All Access: Assistant coaches talk improvements

to you by IGS Energy with Tom Fair. I'm Jeff Johnny Act. Good to have you along. No player this week, Tom as they get back to work on Wednesday and get ready for the New Orleans Saints. But we're gonna take the availability that was provided to the media this week of all the assistant coaches on both sides of the ball, and it's always very revealing what you find out,

and you heard some of them as well. Everybody's got very positive attitude at three and two headed into this week's seven matchup, and they all have freedom to talk. You know, I don't think any of these coaches are trying to hold anything back. Do you have information you have questions and they're going to give you a solid answer.

And so it is kind of refreshing that when we get to hear Matt Naggy on a regular basis, and he's willing to stand up there each week and answer every question that's asked of him, that you get a chance to hear from the assistant coaches a little bit because they're dealing emotionally, fundamentally physically with these guys on an everyday basis through meetings and throughout the practice field, so they deserve to be, you know, give us some answers. Also.

Thoughts on Akim Hicks not able to return to at least week fifteen. He could practice a couple of weeks before if his elbow heals up in night. It's really unfortunate, you know, because the game takes such a toll on everybody, and he was in he was playing in the game. He had a little bit of knee soreness, but he's

making plays up and down the line of scrimmage. His leadership that he's shown since he's been here, the improvement in his play that he's dedicated himself too since he's been here is why he's on the radar of being one of the top defensive linemen in the league. So it's really unfortunate that he's not playing. But I keep saying, Jeff, every time that a guy goes down, there's got to be a player that's sitting on the edge of his

seat waiting for his opportunity. That's pretty much the theme from Bears defensive line coach Jay Rodgers when asked how a keen can be replaced, Well, I mean, I don't know if replaces the word. He's going to be with us throughout the game planning. He's gonna be with us on the game day, he's gonna be on the sidelines, all those kind of things. So you're gonna feel a presence of him on the sideline and everything that we do,

you know, from here until whenever that is. Since the guys and Roy Rob nick Williams really do look to him for a lot, is that significant that he'll be that involved and to talk to these guys him. I think when you have a player like him, keeping him involved in everything that we do, just like he was

going to be starting this game. He'll be a voice on the sideline, he'll be a voice in the classroom, he'll be a voice in everything we do, you know, and so his mentality he's been able to develop over the last few years, will he'll be here. It's not like we're losing this guy for the season and all those kind of things, and he goes off and and you know he's in a different town. He's going to be here. He's part of us. He's part of this

Bears Families organization. Another level for he could return. He's a he's a young player, he's a second year player. So I would like to think that there's a more to grow from him. You know. Um, we'll see as time goes on how much he does grow. But again, he's still a young player. He's an ascending player, and I think he's can continue to get better and better as the years go on. What can you teach and work on? Dealing with the defensive line is so much

about using your hands. You know. Obviously he'll have to protect that in some way, shape or form. You know, I broke the same hand in the springtime, so I know how it feels and what you can't can't do, but I don't. I don't played Deven's line now, so it's a little bit different. Um. You know, we're obviously working through that process. He had a practice the other day, did well in that practice, you know, hit some pads, um, got some good um, you know, movement with with players.

But again we didn't have the pads on and so you don't know. But he's going to work through all those kinks this week and see how he has seen and before already got hurt from what did you see from him in the game actually kind of reflected some of the things you saw it in training. Kim Blau has always been a consistent football player. His football IQ is very high. He wants to be good. He practices hard, he prepares well. Um, all those things give you an

opportunity to play well. And again, he's an ascending player. Will continue to get well because with all the god given ability that he has, he's utilizing all the things that are not physical in order to give him the best opportunity for success. And so he'll continue to get better because it's important to him. When the defense adds a player, for example, like Khalil mack or or covert a team, it lets him do things expand with the

realm of the possible. When you lose somebody like a team and you have to discover these up and if you want to share what this maybe, but other things will be able to do without him. U you know, I don't know, We'll see. I remember last year when we lost Klomack for a couple of games. I think it was the Buffalo game, in the Jets game. I think that's right. I thought we had some guys who came in and filled in those shoes and did pretty well. You know, we expect the same thing the next guy up.

Mentality is real. I mean, there's a reason why we build the roster the way we build it because we feel like we have good football players here. So you know, we didn't have a team for the Minnesota game. I thought we played pretty well in the Minnesota game. So it's all about understanding what your job is, what your role is, how to execute, how to execute under pressure, and doing what we do. You know, we're not asking anybody to go outside of the framework of the defense.

