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Sunday afternoon, the Chicago Bears get their first test as a newly-formed roster and coaching staff under Matt Eberflus.

Chicago’s forecast expects to include rain throughout the game, making things a little more interesting for two second-year quarterbacks, Justin Fields and Trey Lance.

While the Bears are obvious underdogs at home, the weather could make things difficult on both sides, offering a more unpredictable type of afternoon. Defensively, the Bears look to be very healthy for this one, thankfully.

The only player on the injury report, defensively, is rookie pass rusher Dominique Robinson — and he was a full-go on Friday. Speaking of that defensive line, the group figures to see a much different strategy than fans are used to seeing in Chicago.

Chicago Bears defensive coordinator Alan Williams will deploy his defensive line in a more unorthodox style against the 49ers.

Williams told Bears senior writer Larry Mayer that he plans to use his defensive line in more of a hockey-centric way this season.

“We told guys this is going to be the hardest thing you’re ever going to do from a sports standpoint, so we’ve been preparing for this since Day 1,” Williams said. “What we do is we run all day long, and so our guys are prepared to get out there and go, to exhaust everything they have, to put it out there on the field and then they’ll get a blow and the next group will come in. And then they’ll do the same thing and the next group will come in after that.”

From the sound of it, the Bears have been practicing this way all throughout camp. Williams will have a couple of different line groupings that he’ll send in every couple of plays or so, in order to keep his linemen fresh, warm and constantly moving.

Starting will be Robert Quinn, Angelo Blackson, Justin Jones and Al-Quadin Muhammad. But, mixed in will also be Trevis Gipson, the rookie Robinson and Armon Watts.

Last season, the Bears finished fifth in the NFL in sacks and that was also with Khalil Mack who didn’t play an entire season, finishing with just six sacks on the season.

This year, their revamped line includes guys who are better suited to rush the passer, both inside and outside. Guys like Jones, Blackson and Watts are much more experienced pass rushers than the likes of Khyiris Tonga and Eddie Goldman, who are no longer with the team.

If the Bears are to have a shot against the 49ers, in a rainy game, this line is going to need to get through to Lance and make him uncomfortable, forcing some errant throws and taking the football away a couple of times. Fortunately, that’s exactly where the Bears have an advantage.

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Most read articles and top stories from the last two weeks:

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Most read articles and top stories from the last two weeks:

Also trending this weekend:

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The Chicago Bears open their season on Sunday against the San Francisco 49ers. It is a big game for both teams as they look to develop their young quarterbacks. Both Tre Lance and Justin Fields were selected in the 2021 NFL Draft and have hopes of becoming stars.

Tre Lance finally taking over at quarterback for the 49ers on a full-time basis makes them a little bit of a question mark compared to some of the other elite teams in the league with established quarterbacks. However, the Bears have absolutely no chance against them.

San Francisco just needs Lance to play okay to beat the Bears in this one. The reason that the Bears don’t have a chance in this game is that they lack talent. Their roster is just not good enough.

San Francisco has a top-five overall roster that needs their quarterback to play well to be considered Super Bowl good. Beating the Bears won’t take Super Bowl good though. They are a bad team with a quarterback in a tough spot.

The Chicago Bears don’t have enough talent to win a lot here in 2022.

They moved on from a majority of the players that were on the team in 2021 and that includes some really good players. The defense just isn’t all that good and their offense is void of enough weapons to make an impact.

Their best player is a linebacker which is not a recipe for success in 2022. San Francisco has a lot of elite players all over the field. With the defensive front that they have, poor Justin Fields is going to be running for his life with the way that the Bears’ offensive line plays.

Justin Fields clearly has a lot of talent. He needs to use 2022 as a chance to develop his skills with the limited weaponry that he has on the Bears’ offense. There are going to be good times and bad but San Francisco is just too much.

One thing that we saw in the preseason is that the Bears are going to bring a lot of effort to each game. They are also going to be a well-disciplined team. All of those things are good looks for both Matt Eberflus and Ryan Poles. The culture is good right now.

However, all of that is fine and dandy but they don’t have enough talent which is why they will be a bad team this year. With all of the cap space that they will have next offseason in addition to another year of the quarterback development, they could be building something really nice. That is why you watch here in 2022.

