All Access: Kwiatkoski on Giants

I'm all for him. I want to see Mitchell Trubisky full steam ahead. I want to see Matt n Aggie, you know, stay behind this offense and try to continue the development process of it. You know, they talk about the you know, the seven minutes of explosion two weeks ago against Detroit. Then I think he came out of

the box hot this past weekend against the Rams. So you know, you gotta have you know, you gotta come out against the New York Giants, have a positive drive, get the momentum and the emotions and the stadium on behalf of the support of the sideline and just you know, take it from there could be opportunities to make a lot of big There'll be opportunities. The Giants give you opportunities.

Teams have to in advantage of that. At NFL high twelve plays or forty yards or more than thirtieth in yards per completion this year, they're given up a lot of points. At least twenty seven points nine times, at least thirty one points six times. Those are bottom of the barrel in the NFL. But they still keep players to keep an eye on. But the point is you can find mismatches that if things are going well, Mitch and the receivers have to be in sync, and that's

on them too. They got to run these routes, proper depth, proper execution of that stuff, and holding out of the football right. Priority number one is give Mitch the protection that he needs to locate the receivers and allow them to get in position, don't have to make a throw on a reaction of pressure. And you talk about they do have some star potential power on the defensive side of it, the guy closest to Mitchell Trubisky is Leonard Williams,

their talented defensive linemen. So yeah, when you look for them to attack down field, make sure you get those guys blocked first, and then you know, distribute to football as efficially it was. You know, Anthony Miller got a lot more involved. Turbo Gabriel is still a fast option on the outside. And I think and still think, Allen Robinson is, you know, a solid number one who's got real good potential. And Jesper Horsted, the rookie how to Princeton,

the undrafted wide receiver turn tight end. He's added about fifteen pounds, he says, he's been put on the active roster. That's been something in the works that's been happening here. He's been having very good practices as a scout team tight end, mimicking some of the offenses that the defense of the Bears is trying to stop. On a bright young guy. He did flash in the preseason. He definitely has good hands, got good range, got good wingspan, and he's a big body. The blocking he will come over

time if he's capable of doing that in the long term. Well, you know, there was a question asked to Matt and n Aggey at the podium earlier this week about how the U tight end it helps all the other positions get involved, and so where where is horse that are gonna be? Is he gonna be at the Utah? Okay? So now if he can be an influence at that position,

it's going to open up opportunities for everybody else. So that's what I like about it, because I still want to continue to develop and get Ben Bronner current a stance as much as I can allow him to see if he can really capture that tight end position with a couple more routes. But hey, anybody that's getting an opportunity at this stage of the season, they usually carry They usually bring some enthusiasm to the locker room at

these guys that haven't been exposed to yet. So you know, I'm I'm okay with it and everybody fighting for opportunities coming up in our show tonight, Nick Quiitkowski the Bears right now starting inside linebackerpared to the Rokuan Smith. Though he's a good guy to talk to and a perfect example of a guy that is versatile. The more you can do aspect is all about it with this guy that's on his name plate. He's an outstanding special teams player and a guy who can count on. And I'll

be enjoyable to talk to him tonight. You know, I think the Bears are really fortunate to have a guy like Nick Kokowski because as much as I like Danny Trevathan, I have a lot of respect for him. But you know, when you listen to Roquan Smith and you listen to Nick talk, they're two really intelligent guys. They're two intelligent

kids that study football and understand the game well. And I'm just saying this because Danny Dravathan is a little bit more experience than these guys, and he's older and he's got more NFL experience. But I do I like to see the last three weeks that Roquan has put together, and I like to see the last two weeks at Nick Watkowski's put together. He's flashing all over the field. I don't think he's vulnerable against the passing game like they were people were saying before he got his opportunity.

So hey, Nick has shown some big things, whether it's the blitz against Dalvin Cook. He had a really good blitz against an offensive lineman against Detroit that he pushed him in the backfield. So I want to see more. I want to see more. He's got to come down in restless style. Yea, you know, say Qu's coming at you. He may not be a hundred with that right ankle sprain. His production weighed down from early in the season, but with a bye week after a one yard thirteen carry

game against the New York Jesschwitz. By the way, their defense is a lot better than people think, in one of the top statistical defenses. But that's got to sit in his crowd a little bit if he gets started early, and they will try it. There's no question what the plan will be against the Bears. Let me ask you this though, because we've seen it now in a couple of times throughout the season. You saw the injury to Akeem Hicks against the Raiders, and then what did the