We're not asking anybody to do something extra special. We're asking you to do your job because you're one eleventh of the defense. If you're a three technique supposed to play the guard, I want you to play the guard. What I don't want you to do is is feel like you got to make every play out there. It's got to be eleven as one mentality or upfront we talk about being four as one. If we do that, we'll be fine. And that's why this is such the

greatest team games because takes all eleven guys to do things. Well. As your takeaway of your self scouting of your unit this by week, I thought, you know, there's always things you have to clean up. You know, there's only five games where you know we have to build from, so you got a small sample size. But there's a lot of positives, a lot of things we can clean up

and try to get better as we go there. Anything about Nick Williams and Roy Robertson Harris that he didn't know that you learned about here in the first five, I would say I learned something different about them. I think what both of them did was take advantage of their opportunities. Nick played a considerable amount the last few weeks with guys being down. He took advantage of his

opportunity and had production. Roy I've always felt like has had the ability is all about putting it together and then what you saw week one versus Green Bay and continue to grow into his own the last few weeks and he's starting to see more production from him. So

it's a process. It's not an overnight thing with young players, and of course him being a three or fourth year player, it doesn't happen overnight, you know, talking about a guy who's transitioning from one position to the next, trying to learn the inside stuff. You know, I knew from experience that doesn't not just happen in one game. It happens over time and when it clicks, it's really awesome to watch. You know, Tom just listening that the biggest takeaway is

the theme that remains for this entire defense. Eleven is one or if you're talking about a pass rush or a defensive line, four is one. So he doesn't want these guys to go out of their realm just to prove that they are a key Nicks And you're not going to be just be you right well that you know, that's the kind of the message here. You're not going to fold up your tents because there's been a player that's been injured and he's going to be out for

a while. You know, when you put the the growth of Blow Nichols, you look at the growth ability of a guy like Rory Robertson Harris, you look at a guy who's dedicated a lifetime of getting the opportunity in Nick Williams. So every one of these guys, they have a different trade and a responsibility for why they're hair and they're not here because they were evaluated to be bad players. They were evaluated to be players that could come in here and contribute at an all pro or

a really high level. So my expectations don't decrease at all. It's about making sure those players improve their play. If Blow Nichols is ready to return, what are the unique challenges And Jay did touch on it a little bit about him playing defensive line with a club on his hand. Jay mentioned that his defensive linemen are hand fighters, and you got to be able to use your hands confidently.

If you're Blow Nichols, if you have some type of interruption, interruption and you're only a one handed player, offensive linemen can identify that immediately, and then I really think you're doing yourself a disservice because you can use the equal strength of these other guys that we've seen and they can be more damaging. Bears All Access with Tom Thare. I'm Jeff Joniac with engineer pauls ringing producer Dan Barelli. It's brought to you by IGS Energy. Where at p

ANDC Studios, Here at Hatosa. Coming up next, we'll talk quarterbacks with Dave rack Going, the Bear's quarterback coach as the Bears prepare for the Saints on Chicago Sports Radio six seventy the Score. Welcome back to Bears All Access brought to you by IGS Energy, a proud partner of the Chicago Bears, providing electricity, natural gas, and home warranty products to over one million customers across the country. Learn more about IGS Energy at igs dot com. Jeff Joni Act,

Tom Thair here at HATISAU at PNC Studios. And with the way the offensive line is going and the run game is going, you know it is in the big picture, not the biggest sample size yet to hit the bye week, but there was a lot of self scouting done and now the potential, just the potential of Mitch Rubisky, you know, coming back this week. The benefit of having those guys play better upfront and try to stay as mentally sharp

as possible. The mistakes are killing them. They all admit it, and the run game could benefit, and so would Mitch and so would Chase Daniel even right, But it's all gotta be part of the big picture of making sure the whole offense is better, because I think if you minimalize and you say, okay, our run game is going to be so much better because we're determined to do it, then you should have done that week one. I do

think it is a work in progress. And so a work in progress is the healthier Mitch is, the more threatening he can become in his running. Ability to the outside edge of any defense is going to open up susceptibility in the middle. And then the whole continuous development of the passing game and the weapons they have here, the Allen Robinsons and such, it's going to help whatever

you want to do at the line of scrimmage. So it is a work in progress, and I think you know, every one of these guys recognize the continuous effort they need. Various quarterback coach David Going has consistently been very specific and open about his instruction of Mitch and of Chase Daniel and yesterday, was asked what he would tell fans and media about comparing development of Mitch Trubisky to other

young quarterbacks in the league. Right now, though, the hardest thing, just being as as long as I have as a player now coach, is you get in the comparison game of how things work or how this guy's doing and compared to how this guy. Everybody has their own set of issues, good and bad. Right, you can start looking at quarterbacks drafted in the same class or the class below you, the class after you, and like, oh, this guy's here and this guy and again. And I've been

around all different quarterback rooms. I've yet to see that help any quarterback started to get in the comparison game. Well, this guy through for four touchdowns last week, I need a throw for I've never seen that work. The guys that I've been around, or i've seen or I've had conversations with, who have really had a who stayed in this league a long time at a high level, right, there is no comparison to them. All they're trying to

do is be the absolute best. Right. We had a few years ago a chance to pick Peyton's brain, right, and I've known Peyton for a long time, and again I hold him in high regard. You're talking about a guy who goes out and every single play matters right, every single game matter and he played every play every game like it was the last one he's gonna play. Right.

