My last Release Radar of 2019 is in the books, and today marks the start of a new year. I’m not sure if the format will change, or how it will look in 2021, but I would like to continue writing about new music on a weekly basis. I consistently wrote and posted a Release Radar on every Friday of 2020, and crushed a small goal I set at the beginning of 2020. Onward and upward!
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Kylie Minogue put out a solid record this year, DISCO, and her “Real Groove” single got a remix with Dua Lipa.
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Here on Molly Burch’s new single, “Emotion,” featuring Wild Nothing, she is sounding like Minogue. As a matter of fact, there are several numbers on my radar this week that reminds me of Kylie, like Grimes and Rhye.
Paul McCartney is in my #RADAR this week with his single “Women And Wives,” from his latest album McCartney III. It debuted at number one on the US Billboard chart (“Is that still a thing?”) with the biggest sales week for a rock album by a solo artist since his last studio set, Egypt Station. That’s a pretty amazing feat if you think about it, but it makes sense as most of his fans still buy physical music and show up on release day. What is also amazing is the amount of number one albums he’s had, over 30!
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I was awarded more of The Neighborhood this week and “Over The Influence” has a little bit of John Mayer in it. On this album, the band is definitely trying new things.
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Jack Jezzro is once again my “Jazz Cut Of The Week.” “Havana” is his latest in a string of singles that have made him one of my favorite jazz artists from 2019. I can’t wait until he releases a full-length album.
Welcome January, and a New Year! Welcome bare trees and cold wind, ice and snow-covered sidewalks. Welcome buds on the branches, and increasing light with each passing day. Welcome to 2021.
And maybe when you look back on the past year, you remember how just about a year ago, there was news of a new and deadly virus. How it spread, and how many have died since then.
A year ago, we were all very different people. It was a different world.
For most people, the past year has been filled with uncertainty and a kind of dread and anger. The inequalities of our system laid bare. The vulnerable suffer, while the selfish and privileged break the rules. Still, we discovered resilience in the face of challenges. And we re-discovered things we may have forgotten. Nature. Writing letters. Friends. Family. Neighbors. Community.
And in November people voted! It’s been a long year. It’s been a long four years. Injustice, even longer. Now it’s time.
Now, it’s January again, the second month of meteorological winter. The solstice has passed. Did you see the Great Conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn on December 21? The two planets still appear close together in the early evening sky. Look in the West, close to the horizon, and you may even spot Mercury not too far below them.
You can read more about the Great Conjunction here.
The moon is just past full, now. There will be a new moon on January 13.
There will be a new President and Vice-President on Wednesday, January 20, 2021. Welcome Joe Biden and Kamala Harris! Better days are coming.
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I am originally a country girl from downstate Illinois. I was a Chicago girl in Rogers Park by the Lake. Now I live in Oak Park, by the Blue Line and the Congress Expressway. I write about the weather and other things.
I hope you enjoy and join in these observations. Welcome to Chicago Weather Watch!
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When high school basketball fans think back to the 1980s, programs like Quincy, Providence St. Mel, East St. Louis Lincoln and the arrival of city powers King and Simeon are easy to think back on.
The 1990s brought us memorable basketball giants in Peoria Manual and Thornton, a few steamrolling Proviso East teams and the continued dominance of King.
The first 10 years of the 2000s included Glenbrook North, Peoria High and the beginning of a Simeon juggernaut.
Now, with the calendar inching closer to wrapping up an unforgettable 2020, the end of this month closes out another decade. And it’s another high school basketball time period to look back on.
Earlier this year we broke down the decade’s best teams and best players. Now, with every season of the past decade complete, it’s time to look at the Chicago area programs who won the most.
This list is comprised of the 50 winningest programs over the past 10 years, starting with the 2010-11 season and concluding with the 2019-20 season. Every team in every class throughout the Chicago area will be broken down in a variety of ways. But total wins, with winning percentage used as tie-breaker, determined the rankings.
We present No. 32 Bloom today and will add one program a day going forward.
32. BLOOM: 204-84
Decade’s biggest storyline: The Blazing Trojans ended the decade with a bang. Coach Dante Maddox’s team took the floor with the most talented and exciting team at Bloom in years. This was a must-see team this past season with it’s superior athleticism, above-the-rim excitement and Division I talent.
