Chicago Sports

High school football: How the Super 25 fared in Week 1

1. Mount Carmel (1-0)Won 35-3 vs. No. 6 St. Rita

2. Lincoln-Way East (1-0)Won 41-15 at No. 15 Crete-Monee

3. LoyolaSunday vs. Cincinnati St. Xavier

4. BataviaSaturday vs. Phillips at Gately

5. Bolingbrook (1-0)Won 49-12 vs. Minooka

6. St. Rita (0-1)Lost 35-3 at No. 1 Mount Carmel

7. Glenbard WestSaturday at No. 12 Marist

8. Prairie Ridge (1-0)Won 36-28 at McHenry

9. Warren (1-0)Won 41-7 vs. Barrington

10. Kankakee (0-1)Lost 2-0 at Nazareth

11. Neuqua Valley (1-0)Won 28-3 at Oswego

12. MaristSaturday vs. No. 7 Glenbard West

13. Maine South (1-0)Won 42-3 vs. Stevenson

14. Naperville North (1-0)Won 40-21 vs. Homewood-Flossmoor

15. Crete-Monee (0-1)Lost 41-15 vs. No. 2 Lincoln-Way East

16. St. Ignatius (0-1)Lost 19-14 vs. St. Patrick

17. Glenbard NorthSaturday vs. Kenwood at Gately

18. Prospect (1-0)Won 56-20 vs. Sandburg

19. Willowbrook (0-1)Lost 28-0 vs. Notre Dame

20. Lockport (1-0)Won 28-6 vs. Joliet West

21. Cary-Grove (1-0)Won 41-21 vs. Dundee-Crown

22. Joliet Catholic (1-0)Won 49-14 at Waterford, Wis.

23. Hinsdale Central (0-1)Lost 24-9 at Naperville Central

24. Jacobs (1-0)Won 41-31 at Crystal Lake South

25. Lemont (1-0)Won 32-27 vs. Libertyville

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Yankee bond: How a Cubs coach helped mold prospect Hayden Wesneski before trade

M ILWAUKEE — During the lost 2020 minor-league season, then-Yankees pitching prospect Hayden Wesneski would talk on the phone with Daniel Moskos, then a pitching coach in their farm system, for so long that Moskos’ wife started giving him grief about it.

Cameron Moskos, a physician’s assistant, would get home from work to find Daniel on the phone and feign exasperation: ”Oh, my goodness. Is that Wesneski again?”

Wesneski laughed when he was reminded of those calls.

”There were a few times his whole family was in the car when I called him,” Wesneski recounted in a phone interview Thursday. ”And, like, that didn’t help.”

The day before the trade deadline last month, when the Yankees sent Wesneski to the Cubs for sidearmer Scott Effross, Moskos, now the Cubs’ assistant pitching coach, was one of the first to call him.

After the trade, Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer said he talked with several teams who were interested in acquiring Effross. In the end, the Cubs were able to send a rookie reliever having a standout season to the Yankees for a promising starting-pitching prospect.

Compared to the Cubs’ last rebuild, their budding prospects this time lean more heavily to the pitching side. And strengthening that group at the deadline with the addition of Wesneski made sense.

For Wesneski, the news that he had been traded to the Cubs caught him off-guard.

”As a young guy in the Yankees’ organization around the trade deadline, you’re kind of expected to have your phone on you,” Wesneski said. ”At any moment, you could get traded. It’s a real lingering thought, and they make jokes about it in the locker room.”

The players kept their eyes on rumors, but the Cubs hadn’t been on their radar as a likely destination.

For Wesneski, going to the Cubs also meant reuniting with Moskos.

”It was one of the things that was in the front of my mind, not in the back,” Wesneski said. ”Because he’s really that good, in my opinion. And I was kind of upset when he left because I liked him so much.”

Their time together began during spring training in 2020, before the COVID-19 pandemic wiped out the minor-league season. Wesneski was in Moskos’ player group, and they both reported early.

Wesneski asked what it would take for him to get to the next level. Moskos saw that he was neglecting his lower half. They could get more velocity out of his frame.

”The introduction of the weighted balls, PlyoCare drills, forced him to feel some things in his delivery he wasn’t able to feel when he was just going through pitching,” Moskos told the Sun-Times. ”So he started to incorporate a little bit more of his lower half, cleaning up a couple of inefficiencies. But, like, his delivery was still very good.”

Wesneski was wary about working with weighted balls. His mechanics weren’t as sound as they are now, and he didn’t want to get hurt. But Moskos talked him through it.