He wasn't saying, well if someone sold just through for three touchdowns last week in my draft class, man, I wonder how you know I got to compare to that. They're competing against themselves the best I've ever been around here. The standard is to themselves, not how other guys are playing. Now, I get trust me, I get how that could be a natural comparison to people outside this building. I'm not saying that's not a legitimate guy's comparing how is this

guy doing? Look how this guy's playing. At the end of the day, what we need from Mitchell, just like every player, is we need him to execute the game plan, the fundamentals the way we want them to at a high level. And once you become consistent in doing that right, and there is no magic timetable on that, but once you become consistent in doing that right, then all of a sudden, a lot of the other things kind of take care of themselves in terms of how is this

guy doing comparing because it doesn't matter. What matters is you going out and the job that's at you doing it. Getting into the other parts of it has never been constructive. So ever, so what signs do you see that convince you that the production is coming? Yeah? I think, well again you go off what he's done here. So I've had him right his rookie year, then into his second year,

and now three games into his third year. Right, I think we can all at least say from his rookie year, right, he was into a situation where he wasn't the starter starting camp, he was the third string. All of a sudden way he went to second string, and all of a sudden, let's playing Minnesota and that he's out there. Right, So that was an eight to ten game development of where exactly we're gonna find Mitchell with really a part of the roster now that's no longer part of this team, right,

receivers backs. Right, Then you get into his second year, and then obviously you have a situation where we bring a new head coach in and all of a sudden, right, he's learning a system. And I think we can all look at the fifteen games he played last year, right with the two that he missed, and say, all of a sudden, Man, there's games that Man, we want that improvement.

But all of a sudden, if you look at a totality of the game right in different situations, I think we can all say that's a lot to build on. There's a lot of successful things that happened within situations of different games. And you're saying, okay, arrows pointing up in that situation. Well, then you get to twenty nineteen and again right, you have a three game sample size. So his last game he played right, I think, if I'm not mistaken, one of the higher completions in terms

of his career. There was a red zone interception, right, I get that. There's also three touchdowns in which one was one of the best players I've ever seen the kid make, and Taylor Gabriel made one of the best catches I've ever seen a live in person. So again, that was nothing to do with man, that was a great design that kid made the play right in a situation in which Right helped us offensively in the first half.

So when I look at all the games in which he's played, Right there's things that we can definitely get better at one hundred percent. I'm not sure any player or any coach that we're gonna say, there's the guys a finished product. But then you look at some of the things he did well, right two minute drives, right, the Eagles two minute drive playoff game right in a critical situation, gets us sound. I get it. We didn't end up winning the football game. Right. Then you look

into twenty nineteen. Every year is different, I get it. But when I see this kid where he's come from to where I think he's going from two thousand when we drafted him for those games on which he played, and then where he is now from a maturity standpoint, from how he handles things to how he handles the game plan coming in each week, to how he even took the field Esja after an injury in which he's been out two weeks and we don't know how long,

how much longer he is going to be out. All of a sudden, I'm sing, I'm seeing a guy growing up. I'm seeing a maturity. I'm seeing a guy becoming, you know, an older person. Twenty five. He's been in league when he was twenty two you're seeing those things again, are they measured in quarterback rating and all that? I don't know, Right, Obviously, the end goal is for a high successful production, and that's everybody's goal. Is Mitch good at drowning out I

think more than anything else? Right, I mean, obviously, you guys, or he's with you guys every week, I don't we don't ever talk about what questions we're just ask and at the end of the day, right, I mean, when he steps in between the White Lions, he gets so sixteen minutes and maybe some more in overtime, but he gets so sixteen minutes to go prove and go play football. And again, it's not necessarily just like how I coach,

it's not to prove anybody wrong. It's to prove yourself right, right, that you are ready to execute the game plan, you are ready to coach this week. It's not the other way where you're trying to prove the naysayers wrong. You're trying to prove the people yourself more importantly, that you

are right, you are doing the right things. So again, you know, I know I kind of give you guys the same thing, but just I'm I guess I look at it from a wider lens, right, and again my lens if we want to scope and go down and go narrow. His last game, right, that's the last thing I can go off of is the Washington game with six naps in Minnesota, and he is, in my opinion, pointing in the right direction. That is typical over going man. He is very very good explaining things in great detail

about what quarterbacks go through. Given that he did play in this league as well, it helps. But he's got a very keen sense of where Mitch is at. And he does feel as he ended this thing with the arrow up because of how he played against Washington, the success, the difficult throws and again only six snaps against the Vikings before the injury. But the unfortunate aspect that now it's been several weeks, can you pick up where you left up? If he's able to go on Sunday, you know,