Bloom, which entered the season with huge expectations and ranked No. 1 in the preseason, finished the year with a 28-6 record following a sectional loss to Marian Catholic.
Underrated highlight: While the highly entertaining 2019-20 team was a bigger-named team and the decade’s biggest storyline, the 2011-12 team brought back some hardware from Peoria and can’t be forgotten.
Led by point guard Donald Moore and a tight defense — that team allowed just 35 points a game — Bloom finished fourth in the state. The Blazing Trojans lost to both Simeon and Rockford Auburn in Peoria and wrapped up the season with a 28-5 record and the first trip to state since 2000.
Player of the Decade: Dante Maddox, Jr. (2020)
All-Decade Team: Donald Moore (2012), Jamal Parks (2016), Dante Maddox (2020), Keshawn Williams (2020) and Christian Shumate (2020)
Other decade highlights:
-Bloom won six Southland Conference championships in the decade (2012, 2013, 2014, 2017, 2019 and 2020) with a combined conference record of 61-5 in those title years.
-The 2019-20 team produced five Division I players: Keshawn Williams (Tulsa), Dante Maddox, Jr. (Cal-State Fullerton), Christian Shumate (Tulsa), Martice Mitchell (Minnesota) and Donovan Newby (UW-Milwaukee).
-The Blazing Trojans won five regional championships in the decade.
-Dante Maddox, Sr., a 1993 Bloom graduate, took over the Bloom program as the new head coach in 2015.
When Bob Pieper was hired as Glenbrook North’s football coach before the 1997 season, the first call of congratulations he got was from Harold “Sam” Samorian.
It was far from the last.
Samorian, who died on Tuesday at 89, was a fan of Glenbrook North football long after he retired as the Spartans coach. He also had one of the most eclectic resumes in Illinois prep sports history, reaching the state finals in four different sports as a player, coach and official.
“He was there from the day I got the job,” said Pieper, who led Glenbrook North to a program-record 120 wins over 19 seasons. “He was the first person who called me and said, ‘What do you need from me?’
Samorian, who continued to attend Glenbrook North home games and sit in the same seat near the press box for decades, remained engaged long after stepping down as coach in 1985.
“Every Friday, he called to say, ‘Good luck,'” Pieper said. “He would call me on Monday, only if we lost, to see how I was doing.”
Samorian led the Spartans to the greatest season in program history, a 12-0 run to the Class 5A title in 1974, the first year of the IHSA playoffs.
In the championship, Glenbrook North beat an East St. Louis team led by future Pro Football Hall of Fame tight end Kellen Winslow, winning 19-13 in overtime.
Pieper said Samorian remained active in the Illinois Football Coaches Association well after his retirement from coaching. He also was involved with wrestling for decades, as an official and charter member of the state coaches and officials association.
“The first thing when you think of Sam is class,” said Mike Bukovsky, who coached Montini to eight state titles and is a past president of the Illinois Wrestling Coaches and Officials Association. “They don’t make them like Sam anymore.”
Besides coaching a football state champion and officiating the wrestling state finals, Samorian also was a member of Rockford East’s boys basketball state runner-up team in 1948, and was an assistant coach for Glenbrook North’s baseball state champs in 1966.
“He just thought, ‘How could I give back?'” Pieper said of Samorian’s wide-ranging and long-lasting athletic career.
Given the lack of theatrical moviegoing, 2020 was a great year to rewatch old faves or forgotten nostalgia plays. With our kids now 10 and 12, we also broke the PG-13 seal on a bunch of comedies, which opened the floodgates to a ton of flicks. I also devoted the entire summer to revisiting some of the summer blockbusters of yore – most from the formative years of 1993-1997.
Here are my 16 favorite rewatchables from last year. These aren’t the best movies I rewatched, but rather, the ones that were the most enjoyable to revisit. Either because they grew in my estimation, surprised me by how good they were, or because they haven’t gotten the acclaim they probably should. If you’ve never seen some of these, or haven’t seen them in a while, I strongly recommend you check them out!
In no particular order:
Scott Pilgrim vs. The World: Edgar Wright’s kinetic, innovative love letter to comic books and video games. The casting is prophetic, the script is hilarious, and the filmmaking is next-level. Went from a 4-star movie to a 5-star one this past summer. Can’t stop watching Brie Larson singing “Black Sheep.”
