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Chicago Bears open thread

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* If you can stomach commenting on this topic, that is.

posted by Rich Miller
Monday, Nov 18, 19 @ 9:34 am

Comments

Is there anything that can be said that’s not bannable?

Comment by Precinct Captain Monday, Nov 18, 19 @ 9:36 am
First Trubisky is very average, to put it nicely. Trubisky playing through a both a “hip” and “shoulder” is not even close to very average. Its asking too much. Its unrealistic, and it put the bears in a bad spot.

Comment by ugh Monday, Nov 18, 19 @ 9:40 am
Colin Kaepernick anyone?

Comment by Truthiness Monday, Nov 18, 19 @ 9:40 am
As long as Virginia enjoys her A&W root beers, nothing will change.

Comment by Jose Abreu's Next Homerun Monday, Nov 18, 19 @ 9:40 am
The defense is doing its job - opponents are averaging 17.4 points per game.

The problem is the offense is only averaging 16.9 points per game.

The Bears have the second best defense in football. First best is whoever is playing against the Bears

Comment by Oak Parker Monday, Nov 18, 19 @ 9:41 am
The fact that all of the NFL Teams are intentionally black listing Colin Kaepernick is pretty obvious when you consider that there’s a quarterback that is better than either the Bears starting quarterback or back up quarterback just hanging out doing nothing.

I think an overwhelming majority of the fan base would be excited to have him as an addition to the team, and the folks that would “stop being Bears fans” over it weren’t the kind of Bears fans we wanted anyhow.

Comment by Candy Dogood Monday, Nov 18, 19 @ 9:41 am
Kickers, amirite?

#FoolsGould

Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Nov 18, 19 @ 9:42 am
I guess in the spirit of the upcoming Thanksgiving season, the positive about the Bears season being a lost cause is that I have just received more free time on Sundays to spend with my family doing worthwhile things. No more will I feel compelled to watch these Bears fail miserably in a quest to bring a NFL Championship to Chicago. For that, I am grateful and thankful.

Comment by Big Joe Monday, Nov 18, 19 @ 9:43 am
Another season lost with a top-tier defense and a mediocre offense led by middling to below-average quarterback play. Classic Bears. Shame on me for expecting things to be different!

Comment by Chambanalyst Monday, Nov 18, 19 @ 9:56 am
I no longer follow the Chicago Bears. Has something been happening with them lately?

Comment by Responsa Monday, Nov 18, 19 @ 9:57 am
When does spring training start?

Comment by GADawg Monday, Nov 18, 19 @ 9:58 am
“Kickers, amirite?” Maybe Kaep can kick too?

“The defense is doing its job” They are but Akim Hicks is still a big big loss.

TBH, I was relieved when the Rams scored that late touchdown. Then I could breathe easier knowing there wasn’t a chance of a Bears comeback.

I’m not sure how many times I said “What the **** was that?” after a Trubisky incompletion, but it certainly was far too many. Oh well, wait till next year.

Comment by Skeptic Monday, Nov 18, 19 @ 10:02 am
-The defense is doing its job - opponents are averaging 17.4 points per game.-

One difference seems to be less takeaways and dynamic plays on that side. Last year the scoring and exploits of the defense covered some of the offense’s flaws. Not this year.

Comment by Ron Burgundy Monday, Nov 18, 19 @ 10:03 am
Trubisky is not good BUT I think Pace’s real, glaring failing is the offensive line: how in the world do you rely on Kyle Long after his injury history, and then put even more pressure on the O-Line by trading a pound-the-line RB like Howard? Trubisky would look a lot better if he had an extra second to scan the field and the ability to convert a third-and-short with a running play.

Comment by lake county democrat Monday, Nov 18, 19 @ 10:04 am
I have nothing nice to say about the Bears.

The Blackhawks at least are fun-bad this year - give up a ton of shots + stellar goaltending + a lot of opportunistic scoring = watchable hockey.

Comment by ChicagoVinny Monday, Nov 18, 19 @ 10:04 am
To think they picked Mitchell over both Mahomes and Watson has to hurt for Bears fans a bit. As far as signed Kaepernick, I’m not even sure he’d improve the offense enough to get them over .500 with the other personnel they have at the moment. His last couple seasons with the 49ers weren’t exactly stellar and I think skill wise this offense is in roughly the same position.

Comment by Fixer Monday, Nov 18, 19 @ 10:06 am
when you need a kicker and a QB at the same time, you actually really need new management.

