No one was injured when a parking garage caught fire Tuesday afternoon on the Near West Side.
About 3:45 p.m., firefighters responded to a call of fire at a parking garage of an apartment building in the 700 block of South Ashland Avenue, according to the Chicago Fire Department.
No injuries were reported, fire officials said.
The cause of the blaze was not known.
Parking garage catches fire on Near West Side Read More »
Every game for the Bears and quarterback Justin Fields this season needs to be viewed through a microscope and a telescope.
The dominant victory over a decent Patriots team Monday, for example, was indisputably a momentous win in and of itself. Given how few of those impressive conquests the Bears have enjoyed over the past decade, that’s worth something. Game day was fun again. It’s been a while.
But for the party to continue, these have to be true steps forward in the long run.
And with Fields being young and unproven — it was his 17th start, and he’s had a sub-80 passer rating in more than half of them — the question every time he plays well is whether the Bears have found the start of something big.
Optimism comes easily after watching him rip through a top-10 defense on the road. Fields was efficient as a passer, going 13 of 21 for 179 yards with a touchdown and an interception, and ran 14 times for 82 yards and a touchdown. The combined passing-rushing total of 261 yards was his sixth-highest, and aesthetically, the designed runs, deep throws and misdirection looked like a viable template for the Bears.
The offense had 14 plays of 10 yards or more, scored on 7 of 11 possessions (the Bears intentionally gave one away in the final minute out of sheer mercy) and converted 11 of 18 third downs.
Here’s a look at what went so well:
Third downs
How an offense fares usually hinges on third-down success, and the Bears made dramatic improvement after converting just 35.6% over the first six weeks (24th in the NFL). They were especially good when they put the ball in Fields’ hands.
Fields completed 5 of 7 passes for 89 yards — one misfire was an interception — with one sack and rushed five times for 47 yards. The Bears picked up a first down on 10 of those 13 plays, including on third-and-six, 14, 16 and seven.
One of the most interesting plays was the third-and-16 shortly before halftime. With the Bears at the Patriots’ 27-yard line and 19 seconds left, it would have been logical to call a run and perhaps get five yards closer on the field goal.
Instead, Fields gave them a chance to keep playing for a touchdown by hitting Darnell Mooney for 17 yards.
He rolled right and didn’t have a chance to set his feet for the throw, but this was a perfect example of why he’s more than just a “mobile quarterback.” While Fields used his feet to create space by rolling, it was his arm strength and accuracy that helped him get the ball to Mooney on the sideline in a tight spot. The throw covered 23 yards, and it was right on target.
With a penalty, the Bears got to the 5-yard line and ended up kicking a field goal anyway because they ran out of time. But as automatic as Cairo Santos has been, he certainly liked Fields cutting his attempt from what probably would’ve been 40-plus yards down to basically an extra point.
Creating space
If Fields can continue to be effective as a runner and passer, that causes issues for opposing defenses all over the field. There were many plays in which the Bears took advantage of the Patriots diverting significant attention to Fields.
That’s rarely clearer than when he scrambles out of the pocket and creates indecision for defenders as to whether they’re going to play for him to take off running or hold steady in coverage, and the Bears used that on third-and-seven in the middle of the third quarter.
Patriots linebacker Mack Wilson ripped through the line and lunged at Fields as soon as he dropped back, and when Fields dodged him and rolled left, Adrian Phillips was waiting for him. In part because of that, Devin McCourty had no help covering tight end Cole Kmet up the left sideline, and Kmet had a couple of steps on him.
Fields’ throw was short rather than leading Kmet up the sideline, making it difficult forKmet to fightthrough McCourty to get back to the ball and make the catch in bounds. But the opportunity was there because the Patriots were forced to guard against Fields running.
Elite running
Speaking of running, Fields has been as fast and elusive as any quarterback in the NFL other than the incomparable Lamar Jackson. Among quarterbacks, Fields is second to Jackson in yards rushing (364 and runs of 20-plus yards (three) and third in first down pickups by rush (25).