Last Action Hero: a huge flop back in 1993, it was easily overshadowed by Jurassic Park that summer. But, I’ve always had a fondness for it, and this is the year I finally realized this is an excellent movie. Does not get critical kudos it deserves. Clever script, co-written by Shane Black. Wish we regularly got blockbusters this imaginative.
Hot Rod: pound-for-pound one of the funniest movies ever made. I was among the many who slept on it when it came out in 2007. Just a dumb comedy starring a bunch of SNL cast members. Wrong. It’s awesome.
Edge of Tomorrow: I’m a Tom Cruise super fan so I’ve always liked this Groundhog Day-flavored sci-fi action flick, but objectively speaking – this is one of his best movies, and certainly one of the finest action films of the last decade.
Babe: Pig in the City: part of my George Miller-Blank Check rewatch. A crazy sequel to a Best Picture nominee that throws out all the rules. Really the Mad Max Fury Road of talking animal movies.
Doc Hollywood: what a charming movie! Back when Michael J. Fox star vehicles were a dime-a-dozen. This is one of his better ones. Good story (completely stolen by Cars), great cast. Fox and Julie Warner have amazing chemistry. Gives romcoms a good name.
Deep Impact: came out the same summer as Armageddon, and while I’ve always preferred that Michael Bay blockbuster, the quality gap between these two is not as wide as I initially thought. This is the more sobering film, that gets dark and takes chances in ways that few mainstream films do. Really captures an end-of-the-world feeling in ways that other big-budget disaster films fail to do (including Armageddon).
Drag Me to Hell: Sam Raimi has been largely absent from the director’s scene in recent years, and that’s a shame, because he’s one of our more interesting directors, and when he’s having fun – as he clearly is here – he’s awfully hard to top. Drag Me to Hell is a non-stop thrill ride that puts other horror movies to shame, even within the confines of a PG-13 rating.
The Mask of Zorro: they really don’t make blockbusters like this any more. Old-fashioned? Sure. But, also timeless. Antonio Banderas really should have been a bigger star. His star wattage is off-the-charts here. Can’t believe Hollywood didn’t scoop him up for more leading roles.
Die Hard with a Vengeance: fantastic sequel. Hard to top the original, but this comes closer than you might remember. Pairing Willis with Sam Jackson is a stroke of brilliance. Really captures a New York in sweltering summer vibe better than most movies. Reminded me of the original Taking of Pelham 123 in that way. On that note, Inside Man does it really well too.
Rachel Getting Married: I don’t know why I didn’t fall for this movie the first time. Too talky? Wasn’t in the mood? Didn’t latch onto to Jonathan Demme’s naturalistic directing choices. My bad. This is one of Demme’s best films. The unloading the dishwasher scene is an all-timer.
Bill and Ted’s Bogus Journey: in preparation for Bill and Ted Face the Music, I revisited the first two films. I wasn’t as taken with Face the Music as others were, but I really dug the approach Bogus Journey takes to the sequel format. Does not replicate the first film, and really strikes out on his own, going in some rather crazy directions. It’s a lot like Gremlins 2 (below) in that way.
Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues: sure, it’s not as good as the first Anchorman – replicates a lot of the same jokes, lacks the freshness. But, c’mon. This has more gut-busting laughs than nearly every comedy released in the last decade. It’s funnier than you might remember, and seems to improve with every viewing. The “Doby” song alone is worth the watch.
Contagion: maybe THE movie of 2020? Amazing how prescient Soderbergh and Scott Z. Burns’ virus thriller proved to be. If anything, the resolution here is too convenient. Real life seems to be messier.
Gremlins 2: The New Batch: a wild, wooly, truly bugnuts sequel. Joe Dante and team outdid themselves here. Riffs on the first film and goes in unexpected directions, with some of the best breaking the fourth wall gags around. Some fun digs against Trump too, though John Glover’s Clamp would have made a much better President.
Interstellar: may just be Nolan’s stealth masterpiece? Really rose up the ranks of his filmography for me on the latest rewatch. I think we take Nolan’s genius for granted. Hans Zimmer has had an amazing career, but this is probably his best score. Matthew McConaughey should have won the Oscar for this instead of Dallas Buyers Club. Not without its flaws, but movies don’t get more ambitious.