Comment by Amalia Monday, Nov 18, 19 @ 10:06 am
IMO, Hicks is most important player on the defensive side. With him out, the run defense and pass rush is severely lacking. The offensive line is horrible, predictive play calling, and a QB with poor decision-making skills. To Mitch’s credit, if he gets time in the pocket, or rolls out, can make great throws. The Jordan Howard trade was foolish as well.

Comment by Davos Monday, Nov 18, 19 @ 10:11 am
Amalia for the win.

Comment by Ally McBeal Monday, Nov 18, 19 @ 10:15 am
Mitch should be on the back of a milk carton that reads ‘reported missing since 1/6/19′

Comment by Jocko Monday, Nov 18, 19 @ 10:21 am
Given that 8 out of 10 experts ranked Trubisky as the top QB in the draft and the other two had him as the #2, his failure to develop is just as much on the offensive geniuses on the coaching staff

in typical Bears fashion, if he is traded he will probably thrive in a new environment

Comment by Lucky Pierre Monday, Nov 18, 19 @ 10:27 am
QB and kicker hide deeper problems. O line is a mess, which makes it harder to properly assess their limited offensive weapons. Bridgewater would be a better acquisition the Kaepernick, but Bears have never been able to develop a QB worth their salt.

Comment by Anon For Now Monday, Nov 18, 19 @ 10:31 am
Fire everyone in off season. GM, Head Coach and Assistant Coaches. Everyone must go

Comment by low level Monday, Nov 18, 19 @ 10:32 am
After the fiasco this weekend with Colin Kapernick moving the venue for the workout with 30 minutes notice (that had 25 teams showed up to watch) 60 miles away from the NFL facility and refusal to sign the waiver, what team in its right mind would sign him?

Football is team sport, where players follow what management tells them to do.

Comment by Lucky Pierre Monday, Nov 18, 19 @ 10:34 am
===Everyone must go===

When you haven’t had a decent QB since Sid Luckman retired, it’s more than coaches and GMs. The McCaskeys have never been held accountable and they are the common thread that has brought in such memorable quarterbacks as:

Caleb Hanie. Cade McNown. Shane Matthews. Kordell Stewart. Jimmy Clausen. Craig Krenzel. Chad Hutchinson and more. And that’s just since 2001.

Now it looks like we can add Trubisky to the pile of broken QBs and wonder: were they destined to be terrible, or was it something about the Bears that made them so terrible?

Comment by 47th Ward Monday, Nov 18, 19 @ 10:38 am
#DitchTheMitch

Comment by Sinister Monday, Nov 18, 19 @ 10:38 am
How about dem blackhawks

Comment by Ok Monday, Nov 18, 19 @ 10:38 am
Not much to say other than…Dumpster Fire and I’m Glad to be a Packers Fan.

Comment by BluegrassBoy Monday, Nov 18, 19 @ 10:39 am
I just check the score to see the sad results. The team is melting down and the future looks bad.

Comment by Rod Monday, Nov 18, 19 @ 10:41 am
In a town full of disappointing sports teams, it’s difficult for me to recall a more disappointing season than this year.

Comment by Stones Monday, Nov 18, 19 @ 10:42 am
==No decent QB Since Sid Luckman== - 47th ward

Perhaps but would you agree Jim McMahon was decent?

Comment by low level Monday, Nov 18, 19 @ 11:00 am
The problem starts at the top, with bad talent evaluation. How many QB’s have the Bears had in the last few decades compared with the Packers? The Packers are always competitive.

Comment by Grandson of Man Monday, Nov 18, 19 @ 11:01 am
===Football is team sport, where players follow what management tells them to do.===

https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/colin-kaepernick-moves-workout-opens-event-to-media-in-pursuit-of-transparent-and-open-process/

Without derailing this conversation, please get your facts correct before commenting on the workout. He asked for media availability to ensure transparency. And if you watched the workout you’d see he could easily fill in for many teams struggling at QB.

Comment by njt Monday, Nov 18, 19 @ 11:05 am
He gone.

Comment by Vote Quimby Monday, Nov 18, 19 @ 11:10 am
==No decent QB Since Sid Luckman== - 47th ward

==Perhaps but would you agree Jim McMahon was decent?==

McMahon was average to decent as a QB. What he had going for him was he was an exceptional natural leader.

What he also had going for him was the defense and Walter Payton (no adjectives required).

Comment by anonomoose Monday, Nov 18, 19 @ 11:11 am
“Football is team sport” True, but a special workout featuring one player is hardly a team activity.