On his 20-yard scramble late in the first half, which put the Bears in scoring range, he escaped two would-be tacklers that most quarterbacks probably couldn’t. The Patriots overpowered the Bears’ offensive line, and defensive lineman Daniel Ekuale had a chance to drop Fields for a 10-yard sack, but couldn’t get a hand on him. Then, as Fields emerged from the crowded backfield, Phillips didn’t pick him up quickly enough to get a good angle, and that allowed him probably an extra nine yards.
Bears film study: QB Justin Fields shows template for his future in win over Patriots Read More »
Goran Dragic isn’t much into nicknames.
At age 36 and just starting NBA season No. 15, nah, let someone else spend that energy.
What the Bulls veteran guard knows about himself and the current collection of bench players is there’s something good going on. Maybe great. And what others in or outside of the Advocate Center want to label it? That’s on them.
Especially when the sample size is still so small.
Backed against the ropes and trying to avoid an eight count in Monday’s first quarter against Boston, coach Billy Donovan was searching to find a cohesive unit. He settled on reserves Dragic, Derrick Jones Jr., Andre Drummond and Alex Caruso, staggering them with All-Star Zach LaVine.
Not really a look that had seen a bunch of time together in practice, especially with LaVine’s knee management schedule, but one that instantly started to work. A 19-point deficit eventually was trimmed down to just a point after a Jones dunk from a Dragic dime. LaVine tied it when he split a pair of free throws at the 8:51 mark of that second quarter, and Dragic put the Bulls ahead with a layup a minute later.
As Jones put it, “and we never looked back.”
So does that grouping have staying power? Dragic hoped so.
“I feel like we have the right players,” Dragic said of why he felt that grouping worked. “Nobody is selfish, but the key for that group on offense is the ball has to move. When you play stagnant, when you hold the ball, that’s when the second unit gets in trouble. You move the ball, we can be great. I honestly think we could have one of the best second units in the league.”
Big words, especially with how new that grouping was, but Dragic’s hope was if the mindset remained, the players could even be a bit interchangeable.
Coby White could spell LaVine in that group and Javonte Green has a similar skillset to Jones, but that was for another game. What proved to be lethal against the Celtics was Caruso – a plus/minus of plus-20 in that second quarter – Dragic (plus-16), Jones (plus-16), LaVine (plus-15) and Drummond (plus-11).
“The fact that we played with energy on both ends is everything,” Dragic said. “Of course you have to play with energy, but it’s also about the right mix of the players. You have guys that can play on the ball, play pick-and-roll, then you have guys that are really good at setting screens and applying pressure. Guys like Derrick [Monday night], rolling to the rim, [Drummond] the same. Then you have Zach’s shooting, and with A.C. [Caruso] you have that feistiness, his defense, so just a right mix of players that we really could be a problem.”
Jones was all for that.
In the first two regular-season games of the season, the veteran sat and watched. While Donovan was close to playing the forward against Miami and Washington, it just didn’t happen.
Then during the blowout to Cleveland on Saturday, Donovan put Jones in to try and stop the bleeding, and liked what he saw in his 17 minutes of work.
“Just stayed ready,” Jones said of his role. “I’ve been through this many times through my career, so it’s not the first time. I’m good.
“I’ve been playing this game for a long time and I know what I’m good at.”
That will again be tested Wednesday against Indiana.
So could this be a new version of the “Bench Mob” that carried the Bulls to the Eastern Conference Finals a decade ago?
With just four games played, they’ll be plenty of time to figure that out. And who knows, maybe even a nickname.
Just don’t bother Dragic with that.
Bulls coach Billy Donovan may have stumbled onto a ‘Bench Mob’ sequel Read More »
The Chicago Bears played a big-time Monday Night Football game this week and they defeated the New England Patriots by double digits. That’s right, in the year 2022, Chicago Bears defeated Bill Belichick by double digits with a run game and a second-year quarterback.
Things change a lot in the NFL but something that has always been constant was the fact that first and second-year quarterbacks were suffocated by Bill Belichick’s defenses. That wasn’t the case for Fields in his first try against him on Monday night.
He showed us something so great and that is that he has arrived in the NFL. That doesn’t mean that is going to be elite in every single game just yet but he has the ability to make big plays using his legs which makes his arm more of a threat.
