Chicago Sports

SAN JOSE, Calif. — The Blackhawks’ Philipp Kurashev and the Sharks’ Timo Meier were chatting after a Team Switzerland practice during the world championships in May in Finland when they realized something.

Their summer homes in Switzerland were 10 minutes away from each other.

“I was a little surprised when I found out he’s in the same area where I grew up,” Meier said. “It was kind of funny. I told him: ‘Why didn’t you tell me earlier? We could’ve trained together.'”

That’s exactly what ended up happening. The 23-year-old Hawks winger and 26-year-old Sharks winger trained together throughout the offseason in Herisau, a village of about 16,000 residents in the northeast corner of the country.

“We spent almost every day together, just going for lunch and hanging out,” Kurashev said. “We really enjoyed the summer.”

For Meier, the summer was mostly about maintaining the level he reached last season, when he set career highs with 35 goals and 76 points and led the Sharks handily in both categories.

Meier is an established star at this point, and another productive season — even on a Sharks team expected to struggle — could set him up for a sizable raise on his current $6 million salary-cap hit as a restricted free agent next summer.

For Kurashev, however, the idea in the offseason was to prepare himself for a breakout season in 2022-23.

His 37 points in 121 games in his first two NHL seasons don’t jump off the page, but he has shown some intriguing flashes of higher-end upside. His elusiveness, puckhandling ability and vision as a playmaker set him apart from the Hawks’ horde of grinders.

Kurashev is primed to receive plenty of opportunities to take that next step this season. He already is playing on the second power-play unit. And although he has skated on the third line so far at even strength — that slotted him alongside Sam Lafferty and new addition Jason Dickinson on Saturday against the Sharks — a promotion into the top six and even some time next to Patrick Kane would make sense.

“A guy like that should probably be watching [Bruins star Patrice] Bergeron every night,” Hawks coach Luke Richardson recently said of Kurashev. “That’s what he should try to build his game around. A dependable guy on both ends of the rink, play on the power play, play on the [penalty kill] and play against the top lines in the league and be effective.”

Bergeron is an ambitious comparison. But if Kurashev can grow even into a Meier-like player, it would be a massive boon to the Hawks’ rebuild. And Meier sees that potential.

“He has a really good shot, so once he feels comfortable getting in those areas where he can get the shot off and not overthink things, [he can] just let it rip and give it a chance to go in,” Meier said. ”He has an unbelievable skill set. For him, it’s just [about] finding that comfortableness and playing in all three zones. He has a real bright future ahead of him.”

Meier’s 262 even-strength scoring chances last season ranked second in the NHL to the Maple Leafs’ Auston Matthews, and many of those were generated by his willingness to drive toward the crease and get in dangerous spots. He helped Kurashev improve in that regard during the offseason.

For the most part, however, they trained as equals. Meier discovered that beneath Kurashev’s reserved outward personality is a tenacious motor, and some of their drills became intense and physical.

“You have to get to know him a little better to see the true personality that’s behind all that,” Meier said. “He’s a competitive guy. He likes to have fun and joke around, but he’s also a guy that’s very, very focused, just like myself.

“We have goals we want to reach, sometimes almost a little too much. We’re both people that sometimes have to take a step back and relax and take a deep breath. In some ways, [with] how we train hard and have visions about where we want to be, we have the same mentality.”

Added Kurashev: “He’s a competitive guy, too. Every small thing, we were competing. Sometimes it got really competitive, but that’s fun. That’s how you learn the most.”

They’ve stayed in close touch since returning to North America for the NHL season, texting with or calling each other most days.

Their schedules didn’t align well enough for a reunion dinner Friday because the Sharks were hosting the Hurricanes while the Hawks enjoyed a day off in San Jose, but they planned to catch up after their teams played Saturday. And they’ll continue following each other’s seasons closely the rest of the way.

“I hope, for him, that it works out,” Meier said. “If he keeps working the way he was this summer, I’m sure Blackhawks fans are going to have fun watching him.”