When minor-league baseball returned in 2021, Moskos served as the pitching coach at Double-A Somerset. And Wesneski met him there in the middle of his climb from High-A to Triple-A during the course of the season.

”In between starts, he’s charting in the dugout . . . every game because he wants to get better,” Moskos said. ”He’s always coming up with a plan of attack for his bullpens in between, like, what didn’t he like about his last outing? What can he improve on? So it’s all practice reps that are leading toward in-game execution and helping his performance there. He’s just got a good head on his shoulders, and he wants it.”

Wesneski could be reunited with Moskos in the majors this season. The Cubs will have to add him to their 40-man roster by the end of the year to protect him from the Rule 5 Draft. And he has settled down in his last couple of starts at Triple-A Iowa, allowing a combined one run and three hits in 10 innings.

Wesneski said he’s trying not to let himself get distracted by the possibility of a call-up.

”You try to take it like each start, five days at a time,” he said.

Later, on the subject of his goals for this season, he said: ”Yes, I would like to make my big-league debut.”

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Alex Leatherwood could be a tremendous pick-up for the Bears

The Oakland Raiders might be done with Alex Leatherwood

The Chicago Bears need help at the offensive line position, and Alex Leatherwood might be available soon as an option for the team to add to the roster. The Chicago Bears have been throwing everything they can at the unit, trying different combinations this preseason.

There have been rumors the Bears are looking to make moves for more offensive linemen before the season starts. One possible option that would make sense is Leatherwood. Reports have come out this week that the Oakland Raiders are ready to move on from Leatherwood either via a trade or cutting the second-year offensive lineman.

Per Jeremy Fowler of ESPN:

Raiders game vs. N.E. big for right side of Las Vegas’ O-line. Team feels unsettled there, at multiple spots, and several teams I’ve spoken to are keeping an eye on OL Alex Leatherwood, believing he might be traded or released. But Raiders wanted to evaluate game before decisions

Alex Leatherwood has a high ceiling

Leatherwood was drafted in the first round last year. The Alabama Crimson Tide product struggled as a rookie. He received an overall grade of 45 by Pro Football Focus as Leatherwood gave up eight sacks in 2021.

Leatherwood’s technique is his main issue to overcome, according to Ted Nguyen with The Athletic:

Alex Leatherwood’s unpolished technique is one reason many felt the Raiders reached for the right tackle in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft. The regime led by former coach Jon Gruden fell in love with his explosiveness and mean streak and believed that he could improve his technique under then-offensive line coach Tom Cable, but Leatherwood struggled in four starts at right tackle as a rookie, causing the Raiders to move him to right guard for the remainder of the season.

Leatherwood’s situation with the Raiders is similar to the Bears and Teven Jenkins. Former general manager Ryan Pace traded up to draft Jenkins in the second round. The expectation was that Jenkins would be a left tackle. He’s currently the Bears’ right guard.

Leatherwood could potentially make an excellent guard in the Bears system. Offensive coordinator Luke Getsy says his scheme favors guards over tackles as they have to deal with more mentally stressful situations. The offensive line could be all thumbs in the form of tackle frames.

It’s possible he could be a solid fit for the Bears at left guard, where Cody Whitehair could switch to center until Lucas Patrick is back. This would free the Bears from having Sam Mustipher be a starter in Week One and, eventually, Whitehair when Patrick is healthy.

With time and the proper teaching from Bears offensive line coach Chris Morgan, Leatherwood could eventually return to being a tackle. He has the size to be a Pro Bowl-caliber offensive lineman in the NFL.

The Bears should explore the option, especially if Alex Leatherwood is cut from the Raiders. Could he make a positive transformation in Chicago? The Bears need a storyline like that.

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Not much expected from wounded Bears in 2022

What should we expect from the Chicago Bears in 2022?

To no one’s surprise, the Bears decided to part ways with general manager Ryan Pace and head coach Matt Nagy after a dismal 6-11 season provided very little optimism for the future ahead. The McCaskey family will be hoping to reverse a trend that has seen the franchise suffer through a 10-year drought that includes just two playoff appearances and no playoff wins. In Pace’s seven-season tenure at Soldier Field, the Bears finished above .500 just once, and last season was their fourth since Pace arrived with double-digit losses. New GM Ryan Poles came in from the Chiefs’ personnel department to try and turn things around and alongside former Colts defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus as head coach. Poles’ rebuilding plan has seemingly favoured veteran free agents with only a handful of newcomers receiving two-year deals, and none were more lengthy than that; it’s a risk but given the current state of affairs it might be a risk worth taking. While the Bears have some promising young talent to build around, they will not complete the turnaround in one season. Patience is a virtue and will be required by all parties in Chicago if this team is to take strides towards repairing the damage of the last seven years. 