Fields has the ability to change a game when he gets an opportunity. With each passing week, he seems to get much better. His offensive weaponry isn’t very good at all and he is still progressing as the season goes along.
Sure, it is nice to see that the team is incredibly well coached so far under Matt Eberflus and his staff. That much was evident since training camp. Once they add more talented players, the sky is the limit. That is especially true if Fields can keep this going.
Against this New England defense, Fields went 13/21 for 179 yards passing. He threw for one touchdown and had one interception. A lot of those passing plays were him finding his receivers on the move which makes him look even better.
Once this offensive line improves and he gets better receivers over the years, his numbers will continue to grow.
His legs, as mentioned before, were also equally if not more impressive. He ran the ball 14 times for 82 yards which led the Bears. He also had a touchdown via the run which is a result of both his ability and his willingness to make a play.
Having 261 yards of total offense and 2 total touchdowns while utilizing his running backs the right way against this Bill Belichick defense is really good for Fields. The fact that he has the potential to do even better than that is scary.
They are now 3-4 and look like one of the mediocre teams in the league with that record. However, this win over the Pats is anything but mediocre. Hopefully, Fields and the offense can keep it going as the year progresses starting with the Dallas Cowboys.
CMC is an unbelievably talented running back who, when healthy, is arguably the best running back in the NFL. The duo threat McCaffery can do it all, he is one of three players in NFL history to have 1,000 rushing yards & 1,000 receiving yards in the same season. As talented as CMC is he’s been no stranger to an injury-plagued season. McCaffery hasn’t played a full season since 2019 and is coming off of back-to-back season-ending injuries.
The 49ers have been no stranger to injured running backs either while being coached by Kyle Shanahan. It has been a revolving door of running backs where Shanahan has embraced the “next man up model.” Since Shanahan became head coach a different running back has led the 49ers in rushing every year. Players like Carlos Hyde, Matt Breida, Raheem Mostert, Jefferey Wilson, and Elijah Mitchell have all led the 49ers’ backfield in one season or another. Not to mention the 2nd and 3rd string backs that have filled (Tevin Coleman) in while each of these starts missed time.
San Francisco essentially traded its entire draft next year for a running back that does the exact same thing as they have had since 2017, plays great when he’s healthy, and then gets injured to where they can’t finish the season. It may be inevitable for CMC to avoid the injury list and the if-more likely when-that time comes, whoever is 2nd on that depth chart will be who you want on your fantasy team.
Both the Packers and the Bucs had embarrassing losses on Sunday to teams with backup quarterbacks and draft day already penciled in on their calendars. With both teams sitting at 3-4, the struggles of the Packers and Bucs have been glaring this year, and have some questioning if it’s the NFL Hall of Fame quarterbacks that are to blame.
Yes both Brady and Rodgers have been playing below their near-impossible standards. Rodgers is the Reigning NFL MVP and won it back to back the last two seasons, he lost his best weapon in the offseason and the Packers’ front office refused to trade up in the draft to get one of the best receivers in the class. Brady is the greatest NFL player of all time and has had his entire offensive line wiped out due to injury, he also takes Wednesdays off and is going through a very public divorce.
It is also important to note that both offenses look stagnated, the Packers haven’t scored 30 points in a game this year and cannot find a deep threat to open their offense up. the Bucks only scored more than 21 points one time this season and could barely muster just 3 points against the Panthers who are fighting for the first pick in the draft. Both teams have been known in the past for their explosive offenses, but until these offenses return to a high level, struggles will likely continue for the two playoff-hopeful teams.
I’m not superstitious, but I am a little stitious when it comes to the Los Angeles Chargers. The Chargers have a long history of season-ending injuries to key players and the latest season-ending injury to NFL All-Por corner J.C. Jackson adds to the list. They also lose wide receiver Mike Williams, who is out for several weeks These two are the newest additions injury report that never seems without names for Los Angeles. The Bolts are notorious for injuries and infamously had a doctor puncture then quarterback Tyrod Taylor’s lung, causing him to be out longer than his initial injury. This is what caused now-starter Justin Herbert to be propelled into the starting lineup.