Raiders start doing? Start attacking Khalil so are now you saw what the Rams did this week when they really had an offensive line. They were uncertain up so they went to it one back. There was eight yards deep in the backfield. So my thinking, now, are they going to take Daniel Jones, who's an inexperienced rookie quarterback, put sae Quon Barkley eight yards in the backfield and allow him a little bit more exposure time before he hits the line of scrimmage instead of coming out of a

shotgun or four yards behind the line of scrimmage. It seems like everybody takes a little bit out of the last playbook that was successful against the Bears. Now I'm interested that they're going to do the same in that success department because it may release some stress from Daniel Job because the deal is here. You don't you know the book on the Bears right now until further No, you don't need to score a lot of points to

beat them, right, So that's just it. They're they're satisfied with establishing the run a couple of play action passes. The defense has only given up very few points a game, obviously, seventeen or less. They've done it seven times this season. They're four and three. They were ten and oh last year with that, So yes, that that is the expectation. So they have two tight ends that are took the

words right out of them. How they activated, you know, a couple of guys from the practice squad or whatnot. But Red Allison, who's an outstanding one of the best blocking tight ends in the League's he's banged up as well as Evan Ingram, but he's back at practicing with a sore left foot. That foot is was in a boot until this week, so he's one of the better playmakers, you know for the Giants, who've had a ton of injuries on offense. Their offensive line, though, also seems very

susceptible on the tackles. On the edges. Tom Nate Soldiers given up sixteen and a half sacks in the last twenty six games is a New York Giant, and on the other side, Mike Rembers has given up four sacks this season. Both of them have combined I think for seven holding penalties. So the edges have not been great for well too. You know, they've had you talk about the interruption are the injuries that they've had at the offensive tackle position, and some guys got a little bit

of experience. So now with the tight ends being injured, I'm going to see when they go to the big packages, is it gonna be two extra offensive lineman maybe a tight end and an offensive lineman when they go that big package against the Bear. So yeah, you know, I the Bears still have to be destructive against it because their offensive line has had injuries and they have a young quarterback who's thinking out there more than just reacting. Eric Smith, who made his NFL debut filling in it tackle,

gave up three sacks against the Jets. So again, the tackles are an issue. But Daniel Jones, we were impressed with him in that preseason game and he has done nothing to dissuade us from thinking that he's going to be a long term answer there for the Giants. At quarterback, he is having trouble hanging out of the football with fumbles though yeah, should be well, that should be catting it for so is Jared Goff coming into the Bears game. How many fumbles he's had in consecutive games put him

the back to throw much? But that's but now that's becomes a point of emphasis. I know that Daniel Jones has fumbling, but each week they are going to preach ball security. I've given up the second most quarterback hits in the league, two eighty one. So again, it's there on the table. Kalo's got twenty two. I think by himself it's right there on the table. One sack in

the last six games, all right, that's top there. I'm Jeff Joniak We're coming to you from PNC Studios here at Hattle Saw with Paul's Oranger engineer and Dan Burilliar producer. This is Bears All Access brought to you by IGS Energy on Chicago Sports Radio six seventy the Score. Welcome back to Bears All Access brought to you by IGS Energy, a proud partner the Chicago Bears, providing electricity, natural gas, and whole warranty products to over one million customers across

the country. Learn more to bouy IGS Energy at IGS dot com. Jeff Joniac top there. We'll have to call the game against the Giant Sunday from Soldier Field. Pregame in nine, kickoff at noon before the schedule gets quite interesting and we never like to look ahead, but we're not playing, so we can't. We are afforded that opportunity. And it's a short week to Detroit with the Lions, and then you get the big boys for what looks like playoff teams in a row, Dallas, Green Bay, Kansas City, Minnesota.

And that's your schedule right now. You're putting a really difficult position. Many people have already dismissed the notion of anything postseason, but you can't think that way as a player. Now now you're playing for a lot of different reason. You're playing for a lot of things right now. As a player, if you're in the same position, you'll ask five of six despite expectations, and now you're you're looking at what you're looking at down the barrel of the gun,

so to speak. You know, that's the challenge of being a professional athlete because not everything is always going to come up roses. You're gonna face some obstacles throughout your career, and that's gonna be judgment day for you. Because as these coaches sit with these players, Jeff, in the meeting rooms and on the practice field, you can see effort on the practice field and you can evaluate mental effort

in the classroom. So the first thing I want to do is talk to every position and you listen, Man, I need you all in. I need you all in like we're an undefeated football team getting ready for the Super Bowl, because honestly, that's the only way you're going to improve. If you let at anybody drop their guard or or have a lack of efforted practice or the effort they put in meetings, Well, let me ask you this. The two guys that left the game do an injury

practice now Wednesday. So Bobby Massy right and Mitchell Trubisky, right, So that tells me a lot me too. I The message being sent is these it's important to these players. And I was listening to an interview with Bobby Massey and he was talking about the role of Mitchell Chrubisky and how much confidence these guys have in him and his preparedness and his work ethic and his enthusiasm and being a teammate. I'm not sitting here trying to make any you know, these guys they are going to say that,

but but but the veteran saying it, right. But these guys also they understand what's ahead of them too. And that's what I'm talking about. When you're being challenged as a professional, you're being challenged every everyday life, whether you're nine and oz or oz and nine. And if you if the game is important to you, you're going to reflect that to the coaches. And Eddie Panerosin points here

at a premium right now. Every point matters. And so the two kicks he missed in a row, which is a little bit of a delineation that Mattneggie made on Wednesday during his news conference that they still have trusted him, but they got they got to work through this idea of missing two in a row. And and you look at it, he's only had eight kicks in the past six weeks. Eight field goals, right, forget about the extra points, that's a different animal. Got to make those. But he's

missed a couple of those two. But is there anything to the idea He hasn't had a lot in the last six weeks and that get do that have some sort of impact on your mind as a young kicker? I mean, honestly, because he made four of those eight. Only that right, But he's he's he's kicking thirty or forty a day in practice and he is going to Soldier Field. But there's a big time, right, there isn't.