Justin Fields will be the focal point for the Bears 

The Bears will not be on most analysts’ radar to do anything special this year; a Super Bowl appearance is farfetched and their chance of reaching the playoffs is a long shot. Their odds of winning the Super are slim at best according to these NFL betting sites and with good reason. However, what little chance they do have will likely hinge on the exploits of Justin Fields this year. Quarterback Fields, the 11th overall draft pick in 2021, will be the offensive centerpiece but needs the offensive line to significantly improve with more weapons at his disposal. It was pretty clear to everyone that Justin Fields would have a challenging rookie season and it proved to be the case. The rookie threw only seven TDs while giving away 10 interceptions. However, it was a tough situation to be in and there were glimpses of excellence; he threw 291 yards against the Steelers and 103 rushing yards against San Francisco. Despite his potential, it might prove another tough year for the youngster as there weren’t many upgrades to the offensive line this offseason. 

Eberflus showed his influence with the Bears’ first two Draft picks used on improving the defence. To add to that top receiver Allen Robinson II departed for the LA Rams while guard James Daniels signed on with the Pittsburgh Steelers. They picked up just one offensive player out of the 167 picks in the Draft this year in what is looking more and more like a make-or-break decision. But if Fields can develop his game further then maybe he will be rewarded with more resources around him in the following seasons as the rebuild starts to gain traction. The Bears would probably be happy with this season simply if Fields plays well, regardless of how many wins it produces. It’s looking like it could be a tricky season for the quarterback from the get-go but if Fields can manage to make the most of a seemingly bad situation, the building blocks placed elsewhere throughout the team could pay dividends and speed up the recovery in Chicago. 

Who will step up to help Fields?

There aren’t too many strengths to speak of in this Bears roster but one of them this season will be the running game. David Montgomery has had two solid seasons in a row and last season Khalil Herbert showed he is a starting-caliber player, but they will definitely need to improve after the offensive line gave up a league-high 58 sacks last year. Montgomery’s stats seem mundane but are much more impressive considering the subpar offensive lines he’s operated behind. That lack of support up front has forced him to display his elite tackle-breaking ability, and he’s a solid pass-catcher as well. Herbert filled in last season when Montgomery was injured and maintained the necessary level of performance with no discernible drop-off in his absence. In all honesty, though there won’t be much choice other than to run the ball with Darnell Mooney and tight end Cole Kmet likely to be the best receivers in the lineup this year. For what Chicago lacks in top-tier talent in the offensive line, maybe they can make up for it on defence. 

Eberflus’ Indianapolis defenses finished in the top 10 in forcing turnovers in each of his four seasons as coordinator, and he has emphasized the importance of turnovers from Day one. But he and defensive coordinator Alan Williams will be working with a watered-down version of the group that was a Bears strength in recent years. Despite that, the defensive line is where the Bears will be at their strongest with tackling machine Roquan Smith at the heart of the action. He has the athleticism to play coverage and the instincts and toughness to shut down the run but Smith’s supporting cast is far from settled and will need to up their game from last year.

A fleeting glance will tell you that Poles doesn’t see this rebuilding process as a quick one, so it would be wishful thinking to expect the Bears to contend in 2022, in fact, it’s more than likely going to be another losing season for them. This team has plenty of question marks. A new general manager and new head coach make everything more exciting and interesting but no one knows for sure how this group will do. Based on their spending and the names on the back of the uniforms, the Bears will likely struggle in 2022. Having said all that there is still hope for 2023. Justin Fields must prove himself as a dominant, franchise quarterback for years to come. The defense should be even better than it was in 2021 and there are enough solid new faces in very key roles. This Chicago Bears team is unlikely to surprise anyone this year but they can set themselves up for the future and a good crack at it in 2023.

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Cubs reinstate reliever Manuel Rodr?guez from 60-day IL, option reliever Kervin Castro to Iowa

MILWAUKEE — The Cubs reinstated reliever Manuel Rodriguez from the 60-day injured list Friday at the end of a four-month rehab process for a strained right elbow. The Cubs will continue to monitor his build-up in the big leagues.

”First of all, I want to show that I’m 100% healthy,” Rodriguez said through an interpreter. ”Once I do that, I just want to show that I belong, that I can be here with the team, that I can be out there whenever they need me and that I can stick with the team and stay here for the rest of the season.”