you think of Dave were going. He talks about his own playing experience, other players that he played with, and different developments of offenses around the league for all quarterbacks. But you've got to think of the quarterbacks. They work in a small room. It's not like we were talking about the defensive line and you're talking about seven eight bodies. You look at the offensive line, nine or ten different

bodies and Dave were gone. He's got great experience from his own development to other quarterbacks he's been able to work with, and how it all fits into the continuous development of Mitchell Trubisky. So again, this is a work in progress. This is a work in progress of a

young man. So when you talk about before, what's going to help Mitch the most, his ability and his threat to run the ball to the outside, the help of the running game itself, and then the more used to get the ball out of your hands to get a downfield. This offense can be equally as threatening as we always imagine it to be. But it's the continuous growth process from the quarterback position that probably will have the biggest

emphasis on the improvement of this offense. Just signing completions, that's what it always talks about, and I think that's as simple as you can make it. Finding completions I don't know or where they're at on the field, Move the chains and make things happen. Complete your passes at a high percentage rate and get in the red zone. The red zone has been something they have not had a lot of snaps in that'll change the scoreboard in

a big way. We'll continue on in our next segment with Mike Fury, the Bears Receivers coach, as we get you set for Bears Saints. This is Chicago Sports Radio six seventy to Score. Sunday's game against the New Orleans Saints is brought to you by Hall of Fame partner Advocate Healthcare, the official healthcare partner of the Chicago Bears. With Tom there, Jeff Joni, You're on Chicago Sports Radio six seventy to Score. This is all Access brought to

you by IGS Energy. Here from P and C Studios at Hallis Hall, where yesterday the assistant coaches were made available to the media. It's always a refreshing look and hearing different voice other than Matt Nagy at the podium so many days a week. These guys are living with these guys, and nobody's more energetic and more dialed in and more excitable than Mike Fury. He really appreciates the work of his crew. Tom and it's a room that

not everybody can get on the field. I mean, you're not going to have six receivers all on the field that will you know, throughout the course of one game. So guys are trying to you know, fight through that and continue to practice hard and make themselves better. Yeah, you know, it's nice that they have a leader, a Bona fight number one and a guy like Alan Robinson because he seems like weekend and week out, you always have that starting point of a go to guy, and

that can be Alan Robinson. And then you think about the difficulty of your development trying to develop rookies like Ridley and you're trying to make guys that are young in their career Javan hims to get better week in and week out. But then you also have guys like Tree Collin and Cordarrell Patterson because they're multiple players. They have to be in the running backs room and they have to be in the wide receiver room. Plus they have details on special teams that they have to be

familiar with. So I think this is still probably become the most important position on the offense this early this season, and I think it can benefit the offense the most going down the season. Alan Robins in averaging twelve point two a catch twenty two first down so far through the first five games. Mike Terry and how he described the streak A Robin is in right now? How would you describe the stretch Alan Robins in his own right now? Well, I think he's just I think he's playing at a

high level. And I think the most important thing is he's so consistent. You know, he's coming to work every week and every day he comes out and tries to get better. And I know he feels good. You know, he's one hundred percent from a physical standpoint. But I just think right now you're you're seeing who he is and uh and I think it's more consistent than what we really have seen ass And so obviously it's a

lot of fun right now. He really does own the middle of the field when he's running those in cutting rounds. Why isn't it? Well, I think the biggest thing is is we we we before the season, we just kind of challenged, you know, one of his big things was, you know, you're you're gonna be a target. You know you're not always going to be open, but you got to be that consistent guy that win the balls throw

when you're targeted. You know, you got to be one of those the lead wide receivers that when the ball comes your way, no matter what, you come down with it. And I think he's he's kind of takes some ownership of that. And you know, we talked about that a little bit last week and the bye week. You know, he sent me a statistic that it was a statistic that we you know, that's our goal for the season, and so, uh, he's really taking ownership of that, and

he's done a great job. But right now he's just playing. You know, he's playing relentless. You know, he wants that football and he wants to help the team win, which is which is you know, a really neat character you know, characteristic that he has. And so but we gotta keep plugging. We got a long way to go. What kind of statistic are you you're talking about? Well, our goal was seventy to seventy five percent target to catch ratio was he's at his highest of a seventy three, right, Yeah,

he's seventy. Yeah, thanks, because he texts me that. I think I texted him like seventy two point eight. I think he text me back like seventy three points something. But uh, you know, our that was our goal, you know, like last year, at the end of the year, I think he was probably he was pushing probably in the low sixties and uh, and yet he was very productive.