But that's when you have to have a self confidence about about you that no matter what the conditions are where you're kicking, that you this is what you've prepared your life for. And I keep reverting back because the first kickoff after they scored the touchdown, it was an under kick football with not very much hanging time, And didn't it make it to the end zone. Where is where is Eddie's confidence swing? Where is Eddie paneerro swinging it at equally the same whether he's kicking off or

hitting field goals, Because that's what it has repetitiously. You got to be doing the same thing. You don't adjust as a kicker. You still come up there and you swing as efficiently as you can, just like a golfer. I mean, they don't change their swing, you know, they just change the distances. I brought this up to coach Naggie on Monday night. He did see and players didn't complain to him, but we heard from Mark Rody, our sideline reporter and reporter here on the score that players

were not thrilled with the field and it was slick. Yeah. Could that have entered into his mind with his plant foot only if during his practice, because I was watching him kick right before kickoff. He was out there by himself kicking field goals and I think the last one he end up kicking was like forty five yards away and he was hitting it well, he wasn't. It wasn't where. Okay,

my first four kicks my plant foot slipped. If that's the case, then go put in longer cleats in your heel, because you can change the length of the cleats by a quarter inch. That can give you more plant foot stability. But you know, I don't I don't think that was

the issue. It's just that Eddie's got to go in there knowing that these guys believe in him and they want him to succeed, and then he has to go out there with that mental frame of mind that he's a confident kicker and he's gonna hold on to this job for a long time. Tom there, Jeff, Joni k with you on Bears All Access. Nick Krickkowski will be our guest tonight on Chicago Sports Radio six seventy. The

scores the Bears prepare for the New York Giants. Let's talk Eddie Jackson, because in an effort to get him more involved, I mean, he wants the ball, you know, he wants to take the ball away. But playing him closer to the box, how do you like that transition for him? He was filling gaps, he was making plays behind the line of scrimmage. He obviously was a part of that forced fumble early in the game. How do you look at that, You know, Eddie's got good instincts

at or near the line of scrimmage. He knows where he can penetrate, he knows how to read blocks, and he knows how to read play so quickly that if he's not going to make the play into the backfield, he can make it latterly. I don't hate it, but listen, how did we all get to know Eddie early in his career and the team deep? Right? But then can you I don't know how you can figure defensive back,

you know, against different formations. Couldn't you put him in a position where he's more susceptible than those tip balls are protecting? Long so you so you can use the reactions like last year's Detroit interception. You can see it from where we are in the press box, how long he anticipated that interception. And so again, I don't hate him at or near the line of scrimmage, but I

like him intercepting footballs. And in terms of the Bears front, because with Kilil Mack getting all that attention, we're still seeing a lot of one on one matchups that should be revealing a little bit more. In terms of quarterbacks are getting rid of the ball quicker no question about it. But do you get lulled to sleep a little bit when it's a steady ground game and you know you're going to be facing extra guys in the line of scrimmage and then all of a sudden bam, you're in

a pass rush mode. Yeah, but if you're when you're facing a steady ground game, if you can limit their success on first and second down, then you're guaranteed a big pass rush on third down. But when you're giving up big yards in first and second down verse the run game, you're not getting a realistic chance to rush the passer because if you're in third and three, they can do anything. They can run the ball as equally

as effective as they can throw the ball. So now you're not in that sprinter's pass rushing stance that gives Khalil Mack a low body lean in a good shoulder lean and makes one on one blocks or two on one blocks that he can still get pressure. Now you're kind of inching off the line of scrimmage because if you blow a field, then they run the ball right right where the area you vacated. There is some edge protection going on. No question, you got to you got

It's a gap. Yeah. But boy, I've been bringing this up to Neggie and Chuck Pogano, the frustration level of an elite pass rusher like that, it's gotta be in it. Oh, he's not gonna admit it. He's not gonna admit it publicly because you got to go out and play. But I mean, how do you how do you unlock this? You know, it's the relentlessness. It's got to be other guys capitalizing on them, relentlessly hitting Khalil mack with with

two or more bodies someone you know. You know, when I look at the ability, the athleticism, the size and the strength of a guy like Roy rob and then he goes out in the first game of the year, it gets a sack against Aaron Rodgers, I expect a sack out of him every third game and maybe maybe

multile you know, maybe back to back games. Um, So, these guys that are getting one on one opportunities, and some of the offensive lines, offensive lineman, they're playing against our backups, maybe multiple backups, so that you got to see these guys being able to capitalize. You know, when you look at the athleticism of a guy like Leonard Floyd he has it all. He's got quick feet in a small amount of space, He's got great length, he

can be hazardous around the corner. He's a guy that when you talk about Khalil, you know at the start of the season, Oh, he'll have seventeen sacks, Leonard Floyd better follow you with ten because he's got some He's got some of the traits that team search for in that type of rusher. Nick Williams still remains You're leading sacker on the Bears with six As the Bears get ready to meet a Giants team that has some interior strength at guard with will Hernandez the left guard is outstanding.