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For more movie/TV commentary and other mischief, follow me on Twitter: @Hammervision and on Letterboxd: @Hammervision
Hammervision is movies. Hammervision is TV. Hammervision is the creative byproduct of a marriage built on a mutual love of all things popular culture. John and Julie Hammerle have been watching movies together since Face/Off was in the theaters. John is an attorney at a Chicago law firm. Julie is not. They have two kids and a dog named Indiana.
As the 2009-10 basketball season finished and another decade closed, could anyone have ever imagined what was to come in the next decade?
From the good (the truly unbelievable rise of Anthony Davis) to the bad (a sectional game being suspended and super-sectional being forfeited due to a brawl) to the unfathomable (the cancellation of a state tournament), this past decade was memorable for so many different reasons.
In a decade loaded with big-named stars, controversial stories and sad endings, the 2010s provided basketball fans with 10 years of material to talk about.
These were the biggest headline-grabbing high school basketball stories of the decade.
IHSA cancels state tournament
Pick any decade from the past and you probably won’t be able to top this story from this past year.
The IHSA announced on March 12, just as Class 1A and 2A schools in Peoria were ready to play state semifinals games and Class 3A and 4A sectional title games were set to tip the next day, that it had canceled the remainder of the boys state tournament.
Every year since 1908 the state awarded a state championship. But the COVID-19 pandemic ended that in 2020. And immediately lost were so many memorable March Madness moments and experiences.
The Anthony Davis story
The decade started with a stunning and unprecedented rise of a player and a once-in-a-lifetime story that explains it.
While Davis became a national champ and All-American at Kentucky, the No. 1 pick in the NBA Draft and is now one of the greatest players in the world — and a reigning NBA champ with the Lakers — the rise to get to that point is the biggest story.
Thanks to a seven-inch growth spurt, Davis went from an obscure high school guard playing in the Public League’s Blue Division at an unknown charter school in the city (Perspectives) to a towering 6-10 skilled big man and the No. 1 ranked player in the country — in less than a year.
As the decade opened in 2010, Davis literally came out of nowhere in the spring of his junior season on the AAU circuit with Meanstreets. Within a couple of months he was the top-ranked prospect in the country in the Class of 2011 and had college and NBA scouts drooling.
There has never been a meteoric rise anywhere close to that of Davis and likely will never be again.
Legendary coach Gene Pingatore dies
While Pingatore was 83 years old, the legendary and highly-respected coach was set to begin his 51st season at St. Joseph when he suddenly passed away in June of 2019.
Pingatore is the winningest coach in state history. He compiled a remarkable 1035-383 record in 50 seasons while gaining national fame. Pingatore coached basketball Hall of Famer Isiah Thomas, had a starring role in the 1994 documentary “Hoops Dreams,” and won a pair of state championships in what was arguably the most iconic coaching career in the history of the state.
Curie’s eligibility scandal
Curie enjoyed a ton of success throughout the decade, including winning a state championship in 2016 and arriving as a legitimate state power over the course of the decade.
But the biggest Curie headline became national news when in 2014, Curie, the No. 1 ranked team in the state at the time and No. 2 team in the country according to USA Today, was stripped of its 24 victories and city championship.
A Chicago Public Schools investigation revealed seven basketball players were ineligible since the beginning of the season.
The Condors, led by star Cliff Alexander, were at one point 24-1 following a dramatic, four overtime win over Young in the city title game. Then just seven days later they were forced to forfeit all of its wins and the Public League championship.
Curie was allowed to play in the state tournament. But Alexander and a depleted Curie roster lost to DuSable, 88-85, in overtime of its regional semifinal game.
Officially, the loss left Curie 0-26 on the season.
Top 10 Lincoln Park season canceled
After climbing into the top 10 of the Sun-Times Super 25 rankings with a 19-3 record, Lincoln Park’s boys basketball program was in the spotlight for all the wrong reasons.
The season was suspended and ultimately canceled last February with a story that rocked the high school basketball world and the Chicago Public League.
An investigation of the school’s basketball program led to the cancellation of the season, In addition, the principal and assistant principal were removed when the investigation revealed allegations of sexual misconduct by students and adults, retaliation against witnesses and athletic recruiting violations.
A report of misconduct involving the basketball team’s December trip to Detroit led to the probe which revealed what the CPS termed “egregious and systemic policy violations.”