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The Bears are on a pseudo-bye week after losing to the Commanders on Thursday and have a chance to reassess before they resume Oct. 24 at the Patriots. After six games, here are the biggest questions they face:

What is Matt Eberflus’ grade through 6 games?C-. Even taking into account that this is the onset of a rebuild and he is working with limited personnel, it’s concerning that the run defense is so bad and that quarterback Justin Fields hasn’t advanced. This team isn’t a contender, but Eberflus can prove something by fixing the offensive line, doing some problem solving on defense and facilitating some strides by Fields.

Is Justin Fields getting better or worse?Fields has looked good at times, but that was true of him as a rookie as well. His game against the Vikings looked like progress, but the follow-up against the Commanders was a dud. And the deficiencies on the offensive line and at wide receiver are working against him through the process.

What is one change the Bears must make offensively?The offensive line can’t stay the same. Newcomer Alex Leatherwood was a first-round pick in 2021 and needs to play against the Patriots. Look for him at right guard. Lucas Patrick needs to get back to his intended position at center.

What is the biggest problem facing the Bears overall?Their run defense. It’s ruining everything they hoped to accomplish defensively. The goal of every defense is to create obvious passing situations, and that’s not happening often because teams are running so effectively against the Bears. If they tighten that up and force more third-and-longs, that allows their pass rush to get going and that’s the best formula for takeaways.

What has been the best surprise so far?The safeties. After years of pairing Eddie Jackson with league-minimum players, the Bears found him a perfect partner in rookie Jaquan Brisker. There were high expectations on Brisker because he was a second-round pick, but there’s rarely certainty that a rookie will play this well this soon. And Jackson, once thought to be likely headed out the door, is reasserting himself as part of the Bears’ future.

What has been the biggest disappointment so far?The wide receivers. Even Darnell Mooney has been making mistakes. And beyond him, the Bears don’t have anyone who causes problems for an opposing defense. Ryan Poles hoped he’d find at least one game changer among the budget-friendly group he cobbled together, but unless N’Keal Harry is that guy, that dream didn’t come true.

What is your revised prediction of the Bears’ final record?5-12. The Bears won a game unexpectedly over the 49ers in the opener, then lost to a brutally bad opponent Thursday against the Commanders. Realistically, there is no sure win on this schedule, and there aren’t a lot of Texans-level opponents left anyway.

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SAN JOSE, Calif. — New coach Luke Richardson held the game puck as a keepsake, the festive beats of “Mi Gente” blared in the locker room and the Blackhawks grinned beneath sweaty hair Saturday after claiming their first win of the season.

Five unanswered goals during the second and third periods gave the Hawks a 5-2 victory over the Sharks, ending their three-game opening road trip on a much-needed high note.

“After those last two games, we got better from the Colorado game to the Vegas game, and to get through that first period here and to come out on top was huge for this team,” Taylor Raddysh said. “It’s a really good feeling right now.”

With the win, the Hawks avoided the possibility of another drawn-out losing streak to start the season — it took them 10 games to get their first win last season — even before entering a week off before Friday’s home opener against the Red Wings.

After a pregame ceremony honoring former Hawks defenseman and (more recently) Sharks general manager Doug Wilson, a scrappy start for the Hawks faded a poor second 10 minutes and a 2-0 deficit. Richardson addressed it at the intermission.

“I didn’t say too much, but I just made them realize what went on in the period, that we were moving our legs and then we weren’t,” Richardson said. “The compete level had to rise up. And the veterans took that one step further. We came out and played great.”

Jonathan Toews continued his strong start to the season by cashing in a breakaway — the Hawks’ first even-strength goal of the season — before Sam Lafferty and newcomer Jason Dickinson teamed up to score shorthanded goals on consecutive Sharks power plays. The Hawks previously hadn’t scored multiple shorthanded goals in a game since February 2016, and the momentum-shifting plays gave the Hawks a lead they never relinquished.

Dickinson, in his Hawks debut, finished with three points, as did Lafferty. Raddysh and Tyler Johnson each added two points, and goalie Petr Mrazek saved 24 of 26 shots for his first win as a Hawk. The Hawks also recorded the majority of scoring chances (18-16) and expected goals at five-on-five, in sharp contrast to their previous two losses.