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From 9 AM-1 PM, Catatumbo, a worker-owned cooperative farm in Englewood, is inviting volunteers to grow (pun intended) their land knowledge by helping the farm build out their space. During the summer, they’ve gradually been relocating to their current spot at 58th and Ada, and they’re hoping 10 generous people will donate some time and energy as they settle into the new spot and look ahead to winter. Sign up here, and come prepared to be outside getting dirty. Masks and sanitizer will be provided, but please be vaccinated. As of this posting, three slots are still available, but it looks like some people have to leave early. If all the slots are full, consider contacting the group about participating to cover the gaps. (MC)

Chicago Children’s Theatre and Manual Cinema collaborate on presenting the latter’s latest, Leonardo! A Wonderful Show About A Terrible Monster. Based on Mo Willems’s popular children’s books, the all-ages piece, directed by Manual Cinema codirector Sarah Fornace, follows the plight of green-and-furry Leonardo, who fails at monsterhood by virtue of the fact that he doesn’t know how to be scary. When Leonardo and his “scaredy-cat” friend, Sam, meet another monster and scaredy-cat in the form of Frankenthaler and Kerry, Leonardo has to decide if he cares more about “scaring the tuna salad” out of someone, or if friendship is a better goal. True to their aesthetic, Manual Cinema combines a variety of puppet and found-object styles in this show, including paper cutouts and fuzzy hand puppets along with projections and original music. The show won raves this summer in runs at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and at New York’s New Victory Theater. It runs 9:30 and 11:30 AM Sat-Sun through 10/16 at Chicago Children’s Theatre (100 S. Racine); tickets are $25-$36 at chicagochildrenstheatre.org. (KR)

If you’re looking for an afternoon respite from Printers Row Lit Fest today but still want to stay close to books, consider heading south to Bridgeport. The Richard J. Daley Chicago Public Library branch (3400 S. Halsted) is slowly getting back into programming free punk and experimental shows, and today they offer a Dream Pop Coffee Hour starring Fever Queen (aka northwest Indiana based pop and indie songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Eleanor Rose Lee). Fever Queen just released an album, In the Ether, on First to Knock (who co-presents this afternoon release party). Free non-alcoholic beverages will be available from Marz Brewing. The event is open to all ages and starts at 1 PM. (SCJ)

Did you know there are a bunch of artist-run spaces around Logan Square and Ukrainian Village? From 2:30-7:30 PM, Patient Info—an artist-run space in Ukrainian Village—is hosting a free bike tour of seven of them as part of MdW Assembly, which runs all weekend. Meet at the gallery (902 N. Western), then follow like minds to Ohklahomo, Cleaner Gallery & Projects, No Nation Art Lab, Companion Co-Op, and Comfort Station. I am unsure what the seventh location is; what should be number three on the journey was left off the map! Perhaps a surprise is in store..? Even if the ride only hits six galleries, that’s still a heck of a lot of art. Make friends and discuss cool work with them? Sign me up. (MC)

Today is the Mid-Autumn Moon Festival, a Chinese holiday shared by many South Asians that celebrates the autumn harvest, and Uptown is getting the party started at Argyle and Winthrop. From 3-10 PM, the streets will come alive with face painting, lanterns, mural making, art installations, shrines, and more. Local artists, makers, and shops will have booths, and while Immm Rice & Beyond and Pho Xe Lua will be selling food, visitors are encouraged to support any of the many local restaurants while enjoying the festival. Be sure to check out some music while you’re there. Performances will be spread across two stages: one for traditional music styles and one for contemporary music like hip-hop and R&B. This event is cross-cultural and multi-generational with something for everyone in the family to enjoy (for free!). (MC)

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From 9 AM-1 PM, Catatumbo, a worker-owned cooperative farm in Englewood, is inviting volunteers to grow (pun intended) their land knowledge by helping the farm build out their space. During the summer, they’ve gradually been relocating to their current spot at 58th and Ada, and they’re hoping 10 generous people will donate some time and energy as they settle into the new spot and look ahead to winter. Sign up here, and come prepared to be outside getting dirty. Masks and sanitizer will be provided, but please be vaccinated. As of this posting, three slots are still available, but it looks like some people have to leave early. If all the slots are full, consider contacting the group about participating to cover the gaps. (MC)