The Chargers have long been heralded as a “dark horse” Superbowl team and the team that will finally supplant the Chiefs as the winners of the AFC West. The Chargers have not won the AFC West since 2009 and by the looks of things, will not win it anytime soon. The Chargers currently sit at 4-3 having just lost 37-23 to Geno Smith and the Seahawks (more on them in a moment) and barely beating the Broncos by a field goal in OT. This same Chargers team got blown out by Jacksonville 38-10 a week after losing the Chiefs by just three points.
The Bolts may be cursed to never have all the pieces together at the right time. In the Philip Rivers era, that was always the knock on any of their talented teams over the years. Even in his twilight with the Chargers Rivers could never get over the hump and make it to the Superbowl. Some of those teams had breathtaking offense and others had punishing defenses. Either way, you could always count on a key player getting injured every year to derail any momentum they had. That same curse may live on with this Chargers team and those to come.
I eluded the Seahawk’s massive win over the Chargers previously and the Seahawks have been an interesting story this entire year. Making the shocking decision to move on from Russell Wilson in the off-season and then naming journeyman back-up Geno Smith the starter created the idea the Seahawks were looking to rebuild from the ground up. Teams enquired about the availability of NFL Pro Bowl wide receivers DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett, but Seattle held firm not budging on moving the weapons, they wanted to see what Smith could do with the team they already had.
That was a brilliant decision because the Seahawks, at the very least, are incredibly fun to watch. Geno Smith has made some mind-blowing throws this season and has squashed any doubt that surrounded the production of Metcalf and Lockett in fantasy football. Seattle is 4-3 with only one loss coming by more than a one-score. That loss was a 27-7 route by the 49ers, which didn’t have Christian McCaffery yet. San Francisco’s top 3 defense in yards per play in the NFL, shut down the Seahawks only scoring seven points.
The Seahawks have looked good but so has their division. The NFC West has the reigning NFL Superbowl Champion Rams, the reloaded 49ers, and the Cardinals just got their best offensive weapon, DeAndre Hopkins, back from suspension. The Seahawks have looked good with Kenneth Walker running the ball and Geno Smith is leading the NFL in completion percentage at 73%. The defense has even shown strides as Tariq Woolen has allowed just a 40.2 passer rating this season. He is top 5 in that category. Seattle has great pieces to build on, just not enough to be a contender today.
How did you react to the CMC trade? Did you have any NFL overreactions that I missed? Let me know in the comments and follow ChiCity Sports for more.
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When Bears offensive line coach Chris Morgan told center Sam Mustipher he was no longer starting last week, Mustipher did not take it well.
“I was pissed. Furious,” Mustipher said. “I could use profanity to describe how I was feeling at that point, but that was tough. Because I’m all about the Bears and wanting to help the Bears win. And for me to feel like it came down on my shoulders …”
And then, the discipline that turned made Mustipher from an undrafted free agent into an NFL starter in the first place prevailed.
“But when you get benched, you’ve got to be honest with yourself,” Mustipher said. “Obviously what I was doing wasn’t good enough. And that’s what they felt. I could have sulked. I could have pouted. But once the initial sting wears off, you’ve got to be a man. I looked myself in the mirror and I was like, ‘Here’s the things I’ve got to improve on. And the next time I get on the football field, I can leave no doubt.”
To even Mustipher’s surprise, that opportunity came just 10 snaps into his benching, when his replacement, Lucas Patrick, injured his toe in the first quarter Monday night against the Patriots at Gillette Stadium. (Patrick was still being examined Tuesday. His status is “wait and see” according to coach Matt Eberflus.) Mustipher got the call, and went to work.
And he got the job done. The Bears rushed for 243 yards, averaged 5.4 yards per carry and scored on seven of Mustipher’s first eight possessions in a 33-14 upset. But as much as he plays on emotion, Mustipher wasn’t going to call it a storybook ending.
“I wasn’t inspired [by the benching] –that stuff’s for Disney movies,” Mustipher said. “I’m more about, I wanted to go out there and affect winning. I wanted to help the Bears win. That’s the mentality I take into every game It was the same [Monday] night. As soon as Lucas went down, I was like, ‘All right, how can I help these guys win?’ That’s what it’s about.”