But uh, that that's the challenge. That was our goal going into this season was to make sure that he was in that elite category of seventy to seventy five percent target to catch ratio. And and like I said, after five weeks, you know, we see where he's at, and um, and that's a that's a it's been pretty neat to see him do that. And uh, but he's got to continue to do that here in the next

our stretch in Taylor Gabriel. Obviously the unfortunate aspect of going into concussion protocol, But where where was he about to go at that point? Can he pick up where he left him? Yeah? I think he can. I think it was all his attitude. You know, I think he's uh, his attitude has been tremendous over the past you know, four or five months, trying to kind of understanding that he didn't have to come here and be somebody that you know that he that he was trying to be.

You know, he could just come here and just be be himself and learn how to play. We didn't ask him to become Superman, but just come in here and make plays and and uh, you know, be a be a reliable source for us. And so he's done that, and I think in the off season he's worked his tail off and kind of had that confidence that he's going to be a role player, that he's gonna be a big contributor to this offense. And he put himself in that position. And then I think the production obviously

showed what he's been working on. And so I don't think it has anything to do with him sitting out for a week or two with his you know, with the with the concussion, But I think it's been more of I think he's going to be able to come back and adapt quickly because of what where he's put himself before he got hurt. And so I think he'll be just he'll step right back in there and we'll keep rolling. What are you asking of Anthony Miller right now? Uh,

just keep keep being consistent. I think, uh, you know, the inconsistency is still there at times, but yet the consistency of him lining up being where he's supposed to be making plays now when the ball stone his way. I think that stuff is starting to work and starting to happen, and so it's just continue to continue to grow. I mean, again, we're a year and a half in,

not even a year and a half end. You're in the NFL season, where normally a wide receiver three or four years in is when you start coming you know, you start getting comfortable, you start understanding about you know the game and how to play the game. But uh, for a year and a half in right now, where he's at, where we've tried to push him to become where he's at right now compared to where he was, I know he's proud of himself, and I think it's

it's helped him. It's it's kind of uh pushed him a little bit to continue and and but he's just we just got to keep working on that consistency. I don't have to sit there and worry about him getting lined up, nor does he you know he's gotten lined up. Uh, you knows he's doing what we're asking him to do. He's communicating with our guys right now with a rob and the guy's out there, but who's on who's off

the ball. All that stuff is development and Obviously the big play that he made on the sideline where you know, giving him a chance, that stuff started showing up. We haven't really seen that since the Denver preseason game last year when he made a big catch on the sideline in the preseason, and so that stuff is, uh, you're starting to see it in practice, you're starting to see it in games. And so, uh, he's done everything we've

asked him to do. He's been everywhere we've asked him to be in a game, and so that's been neat and said, now we just we keep growing and keep getting more consistent and hopefully get him some opportunities. Riley, really is the day coming when you'll get a crack at it? And how has he been practice? You know what, he's been great. I think he's he's understanding the NFL and what it's like to have, you know, to be

patient and wait for your opportunity. We all know that you can't go in the game with four or five whiteouts and have them all play. It's just it's not healthy for a player to go in and say, okay, now you're out, Now you're back in, and go back in and come back out. It's just the flow of the game has to happen when you're you're seeing everything playing, you know, playing and play out. And so that's the

hardest thing about coaching. You know, you want to get these guys in, you want to get these guys into play, and you want to get him to have experience. But on the other hand, it's it's part of the game. You know, as a player, you don't want to come out, you want to feel the game. You have to stay in the game. And so Riley's done a great job, is starting to understand his role. He's come to practice every week and he's working his tail off, he's listening

in meetings. I know he's ready, but I can't tell you, and he can't tell you when when that opportunity is going to present itself. But I think he'll be ready when it happens. Everybody wants to see Anthony Miller explode. He had high expectations when he came here. I loved his college tape, love what he did last year before his injury and working through the injury. And you know, Mike Feery feels that he is doing everything that's asked. As you just heard in that interview from the media,

just a couple of days ago. I handled most of those questions. But boy, if he could take this now final eleven games and really compliment Alan Robinson, Taylor Gabriel and the rest of the offense, that'd be huge for this Bears team. Yeah, you know, he's got to develop a relationship with the quarterback position, because any great receiver out there is going the first thing they're going to do is compliment their relationship, being on the same page,

having the same rhythm as the quarterback has. And so I think that's going to be important in the development of Anthony Miller. He's got this skills, he's got the excitement, he's got the toughness to catch it over the middle. But it's gonna be about precisely putting the ball into an area that he's going to be able to catch it and continue on his playmaker route. I think when you look at the pass and you look at some throws behind them or some difficult attempted catches, that's when

he becomes frustrated with himself. So it is about that pattern that the quarterback and Anthony Miller on the same page. I feel for a guy like Riley Ridley a little bit. You know, he's got a lot of bodies in front of him. But the day will come, The day will come, he'll get his opportunity. I think he's an outstanding runner already.