But Richardson’s first win as coach was the most notable first, although he characteristically downplayed it.

“I’m happy to share the puck with the whole team,” he said. “It’s not mine. They deserve it. They’re the ones that go out and sacrifice; we just try to put a plan in place for them. But definitely, it feels nice. Maybe [there will be] an extra glass of wine tonight for me.”

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The scoreboard said Illinois 26, Minnesota 14.

All the other numbers screamed cruel, unusual punishment.

Illini football has gone gonzo, people. Enjoy it while it lasts, which might be for the rest of this already-special season and beyond.

The Illini are 6-1 — that means bowl-bound — after outgaining the Gophers 472-180, out-possessing them 40:04 to 19:56, winning the turnover battle 3-0 and pumping belief into fans that the Orange and Blue Express is well on its way to Indianapolis, the site of the Big Ten championship game, in December.

”This game wasn’t won this week,” coach Bret Bielema said. ”It was won in January, the way we prepare our guys.”

Many questions about whom the real bully is in the Big Ten West have been answered during a three-game winning streak against Wisconsin, Iowa and Minnesota. Those teams were supposed to be the top West contenders because of their rugged styles, but the Illini are staging a hostile takeover led by a lights-out defense and supported by clutch quarterback Tommy DeVito and indefatigable running back Chase Brown, the leading rusher in the country.

On a Saturday to remember, Brown carried an unthinkable 41 times for 180 yards.

”If there’s a better player in college football that has had a [bigger] effect on his own program,” Bielema said, ”I’d like to know who it is.”

And in an October beyond most fans’ wildest imaginations, the Illini have beaten the Badgers, Hawkeyes and Gophers for the first time in one season since 1983.

”All the work we put in in the spring and summer,” Brown said, ”this is just a representation of what we did and what we’re going to continue to do.”

So many recent Illinois teams have been brutal to watch, unable to protect their overmatched quarterbacks, unable to stop the run, unable to pull off any sort of representation of major-college football. But this team attacks defenses, pressures opposing passers relentlessly, creates waves of momentum that are almost shocking.

Is this what a good team looks like? It must be.

Is it going to last? There’s no reason it can’t or shouldn’t.

A bye week comes at a good time, a chance to breathe before a five-game finish that begins Oct. 29 at Nebraska. Illinois hasn’t been 7-1 in a mighty long time, either, you know. The last time was 2001, and where did that team end up? In the Sugar Bowl on New Year’s Day.

Three-dot dash

We journalists don’t root for teams because it’s unprofessional. Have I mentioned I’m pulling for the Padres to win the World Series? Jed Hoyer’s old team plowed $300 million into Manny Machado, traded with the Cubs for Yu Darvish, traded for Juan Soto and Josh Bell, traded for Josh Hader — it’s called going for it, people. Shoving all-in. Not leaning on ”market forces” or ”biblical losses” as an excuse to lose.

A mega-market, money-making machine such as the Cubs should be in everything-but-the-kitchen-sink mode pretty much at all times. They should be embarrassed right now, especially if the Padres pull this off. . . .

The Reds have announced a multiyear partnership with BetMGM that includes a sportsbook at Great American Ball Park. Just as long as baseball keeps Pete Rose out of the Hall of Fame, right? . . .

Raise your hand if you had the Phillies in the National League Championship Series.

Oh, stop, you did not. . . .

Free advice to Bulls coach Billy Donovan: Play rookie Dalen Terry more.

Don’t mention it, bub. . . .

My poll for the preseason AP Top 25 in college basketball has been submitted. I have Gonzaga in the top spot, followed by Houston, North Carolina, Kentucky and Baylor. Indiana, at No. 8, is my highest Big Ten team, with Illinois next at No. 19. . . .

Atlantic-10 basketball coaches and media picked newcomer Loyola fourth, behind Dayton, Saint Louis and Virginia Commonwealth. If they’re right, this could be where the Ramblers disappear from national relevance for a while. . . .