It was that kind of game for the Bears. An offensive line that was identified as an area of needed improvement over the mini-bye week responded in a big moment — aided no doubt by a game plan that utilized Justin Fields as well as in any game he’s played for the Bears.
“Elation,” Mustipher said. “Fate, if that’s what you want to call it. It’s cool to see all that work come to fruition [after] the roller coaster of emotions that I had this week.”
And the Bears did it with two discards. Not only Mustipher, but guard Michael Schofield, who had been cut in training camp and then re-signed on Sept. 14, started at left guard when Patrick moved to center.And they did it with two discards. Not only Mustipher, but guard Michael Schofield, who had been cut in training camp and then re-signed on Sept. 14, started at left guard when Patrick moved to center.
Schofield, the Sandburg High School product, is in his eighth NFL season and started on the Broncos’ Super Bowl winning team in the 2015 season. But this was a moment to remember.
“It was pretty cool. Pretty special moment for me,” Schofield said. “First game starting as a Bear. Beating the Patriots is always a fun thing to do. So it was good — very special.”
Schofield was 2-4 in his career against the Patriots before Monday night’s game, but 0-2 against them at Gillette Stadium, including a 41-28 blowout loss with the Chargers in the AFC Championship in the 2018 season playoffs.
“We thought we had a hell of a team and we got there and they kicked our ass,” Schofield said.
So the victory Monday night was particularly gratifying for Schofield, especially during a difficult season that left his NFL future uncertain.
“It’s definitely pretty good for me,” he said. “Just how the season went — obviously getting cut and being able to start a game and [I] played pretty decent. It’s exciting. Crazy how it works out.”
Bears draw winning hand with offensive line discards Read More »
Reader senior writer Ben Joravsky riffs on the day’s stories with his celebrated humor, insight, and honesty, and interviews politicians, activists, journalists and other political know-it-alls. Presented by the Chicago Reader, the show is available by 4 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays at chicagoreader.com/joravsky—or wherever you get your podcasts. Don’t miss Oh, What a Week!–the Friday feature in which Ben & producer Dennis (aka, Dr. D.) review the week’s top stories. Also, bonus interviews drop on Saturdays, Sundays and Mondays.
Chicago Reader podcasts are recorded on Shure microphones. Learn more at Shure.com.
Chicago Reader senior writer Ben Joravsky discusses the day’s stories with his celebrated humor, insight, and honesty on The Ben Joravsky Show.
Listen to The Ben Joravsky Show Read More »
Reader senior writer Ben Joravsky riffs on the day’s stories with his celebrated humor, insight, and honesty, and interviews politicians, activists, journalists and other political know-it-alls. Presented by the Chicago Reader, the show is available by 4 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays at chicagoreader.com/joravsky—or wherever you get your podcasts. Don’t miss Oh, What a Week!–the Friday feature in which Ben & producer Dennis (aka, Dr. D.) review the week’s top stories. Also, bonus interviews drop on Saturdays, Sundays and Mondays.
Chicago Reader podcasts are recorded on Shure microphones. Learn more at Shure.com.
Chicago Reader senior writer Ben Joravsky discusses the day’s stories with his celebrated humor, insight, and honesty on The Ben Joravsky Show.
Listen to The Ben Joravsky ShowBen Joravskyon October 25, 2022 at 7:01 am Read More »
The Bears emerged from their mini-bye disguised as the Ravens.
That was the conclusion drawn Monday night by Patriots safety Devin McCourty, who saw quarterback Justin Fields’ designed runs as a reflection of the best running quarterback in the sport.
“I think with the extended time they added some plays that I think we saw in the Baltimore game with Lamar Jackson,” McCourty said. “Some of those style of plays.”
Ten of them, in fact — or three fewer than the 13 designed quarterback runs the Bears called in the first six games of the season combined. Monday, they produced 56 yards, one touchdown — and a 33-14 upset win at Gillette Stadium.
Bears offensive coordinator Luke Getsy might have found the Bears’ offensive identity.
“I thought it brought a whole different element to our offense,” Fields said.
Running back David Montgomery, who had 15 carries for 62 yards, said Fields’ planned runs “softened up” the tackle box. Fields’ read-option keepers worked well against the Patriots’ frequent man defense looks.