Jabari Parker’s hype and Simeon’s four straight state championships
Jabari Parker entered Simeon just prior to the start of the decade with a mega-amount of fanfare. By the spring of his junior year, Parker was on the cover of Sports Illustrated and anointed by the magazine as ‘”The best high school basketball player since Lebron James.”
The 6-8 star helped lead the Wolverines to a state championship as a freshman. And then another one as a sophomore. And another one as a junior.
Then in Parker’s final season, albeit an injury-plagued one, Simeon completed its four-peat with a state title run in 2013-14. Simeon, led by Parker and fellow four-year star Kendrick Nunn, became just the second program in state history to win four straight state championships, following Peoria Manual’s run from 1994-1997.
Jalen Brunson finger gate
Did he or didn’t he? And if he did, what was the intention?
A brief, fraction-of-a-second moment from Stevenson superstar Jalen Brunson led to confusion, instant negative reactions and a social media firestorm during the 2014 IHSA State Finals in Peoria.
An argument could be made that the Stevenson star ranks among the state’s most decorated players in history.
Brunson won over 100 games in his career (2012-2015) while leading three different teams to top three finishes at state including a state title. He’s among the state’s top 20 all-time scorers, a McDonald’s All-American, a consensus top 20 player in the country and a gold medalist for FIBA Americas national team.
He even went on to win two national championships in college and was named the national Player of the Year while at Villanova.
But in the waning moments of one of the greatest individual performances this state has ever seen — Brunson scored 56 points in a state semifinal loss to Jahlil Okafor and Young — a misconstrued gesture grabbed state and national headlines while becoming a major news story.
Although there was debate because the gesture was so quick and brief — it was actually broken down many times, frame by frame, and determined it lasted one-fifth of a second — a photojournalist did catch Brunson’s two middle fingers raised in the air. That set off a social media firestorm following the state semifinal loss.
Tweeted Brunson: “I apologize for the image that was captured in last nights game but I do not apologize for the action because I didn’t do what was portrayed.”
Stevenson’s Jalen Brunson (15) lays in a reverse shot against Riverside-Brookfield. Sun-Times file photo
Initially, the IHSA determined Brunson would not be able to play in the third-place game, suspending him for the apparent photo the Peoria Journal-Star ran on its blog and Twitter page. Minutes before the game, the IHSA”s Board of Directors overturned the suspension.
The belief was that Brunson’s actions were reactionary and taken out of context, that he was reacting to a moment in the game and not flipping off the Young fans. Even the photographer from the Peoria Journal-Star later came out publicly and said he should not have used the image. If not for the photo being posted, no one would have seen or even known of Brunson’s action.
Chicago Public League basketball decade dominance
Of the 27 state championships won in Class 2A, 3A and 4A throughout the decade, the Chicago Public League won over half of those titles.
While there were only two classes of basketball throughout the 20 years of the 1980s and 1990s, the Public League came home with a combined four state titles; this past decade city teams won 14 state championships in just nine years.
The Public League’s shining moment in the decade came in the 2016-17 season. Orr won the Class 2A title, Morgan Park captured the Class 3A championship while Young beat Simeon in an all-city final in Class 4A.
Cliff Alexander’s hat trick
No one knew where Curie’s Cliff Alexander was headed on the day the 6-9 manchild was announcing his college commitment. That went for both Illinois and Kansas, presumably the final two leaders in a group that included DePaul and Memphis. The coaching staffs at both Illinois and Kansas just kept their fingers crossed in the final hours of that November day in 2013.
Cliff Alexander dunks.Sun-Times file photo
Alexander, a five-star recruit and top five player in the country, provided a gut-punch to Illinois fans who tuned in for his national television announcement. Alexander reached for and briefly grabbed the Illinois hat in front of him before setting it down and putting the Kansas hat on his head.
The video of Alexander’s rope-a-dope went viral. There was outrage on social media among Illinois fans across the state with several very funny reactions of disbelief caught on video.
North Lawndale/Farragut brawl leads to sectional forfeit
The IHSA disqualified both Farragut and North Lawndale from the state basketball tournament when an ugly brawl erupted at the end of their sectional championship game showdown.
Farragut led North Lawndale 56-50 in the closing minutes when a Farragut player was undercut on a dunk attempt. That incident ignited players and a fight broke out involving players and fans.
As result, DePaul Prep advanced to Peoria and the Class 3A State Finals without having to play a super-sectional game.