Chicago Children’s Theatre and Manual Cinema collaborate on presenting the latter’s latest, Leonardo! A Wonderful Show About A Terrible Monster. Based on Mo Willems’s popular children’s books, the all-ages piece, directed by Manual Cinema codirector Sarah Fornace, follows the plight of green-and-furry Leonardo, who fails at monsterhood by virtue of the fact that he doesn’t know how to be scary. When Leonardo and his “scaredy-cat” friend, Sam, meet another monster and scaredy-cat in the form of Frankenthaler and Kerry, Leonardo has to decide if he cares more about “scaring the tuna salad” out of someone, or if friendship is a better goal. True to their aesthetic, Manual Cinema combines a variety of puppet and found-object styles in this show, including paper cutouts and fuzzy hand puppets along with projections and original music. The show won raves this summer in runs at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and at New York’s New Victory Theater. It runs 9:30 and 11:30 AM Sat-Sun through 10/16 at Chicago Children’s Theatre (100 S. Racine); tickets are $25-$36 at chicagochildrenstheatre.org. (KR)

If you’re looking for an afternoon respite from Printers Row Lit Fest today but still want to stay close to books, consider heading south to Bridgeport. The Richard J. Daley Chicago Public Library branch (3400 S. Halsted) is slowly getting back into programming free punk and experimental shows, and today they offer a Dream Pop Coffee Hour starring Fever Queen (aka northwest Indiana based pop and indie songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Eleanor Rose Lee). Fever Queen just released an album, In the Ether, on First to Knock (who co-presents this afternoon release party). Free non-alcoholic beverages will be available from Marz Brewing. The event is open to all ages and starts at 1 PM. (SCJ)

Did you know there are a bunch of artist-run spaces around Logan Square and Ukrainian Village? From 2:30-7:30 PM, Patient Info—an artist-run space in Ukrainian Village—is hosting a free bike tour of seven of them as part of MdW Assembly, which runs all weekend. Meet at the gallery (902 N. Western), then follow like minds to Ohklahomo, Cleaner Gallery & Projects, No Nation Art Lab, Companion Co-Op, and Comfort Station. I am unsure what the seventh location is; what should be number three on the journey was left off the map! Perhaps a surprise is in store..? Even if the ride only hits six galleries, that’s still a heck of a lot of art. Make friends and discuss cool work with them? Sign me up. (MC)

Today is the Mid-Autumn Moon Festival, a Chinese holiday shared by many South Asians that celebrates the autumn harvest, and Uptown is getting the party started at Argyle and Winthrop. From 3-10 PM, the streets will come alive with face painting, lanterns, mural making, art installations, shrines, and more. Local artists, makers, and shops will have booths, and while Immm Rice & Beyond and Pho Xe Lua will be selling food, visitors are encouraged to support any of the many local restaurants while enjoying the festival. Be sure to check out some music while you’re there. Performances will be spread across two stages: one for traditional music styles and one for contemporary music like hip-hop and R&B. This event is cross-cultural and multi-generational with something for everyone in the family to enjoy (for free!). (MC)

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Content warning: This column contains a reference to sexual violence.

As I write, it’s Labor Day—traditionally, the start of the election season.

That means “normal” people start to sorta pay attention to what’s going on in politics, as opposed to political junkies, like myself, who never stop paying attention.

As such, it’s my pleasure to tell you voters who are not paying attention that this upcoming November election is not your typical mundane midterm affair.

At least, not in regards to abortion rights.  

At the moment, abortion is legal in Illinois, thanks to laws passed in 2017 and 2019 by  Democratic legislators. After Governor Pritzker signed the 2019 bill, a gaggle of anti-abortion zealots filed a suit to overturn it. In all likelihood, they would lose if their case were to suddenly reach the Illinois Supreme Court. 

That’s because the Court currently is composed of four Democratic and three Republican justices. But that could change after November because there are two contested seats—one in the second district, which is in Lake County, and one in the third district, which is mostly in DuPage County.

If the Republican candidates win in those districts, the Republicans will be in a position to make favorable rulings favoring the zealots that will gradually, ruling by ruling, outlaw abortion in Illinois. No matter who the governor is or which party controls the legislature.

They could, if they want, use those rulings to turn Illinois into the second coming of Mississippi. Or Texas. Or Ohio. Or Indiana. Or all the other MAGA-controlled states where abortion is outlawed even in the case of incest or rape.

Both sides realize those two Illinois Supreme Court elections are key—it’s about the only thing both sides agree on.