Comment by Skeptic Monday, Nov 18, 19 @ 11:12 am
===Maybe Kaep can kick too?===

But is he good enough to hit the uprights several times in the same game?

Comment by Candy Dogood Monday, Nov 18, 19 @ 11:13 am
cut Mitch sign Kaep

Comment by brickle Monday, Nov 18, 19 @ 11:17 am
“But is he good enough to hit the uprights several times in the same game?” I’m not sure Messi could even do that.

Come to think of it, Carli Lloyd is available, isn’t she?

Comment by Skeptic Monday, Nov 18, 19 @ 11:17 am
The only successful QB the Bears have drafted was Jim McMahon, so they do have a long record of futility when it comes to drafting QB’s.

Comment by Angry Republican Monday, Nov 18, 19 @ 11:21 am
Where has Mack been? He was as invisible as Floyd typically is.

And what has happened to Nagy? His creative play calling last season clearly hid what a mediocre at best QB Trubisky is. Why has his play calling been so Wannstedt-esqe this season? Anyone think Trubisky would be a better QB if he had a coach like Belichick game planning for him?

Comment by Henry Francis Monday, Nov 18, 19 @ 11:21 am
Jeannie Ives supporter Virginia McCaskey would probably veto the Kaep idea, if Pace could swallow his pride enough to propose it.

Comment by Six Degrees of Separation Monday, Nov 18, 19 @ 11:21 am
I am a complete sports agnostic, but if they signed Colin Kaepernick I would become a fan

Comment by Groundhog Day Monday, Nov 18, 19 @ 11:26 am
@ Lucky Pierre: You should examine a bit more closely why Kaepernick did not sign that waiver. The NFL was trying to get him to sign away his rights to further litigation. They also would not let him use his own video crew among other issues. It was a set up.

https://slate.com/culture/2019/11/colin-kaepernick-bizarre-nfl-tryout.html

The Bears should give him a short term contract and see what happens.

Comment by Scamp640 Monday, Nov 18, 19 @ 11:26 am
So… What’s Kyle Orton up to? I must admit as a Raiders fan the first round draft pick acquired from the Bears is looking better and better

Comment by theq Monday, Nov 18, 19 @ 11:30 am
Mitch Trubisky will be the MVP next year…of the XFL.

Comment by JT11505 Monday, Nov 18, 19 @ 11:35 am
Management has no idea how to build an offense. It starts with getting a superior offensive line. Then you add the “skill” positions. You need a deep threat, a power running back, at least a competent quarterback. The more talent, the better. But it isn’t possible to fill all positions with superstars.

Comment by Last Bull Moose Monday, Nov 18, 19 @ 11:39 am
Is there a word limit to posts? I am not sure there is enough space here.

Comment by Horrified Bears Fan Monday, Nov 18, 19 @ 11:40 am
“What’s Kyle Orton up to?” I’d bet Jay Cutler could be signed for a small salary. He could at least throw further than 15 yards downfield. And if you include completions to the other team, he’d be an upgrade there too.

Comment by Skeptic Monday, Nov 18, 19 @ 11:49 am
Please keep Mitch in the line up. He’s a good kid. Thanx.

- Raider Nation and your 2020 first round pick.

Comment by Unpopular Opinion Monday, Nov 18, 19 @ 11:59 am
===would you agree Jim McMahon was decent?===

Did Jim McMahon ever play a full season?

I always believed McMahon’s injuries were the primary reason that team didn’t win another Super Bowl in that era.

Comment by 47th Ward Monday, Nov 18, 19 @ 12:20 pm
Jim McMahon’s health was huge in the implosion of the Bears, as it begat Tomczak and then Flutie and this chasing by the organization and Ditka to find a secret missing ingredient at QB as players moved on, were traded, or let go, without replacing the parts for the betterment of the whole.

The 85 Bears, the 95 Atlanta Braves… both franchises shoulda won more than the lone titles they hold.

The 2019 Bears?

In a sport designed to reward teams that score 30+ points while giving up 20 points or less, this team is designed to be exactly 4-6, which is what they are.

Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Nov 18, 19 @ 12:26 pm
There is no reason not to bring Colin Kapernick on board. If he doesn’t listen to management, that would be a plus.

Comment by Pot calling kettle Monday, Nov 18, 19 @ 1:40 pm
Some years the Injury Fairy hates your team. Other times he is too busy wrecking havoc on other teams. This is not the Bears year.