By the way, Bielema’s best coaching move at Illinois so far: not letting Brown get tackled in the spring. Spare the workhorse’s legs when you can.

This you gotta see

Bills at Chiefs (3:25 p.m. Sunday, Ch. 2, Paramount+): As Josh Allen and Patrick Mahomes trade superhero throws, ask yourselves how they would fare behind the Bears’ offensive line. Better yet, just enjoy the show.

”The Cave of Adullam” (4 p.m. Sunday, ESPN): This is the story of Jason Wilson and the dojo he runs for young Black boys in Detroit, which prioritizes emotional stability above all else.

Bulls at Heat (6:30 p.m. Wednesday, NBCSCH): The season begins against the always-tough crew led by Jimmy Butler. Remember him? It turns out he’s still pretty good.

Only because you asked

From Gary, via email:

”Ohio State or Michigan? The Wolverines look like the team to beat from what I’ve seen.”

I don’t know what kind of TV you’re looking at. It’s the Buckeyes’ year in the Big Ten.

The bottom five

Nick Saban: Isn’t he supposed to know a thing or two about defense? Alabama scored 49 — not bad — but gave up 52 at Tennessee.

”Best game ever”: Come on, stop going overboard about Tennessee’s 52-49 victory on a long field goal at the final gun to snap a 15-game losing streak against a hated rival and tilt the college football world on its axis. OK, fine, it was pretty dang great.

P.J. Fleck: Minnesota’s coach really should’ve had to row a boat home after that miserable performance in Champaign.

Draymond Green: The Warriors just gave Jordan Poole and Andrew Wiggins so much money, he’s punching himself in the face.

Play-by-play announcers: Are they bound by law to feign disgust when a fan runs onto the field and interrupts the game? You know they secretly get a kick out of it, like everybody else.

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SAN JOSE, Calif. — The NHL seemingly tweaks the minutiae of faceoff rules every season, hoping to help offenses and increase scoring by the slightest amounts.

This year, the league has supposedly banned players from dropping to one knee to win draws, Blackhawks coach Luke Richardson said Saturday. And new Hawks forward Colin Blackwell, perhaps aided by his Harvard degree, has kept his eyes peeled for potential violations.

“I don’t know how many times he was yelling at the referee last game because they were dropping to one knee,” Richardson said. “I quickly pointed out Max [Domi] did it once, too, so just be a little quieter.”

The Hawks did believe Golden Knights center William Karlsson was skirting the new rule frequently Thursday. But Richardson is nonetheless skeptical the change, whether enforced or not, will make a substantial difference.

“I don’t know how that is going to [increase scoring],” he said. “Because if you’re in the offensive zone, you’re going to do everything you can to try to win that draw.

“The one that they took out where the [Zenon] Konopka guy would just lock your stick down and use his free hand or glove on [the puck]….that made sense. This other one, I’m not really sure how much that makes sense. But that’s just the rules we’ve got to play.”

Oilers hire Keith

Three months after retiring as a player, Duncan Keith has landed his first front office gig. The longtime Hawks defenseman, who spent his final season with the Oilers in 2021-22, was hired by the Oilers on Friday as a player development consultant.

He’ll coach and advise Oilers prospects in juniors and the AHL, filling a role similar to former teammate Brian Campbell’s initial job in the Hawks’ front office.

News for Roos

Hawks defenseman Filip Roos has been admirably poised and composed in his first few NHL games, which have also been his first games ever in North America. Off the ice, however, the 23-year-old Swede has been a bit more wide-eyed.

“It’s a new country and everything like that, [but] I’m just trying to be focused on the game and on the practices,” Roos said Thursday. “It’s a new thing for me, but it’s getting better and better.”

His reaction to the Hawks’ trip to Las Vegas was hilarious.

“I said to the boys, when we were out walking, that it’s like a movie going out there,” he said with a grin. “It’s just unreal.”

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Jake Stearney’s work was done earlySaturday afternoon. Coming out for halftime with Loyola up by 46 points, the Ramblers senior quarterbackwas wearing a baseball cap and carrying a tablet.