To make room on the active roster, the Cubs optioned reliever Kervin Castro to Triple-A Iowa and transferred right-hander Alec Mills (strained lower back) from the 15-day IL to the 60-day IL. Mills already has been on the injured list for almost eight weeks. Manager David Ross said he didn’t have a timetable for Mills’ return.

Rodriguez joined the big-league squad for the first time this season after beginning the year at Iowa. He had his first taste ofthe majors last season, when he posted a 6.11 ERA in 20 outings.

”He’s a guy that has had some success,” Ross said. ”He had some bumps in the road last year and put himself on the map. Throws hard, [he’ll] continue to develop as a pitcher. And the fact that he’s healthy now and back here, we’re all really excited about it.”

Rodriguez rehabbed at the Cubs’ spring-training complex in Mesa and appeared in two Arizona Complex League games before his rehab assignment at Iowa. He worked alongside right-hander Adbert Alzolay (strained right shoulder) in Arizona.

”It was a really good experience to be able to go through that with him,” Rodriguez said. ”I think that Adbert really helped me out with how he prepares, his work ethic and how with every pitch that he’s throwing he’s trying to dominate and know where he’s placing it and what he’s doing. So I think that helped me, and I think I’m going to take that now that I’m here in the big leagues.”

Alzolay, too, is progressing. He made his first rehab start in the ACL on Monday, throwing three innings of one-run ball. He’s scheduled to make his next start on Saturday for Iowa.

”He’s a completely different person,” Rodriguez said, complimenting Alzolay’s aggressive approach and improved strength. ”I think he’s going to be really good when he gets up here.”

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High school football scores: Week 1