That’s why abortion rights backers strongly support the Democratic candidates—Elizabeth Rochford in the second district and Mary Kay O’Brien in the third.

And why MAGA backs the Republicans—Michael J. Burke in the second and Mark Curran in the third.

It’s a pivotal moment in this fight. For about the last thirty years, anti-abortion Republicans have had the momentum. They’ve taken over legislatures throughout the country enabling them to pass anti-abortion laws, like the one in Ohio that would force a ten-year-old rape victim to carry her rapist’s child to birth. 

But the tides may have changed since the Dobbs decision in June in which the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe.

The first indication came last month in Kansas. It’s a red state that voted for Trump, yet almost 60 percent of the voters approved an abortion rights referendum.

It was then that Republican strategists realized they might have to tone down the stridency of their anti-abortion rhetoric and positions, at least in swing districts.

And that brings me to Mark Curran, who, as I said, is running for Illinois Supreme Court against Elizabeth Rochford in the third district up in Lake County. Very much a swing district.

Curran recently told WBEZ reporter Dave McKinney, “I’ve never called myself anti-abortion.”

Wow. If Curran were Pinocchio, his nose would have grown a foot after that remark.

Formerly the sheriff for Lake County, Curran began his political career as a Democrat. In 2008, he switched parties after former Governor Rod Blagojevich got arrested for bribery.

“I’m walking away from the party of corruption,” Curren said at the time. “To suggest that Rod Blagojevich is an aberration and is not typical of machine politics in the city is an outright lie.”

Coincidentally, Blago has undergone his own political transformation since President Trump commuted his sentence and freed him from prison.

Like Curran, Blago’s a MAGA man. I wouldn’t be surprised if Blago winds up endorsing Curran—maybe even doing a little campaigning for him. Anything’s possible in the wacky world of MAGA these days.

In 2020, Curran was the unsuccessful Republican nominee in the race against Senator Richard Durbin. And he was not shy about letting everyone know how anti-abortion he was. 

Consider Curran’s comments from July of 2020, just after Congressman John Lewis died. Lewis, of course, was one of the most courageous heroes of the civil rights struggle. He led marchers across the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Alabama, where they were met by Alabama state troopers, who bashed Lewis in the head. 

Here’s what Curran had to say about Lewis, the man who literally put his life on the line for civil rights.

“He might have been instrumental in the fight for civil rights at one time, but John Lewis got in bed with Planned Parenthood and the abortion industry . . . Three out of five pregnancies in the African American community end in abortion. If you want to know why there is violence in the streets of Chicago, why it’s the most violent city in America, it’s because there’s no respect for the sanctity of human life.

“So when you have a quote-unquote ‘civil rights leader’ saying ‘it’s okay to kill all these little Black and Hispanic babies in the womb, no big deal, let’s make it as easy as possible making these centers in the inner city,’ well, you’re not much of a civil rights leader.”

That’s a standard Republican counterattack. Anytime they want to pivot from positions they know are disgraceful—like not honoring John Lewis—they bring up abortion.

As if to say, bashing John Lewis in the head may be bad, but abortion is worse. Darren Bailey, the Republican candidate for governor, sort of did the same thing—only in regards to Nazi genocide.

I suppose I can’t blame Curran for trying to conceal his real views on abortion. If voters knew he was so zealously anti-abortion, they might not support him. Except perhaps for Blago, whose zeal for MAGA apparently knows no bounds.

The point, dear voters, is that when it comes to abortion rights, you have a clear choice. Unlike the women of Illinois, should Republicans seize control of the state supreme court. 

The Latest from the Ben Joravsky Show

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Content warning: This column contains a reference to sexual violence.

As I write, it’s Labor Day—traditionally, the start of the election season.

That means “normal” people start to sorta pay attention to what’s going on in politics, as opposed to political junkies, like myself, who never stop paying attention.

As such, it’s my pleasure to tell you voters who are not paying attention that this upcoming November election is not your typical mundane midterm affair.

At least, not in regards to abortion rights.  

At the moment, abortion is legal in Illinois, thanks to laws passed in 2017 and 2019 by  Democratic legislators. After Governor Pritzker signed the 2019 bill, a gaggle of anti-abortion zealots filed a suit to overturn it. In all likelihood, they would lose if their case were to suddenly reach the Illinois Supreme Court. 