Two quarters’ worth of a runningclock later, Loyola had beaten St. Patrick 53-7 and Stearney and his teammates could finally discuss what everyone has been talking about: next week’s showdown in Wilmette between No. 1 Mount Carmel and No. 2 Loyola.

At stake: the CCL/ESCC Blue title, IHSA playoff seeding and plenty of bragging rights in the Chicago area and beyond.

“We haven’t overlooked any team we’ve played,” Stearney said. “But definitely this game was in the back of our minds for some time now. We’re going to have a great week of prep and just do our thing.”

In the postgamehuddle, Loyola coach John Holecek told his players they’d be underdogs for the first time all year.

“We’ll take it,” Stearney said. “Obviously in our minds we know we’re the best team in the state and the Midwest. Then again, getting that noise — they’re ranked No. 1, we’re ranked No. 2 — it doesn’t really matter at the end of the day.”

Asked if he was glad Mount Carmel week is finally here, Holecek said jokingly, “I’ll be glad when it’s over.

“Honestly, I don’t think it’s a stretch to say [Mount Carmel is] one of the best teams I’ve ever seen in high school. … They’re a machine and we knew that last year when they were all juniors.”

Both teams are 8-0 overall, 3-0 in the conference. Mount Carmel’s closest game was a 28-21 win at Brother Rice two weeks ago; Loyola’s narrowest win was 28-17 at Marist also two weeks ago.

The Ramblers came into the season expecting to be explosive on offense with plenty of experience and depth, and that’s proven to be the case. Loyola isaveraging 44 points a game. Coming into his abbreviated outing on Saturday, Holy Cross recruit Stearney was completing 73% of his passes for 1,477 yards and 25 touchdowns with three interceptions.

Will Nimesheim, who had a TD run and TD reception as Loyola opened a 22-0 first-quarter lead on Saturday is a proven back and sophomore Luke Foster was an effective second option.

But Drew McPherson, another sophomore, is out with an injury. “He’s a home-run threat every time he runs,” Holecek said. “Fastest guy on our team.”

The defense, which was the more unproven unit heading into the year, is giving up 14 points a game. Starting defensive tackle Joe Kelly is out for the season because of an injury, so Western Michigan-bound tight end Jack Parker is getting defensive snaps and making his presence felt.

The leader on that side of the ball is 6-6 lineman Brooks Bahr, a Michigan recruit who believes the defense is trending up.

“We started off strong, we’ve had our ups and downs throughout the season,” Bahr said. “Then again, we’re executing nicely and correcting the stuff we need to work on. It’s nice to see that all the guys are buying in, doing their thing.”

Now comes the big test.

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Simeon running back Andre Crews had a “mishap” before the Battle of Vincennes on Saturday and wound up without his customary No. 4 jersey.

He wore No. 38 against Morgan Park, so the Wolverines’ running game didn’t look quite the same numerically or production-wise in the first half.

But the Simeon defense stepped up and scored twice early. Then Crews came alive in the second half to lead the No. 5 Wolverines to a comfortable 42-22 win against the No. 24 Mustangs at Gately Stadium.

“At this point everyone realizes Crews is one heck of a running back so they load up to try and stop the run,” Simeon coach Dante Culbreath said. “Morgan Park came out with a great plan to try and stop it but we eventually got the offensive line rolling. They are probably the most important part of our team this year, the heavy guys up front.”

Crews had 20 carries for 179 yards with touchdown runs of three, 21 and 75 yards.

“We just had to make sure that the offensive line got to the second level,” Crews said. “When that happened there were holes for me to get through.”

Simeon’s defense made several crucial plays early to keep Morgan Park from finding any momentum. Junior defensive lineman Mikeshun Beeler was dominant for the second consecutive week. He recovered a fumble in the end zone for a touchdown to put the Wolverines up 7-0.

Then in the second quarter, Beeler blocked a punt to set up Crews’ three-yard TD run and make it 21-8. He also had a pair of sacks and multiple tackles for a loss.