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Thursday, August 25

NONCONFERENCE

North Chicago 14, Waukegan 0

Wheeling 58, Round Lake 7

Friday, August 26

FOX VALLEY

Burlington Central at Hampshire, 7

Cary-Grove at Dundee-Crown, 7

Huntley at Crystal Lake Central, 7

Jacobs at Crystal Lake South, 7

Prairie Ridge at McHenry, 7

UPSTATE EIGHT

Bartlett at Streamwood, 7:30

East Aurora at Glenbard South, 7

Fenton at Elgin, 7:30

Larkin at Glenbard East, 7

South Elgin at West Chicago, 7

NONCONFERENCE

Ag. Science at Solorio, 7:30

Andrew at Kaneland, 7:30

Antioch at Carmel, 7:30

Aurora Central at Wauconda, 7

Aurora Christian at Ottawa Marquette, 7

Barrington at Warren, 7

Bismarck-Henning at Clifton Central, 7

Bremen at Thornridge, 6

Carver at TF North, 7

Charleston at Herscher, 7

Chicago Military at Marine, 4:15

Coal City at Morris, 7

Comer at Geneseo, 7

Dakota at Christ the King, 7:30

De La Salle vs. St. Viator at Forest View, 7

Downers Grove North at Hoffman Estates, 7:30

Downers Grove South at Wheaton North, 7:30

East Moline at LaSalle-Peru, 7

Eisenhower at Brooks, 7:30

Elmwood Park at Reed-Custer, 7

Evergreen Park at Manteno, 7

Fremd at Lake Zurich, 7

Georgetown at Watseka, 7

Glenbrook North at Taft, 7:30

Golder vs. Senn at Lane, 4:15

Grant at Mundelein, 7

Grayslake North at Vernon Hills, 6

Hansberry vs. Corliss at Gately, 4:15

Harvard at Lisle, 7

Hersey at New Trier, 7

Hillcrest at Brother Rice, 7

Hinsdale Central at Naperville Central, 7

Hinsdale South at Deerfield, 7

Homewood-Flossmoor at Naperville North, 7

Hope Academy at Young, 4:15

Hubbard at Grayslake Central, 7

Joliet Catholic at Waterford, Wis., 7

Joliet Central at Argo, 7

Joliet West at Lockport, 6:30

Kankakee at Nazareth, 7

Kenosha Indian Trail, Wis. at Evanston, 7

Lake Central, Ind. at Providence, 6

Lake Park at Conant, 7

Lake View at Niles North, 7

Lakes at Sterling, 7

Lane vs. Amundsen at Winnemac, 4:30

Leyden at Highland Park, 6:30

Libertyville at Lemont, 7

Lincoln-Way Central at St. Charles East, 7:30

Lincoln-Way East at Crete-Monee, 7

Lincoln-Way West at Plainfield Central, 7

Little Village vs. Chicago Richards at Stagg, 4:15

Longwood at Bradley-Bourbonnais, 6

Lyons at Buffalo Grove, 7:30

Maine East at Addison Trail, 6

Maine West at Elk Grove, 7:30

Marengo at Wilmington, 7

Marian Catholic at Thornwood, 7

Marian Central at Wheaton Academy, 7:30

Marmion at Bishop McNamara, 7

Metea Valley at Geneva, 7

Minooka at Bolingbrook, 6

Montini at IC Catholic, 7:15

Neuqua Valley at Oswego, 7

Noblesville, Ind. at Benet, 7

Notre Dame at Willowbrook, 7:30

Oak Lawn at Tinley Park, 6

Payton at DePaul Prep, 7:30

Peotone at Rantoul, 7

Plainfield North at Plainfield East, 7

Plainfield South at West Aurora, 7

Plano at Ottawa, 7:15

Platteville, Wis. at St. Edward, 7

Prosser at Speer, 7:30

Reavis at Stagg, 6

Rich Township at South Vigo, Ind., 6

Richards vs. Morgan Park at Gately, 7:15

Ridgewood vs. Schurz at Lane, 7:15

Riverside-Brookfield at Morton, 7

Rolling Meadows at Glenbrook South, 7

Romeoville at Yorkville, 7

Sandburg at Prospect, 7

Schaumburg at York, 7:30

St. Charles North at Palatine, 7:30

St. Francis at Lake Forest, 7

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

St. Laurence at Moline, 7

St. Rita at Mount Carmel, 7:30

Steinmetz at Proviso West, 7

Stevenson at Maine South, 7

Streator at East Peoria, 7:30

Sullivan at Chicago Christian, 7:15

Sycamore vs. DeKalb at NIU, 8

TF South at Shepard, 7

UP-Bronzeville at Richmond-Burton, 7

Walther Christian at Westmont, 7

Waubonsie Valley at Oswego East, 7

Westinghouse at Oak Forest, 7

Woodstock at Rochelle, 7

Woodstock North at Johnsburg, 7

Zion-Benton at Kenosha Bradford, Wis., 5:30

Saturday, August 27

NONCONFERENCE

Alleman at Chicago Academy, 3

Back of the Yards vs. Phoenix at Orr, 1

Batavia vs. Phillips at Gately, 7

Bowen at Kelly, 11 a.m.

Butler vs. Rauner at Lane, 1

Collins vs. Bogan at Stagg, 1

Curie vs. Mather at Winnemac, 4

DuSable vs. Juarez at Winnemac, 10 a.m.

Dwight at Salt Fork, noon

Dyett vs. Hyde Park at Eckersall, 4

Fenger vs. Julian at Stagg, 4

Fenwick vs. Oak Park-River Forest at SeatGeek, 9:30 a.m.

Foreman at Marshall, 10 a.m.

Gage Park vs. Washington at Eckersall, 10 a.m.

Glenbard North vs. Kenwood at Gately, 11 a.m.

Glenbard West at Marist, 12:30

Harlan vs. North Lawndale at Westinghouse, 10 a.m.

Johnson vs. Vocational at Eckersall, 1

Leo vs. Bulls Prep at St. Rita, 3

Lincoln Park vs. Von Steuben at Winnemac, 1

Lindblom vs. Catalyst-Maria at Stagg, 10 a.m.

Momence at Oakwood, noon

Niles West at Thornton, 1

Perspectives vs. Pritzker at Lane, 4

Raby at Orr, 4

Roosevelt vs. Kennedy at Westinghouse, 1

Rowe-Clark vs. Crane at Lane, 10 a.m.

Seneca at Westville, 5

South Shore at Englewood STEM, 5

Tilden vs. Clemente at Lane, 7

UIC Prep at Bloom, noon

Wheaton-Warrenville South vs. Simeon at Gately, 3

Woodlawn at Goode, 2

Sunday, August 28

NONCONFERENCE

Cincinnati St. Xavier, Ohio at Loyola, noon

King vs. Clark at Lane, 1

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Bears’ QB problems have been embarrassing, but Browns find true shame in Deshaun Watson

It’s the same thing every time the Bears are on TV. You always know it’s coming, especially if it’s a national broadcast.

There are various ways to frame it, but they’ll invariably show some version of the epic list that haunts the Bears by showing that Justin Fields is their 32nd starting quarterback in 28 seasons.

But that’s superficial embarrassment.

True shame would’ve been bringing in Deshaun Watson to solve that problem.

One makes your eyes roll. The other stings your soul.

The Browns have been just as laughable at quarterback — Watson will be at least their 37th starter in the same span — and tried to stop the ridicule by trading for someone who has had 24 women file lawsuits against him alleging sexual assault during massage therapy sessions.