Illinois prep NBA Lottery picks
There was a four-year run stretch where the state was front and center during the NBA Draft in June.
The state produced five NBA Lottery picks during that time, including No. 1 pick Anthony Davis (Perspectives) in 2012, No. 2 pick Jabari Parker (Simeon) in 2014 and No. 3 pick Jahlil Okafor (Young) in 2015.
In addition, Meyers Leonard (Robinson) went No. 12 in 2012 and Frank Kaminsky (Benet) was the No. 9 selection in 2015.
State prep stars on NCAA’s biggest stage
An overlooked but unprecedented and brilliant run of Illinois prep players playing in the NCAA National Championship Game was certainly one of the biggest highlights of the decade.
During an eight-year stretch in the decade (2012-2019), the NCAA title game had at least one former Illinois perp player competing in the championship game each year. In total, the state had 10 different players playing in NCAA Tournament championship games during that period.
The list included Kentucky’s Anthony Davis (Perspectives) in 2012, Louisville’s Wayne Blackshear (Morgan Park) in 2013, UConn’s Ryan Boatright (East Aurora) in 2014, Duke’s Jahlil Okafor (Young) and Wisconsin’s Frank Kaminsky (Benet) and Duje Dukan (Deerfield) in 2015, Villanova’s Jalen Brunson (Stevenson) in 2016 and 2018, Gonzaga’s Zach Norvell (Simeon) in 2017), Michigan’s Charles Matthews (St. Rita) in 2018 and Texas Tech’s Matt Mooney (Notre Dame) in 2019.
What made the moment even greater was the fact Davis, Blackshear, Boatright and Okafor all won titles with Brunson winning a pair of titles.
GLENDALE, ARIZONA – DECEMBER 28: Quarterback Justin Fields #1 of the Ohio State Buckeyes throws a pass during the PlayStation Fiesta Bowl against the Clemson Tigers at State Farm Stadium on December 28, 2019 in Glendale, Arizona. The Tigers defeated the Buckeyes 29-23. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
Why should Ohio State Quarterback Justin Fields be the ChicagoBears’ top target in the 2021 NFL Draft?
If you watched the Allstate Sugar Bowl on Saturday night, the major headlines revolved around 2021 NFL Draft quarterback prospects. Justin Fields of Ohio State and Trevor Lawrence from Clemson. For many, it seemed from the start that Clemson was going to head to another national championship game. For the Chicago Bears, these are two quarterbacks worth watching as the team prepares for the 2021 NFL Draft.
The Bears aren’t getting Lawrence. That’s been set in stone since before the 2020 season even began. However, depending on who the team’s next general manager is, since we don’t know what the future of Ryan Pace looks like. However, even if Pace is picking and Matt Nagy is retained as head coach, Fields needs to be atop the Bears draft board.
What was on display Saturday night was Fields quickly quieting the critics. He was calm, poised, and showed why he deserves to be the second-ranked quarterback in the 2021 NFL Draft. While many would argue that BYU’s Zach Wilson should be ranked second, Fields’ performance on Saturday night should dictate otherwise.
Another aspect of Fields’ game that was on display was Fields’ toughness. After taking a big hit in the first half, which was him injure his ribs, he still managed to come back and throw a touchdown after being out for a few moments.
Additional aspects of his game that were on display were arm strength and mobility. While Fields doesn’t have the biggest arm, he did display the ability to hit deep balls, something which is crucial in Nagy’s offense. Fields ability to extend plays will be valuable as NFL teams value mobility in quarterbacks, especially with the way NFL offenses continue to evolve.
But here’s the issue: If Fields is going to be in a Bears jersey in 2021, the Bears have to make a few moves first. They need to move on from Mitch Trubisky and accept the fact that picking Trubisky was a major mistake. Second, they’ll need to plan to trade up for Fields, which could include giving up additional 2021 and 2022 NFL Draft capital.
Overall, Fields performance on Saturday night which included 385 passing yards, six touchdowns, one interception, and a 78.6 completion percentage, wasn’t just a box score game. After struggling against teams like Northwestern and Indiana earlier in the season, Fields proved to us on all on Saturday night that for the Bears to not have him high on their draft boards would be a major mistake.
Three players in particular could sabotage the season for these Chicago Bears.