“They can’t predict or see what kind of formation we are in to make it seem like they know what we are doing,” Montgomery said. “We switched it up a bit, and it worked out for the best for us.”
Patriots boss Bill Belichick, who admitted to being “outcoached,” saw in the first quarter what the Bears were trying to do with Fields.
“Once a couple of those started hitting early in the game, then we could see that’s the way the game was going to go,” he said. “So, yeah, I wouldn’t say it was a total surprise. Once it declared, then we were definitely playing for it.
“We didn’t do a great job defending it.”
General manager Ryan Poles defended Getsy a few hours before kickoff, saying he’d done a good job blending the run and pass and managing Fields “through the ups and downs” of the season.
“And then, just the ability to adapt and adjust to the strengths of the guys,” he said.
He played to those strengths Monday. While the Bears change their strategy for each opponent, designed Fields runs should be here to stay.
Counting scrambles, Fields finished with 14 rushes for 82 yards. Only a few of the planned runs, though, ended up with the quarterback getting touched.
“I wasn’t trying to take many big hits,” Fields said. “So I knew I had more designed runs this game. I knew I was going to have to run the ball a little bit more. Just being able to last the entire game was big.”
He slid at the end of his first planned run, an 8-yarder over left guard after faking a fly sweep to Dante Pettis late in the first quarter. Fields capped that drive with a 3-yard touchdown run, this time over the left tackle, after a fake sweep to fellow receiver Velus Jones.
Fields ran out of bounds on three of his six second-quarter designed runs — a read-option keeper right for 15 yards and another left for four, as well as a sweep left for nine. He slid on a nine-yard draw late in the first half.
“Just gotta be smart about it,” head coach Matt Eberflus said Tuesday. “He’s got very good instincts that way, so we trust him.”
Fields would have run more were the game not such a blowout. Take away the final kneeldown, and the Bears called designed quarterback runs twice in the second half.
Fields has room to improve — he fumbled four times on passing downs, and didn’t lose a single one — but might have helped the Bears’ offense find a direction heading into Dallas.
“We just have to do it the right way – and we’ve got to be creative with how we do it,” Eberflus said. “So we’re gonna do that. We’re working on the gameplan right now, so we’re excited about getting that going. …
“I think once you put it on tape, the guys have to defend it.”
Planned Justin Fields runs gave Bears ‘whole different element’ Read More »
The Chicago Bears should be euphoric after their Monday Night win against the New England Patriots. The Bears blew out the Patriots in a surprising fashion featuring two rookies earning their first career interception. Safety Jaquan Brisker, who picked off Mac Jones in the second quarter, should feel great after the turnover. However, he received a hit to his package that might sting Tuesday morning.
On a play in the first half, Jones went for a quarterback slide and lifted his right foot into the crotch of Brisker. It’s hard to look at the footage and not think Jones could have avoided the contact.
Jaquan Brisker got kicked in the nuts by Mac Jones https://t.co/eX65iyj4Gm
Thankfully, Jones would continue to go with balls deep into the secondary on the drive. One of which went where Brisker was playing to snatch instant Karma from the Patriots quarterback.
Bears fans took to Twitter immediately following the contact. Many thought the act was intentional by Jones. Most fans thought it was a dirty play that should have been flagged. Here are some of the best takes on social media following the play.
@BarroomNetwork He needs to be fined! But that pick and benching was great payback!
Ain’t no way this isn’t intentional lol NO WAY! https://t.co/QCXU6HGFoj
Prayers up for Jaquan’s scrote ☠️ https://t.co/adwk5d6AFw
BRISKER JUST GOT THE PICK LMFAOOOOO ONE HANDED START ZAPPE SEND THIS THUG (Mac Jones) TO THE XFL THATS WHAT YOU GET FOR KICKING HIS WEEWEE https://t.co/bOAh0q9Ybp
This is bullshit. Defence need to go after this chump. https://t.co/hHzrUQ4CuI
A cleat to the beans is brutal business. https://t.co/6ZeIXts1OA
Mac has to kick someone in the balls to win https://t.co/FsCA4LYjF8
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Bears fans react to Jaquan Brisker being kicked in the crotch by Mac Jones Read More »