Watson maintains his innocence even after a ham-handed apology for “decisions that I’ve made” that he later clarified wasn’t an apology at all, but rather a way to appease “people that have been triggered.”

He won’t play against the Bears in their preseason finale Saturday in Cleveland after agreeing to an 11-game suspension and $5 million fine as the penalty for something he adamantly claims he didn’t do.

If that sounds like a contradiction to you, let me affirm that it is. You’re not just being “triggered.” An independent arbiter deemed his actions “egregious” and “predatory.”

Browns owner Jimmy Haslam, general manager Andrew Berry and coach Kevin Stefanski — all of whom have a wife and at least one daughter — have prioritized talent over integrity and defended the acquisition. They’ve ducked and swerved through press conferences. The questions will get tougher, though, when some of their children and grandchildren are old enough to use Google.

This is your hero, Cleveland.

The Bears have been indisputably bad at quarterback for decades and ventured into numerous boondoggles just in the last few years, most notably trading up to draft Mitch Trubisky at No. 2 overall in 2017. Predictably, they’ve been a bad team, too, for most of that time. They are 287-289 since winning their lone Super Bowl and haven’t won a playoff game in a decade.

But if this is the way out? No, thank you.

Running a pro sports team or having allegiance to one requires people to suspend some of their own moralcode. Many athletes are some of the most upright, amazing people of our society. Some even go a step further and make a transcendent impact. Some aren’t, and a certain amount of misbehavior is tolerated.

There is a line for everyone, however, and 24 sexual assault allegations that sound strikingly similar to each other crosses it by a mile for most of us. Watson isn’t facing criminal charges and has the right to work. But every team has the right to say it won’t be for them.

And every fan has the right to say this just isn’t for them. Loyalty is a good quality, but blind loyalty is foolish. How will it feel to cheer for a Watson touchdown pass? How will it feel when your kid asks you to buy his jersey, or when you see him or her reaching desperately to get his autograph?

Seems like a good time to pick a new team for the next few years. A lot of Browns fans probably will. Because even if Watson wins them a Super Bowl, it won’t feel good.

Incidentally, the Bears were spared from this mess seeping into Halas Hall only by their incompetence. It’s nice to know that can be useful every now and then.

While MVP and Super Bowl winner Patrick Mahomes is at the center of conversations about the Bears’ misadventure with Trubisky, Watson was considered the surest of the three top quarterbacks. There was a lot of projecting with the other two, but Watson had already shown how good he was.

He was Captain America. He was an unparalleled winner at Clemson, replete with exceptional ability and a pristine image. His coach likened him to Michael Jordan and argued that he should be the No. 1 pick.

The Bears bypassed him not because they saw trouble coming, but because — thankfully, in this case — they’re very bad at this. The Texans were considered fortunate to land him at No. 12, two picks after the Chiefs took Mahomes.

And Watson delivered in the pros. He vaulted into the top tier of quarterbacks by his second season and made three consecutive Pro Bowls before requesting a trade from the Texans and sitting out last season. Shortly after he demanded to leave, the allegations mounted.

Between Watson’s discontent and the ugliness around him, the Texans were relieved to deal him to the Browns and dive into another full rebuild. They’re one of the few teams in the NFL widely expected to be worse than the Bears this season.

And had the Bears made the soundest move in that 2017 draft, all of that would’ve been their problem.

And ours.

Imagine this cloud hovering persistently over Chicago. Imagine reading about this every day in this newspaper and having it beamed into your living room for three and a half hours on Sundays. Imagine your daughter’s questions.

Imagine having to say this truly is the last straw rather than habitually muttering it under your breath.

The Bears have been awful, but it’s just sports awfulness. What the Browns are doing makes that seem small.

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Expert analysis and reporting before and after every Bears game, from the journalists who cover the Monsters of the Midway best.

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High school football: CPS vs. suburbs, Previewing Saturday’s tripleheader at Gately Stadium

There wasn’t a Public League team ranked in the preseason Super 25. COVID and a strike-disrupted season seriously hammered Public League football, and it has been a challenging road back.

A record 24 Public League teams qualified for the Illinois High School Association playoffs last season, but that doesn’t indicate the conference’s true level of play. The first-round results might have: Public League teams went 3-21.

Morgan Park, Phillips and Clark were the winners. Only Phillips, playing in Class 4A, won its second-round game.

Even the best Public League teams were unable to compete with above-average suburban teams. Kenwood lost to Notre Dame 25-7 in the Prep Bowl.