And you know they brought in Kevin Zeitler this year and he's a That's a good pair of guards right there. Yeah, the question market center right now that you know there are a good pair of guards. But it's sometimes sae Quon Barkley when he's healthy and his elusiveness and his style playboll catching the ball and running the ball. He can make these offensive lineman look a shade better because he breaks so many tackles. All right, that's Tom there,

I'm Jeff Joniac. This is Bears All Access from PNC Studios here at Hattis Saw the Bears and Giants come up on Sunday. We brought to you by IGS Energy. Back with more after this on Chicago Sports Radio six seventy The Score. Welcome back to Bears All Access, brought to you by IGS Energy. Here on Chicago Sports Radio six seventy The Score coming to you live from PNC Studios at Hallis Hall. Sunday's game against the New York Giants has brought to you by PNC, the official bank

of the Bears. Good to have Nick Quickoski alongside. Thanks jonas Man. Thanks. Have you ever been on this show over the years? Yeah? Probably last year, maybe two years ago. It was one of the live shows. Oh right, yeah yeah yeah. So yeah, you're your guy that you've been around a while. But you know, the bright lights and all the attention not kind of your thing, isn't. No. Yeah, I'm just like, you know, come to work and clock out. Boy, That's what you do, isn't it. Fl Is that down

to a t? That that's blue collar roots somewhere there? Yeah, I would say so. Um, I don't know where it comes from. Probably a family, you know, Pittsburgh tie something somewhere around there. And you in your football life playing a high wide receiver and a safety in high school, when did your body make the transition to linebacker size? Um, it started to kind of when I got to college, right, I think I went to college. I was about two ten, maybe two or five to ten that area. Played safety.

My freshman year I red shirted, and that second year is kind of that transition from my red shirt freshman year to my red shirt sophomore year or yeah, my true freshman year to my red shirt freshman year is when they you know, you need to put on some weight. So they said, you did nineteen reps at two twenty five at the combine. Could you still do that many or could you do more now? Because it's nothing like training for your combine after your senior year of football.

But now that you've been around the NFL for a couple of years, where's your body gone? From that point? I feel like I could get around there. Yeah, town, he asked everybody that sits in here about their combine lifting. I think it's well, but it's two different. It's different, it's a different trains that, but I'm definitely I feel stronger than when I was coming out with stronger. It's like, I don't think I could have ever run as the

forty like I did in the combine. I don't think I could have ever run a faster forty after the years that you get experienced in the NFL. And then I was seeing did you have a like a difference of your pro day the combine because it's I was reading about you and it said that you took the numbers from the combine and not the pro day. I was confused about it. Yeah, I actually didn't really test them my prod. I just did the drills, position drills,

and I didn't retest anything. Yeah, because if these guys, if they're comfortable that that's their wheelhouse and they don't think they're going to really improve or in certain cases reduce, they'll they'll just rely on their numbers. But do do you recaugh teams tried to push you to do more on your pro day or do you used to have the final say on that. Um So I talked to

my agent and we were happened. I wouldn't say happy, but satisfied with my numbers yea, and things that after going through them, I didn't think I was gonna prove drastically or a point where it'd be like, oh, he's yeah, make a difference. So I just lofted out and just the funny thing. They don't mean a dug on thing, you know. I think you know, when I came as a senior year in college, we had three combines we want to want to see I don't want to Detroit and want to tap a Bay and then it was done.

Do you weren't going or all these other pro days? So I don't know if it'd be better just to do that in those types of increments where you still get the train for the combine type drills and then you know, instead of going having ten pro days or whatever. The worst part of that is then now you're you're put into a shoe box, right, Oh he's a four or five guy, he's a four seven guy, he's a whatever guy. But they forget about calculating the mental speed

with you play, especially at the linebacker position. So whatever a guy's speed is, you know, sometimes it's it's relevant, sometimes it's not. I mean I think more often than not. Um, you know, I was okay doked by a long time ago, and Mike Brown came in the league, and somebody said, hey, look at these tapes, and I was going with the quicker, faster guy. Here's the guy who was the better guy, a pro bowler, all pro and new angles, and so his mental speed and his ability to to find the

ball through instincts. So in the in the locker room a little bit this week, you and Cody k State West Virginia big game this past week, any any kind of wagers play area. I know Cody's new money and stuff. He didn't take anything from him. No, no, I mean, honestly, that wasn't too confident in West Real. But we have in the past years. I don't know, we didn't. Isn't a mandatory though. If there's two college guys teams playing against each other, you gotta put something on it. It

has been the past. This year, I don't know, we just didn't we usually do. I mean, I mean I definitely said some things after after the game now, but a right, nothing prior. You know, the guy that speaks a lot about his school is real Quinn. Oh yeah, oh yeah, he gets that. He gets under time skin all the time about Georgian Notre Dame. He won't let you go. Yeah, you know what, I like it their fourth than the college rankings after last night and stuff.