“He is working his tail off and practices like he plays,” Culbreath said. “I have to take him out of practice sometimes because he only has one speed.”

Safety Andrew Beasley had a 45-yard fumble recovery touchdown in the second quarter for the Wolverines.

Morgan Park (7-1, 4-1 Red-South) is significantly younger than Simeon (8-0, 5-0) and entered as the underdog, despite both teams being undefeated.

The Mustangs pulled within 28-14 of Simeon on a 22-yard touchdown pass from sophomore Marcus Thaxton to Tysean Griffin midway through the second quarter.

Crews ripped off the 75-yard touchdown five minutes later to seal the win. He’s still waiting on his first college scholarship offer despite being one of the best players in the area.

“I’ve heard from Cincinnati, Michigan and Michigan State but no offers yet,” Crews said.

Simeon quarterback Keshaun Parker was 5 for 11 passing for 122 yards with a 50-yard touchdown pass to Cameron Ashley.

Cincinnati recruit Malik Elzy caught three passes for 68 yards and had an interception for the Wolverines.

Thaxton was 12 for 30 passing for 174 yards with three touchdowns and an interception for Morgan Park. Griffin had 22 carries for 87 yards and three catches for 48 yards and a touchdown.

Simeon clinched the Red-South conference title with the victory but has more than just city glory in mind.

“We know they have a good team and good players but we wanted it more,” Crews said. “We have a team of seniors that have been together all four years. We want that state championship and we are going to get it by any means.”

A suburban officiating crew was brought in to do the game, which is unusual. The game was originally scheduled to be played Friday night and broadcast on television but was moved to a Saturday afternoon slot last week.

“This was good for the city,” Culbreath said. “I love seeing everyone out. There are so many bad images of the city out there so to be able to come out and do this with both sides of Vincennes is great. Everyone was a class act.”

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Bears coach Matt Eberflus sounded like he was ready to rethink anything and everything after steering the team to one of its most disheartening losses in recent memory.

It’s hard to pinpoint exactly what was the worst part about losing 12-7 to the Commanders on Thursday.

Was it the meager point total? Getting inside the opponent’s 5-yard line and failing to score three times? Seeing across-the-board malfunctions on offense, ranging from poor protection to a head-scratching game plan?

Or the underlying embarrassment of such a pitiful performance coming at home against a really bad team?

There are countless other nominations, but the bottom line is that it looked like the low point of the Eberflus era. Hopefully for him, it was.

The first five games weren’t quite spectacular, either, so it’s imperative that Eberflus and his staff — especially offensive coordinator Luke Getsy — use this break to consider every possible alternative that would prevent the rest of this season from being totally unwatchable.

The Bears got saddled with the latest possible bye, Week 14, but they have a rare 10 full days between their debacle against the Commanders and their Oct. 24 Monday night game at the Patriots.

Don’t underestimate the challenge of that game, by the way, just because the Patriots are 2-3. That will be the most complex, deceptive defense quarterback Justin Fields has ever faced.

Anyway, the key to making meaningful changes is being realistic about what’s wrong. Very little about this 2-4 start is worth clinging to, and the Bears are absolutely not “right there” on the cusp of being a good team, as Eberflus said after losing to the Commanders.

The Bears don’t have to be a good team this season. They’re in the first year of a major rebuild from the mess Ryan Pace and Matt Nagy left behind. But just because there are no serious expectations of the team doesn’t mean there aren’t expectations of Eberflus. Of course the Bears aren’t ready to compete for a Super Bowl, but Eberflus needs to show that they’re at least taking small steps in that direction.

If general manager Ryan Poles and chairman George McCaskey are looking for confirmation that they hired the right coach, they should watch closely during this break. Making adjustments is a huge part of the job, and based on the first six weeks, Eberflus needs to make a lot of them.

The offense should be his priority, and it’s a difficult problem to solve for someone who spent 30 years exclusively coaching defense before this season. Being able to figure that out is the difference between a coordinator and a head coach.