You have these players that are sitting there in the back of their mind telling these other players without saying anything verbally, don't get hurt, because as soon as my opportunity comes, I'm not going to leave the field. And I really do think Ridley with his bloodline, from what we've been able to see out of him in the practice field, he's got her high upside, and so does Javon Wims. I like the way he's approached this twenty nineteen season as well. We'll continue on with more on

the Bears and Think You're the Saints. We'll listen to Ted Moniquino on Leonard Floyd and more on the outside linebackers here on Chicago Sports Radio six seventy The Score. Joint Bears Care and Advocate Healthcare and Racy funds for programs supporting Chicago area breast cancer patients in their families. Purchaser Real Bears fans wear pink shirt at Chicago Bears dot Com Slash Pink Jeff Joni Actom there Bears and Saints on Sunday a Soldier field at three twenty five.

The play of the defense, obviously, I think they're gonna come in a little angry about the way they played against the Raiders in London and the performances of Khalil Mack and Leonard Floyd, especially Tom without a chem Hicks to me as paramount. Now in the next eleven weeks, yeah, well, well, the whole focus of attention of pass protection is going to start with Kalil Mack. Before it used to have

to go through a chem Hicks to Khalil Mack. Now when you see the direction of protection, as much as they want to point out the backside linebacker, they're going to be looking at Khalil Mack. What what's the good thing about that? It's going to open up opportunities on the backside for that defensive linement that has a one on one or even a guy like Leonard Floyd. So you have to turn a negative into a positive. And the positive is still Khalil Mack. He still is going

to get all the attention you want. But again, those other guys that are going to be able to capitalize on that opportunity. It could even be a backside second level linebacker that maybe you'll be open to more blitz opportunity. It could even be, as we're going to learn here from from coach Monachino, that Leonard Floyd and Khalil macould be on the field Aaron Lynch playing inside sometimes and that was the case a couple of weeks ago. Leonard Floyd can also play on the inside. We've seen it

before in his past. So I don't think that you're gonna lose any versatility of the defense because the Keem's not going to be here, but you're got to see production out of the one on one defender. Sometimes the stat sheet doesn't tell the whost story, and that may be the case with Leonard Floyd Dead two Sex and

the opener against Green Bay outside linebacker. Coach Ted Monakeino on his play since then, what he's been doing since the and is continuing to work on his craft every day, and what he's been doing since then is continue to study the protectors he's going against every day. I will tell you that Leonard Floyd has not he hasn't lost an ounce of confidence. He's really close to making a ton of plays and he continues to work at it.

I don't think saying he had two sacks in the first game and has done nothing since his a fair assessment of what he's done, because I've never coached to Sam like Leonard Floyd. Leonard Floyd has done a great job of setting edges. He's done a great job of affecting the passing game and coverage. He's done a great job of knocking guys back into the launch point. We just got to figure out ways to get him clear and get him to finish as a rusher. And he's

completely focused and intent on doing that. He's the right guy for it. We saw Aaron over the nose with a hand in the dirt a couple of weeks back when Nicky was first down. I would assume maybe we're going to see that again. How can you help him be better equipped, you know, to perform if he isn't that role. It's the same process across the front, So whoever they line up across from, we'll know that player

really well. These are the things he struggles with, These are the things that we want to stay away from. When this has been the plan all along with Aaron, can we find ways to move him around in the defense where we can take advantage of the big, athletic, explosive man that maybe shows up in a different spot than they're used to seeing him. So as we evolve, this is something that you may see more and more

of this week's plan. Our third down plan isn't in yet, so it's really hard to tell what we're going to be come you know, by Friday afternoon, we'll know it. But I will tell you he's not afraid to go in there and rush against any of them. And even though we have to speed his clock up a little bit, it happens faster inside than it does outside because usually it's your second and a half or third step before I've had to make contact with a protector when I'm outside. Inside,

it's within half a second at least. It may be faster than what has struck you about the way different opponents have approached Kopeland. Well, I think that the more tape gets out there, the more people realize not only do we have to tend to him and no worry where he is every snap, we have to scheme him. We have to make sure that he can't wreck the game, because if they don't he potentially can wreck every game

to plays because he's that kind of a guy. But um, it's this is standard stuff when you've got a rare guy. This is what they do, and we've got to come up as a staff. I have to come up with a better way to get him freed up and get

him to make some plays. Um. Not a shock at all though, especially you know with what Oakland did they do that anyway, So it doesn't surprise me as the three guys like, yeah about that, Yeah, a special do the rare guys as you refer to them, do they ever reach a level of frustration within the framework of a game. I mean, you can clearly make a guess

that that was a frustrating experience for the man. They do get frustrated, Um, but what they becomes more and more determined, They become better students, They learn to study more. Here's here's the three or four things that I can do. And they when they try to tend to me this way. But they do get frustrated. You know, Leonard's frustrated. You