So you're watching much college football at all? Not really, I mean I do get into it's just when it's a schedule, it's hard to catch full games. But I mean I definitely keep up with it. Nick k Wikowski, our guest here on Chicago Sports Radio six seventy the Score. How's it been going for you since transitioning back into a larger playing role. It's been good, um really, I mean as for me, I mean it's been you know, business as usual, preparation going throughout a week. I mean

it's been pretty much the same. You know, has has your style changing? Now you're you're a young guy in the league. You've got two different defensive systems, you got two different position coaches. Um, Glenn Pires is a lot different than Mark de Leone. Are you know what are what are the differences between your two position coaches in this short NFL time? Um? I mean they both have kind of different, you know, ways of teaching certain things, um,

but overall pretty similar. I mean definitely different personalities, different coaching styles. But you know, when it comes down to it actually teaching football, there's a lot of Larry as well. So, UM, you know, I think everybody I ever talked to about you, they always bring up the blitz against Dalvin Cook. But then you had one against an offensive lineman against Detroit a couple weeks ago that you did a really nice job running him over too. Is this is this something

that you've always had inside you? Did you get a chance to blitz very much in college? Because I think Bears fans want to see you, you know, given that opportunity a little more. It really wasn't something I did in college. Um, we played a three three five stack. It wasn't too much just blitzing the linebackers. You know. It was pretty much read runner pass, either get downhill or drop back. I played different rules, so I did have a chance to blitz, but it wasn't anything like

it is today. If you so, if three three five you've got three defensive line and three linebackers, do you get protected by the defensive line in that system? Or are there more free runners free blockers at you? Um, it depends which linebacker you're really at and obviously which way the ball is going, but there's usually a freebacker

running through all the time. Okay, Nick, when you transitioned back now and filling in for Danny, was there a moment or a time where you developed chemistry again with You're not playing next to just you know, Danny, now you're playing next to real quand was there any of that or it was it just a seamless transition. It was pretty smooth transition. I mean we've practiced with each other, um, you know, since last year, and you know through my career here, I mean I played with a lot of

different guys next to me. I think a lot of that chemistry comes, you know, in practice, you know, prior to game I mean there's definitely certain things you gotta work out on game day, but small things. I think most of it comes prior to the game day. In that in that Detroit game, he didn't have a long time alert that you were going to go in there and play and you were going to play for an extended period of time. And then probably most you're studying

that week you did against Matthew Stafford. So now you're playing and there's a different quarterback in there. Was that a difficult to catch up too, or did he did you just get into the flow of whatever defense was called in the huddle. Yeah, it was like you said, the flow of things when Danny came off, I didn't like you said, I didn't know if it was one play, if he was just talkers. I didn't see the poo

what happened? Right? Um, So I just kind of went in there and I didn't know if it was gonna be a series of play, you know, so it wants to flow. The game took over, you know, it's just playing. What great confidence though a coach could have and a guy who is in that You were in that situation for the Minnesota game obviously as well, and to count on you knowing you're going to be ready because a lot of guys, I mean, it's just human nature. I

would think, um, I'm never getting in. That's that's when you get burned. But to know that you're ready one hundred percent of the time, I don't know what a better quality you could have for a guy. Yeah, I mean I've been in that position before you in the past, where it's kind of short notes. You know, you never know what's gonna happen, you know, during a week, during

a game, during a season. So it's one of those things like I wouldn't want to say I learned the hard way, but I mean I've been in those situations where we kind of get thrown out, thrown out there, and have you ever been bitten? Um, I wouldn't say say the hard way, but you know, did something catch you off guard? I'm just remember my like rookie year, I just you know, one I think I was inactive and then you know, the next game, I'm playing a lot more snaps And it was just a quick transition.