”We are just trying to get back to where we were,” Simeon coach Dante Culbreath said. ”COVID set the Public League back. I think we are digging out finally, but I know for a lot of teams that it is still a task just getting athletes to participate. Numbers are low in most of the city.”

Before the pandemic, Simeon and Phillips consistently beat some of the top teams in the area. The Wildcats’ victory against Loyola in 2017 at Gately Stadium was a statement for Public League football.

There are reasons for optimism this season. Kenwood, Simeon and Morgan Park have multiple Power Five prospects. Wolverines senior Malik Elzy is one of the most talented and exciting players in the state.

But high-level prospects aren’t enough for state-playoff success. Good high school football teams need 20 to 30 capable players. The top Public League teams have sizable programs and, for the most part, had a full summer of camps and practices.

We should get a good indication of where things stand right out of the gate in Week 1. The Public League has set up a fun three-game slate Saturday at Gately. Three suburban teams, including two ranked squads, will play Public League powers.

Here’s a look at the three games:

No. 17 Glenbard North vs. Kenwood, 11 a.m.

Kenwood is stacked with talent. The Broncos were the one Public League team seriously considered for the preseason Super 25.

Defensive back Kahlil Tate (Iowa), receiver Logan Lester (Western Michigan) and linebacker K’Vion Thunderbird are all top prospects in the Class of 2023 in Illinois.

Defensive lineman Marquise Lightfoot (6-5, 215 pounds) is one of the top 100 players in the nation. He has scholarship offers from Auburn, Cincinnati, Michigan, Michigan State, Notre Dame, Mississippi, USC and several other schools.

Glenbard North will provide a stern test. The Panthers have quarterback Justin Bland and receivers Johnnie Robertson and Zamari Robinson back from a team that went 8-4 last season and lost to Lockport, the eventual Class 8A champion, 28-22 in the state quarterfinals.

Wheaton-Warrenville South vs. Simeon, 3 p.m.

Elzy is one of a handful of players in the area who’s worth buying a ticket to see. The 6-3, 198-pound Cincinnati recruit is a threat to score every time he touches the ball.

”You might see Elzy anywhere on the field,” Culbreath said.

Culbreath said he is expecting big things from his quarterback, junior Keshaun Parker.

”If Parker is on his game, we can compete with anybody,” Culbreath said.

Wheaton-Warrenville South has new faces on both lines but has quality players returning at the offensive skill positions (receiver Braylen Meredith, running back Grant Rylander) and at linebacker (Zach Choromokos, Hunter Almada).

The Tigers went 5-5 last season but are traditionally a very strong program.

No. 4 Batavia vs. Phillips, 7 p.m.

Batavia will be a massive test for Phillips. The Bulldogs are one of the favorites to win Class 7A. Their defense is led by two excellent linebackers, Tyler Jansey (Wisconsin) and Jack Sadowsky (Iowa State).

”We know we are going to have our hands full,” Phillips coach Joe Winslow said. ”It’s going to be important that we don’t turn the ball over.”

The Wildcats have seven starters back on defense, led by lineman AJ Phillips (6-3, 260) and defensive back Terrence Collins.

”I’m excited about the defense,” Winslow said. ”They are big, strong, fast and aggressive.”

Center Keeven Blanton anchors the offense, which features two strong senior receivers in Ryan McDonald and Dakwan Phillips. Winslow’s son, Joe Winslow Jr., takes over at quarterback.

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Insider reveals Chicago Bears OL is worse than advertised

The Chicago Bears don’t appear content with the OL’s status quo

Numerous national media outlets have been hamming the Chicago Bears for what the team has put around their second-year quarterback Justin Fields. The team doesn’t have great options at the wide receiver position. The offensive line looks pitiful after being faced with a few significant injuries in camp.

The Bears have changed players’ positions, like Teven Jenkins moving to right guard. They added veteran help, like Riley Reiff and Michael Schofield.

Jenkins is still in the mix to be possibly traded. Schofield might get cut soon. Reiff appears to be beaten out at left and right tackle by a rookie, Braxton Jones, and a second-year tackle, Larry Borom, who were both taken in the 5th round of their respective draft.

Whatever mix the Bears have tried so far does not appear to satisfy the team’s management. The Bears are looking at making more moves at the offensive line position, according to a new report by Adam Jahns with The Athletic:

There have been rumblings in league circles that the Bears have explored adding other offensive linemen, including veteran guards, in the trade market. It won’t be surprising if new faces are added later after cuts are made across the league.