know you mentioned it right. He had two sacks. In the first one he hadn't had any any sense Well that frustration leads to growth, and those guys are studying like crazy, and they're trying to figure out and we're trying to figure out, as the staff ways to get them clean at the end of the down, How would you suspect that a great player like he Keane does demand double teams and lots of attention as well impact

those two guys will It will have an impact. I will tell you though, The roster is built in such a way that the remaining players that will be active on game day, they'll pull that rope. And if it takes us four players to make three really good ones by using them the right way situationally, that's exactly what we'll do. So I don't have a concern about those inside guys. I know that Jay's probably answering the same

questions now, and I know he doesn't. I've got a ton of confidence in Nick and then Balal and then Roy and all the guys that are going to be playing in there. How have you found Khalil too? Like that Elking game is a perfect example. Take the coaching when you have great players. You know, I know he's humble and all that, and he's coachable, but how does he take the coaching very specific points of something like that. He has absolutely no problem with it. He wants that.

He is that guy that will ask the right question in a meeting. He'll say, you know, how, how do you see this? What's the best way for me to go about defeating this? And so he and I will go to work on it together. I see a guy that as a mature man, that is a football player. From the top of his head to the bottom of his shoes, all he wants to do is help us win.

And he's going to study, and he's gonna work, and he's going to practice, and he's going to prepare, and he's going to be as clean and healthy as he can become Sunday. So when we when we do get a chance for to go out there against the Saints,

he's going to be full speed. I felt it very interesting there, you know, when I asked Monachino about you know, can a player of greatness like Khalil mac get frustrated over the course of a game or you look at the case of von Miller and Denverly and then the season not getting his sacks. You know, because teams are targeting you, but they're used to it, you would think, right, But he's such a coachable player that the little things

he asks for that's the key to me. He's not too big to think I can't learn something new every single day, right, you know, fundamentally techniques. We see how hard he works every day in practice. The thing about it is that's most rewarding to a player that's going to start grabbing the attention as the other guy's capitalizing on it. Because if I'm gonna put my body through this, then somebody better make a play. It's similar to Eddie Goldman.

On the inside. You're gonna get abused every single play by an offensive guard from your right and your left. You want to see the linebacker behind you capitalize on that opportunity. I'm gonna hold up too, offensive lineman, you gon't make the play. It's the same thing with Khalil. He's a mature player. He's good enough to still win the plays. But other guys again have to step up. I mean a tight ends really are there going to be that are gonna be even if they have chipping

help deal with him. I mean, the Raiders did a really good job. I'm not gonna lie, but you know he's in. That's a rare situation where you're gonna find it tight and it's going to be able to even with help deal with him. Well, listen, as long as Khalil Mack is in the NFL, there's he's gonna create a lot of sleepless nights for any offensive blockers that have to contend with them. So, I mean, that's gonna that's gonna be the route that he's gonna that's gonna,

you know, follow him throughout his whole career. Is how many bodies are going to be sent at him? All Right? Coming up next, we're gonna dig into the offensive line Tom's expertise as the Bears meet the Saint Sunday at Soldier Field. This is Chicago Sports Radio six seventy to score. May be sure to stop by the middle of Light Ultimate Tailgate before the next game coming up on Sunday. The tailgate opens at one pm through one hour postgame.

Located at the Field Museum. Ultimate Tailgate free for fans of all ages and a great place to stop for food and drinks before heading into the game. This is Bears All Access, brought to you by IG Energy. Here at PNC studios that have a saw top there. Jeff Joniac with you as we look at the offensive line, what's your review to the first five I've got to say, I'm a little just disappointed in the stats that the Bears running game has provided for their offense up into

this point. I'm a little frustrated in the fact that I want, I thought that this was going to be the strength position of the Bears going into this season, and it would be the leader of the offense of why they are going to why they are going to be doing so well at this point. But you had injuries, you had position changes, You've had some lack of production from the running game, trying to get a new running back acclimated to what your system is all about, and

those types of things they got to improve. And you know, you know, even if an offensive line up into this point it played a perfect game, they're never going to be judged perfectly. It's always going to be about how much better can you be the next week? And that was the task of Harry heastand during the bye week, the self scout that you often hear so much of.

I was asked yesterday with the media available to talk to the assistance the old line coach on a week of review of the first five games and how simple are the corrections? Well, I think the biggest thing that stuck out to me was just and we were kind of taking turns, you know, and making a mistake that

that her really hurt the production in the play. So that's what we really focused on, is dialing in and zero in on the details of getting five guys and in our case, to be doing exactly what we need done with detail and to try to improve it. But that's what stuck out. Harry is a coach. How difficult is it for you to see Kyle's season end the way?

It's unfortunate, you know, as kind of coaches talked about it, and you know, you have a guy with you know, all that talent and excitement, loves the game, and it's just weren't able to hold up. So it's unfortunate. What's the hardest part of having a conversations and just knowing that at the end of the road for the season.