I had no idea. It was just one week to the next. Now what's that? Do you always say you never get you never get it? Yeah, and and notice you're right right and never get a notification. You know, the communication device in your helmet? Is that beneficial to you? Can they can they give you more hints or clues

other than just the defense the call? Um? I guess they could, but you know that whole the whole operation is kind of based on the offense, right, So it really depends on the speed they're going, because I think I think it cuts off at I want to say, ten seconds of the play clock. So I mean if they don't line up till after till late, I mean it cuts off, so you gotta get the call out. There's not much time to get much more out. So and when you were in college, do they have the

communication device in college? So is it unbelievable because all the memorization that you have to do in court in order to memorize every single defense called according to your hand signals or a player coming in. Now that maybe takes a little bit of that away from you. You can invest that study time in other areas. Yeah, absolutely, mean it's nice, you know, hearing the call that quick. I remember my college it was all hands signals and I mean it was tempo, a tempo so when you

look over you could say, no, you line up. So I mean it's a lot quicker, quicker time to process. And you know teams now, I mean they play with a tempo which sometimes makes it difficult, but I will say it's a little bit slower than like a big twelve offense. Nick, when you arrived here in the National Football League and you were a you know, a pretty a pretty good round draft pick. But do you feel like sometimes people are surprised by your production because they say, oh, wow,

you know, but you're not. So do you ever look at that with a wary eye and say, come on, man, I mean, I've been here a long time. I should be better. I should know my defense. But at the same time, you know you're you haven't been a consistent starter because those opportunities have been afforded to you. Um, I really don't pay too much stense into it, you know, I just kind of come go out and play, you know,

let the outside kind of take care of itself. So you know the words, you're patient with the questions, Yeah, they absolutely absolutely, Uh, I mean it is what it is. Uh. I don't let anything. I mean just negativity, positivity. I mean, just kind of move on, you know, come to work, you know, play. Are you a social media guy? I'm not. That's the reason I'm in between. I am, but he

doesn't media. This is what this is what I get mad at for you is I was just reading up about you and trying to learn things about you, and I start reading these fantasy reports about these guys. What a bunch of bologny, because you got these guys that are running writing the big business. I know it is,

and I know it is. I get all that, But again, I feel disrespected for you because I don't like the stuff they write about a fantasy player in terms of you know, you're kind of taking the football out of it and you're only looking for small increments of points, right, But you got to take that in the proper vein too. It's not like a scouting report on you know, him and the game. It's for their individual fantasy teams in terms of points and stuff. You know, I guar to you,

I know you, I know your personality. Yeah, I'm just saying, though, you gotta take fantasy football in the in the right vein. And how did you even, like, if you're not on social media, how do you find this stuff? I was reading different things about Nick and you brought up the headline there's I read these headlines and I and I don't feel a respect for Nick. And he's already given evidence of his preparedness both at an instance notice and when you're a starter and you get the time to

prepare for your opponent. So yeah, and I'm not a fantasy football player, so I don't even know how they break that down. But I mean, for like receivers, running backs, quarterbacks, you know, that's that's where they get. You know, a lot of the attention usually they take just defensive unit as a whole, and this defensive unit continues to play with an edge and really tough to get a big play on and to score on despite everything else going on swirling around you guys as a unit. What are

your discussions like about that? Like, what do you guys discuss about just knowing what's on your shoulders? Um? Really just you know, no matter what happens, play our defense. UM. Like you said, it's really hard to get a big play. UM, just limit those limit big plays. I mean, they can hurt, they can hurt the team, they can hurt they at least the scores. I mean that. And then for us persons,

get turnovers, get off the field, get off on third down. Now, say that plays two most important things, third downs and turnovers and eliminating big plays. UM, So no matter what happens, take the field, and you know that's our goal, get off the field. You know, it seems like everybody in the linebacker, interior line inside linebacker, every all you guys are a little different. You know, there's no so when you are in that room before markets in there to

lead the meeting, who who's leading the conversation amongst you guys. Uh, Danny is introvathing and then ro Roquin's always talking. Really but I would surprise a lot of folks. Yeah, yeah, I mean inside inside the linebacker room. Um, but I mean we're pretty closed groups. Football generated conversation or you guys having off like tangent conversation before it gets into the meetings. A little bit of both, yeah, depending on the day. Um, but we're a close group. So I mean,

it's it's all. It's all good conversations there. Right. I'm guessing you're one of the acquired to guests. Yeah, yeah, I don't think sand bagging us. No. No, I mean, like I said, we're closed groups. I mean inside the room, we're all we're all talking. All right, We're gonna step away a couple of segments to go with Bears linebacker Nick Quiitkowsky with Tom There. I'm Jeff Joni Act. This is Bears All Access on Chicago Sports Radio six seventy

to score. This segment of Bears All Access is brought to you by CDW. People to get it learn more at CDW dot com. Jeff Joni Act, Tom There with pauls Arrange or Engineer along with Dan Barelli and Nick Quiitkowski our guest here on Chicago Sports Radio six seventy to Score Bears all access from P ANDC Studios here at hollisaw brought to you by IGS Energy. Good to

have you alongside Nick. As this team has experienced losing, in some cases for the first time for young players who came in last year on this team or at experienced success elsewhere, you've had a bit of everything to deal with. Is that put you in a unique position in the locker room, so to speak, to try and keep everybody calm. Yeah. Absolutely, I mean I've been through it. You know, last year it was a special year for us, UM, but unfortunately, you know every year is not like that.

But it's just important, you know, things happen at the end of the year. You know, just keep that same mentality and you know, keep it going week after week and you know, don't let a record or anything outside you know, let it let that fall off. What have you learned from both situations that you are using now as a skill or tool? Um, pretty much just what I just said, just finish out the year, no matter what happens. I mean, not personally. In one of my positions.