Will the Chicago Bears look to the streets for help?

General manager Ryan Poles said during the NFL draft that the Chicago Bears could find talent during free agency. “There’s still guys on the streets,” Poles said in April. So far, the names Poles has brought in off the streets were unable to dethrone the starters that the Bears are now complaining about.

It’s frankly embarrassing the Bears are looking at bringing in cold cuts off of another team’s training camp to feed the belly of the gutless wonders. Essentially, the Bears would concede that players not good enough to start or play for another team would be good enough to protect Fields this season. As Keyshawn Johnson reminded us this summer, that was already the case.

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Opportunity knocks for Bears QB Justin Fields in preseason finale

Justin Fields playing in the final preseason game might be a great Bears debate some day — or a no-brainer in favor of sitting. But not this year. Not in Year 2 for the unproven Fields, with a new offensive coordinator and a new scheme, with a rebuilt offensive line and a virtually anonymous wide receiver corps.

Clearly in a work-in-progress stage, Fields and Luke Getsy’s offense are more about work than progress at this point. They need all the snaps they can get.

So it was likely an easy decision for coach Matt Eberflus and Getsy to plan for Fields and the first-team offense to play the first half of Saturday in the Bears’ preseason finale against the Browns at FirstEnergy Stadium in Cleveland.

The preseason “dress rehearsal” seems like all but a relic at this point, but developing units like the Bears’ offense still need them. A week ago, a 19-yard pass from Fields to an open Cole Kmet against the Seahawks was celebrated as a revelation, because after the last four seasons of Matt Nagy’s offense, it kind of was.

But it’s a testament to just how rudimentary the Bears’ offensive maturation is at this point. And that makes any appearance by Fields worth watching, regardless of the stakes. Can Fields and the offense get the little things right to set themselves up for bigger plays down the road? That’s what Eberflus will be looking for from Fields on Saturday night.

“Just poise, execution, running the offense, having command, presence to there — him doing his thing,” Eberflus said. “And then we’re just excited to get him more in there, more comfortable. He’s a young player. This is a big-game experience for him prior to the start of the season, and he’s excited about it.”

With an offensive line still in a formative stage and an already nondescript receiving corps missing key candidates because of injury, Fields has taken baby steps thus far in the preseason. He completed 4-of-7 passes for 48 yards in 18 snaps against the Chiefs.He completed 5-of-7 passes for 39 yards in nine snaps against the Seahawks.

He figures to get more than that against the Browns, with the plan to play him and most of the first-team offense through the first half. Browns coach Kevin Stefanski said he will be playing his starters early as well — a key part of Eberflus’ decision to play his first-team offense.

Fields still will be without some expected key weapons, including injured wide receivers Byron Pringle (quadriceps) and N’Keal Harry (high ankle sprain) and center Lucas Patrick (broken thumb). Wide receivers Velus Jones (undisclosed) and Tajae Sharpe (undisclosed) also aren’t expected to play after missing practices this week.

But even without Patrick, still expected to return in time for the season opener, the Bears will be starting the same five-man offensive line unit for the second consecutive game — rookie left tackle Braxton Jones, left guard Cody Whitehair, center Sam Mustipher, right guard Teven Jenkins and right tackle Larry Borom.

Just the continuity alone — that group has been together for two weeks — could help Fields’ growth. Thus far, Fields’ improvement has been extremely incremental.

“He’s doing a great job,” wide receiver Equanimeous St. Brown said. “He’s a young quarterback learning a new offense, and first two seasons [it’s] tough. He has the most to learn out of everybody. He has to know what the o-line’s doing, receivers, everybody. He’s doing a great job and it’s not easy. I’m excited to see what he does.”

With Pringle and Harry injured, St. Brown has become a prime candidate to fill the No. 2 receiver role for Fields behind Darnell Mooney. St. Brown has had a nice connection with Fields in practice — it’s clear Fields trusts him to make plays. But he has yet to be targeted in a preseason game. Trust is one thing. Chemistry is another.

“It’s my first year with him,” said St. Brown, who spent his first three seasons with the Packers and Aaron Rodgers. “I think you’ve gotta get more reps with a quarterback to build chemistry [and] trust within that quarterback. You can’t just come in –new quarterback, new receiver — and just have chemistry. That takes time, effort and you can put in the work. I think the offseason and training camp has helped that.

That’s a big reason why Fields is playing in this game. Any progress — including chemistry with his offensive line and receivers –is significant, regardless of the situation.

“I think we’re all excited where he is right now, with what he’s doing with the offense,” Eberflus said. “We feel good about it.”

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