As the Chicago Bears prepare to take on the Green Bay Packers for all the marbles on Sunday, fans are nervous. Why? Because they’ve seen the good, bad and ugly from these Bears in the span of just one season.
It’s been a season of polar opposite emotions at different times, but if the Bears don’t get a win on Sunday, their season is over.
Chicago will need some major players to step up in order to beat Aaron Rodgers and the high-flying Packers offense. But, they’ll also have to continue scoring points like they have in recent games.
Essentially, everything has to go right for the Bears to make the postseason. But, three particular players could ruin the run Chicago has going right now.
1. The Chicago Bears could be hurt badly by Danny Trevathan
Early in the season, Danny Trevathan‘s age showed. He looked like the clear-cut worst player on the field for Chicago’s defense for quite some time. His speed just wasn’t there anymore as he got beat over the middle by any and every receiving option, while he also fell short many times trying to bring down running backs within arms’ reach.
As the season has gone on, his play has improved a bit, He’s not the Trevathan of old, but he’s regained his footing just a bit.
This is a game where Trevathan cannot afford to let that age catch up once again. The Packers have a matchup nightmare in breakout tight end Robert Tonyan who already embarrassed Trevathan once this year (see above).
In their first matchup, Tonyan caught five passes for 67 yards and a touchdown — and he was hardly needed as the Packers blew Chicago out of the water. On the season, Tonyan has caught 10 touchdowns and has emerged as one of the top up-and-coming tight ends in the league.
Rodgers has historically destroyed the Bears defense over the middle; having his way with a guy like Trevathan and Chicago’s softer coverage. If Trevathan can’t come out and play one of the best games of his season on Sunday, Rodgers will continue that trend and Bears fans will be frustrated, as usual, with the lack of discipline in that area.
The ChicagoBears have a chance to change the narrative about themselves in 2021.
The Chicago Bears spent all of 2020 as a team that we are clueless about. They literally had three seasons in one if you think about it. After starting 5-1, it looked like they were a shoo-in for the playoffs. They decided to lose six straight games from that point on though and put themselves at 5-7. Now, they haven’t lost since and are 8-7 going into the final week of the season. It is a playoff-clinching scenario against the Green Bay Packers who have owned them forever.
The Bears have a chance to change that narrative in 2021. They control their own destiny so it would be nice to see them shock the world by defeating the Packers in a game like this. Of course, they can still make it if they lose if the Arizona Cardinals lose to the Los Angeles Rams. The Rams don’t have Jared Goff for this week so it might get ugly if the Bears rely on them to win. Those two games start at the same time so we won’t know one result before the other.
Of course, Mitchell Trubisky could be playing in his last game as a Chicago Bear. They didn’t pick up his fifth-year option and franchise tagging him would cost a lot of money. It isn’t impossible for them to bring him back but it is by no means a guarantee. If he beats the Green Bay Packers and gets them into the playoffs, however, it would make plenty of teams (including the Bears) consider him for 2021.
The Green Bay Packers are going to have all of their starters in for this game. They have a chance at the one seed but they are going to try and win and not rely on anybody else to earn it. We will see plenty of Aaron Rodgers, Davante Adams, and Aaron Jones amongst others try and bury the Bears right out of the playoffs. Hopefully, the Bears are able to contain them just enough to win the game. It would be the perfect way to start 2021 on a good note and change the narrative a little bit.
We know that the Bears have a defense capable of shutting down the opposition. The issue for two straight years (you can even argue three years) has been the offense. Well, they have looked good for a few straight weeks now. It has mostly been good against bad teams but it does seem like Matt Nagy is allowing Mitchell Trubisky to do what makes him better. That needs to continue in this game or they are toast.
Going into this game, we know that David Bakhtiari is going to be out. He is out for the season with a knee injury. That is a devastating loss for the Packers as he is one of the best-left tackles in the entire National Football League. He will surely be missed by Green Bay because he is so good but this is something the Bears need to take advantage of. No Bakhtiari for Green Bay should make it a little bit easier for Khalil Mack (and others) to create pressure on Rodgers.
If the Bears win, we don’t know if they will be the sixth seed or the seventh seed but they will be in. It has been a crazy year where we were talking about firing everyone just a few weeks ago and now we’re talking about them potentially not even being the lowest-seeded playoff team. We can evaluate what to do for the season after this week or later depending on what happens. For now, just go out there and win a football game.
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