Under Getsy, with Eberflus’ supervision, the Bears are 29th in scoring at 15.5 points per game. The offense somehow has regressed from the score-17-points-and-pray-it’s-enough days under Nagy. It’s averaging just 5.3 yards per play.

They’re the sixth-worst team on third down, converting just 35.6%. Getsy said the goal is 48% because that would typically be tops in the NFL. There’s a mountain to climb from where the Bears sit to the league-leading Bills (55.7%) and Chiefs (52.5%).

Fields has the second-worst passer rating in the league at 72.7, half a point below his rookie season. The Bears are near the top of the NFL in rushing (170.8 yards per game and 5.2 per carry), but that’s not getting them very far when opponents know that’s the only thing they do well.

All the questions about Poles’ offseason moves and non-moves at wide receiver and on the offensive line have proven to be as problematic as everyone expected. Fields hasn’t made significant improvements, and the personnel around him is only making that tougher.

Eberflus and his staff have no choice but to make the best of it. He must be able to take players Poles gives him and add value through development. There aren’t many shining examples of that.

That’s true on defense, too. And it shouldn’t be. If nothing else, Eberflus should be masterful on that side of the ball. He should be able to take a less-than-ideal roster and scheme it into something viable.

At first it looked like he was pulling off that magic trick, but the collapse of the run defense has undone the Bears. They’re allowing 163 yards rushing per game, 29th in the league. The Commanders averaged 4.6 yards per carry, up from 3.9 over their first five games.

The pass rush isn’t getting sacks. Star linebacker Roquan Smith has been closer to good than great, and Eberflus was supposed to be launching him into a new stratosphere.

And then there’s the rookie class. No coach wants to rely on rookies, but Eberflus knew that would be a big piece of the job when he took it. Poles drafted cornerback Kyler Gordon and safety Jaquan Brisker in the second round expecting Eberflus to turn them into pillars of the future. Brisker has been great, but Gordon has a long way to go.

Wide receiver Velus Jones (third round) and left tackle Braxton Jones (fifth) are off to unconvincing starts. At least they found a top-10 punter in seventh-rounder Trenton Gill. They need him.

But it doesn’t have to stay this way. A rough start doesn’t mean Eberflus can’t turn it around. He has to be a problem solver, and this break gives him the opportunity to change course before it’s too late.

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DeMar DeRozan analogies have been growing into legendary status since his arrival to the Bulls in the 2021 offseason.

Most are spot on for the veteran forward, giving the media a clearer idea of what exactly DeRozan was thinking or feeling at that moment.

But every so often? It’s more of a one-way ticket to some wild journey into his mind that ends up with DeRozan laughing out loud as it spirals.

The All-Star was right on when describing the Eastern Conference at the start of camp, however.

“I love the competitive island that the East is on,” DeRozan said. “That’s what brings the best out of you when you have the best around you. You have to compete. For me, people get so caught up in the rankings, you put me in a room with the best, it brings out the best in me.”

Then came analogy time.

“There are no nights off,” DeRozan added. “That’s how you want it. You don’t want to go to the movies and watch 10 movies and they’re all crappy movies. I want to see all blockbuster thrillers.”

Unfortunately for DeRozan and his teammates, on some upcoming nights the movie genre will be a horror film, and each of these teams that finished better than the Bulls last season has a Michael Myers who should keep them on their toes.

Milwaukee Bucks – 2021-22 record against the Bulls (including playoffs): 8-1 – Michael Myers: Grayson Allen

Throw the numbers out the window. It was Allen who completely derailed Alex Caruso’s inaugural season with the Bulls, all but tackling him in mid-air in a Jan. 21 meeting, leaving the guard with a fractured wrist. Scoring-wise, the Bulls held Allen in check during the regular season, as his 8.8 points per game in the four meetings was more than two points under his average.

Where Allen haunted the Bulls was in the postseason, going for 22 and 27 in Games 3 and 4, respectively, while shooting a blistering 58.3% from three in the five games it took to eliminate the Bulls.