But I mean, I've seen it where you know, teams sneak in the playoffs because you know, things around the league happen. So you can only control what you can control. So just keep going. Who do you locker next to you?

Because you know, back in our day we lockered wherever we wanted to, and we are a locker and with all the offensive linemen together, blah blah blah, And I know that you guys are situated because if a defensive players next to an offensive player, I think that's a good thing to increase the volume of conversation in terms of the team, not necessarily just defensive offense. Yeah so I'm next to Buster Screen and Stephen Denmark. Oh so

you got a couple of defensive players. Yeah. Interesting because I you know, it's it's interesting how the conversation flows because when you have some of the elder states and that our offensive defense, I think that's that's beneficial for the team to have those conversation and make sure everybody's still pushing explain, explain the impact of that, because I think that there's a lot of topics that can be discussed.

There's a lot of both sides of the story. How okay, if you have two senior leaders, I think, and you have a volume of conversation, those two guys can stretch out and talk to every one of the young guys either in their position or other guys in the locker room,

and they keep positive momentum. You never want that negative conversation to infiltrate the locker room because no matter what you're going through last season or this season, man, once you shut those locker room doors, it's just you guys, and I think you can have beneficial conversation in the way this locker room was set up. Yeah. Absolutely. I mean young guys coming in first year, first year being

on a team, you know, that's experiencing highs and lows. Um. It's I want to say, it's tough to deal with, but I mean it's different. So you know, just keep that positive mentality, and you know you don't want it to be negative ever, because you know it's at the end of the day coming you're coming in every day. You want to well, I mean, you can't have a negative attitude in your preparation for next week, no matter what happened in the past. Nick Kokowski's got to prepare

like every one of your responsibilities, including special teams. Did you play special teams in college? I did not, because all you stars, No, none of these stars play special teams. But he's right, that's what I'm saying. That's what that's what you know. The eye opening tackle the other night on it was the punt team. It was a punk coverage. But the other hits that you've had throughout the course of the year. You had a huge block, didn't you.

Didn't you have a huge block earlier this year too? Yea, yeah, just you just love playing football. Yeah, absolutely. I mean I think my freshman year of college I played some special teams, but after that it was just straight defense. Any think Shaq you but for example, Cordelle Patterson's playing special teams, not not as a returner. You know, he's a guy, I mean just running down on gunner. I mean,

he's impressed, he's impressed us all. You know, he does everything from returning to trying to go block a punt, and it's impressive. It's impressive to watch. I think that's what's equally impressive about Sherrick McManus, because you talk about a guy that's made a career on special teams and he's excelled at every one of his opportunities he's asked for.

You know, he's equally as threatening as a flyer two down there, and I think that's kind of fun, you know when they do have to punt to watch those guys and either if they're going to be challenged by two protectors or one, they're still down there. Yeah, I mean checks a guy that I've kind of looked to for i mean, advice on special teams from my first year here. I mean, he's a guy that's played multipositions on special teams and like you said, excelled at them all.

So the punch that Sheriff had in the Raiders game, have you ever found yourself in a position shouldn't now since you've kind of become aware of that technique where you can isolate on the football or do you see it or or do you not even think about it because it's a blur, um I have found. I mean it is usually a blur. But there are times I look back like I should have punched the ball, and there's times I've also I've gone for it. You know,

it just doesn't come out right. But usually it is a blur and you kind of realize that afterwards when you intercepted the pass, do you think of a guy like Brian or Lacker who had so many or Dick butt gets back in the day and think, oh my gosh, this is not the easiest thing in the world. Even though you played safety and receiver to swipe a pass playing that position, because it can come up on you quick,

you have a great appreciation for it. Yeah. Absolutely, I mean that was my first one, my first creamer step, so I was pretty exciting for myself. But yeah, I mean it's your closer line of scrimmage, so they come out quick d huddle call or quarterback reaction by you to make that interception. Because the wide receivers out to your left, you kind of drop ac and get out in the flat and he throws the ball. A little bit of both I mean he I mean he stayed

on the receiver. I mean he took the snap looked, so it was kind of a more of a reaction. Did you have any like meeting reminders during the course of the week. Okay, this formation, this down and distance alert, that's kind of a general formation, you know, get everyone at one side of the ball, and you know, kind of isolate one receiver to one side. So it was one of those things that I've experienced in the past

where they've done that. All right, we're gonna take another break with Nick Quikowski a couple of more minutes to go with the Bears Lionbacker here on Bears All Access with Tom Thare, Jeff joni Acc on Chicago Sports Radio six seventy The Score. Hey Bears fans, get out of the cold and hit the beach in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico with your favorite Bears players. Inside the Bears host Laurence Greeden and Spice Adams and Apple Vacations this March.

