good knowing you. The rest of life is staring at them at 30. Retirement is hard enough for everyday people wondering what comes after 65.

Thanks to advances in equipment, nutrition and training methods, more athletes are able to stay competitive into their mid- to late 30s. Then there’s Brady, who seems to have made it his life’s work to look and act young. He’s in his 23rd NFL season. He helped the Buccaneers win a Super Bowl in the 2020 season. It was his seventh title. You say he looks young, I say he looks like he’s been dipped in wax but let’s agree that whatever he’s doing, it’s working.

For all the time and energy we humans spend being envious of sports stars’ lives, cars and money, theirs is a strange existence post-career. To have what you do best taken away from you because the calendar keeps moving – not because you did anything wrong – seems cruel.

I’m guessing that many of you are saying you’d love to have their unconventional lives. And their mansions. But after retirement, what would you do with that thing you do best? Where do you put it? In a basketball league at the YMCA? In a flag-football league at the park? Or in a trophy case in the basement? It’s weird, and maybe the weirdest part is that you know the end is coming even in the earliest stages of your career. It’s out there like an escaped killer. There’s a short shelf life to what you do. If you’re really, really good and really, really lucky, it’ll match the life expectancy of a beagle.

For many of us, graduating from college means the party’s over. Now what? A job. Responsibility. It’s different for retired athletes. The party’s over, but there’s no need for a job. Someone else, usually a spouse, already handles the day-to-day responsibilities, such as raising the children.

It’s why the same question – now what? – can be terrifying.

Many athletes hang on way too long because they have absolutely no idea what to do with themselves outside of their sport. They have no other skills or can’t imagine having any other skills. Their gift is how they make their money, but it’s more than that. It’s their essence, their identity. So in a blink, they go from being a big deal to someone who isn’t quite as big a deal anymore. They play in celebrity golf tournaments. They appear at autograph shows. Some stay close to their sport through coaching, management or broadcasting. They’re near the limelight, can reach out and touch it, but they can’t perform in it.

My reaction to “The Last Dance,” the 2020 ESPN documentary about Michael Jordan, was how alone he seems all these years later. Alone in his accomplishments. Alone in his need to be recognized as the best ever. Alone as the owner of the Hornets. Nothing can fill the hole of his playing career, so he keeps fighting to keep the memory of it alive.

We were blessed to witness it, just as we’re blessed to be able to witness the last years of Brady’s career. When it’s over, we’ll move on. Can he?

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Second quarter blues is killing the Chicago Bears

Struggles during the 2nd quarter offer a window into the woes of the Chicago Bears for this season

After six games, the Chicago Bears find themselves saddled with a losing record at 2-4, even though each of the past three contests was a winnable game.

There’s plenty of debate about the reasons for the Bears’ current struggles. However, one odd factor in this slump is the team’s futility once the second quarter gets underway.

Moving from one side of the field to the other shouldn’t bring with it a burdensome struggle. Yet, once the second quarter comes around, the Chicago Bears go into hibernation on both sides of the ball.

Numbers Don’t Lie for Chicago Bears

The clearest evidence of this issue can be seen by the fact that the Bears have been outscored 59-13 in the second quarter in their first six games. In half of those contests, they haven’t been able to muster any type of score.

It would be easy to point the finger in the direction of the Bears’ offense, especially given more clear-cut numbers. In their 101 plays from scrimmage during the second quarter thus far, the Bears are averaging just 3.81 yards per play.

However, opponents are averaging 6.20 yards on each play, which means that the Bears’ defense has also had lapses that have put the team in a hole. The contrast in yardage helps explain at least part of the issue involved but not all of the problem.

During the Bears’ first two games of 2022, their yards-per-play average was even lower as they gained just 40 total yards on 25 plays during that fateful second period.

Some how, some way the Chicago Bears won, 19 to 10 over San Francisco in Chicago, today, in Week 1 of the 2022 NFL regular season. In head coach Matt Eberflus first game Chicago, at one point, had only 26 total yards after 20 plays in the second quarter.

That number has since improved but missed opportunities have short-circuited any chance to make an impact on the scoreboard.

For example, a 12-play drive covering 50 yards against the Houston Texans netted only a field goal. The following week, a fumble stopped one drive that had gained 53 yards, while recovery of a fumble in Giants’ territory resulted in a field goal.

Thursday night’s debacle against the Washington Commanders put added emphasis on this struggle when Khalil Herbert’s 64-yard scamper put the ball at the Washington six-yard line. Not long after, a goal-line stand resulted in the Bears once again watching a scoring chance disappear.

This goal line stand means there still has not been a touchdown scored on Thursday night football in the month of October. #Bears #Commanders #NoTouchdownOctober https://t.co/kagN4VNLmY

Looking at the scoring in other quarters finds that the Bears have outscored their opponents in the third quarter, 36-12. That suggests that they’re able to make effective adjustments on both sides of the ball.

Finding a way to quickly adapt at the end of the opening quarter might be a project for the Bears to consider, given that they have over 10 days to figure something out. Whatever playoff visions Matt Eberflus and his Chicago Bears staff might have right now continue to slip away while this problem remains.

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