Boston Celtics – 2021-22 record against the Bulls: 2-1 – Michael Myers: Al Horford

Whether it was the matchup or just the way the Bulls played Horford defensively, the then-35-year-old turned back the clock in the three meetings. His 17.3 points per game was the highest scoring average against any other NBA team last season, as well as shooting 53.8% from three.

Philadelphia 76ers – 2021-22 record against the Bulls: 4-0 – Michael Myers: Joel Embiid

Forget just last season and the 32.8 points and 10.8 rebounds per game he averaged against the Bulls. Embiid has never lost to the Bulls since coming into the Association. That’s an unbelievable 11 meetings and 11 wins, averaging 29.5 points, 11.6 rebounds and 2.8 blocks in that span. He is the matador.

Miami Heat – 2021-22 record against the Bulls: 4-0 – Michael Myers: Duncan Robinson

Since being traded away by Gar/Pax back in 2017, Jimmy Butler is 7-3 against his former team, averaging 24.6 points in those 10 meetings. It was Robinson who gave the Bulls problems last year, however, not only averaging 14.8 points per game – his season average was 10.9 – but shooting 40% from three and 47.6% from the field.

Toronto Raptors – 2021-22 record against the Bulls: 1-2 – Michael Myers: O.G. Anunoby

Anunoby developed into a solid player in Year 5 last season, averaging 17.1 points and 2.6 assists per game. But when facing the Bulls, he kicked it up a notch, scoring 22 points per game, and really finding it easy to play-make against that defense. His 5.0 assists per game against the Bulls was the highest against any other team.

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In 2023, Ryan Poles, the general manager of the Bears, will need to make some critical choices.

After the 2022 season is through, Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Poles will have to make some important choices.

While Poles will undoubtedly change the squad through free agency and possibly through trades, several players will also soon have contract extensions due. Two of those guys are top running back David Montgomery and two-time second-team All-Pro linebacker Roquan Smith, but the Poles may place more emphasis on one other player who is quickly rising to stardom.

In his third season with the Bears, wide receiver Darnell Mooney has established himself as an important part of Chicago’s attack. Mooney, a 2020 fifth-round selection out of Tulane, is also a favorite target for quarterback Justin Fields, who is in his second season. The two have a good rapport and met regularly this past offseason to further build it.

Now, there are reports that the Bears have a lot of interest in extending the wide receiver but will wait until the conclusion of this year. Heavy’s Matt Lombardo put out the report on Friday afternoon in his mailbag:

Multiple league sources told Heavy that the Bears and Darnell Mooney have significant mutual interest in getting an extension done. However, Chicago is not permitted to actually sign Mooney to a new deal until the conclusion of his third season, which is this year.

However, as Mooney, 24, enters the final years of his current contract, the wide receiver has been a lone bright spot in the Bears’ receiving corps. Through six games this season, Mooney has caught 17 passes for 241 yards — including a season-high 7 receptions and a near game-winning touchdown in Thursday night’s Week 6 loss to Washington — in one of the most run-oriented and one-dimensional schemes in the NFL.

Darnell Mooney has had a poor start to the season thus far, but recently, he’s been picking up steam. Mooney has hauled in 13 passes for 214 yards in his last three games after collecting just four passes for 27 yards in his first three games, including this Catch of the Year contender.

Following the 2021 season, the 25-year-old receiver led the Bears in targets (140), receptions (81), receiving yards (1,055), and touchdown catches (4). He finished the 2020 season as Chicago’s second-leading receiver (61 catches, 631 yards, and four touchdowns), and his 61 receptions set an NFL record for a rookie wide receiver.

What kind of extension could  Darnell Mooney have?

Mooney’s estimated market worth, according to Spotrac, is $18.9 million per season, which translates to a four-year, $75.7 million deal. It wouldn’t surprise me if Mooney signed a contract resembling that.

Darnell Mooney has served as the Bears’ No. 1 wide receiver on a club that desperately needs quality at the position, and his rapport with Fields could be enough to guarantee him a future in Chicago.

Darnell Mooney will undoubtedly have more opportunities to demonstrate his value before the regular season is over, but it appears that he might remain a mainstay on the Bears’ offense for many years to come.

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