Visit Apple Vacations dot com, Slash Bears from more info. Jeff joni Ac and Tom Thare with you here on Bears All Access on Chicago Sports Radio. On that trip every year, I do not I've gone on last couple of years. Have you gone yet? Night, Yeah, Nick, on one of those I don't make those decisions. Guy, I

bet he is. If I was invited, I want to say last year, but they told me like a week before I guess I was replacement, that it wouldn't shock me Uh, what's your favorite play in the National Football League so far? I mean that's too broad, too big. Yeah, favorite hit, favorite play because less time talked about when you rolled over Dalvin Cook. It's still talked about in our booth whatever, every pregame, Jim Schwantz, Jay Hi, they even have said it's the best play of the year

so far. Um, there's just something about a linebacker in Chicago with the kind of mentality you play with and what we've seen in the players before you or with you on this team. But those big hits, it makes you jump out of your seat when I'm calling the game. Even last week there was an open field form tackle, perfectly rapping and it gets you excited. It's those simple things that all about technique and fundamentals. But why do you think that is Why do you think that's what

gets people going around here? Um? I think it's just the history, you know, watching guys in the past do the same thing. You know, anytime you can get a play, a tech for lost and a big play, I mean, especially in certain situations, I mean it's just exciting. It's exciting for the game. I mean it's exciting for a defensive team and then everyone who's watching. You know, Jeff brought up the word form fundamental fitting tackle. I didn't

say that, but I did, and it is true. But now you look at a weapon like Barkley because he doesn't give you a big tackle target and he's got leverage. He's a low guy. What type of emphasis do you think about yourself? Not something you're here in meetings, but what you're telling yourself to be prepared for. I mean, just what you said, I mean, guy gets low doesn't give you much to hit For myself, you know, it's just be conservative but also aggress at the same time.

You know, you know, don't make the right decision. You know, don't just stow yourself at him. Um, you know he's a guy that's gonna break tackles, gonna get low. Um, you know, take angles and you know he's a guy that has big playabilities. So know your help is as well. Um. What I mean by that is, if you're he's coming out of the backfield, you know you have a safety behind you to your left. You know, don't just run

out and get outside him. Let him cut back on you without help, because he has a guy he's gonna break tackles, he's gonna get by him, and he's just he's a good player. I remember what a Keem Hicks said last year. You can feel him as a player. He's a he's a rookie coming in and just the strength on that guy is well documented and his explot but you can feel him when you hit him. Yeah, there are guys like that that, even though you're a hard hitting linebacker, you could feel them and just how

strong they are. Um, I can't really say anyone specifically, but I mean there's definitely guys out there that you can definitely feel when you hit. Um. You know, when you you get a full running start and you hit someone, they don't really move and you can feel it. I mean, it's definitely It's definitely happened me before UM. And there are there's guys all around the league like that. I mean there's guys that have I've faced, you know, I'll

throughout my football career college. I mean, I mean even high school are like that. You know, I believe that if you hit the guy harder than he hits you, you you really don't feel it. So on that punt tackle that you made the other night, did you even feel the impact or were you going so quick with no hesitation that you kind of tackle right through the

feeling of it. Yeah, I didn't really feel it. I mean I had the momentum, you know, coming down coverage and he was I'm not saying still, but he was not moving forward very fast, So I really didn't feel I didn't realize it was a big hint. I watched it after, right, it was a big hit. Kind of lit up the stadium at that point because there were more Barrass fans than there were Rams fans there and you could hear the reaction in the appreciation of a

big hit like that. So is this team gets ready for the Giants and knowing you know, it's still the same mentality, the one game and the time mentality. And is it easy to do or is it a challenge to do for you guys right now? Um, I think it's easy for us. I mean we've kind of been talking about the past couple of weeks, and I mean it's you can't you can't really look past the game

right now. I mean every game is different for us. Um. You just gotta go in and prepare like it's our last one, UM, and you just take each one week by week and just let the thing, let the games fall where they may. Because you're now starting again and the fact that you did, do you have a greater appreciation for every snap you get? Oh? Absolutely, m I mean that comes from other things as well. I mean just talking to Danny, you know, yeah, get people injury wise.

I mean I've been insisting where I've been injured. Um, you really never know when your season can be over, something could happen, so you really have to have appreciation for every snap you take. How's he mentally dealing with this? He's good, you know, he's a positive guy. Um. You know he talks to us every day in football wise, so he's doing well. That's the guy you don't need to worry about me And dialed in Danny Trevithan. So he's not going on IR it appears, so hopefully he

can come back for the Bears as well. Well, we're out of time. Thank you so much for spending the time with us and joining us here on Bears All Access. Hope you'll join us again sometime soon. Nick Quikowski our guest tonight. That's gonna wrap us up for time. I'm thare pause Ring and Dan Burrel engineers. I'm Jeff Joniac. Good to talk to you. We'll talk to you on the radio nine am pregame noon kickoff on WBBM on Sunday with Tom Thare, Ron, Jim and Jay and the Boys.

I'm Jeff Joniak. That'll be it here from Chicago's Sports Radio six seventy to score. Goodnight,