But you want your team to avoid self-inflicted wounds. The Bears mortgaged the future to get Khalil Mack, but unlike the Packers who stuck with Mason Crosby thru a rough patch, the brilliant Ryan Pace freaked out because Robbie Gould missed two extra points in the last preseason game of 2016.

Someone should have reminded Pace that preseason games don’t count, and good NFL kickers don’t grow on trees. There was The double-donk was more than Karma, it was predictable.

Conner Barth - 2016
Cairo Santos - 2017
Mike Nugent - 2017
Cody Parkey - 2018
Eddy Piñeiro - 2019

Want to not lose games because of missed FGs? Keep the same kicker, holder, and long snapper for a few years.

Comment by James Knell Monday, Nov 18, 19 @ 1:56 pm
The Chicago Bears are to this football season what the Lori Lightfoot administration is to government.

Comment by The Most Anonymous Monday, Nov 18, 19 @ 2:12 pm
Agree with LDC. Great football teams (eg NE and SF) are first built around interior linemen. This is a head office fail.

Comment by walker Monday, Nov 18, 19 @ 2:15 pm
Bears need to focus on the O-Line. Long should have left last season, but the guy is too much a team captain to just let go without one last shot. They tried Daniels at Center, but they reversed it and I think they’ll stick with it. Massie is a sunk cost, and doing okay, so he’ll stick around. Upgrading Charles Leno is a must. After that some tight ends worth something would be next.

The Bears’ problem is the same it has always been in my twenty years watching them: heavily invested in a defense hampering anyone but value players on offense. That works when they can make turnovers and score points, but when they cant, everything goes downhill quickly.

Comment by DuPage Guy Monday, Nov 18, 19 @ 2:27 pm
The trade for Mack is looking good for the Raiders. The defense can be great but Mack has been just average this year. There was so much negative toward the Raiders when they traded but now looks like a good move by them. When is Pace going to talk and explain all that has gone on this year? The Teflon GM?

Comment by Boat captain Monday, Nov 18, 19 @ 2:35 pm
“Mack has been just average this year” I would argue that the reason is because his supporting cast isn’t what it was last year, so opponents can direct more of their energy toward stopping him.

Comment by Skeptic Monday, Nov 18, 19 @ 3:02 pm
Only one Super Bowl win in history! A quarter of a century ago. Pathetic and a civic embarrassment!!

Comment by Papa Bear Monday, Nov 18, 19 @ 3:30 pm
Btw - Dak was there in the 2nd and 3rd rounds…but Bears (and fans) were still committed to Cutler. Now, Kap or Mariota are available. Just saying. What do we have to lose?

Comment by Veil of Ignorance Monday, Nov 18, 19 @ 4:20 pm
Matt Nagy’s psyche has been entirely destroyed, but coaching the Bears will do that to you.

Also this quote about the Bears is still true: “Since the Eisenhower administration, the Bears have basically been as successful as the Buccaneers and yet our fans act like we’re NFL royalty.”

Comment by BilboSwaggins Monday, Nov 18, 19 @ 4:40 pm
I think bringing on Kaepernick is the best thing the bears could do on a number of levels but i also think it would bring out the little mentioned racial divide in the city and broader Bears fandom.

Nevertheless he is what this city needs.

Comment by Kentucky Bluegrass x Featherbed Bent x Northern California Sinsemilla Monday, Nov 18, 19 @ 4:46 pm
(Read in the late John Fulanda’s voice {NFL Films Narrator}): “The Bears season of discontent rolled on like a flat tire in a freezing February night. With a banged up rookie QB having the consistency of a sugared-up 4 year old, and a field goal kicker more like to hit an upright than miss it–except to miss a field goal or point after attempt…”. I’m done watching for the season.

Comment by revvedup Monday, Nov 18, 19 @ 4:48 pm
Most Anonymous comparison to Mayor Lightfoot is unfortunately valid. High expectations in both cases and performance not reaching those expectations in the least. But in both of these situations I have an out, I did not vote for the Mayor and I am not a Bears season ticket holder.

Comment by Rod Monday, Nov 18, 19 @ 5:34 pm
Because McCaskey

Comment by Whatever Monday, Nov 18, 19 @ 5:53 pm
===Nevertheless, he is what this city needs.===
There were a lot of people who thought Jay Cutler, and then Mitch Trubisky, were what the city needed, too. No one is a sure-fire thing unless they prove it on the field…and even then, sometimes the right person in the wrong situation happens, too.

Comment by Six Degrees of Separation Monday, Nov 18, 19 @ 6:34 pm