Those are never easy for any player, But I think they all know that it's not you know, it doesn't go on forever, you know, so, but no, there's nothing easy about that, or where have you seen James in these you know from me we talked to you ran after the first game and then since then there's kind of a few games in between where it were. Have

you seen kind of his progress? Yeah, he's he's improvenum Like any young player, it's day to day, you know, and learning on a job and experiencing the things you experience as a player. There's no substitute for being out on that game field with the lights on and everything's got to get done, you know. So each time he's out there, he's learning and getting better. Has there been any kind of acclamation for him? Just the speed? I mean obviously center was the position in college, but just

the difference of NFL defensive lineman from that spot. Has that taken some time for him to No. I think it's just you know, getting back to the the consistency of he starts everything, you know, More than the speed, it's just the operation as a center. What is your best option in terms of what player that will Yeah, Like like coach said, you know, we've got three guys that we've experienced with Ted Larson and two younger guys

in Rashot and Alex and will work through that. What can a couple of snaps played against Minnesota, he played more in a couple Well, right, for your own confidence, Well, well, it's good for him, you know, because he's been on the field and you know, we can look back and and watch plays where he block eyes, you know, and did a good job, and we can look at it and say, here's where you got to get better and here's the things that you learned as you went through it.

But yeah, it was great for him to be on the field there. You guys worked him as a tackle, but what shrads do you look about him as a guard? Well, he just his He's a tough guy. He plays very very hard. It's super important to him, very prideful. Um, you know, he's he's very determined to keep his guy from making a play. And that's a that's a big part of this when you see Charles and penalty issues in the first five years through that. Yeah, I mean,

I uh, did you guys watch the game last night? Yeah? Yeah, you know. So I'm not going to be critical the officials, but some of them are phantoms, honestly, god. I mean, he's had he had a couple that or were clearly penalties, but as many as the number that he's had, you know, so I know it's it's just gonna Yeah, it was a point of emphasis for them to start out the season doing it, and then they were calling them all over the place and they packed off. And I can't

win commenting on that. But he'll be fine. Yeah, you're okay with where He'll be fine. He works too hard, he's very prideful. He comes every day to get better. It's if it was a if it if it wasn't happening because he was being lazy or not given effort and sloppy, that'd be different. But it's it's the opposite. Are the hands of the face penalties that have been called against him almost more frustrating than some of the holding ones, just because that that seems like such a

point of emphasis. Yeah, I mean here the guys like those guys don't seem to get it as far. I mean, people's heads are moving, you go like this and yeah, suddenly you know, um, And I think what I read this morning, one of the things that it was important about it is that it stays there and that it's you know, kind of an active getting an edge by doing it, and so we just want to prevent that.

Tim Ben hands are the pace penalties obviously in prime focus given what the NFL said yesterday, they made a mistake on the second one. I'd trade flowers from a defensive perspective, but it's also hurt the offensive line in Charles Leno this year. Yeah, you know, that's why you go over there and you have positive reinforcements of your

techniques and fundamentals on a daily basis. And when you become susceptible to start raising your hands into the hand up into the face mask in the face, it's all about you just bending here. It's simple. It's about having a better kneebend, have a better aiming point, have a better target in terms of what you're looking at before the play ever starts. So it's something that it's got to be corrected because players can fall into bad habits

that haunt themselves throughout their whole career. All right, let's have a minute here to talk about the Saints. What do you worry about when you see a Saints team coming in? You know the defense, Either defense is really playing well. They have a shutdown corner, they have a defensive line that runs really well sideline, the sideline. They have big, thick bodies on the interior that don't allow

you a lot of interior running room. So it's kind of funny that we're not talking that I don't I'm not immediately drawn to the offense, and I probably maybe if Drew Brees was guaranteed to be there. But I've really impressed what the defense is doing for New Orleans. Yeah, Saints defense with nine sacks, three takeaways past three weeks, and they do shut down the run. They've been very good at that offensively though. It's Kimara and Michael Thomas, right, Yes,

it is. And you know, you're kind of playing up to the ability of Teddy Bridgewater at this point. He's a quarterback that's been in the system a little while. He understands how to be effective at the line of scrimmage. If he can keep him in the pocket and have him make decision throws, that's when you're susceptible to creating a mistake by him. All right, that's gonna do it

for this week's Bears All Access show. Appreciate you being alongside Tom there and myself, Jeff Jonny Acco paus Ranger engineer and Dan burreally our producer Bears Saint Sunday at Soldier Field on News Radio seven eighty and one or five point ATWBBM three twenty five to kickoff. Have a good night, everybody. Thanks for listening to this Chicago Bears Network presentation of Bears All Access. Podcasts are available on Chicago Bears dot com and on iTunes, or download the

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