That’s because the Court currently is composed of four Democratic and three Republican justices. But that could change after November because there are two contested seats—one in the second district, which is in Lake County, and one in the third district, which is mostly in DuPage County.

If the Republican candidates win in those districts, the Republicans will be in a position to make favorable rulings favoring the zealots that will gradually, ruling by ruling, outlaw abortion in Illinois. No matter who the governor is or which party controls the legislature.

They could, if they want, use those rulings to turn Illinois into the second coming of Mississippi. Or Texas. Or Ohio. Or Indiana. Or all the other MAGA-controlled states where abortion is outlawed even in the case of incest or rape.

Both sides realize those two Illinois Supreme Court elections are key—it’s about the only thing both sides agree on.

That’s why abortion rights backers strongly support the Democratic candidates—Elizabeth Rochford in the second district and Mary Kay O’Brien in the third.

And why MAGA backs the Republicans—Michael J. Burke in the second and Mark Curran in the third.

It’s a pivotal moment in this fight. For about the last thirty years, anti-abortion Republicans have had the momentum. They’ve taken over legislatures throughout the country enabling them to pass anti-abortion laws, like the one in Ohio that would force a ten-year-old rape victim to carry her rapist’s child to birth. 

But the tides may have changed since the Dobbs decision in June in which the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe.

The first indication came last month in Kansas. It’s a red state that voted for Trump, yet almost 60 percent of the voters approved an abortion rights referendum.

It was then that Republican strategists realized they might have to tone down the stridency of their anti-abortion rhetoric and positions, at least in swing districts.

And that brings me to Mark Curran, who, as I said, is running for Illinois Supreme Court against Elizabeth Rochford in the third district up in Lake County. Very much a swing district.

Curran recently told WBEZ reporter Dave McKinney, “I’ve never called myself anti-abortion.”

Wow. If Curran were Pinocchio, his nose would have grown a foot after that remark.

Formerly the sheriff for Lake County, Curran began his political career as a Democrat. In 2008, he switched parties after former Governor Rod Blagojevich got arrested for bribery.

“I’m walking away from the party of corruption,” Curren said at the time. “To suggest that Rod Blagojevich is an aberration and is not typical of machine politics in the city is an outright lie.”

Coincidentally, Blago has undergone his own political transformation since President Trump commuted his sentence and freed him from prison.

Like Curran, Blago’s a MAGA man. I wouldn’t be surprised if Blago winds up endorsing Curran—maybe even doing a little campaigning for him. Anything’s possible in the wacky world of MAGA these days.

In 2020, Curran was the unsuccessful Republican nominee in the race against Senator Richard Durbin. And he was not shy about letting everyone know how anti-abortion he was. 

Consider Curran’s comments from July of 2020, just after Congressman John Lewis died. Lewis, of course, was one of the most courageous heroes of the civil rights struggle. He led marchers across the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Alabama, where they were met by Alabama state troopers, who bashed Lewis in the head. 

Here’s what Curran had to say about Lewis, the man who literally put his life on the line for civil rights.

“He might have been instrumental in the fight for civil rights at one time, but John Lewis got in bed with Planned Parenthood and the abortion industry . . . Three out of five pregnancies in the African American community end in abortion. If you want to know why there is violence in the streets of Chicago, why it’s the most violent city in America, it’s because there’s no respect for the sanctity of human life.

“So when you have a quote-unquote ‘civil rights leader’ saying ‘it’s okay to kill all these little Black and Hispanic babies in the womb, no big deal, let’s make it as easy as possible making these centers in the inner city,’ well, you’re not much of a civil rights leader.”

That’s a standard Republican counterattack. Anytime they want to pivot from positions they know are disgraceful—like not honoring John Lewis—they bring up abortion.

As if to say, bashing John Lewis in the head may be bad, but abortion is worse. Darren Bailey, the Republican candidate for governor, sort of did the same thing—only in regards to Nazi genocide.

I suppose I can’t blame Curran for trying to conceal his real views on abortion. If voters knew he was so zealously anti-abortion, they might not support him. Except perhaps for Blago, whose zeal for MAGA apparently knows no bounds.

The point, dear voters, is that when it comes to abortion rights, you have a clear choice. Unlike the women of Illinois, should Republicans seize control of the state supreme court. 

The Latest from the Ben Joravsky Show

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