Bears gear up for Week 16 showdown | Bears, etc. Podcast

Cut open that DJ Moore nisode Touchdown, Touchdown Bears. I am Jeff Joniya litz Us.

On Donnie go Hurt. What was like playing for Coachy Boddom.

I don't want to answer any questions like that pressure coming is a big trouble. Donnie Goes Mottest Sweat.

Now.

Bears, et Cetera brought to you by Geico, with the voices of the Bears, Jeff Jonyac and Tom Thayer as we inched closer to Week sixteen and a rematcher the Detroit Liones. We break it down here on Bears et Cetera. Episode one of the Bears, Etcetera podcast. We're brought to you by gott Go with Tom Thayer, the Super Bowl winning Bears guard. I'm Jeff Joniac. Coming up on the show. Lomas Brown, the outstanding left tackle in Lyon's history, one of them will join us. He is the radio analyst

Well, you know.

They have new pieces in place, but it's still the same game. And it's a defense that's led by Aaron Glenn and how he evaluates coverage against his opponents, and how he wants to see the rush up front. What type of atmosphere is he playing in. Who does that give the advantage to There's a lot that goes into it. It's almost like the Bears first game against the Detroit Lions.

It's the tale of two halves.

One that was a slow starter and one that was super aggressive. So the Bears somehow have to figure out a way to take that aggressiveness that they learned of in the second half and use it in the entirety of this game that's going to be played at Soldier Field. And to me, I'm not going to have a woe's me approach to this game. I'm going to take the approach to the game that we should beat the Detroit Lions. This is our home. This is our atmosphere. The conditions

Yeah, the thing in your favor is this is only their second outdoor game. Now, I may not bother them. They did do a nice job up in Green Bay. But as a as a former player who when he went to indoor games, there weren't weren't many I'm sure in your career, But did it make a difference for a visiting team to play indoors versus outdoors?

It did, especially if you had a super supportive crowd, because when that time, at that era that when we played in Minnesota, the crowd was still on behalf of the Minnesota Vikings. You know, it wasn't like StubHub and everything was in existence back then where you could sell your tickets to the opponents of the fans. When we went to play in Detroit when the Bears had the upper hand, it was more of a Bear supportive crowd than it was a crowd on the behalf of the

Play loose, play with reckless, evandon, play with fire, play.

Hard, play aggressive, play with your head up, and play with meaning. And just like all the adjectives that we just used to describe what we want to see out of the Bears, that's exactly how I feel about it. Noon Sunday, and I mean, I'm going to go out on a limbit. I'm gonna say I think the Bears can win this game. I think they will win the game.

As you're grinning, we'll get to your We'll get to your why. Wait wait, we'll get to your why in a second taste Like Miller time, go to midderlke dot com slash Bears pod to find delivery options near you. Celebrate responsibly, Miller Brewing Company, Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Ninety six galleries and three point two carbs per twelve bounces. What is your why?

You know because I talk about a lot of the different pieces in place for the Detroit Lions, even though they're going to play the same style of game. But now you have to see if these guys are they're going to have a lot more reps put upon them. Are they first ball, are in they in condition? Do they have the desire and the fight in them to play sixty snaps instead of twenty five snaps? Do they have the production out of the positions that is so

Our Geico gives you more football stat of the week. Twenty two is the number. That's the stat. Twenty two players on injured reserve for the Detroit Lions. Few are even close in that ballpark. As a comparison, the Bears have nine, so it's a massive amount. Let me throw some names on defense. Alex Angeloni, Jalen Reeves, maybe an outstanding special teams player, Derek Barnes linebacker, John Kaminski in the rotation up front, Marcus Davenport edge rusher, Aiden Hutchinson

You know, Jeff, if you take that group of guys and you put them on the field as a starting defense, you have one of the better defenses in.

All the league.

Right.

So now you take them off of the Detroit Lions, and now they have to start investing abilities in their backups. And so I want to see the Bears come out there with a confident Thomas Brown call in the plays for Caleb Williams, Caleb taking the offensive assets he has at his disposal, and use them repeatedly, efficiently and effectively and get into the end zone.

Well, the first thing is they still play hard and they are thinking championship. They are not thinking about anything other than trying to get to the Super Bowl, as they got close a year ago. Right now, they are the number one scoring defense in the second quarter, allowing just sixty points. So they're still doing well. They're ten play drives, They've given up the fewest points in the

Yeah, you know, a lot of those analytics, a lot of those stats, a lot of those numbers are associated to the first half, first three quarters of the season when the only in climate game that they played in was up in Lambeau.

And I know they came out and they won the game. And the point, the preach point after.

The game was Dan Campbell anytime, anywhere, any conditions. And so now when you look at the amount of guys that you have on injured reserve and where Caleb can go with this offense and the weapons he has, I think it's time for the Bears to break out and have one of those games that we've been expecting out of them all season long.

All right, let's discuss further in voting the loss of David Montgomery from Alliance perspective. Here's our good friend. Let's go to left tackle, the veteran and radio analyst for the Detroit Lions radio network. Let's listening to Lomas Brown. He was a legendary figure in the NFL with the Detroit Lions at left tackle, the one and only Lomas Brown and Tom Tayer, and I enjoy the conversations. He's beaming. Tom that's what happens when you win twelve games.

It is, it really is.

I mean, it's been unbelievable, unbelievable for us, the city, just everything, and this winning streat unfortunately ended with Buffalo. But to be sitting here at twelve and two with three games left in the season, with a chance at the number one seed, you couldn't ask for anything more other than us being healthy. But you know, you just roll with the punches.

Well almost. I got a question kind of on that accord. Does Detroit know how to win? And I don't mean just winning regular season games because now it's coming down to crunch time and then the ultimate is the playoffs. Do the Detroit Lions know how to win?

That's a great question, Tom, great question I would say. Now, I would say, yeah, you talked to me last year. I think the experience we got last year, I really think it's gonna help this year and help push us through this year getting to the NFC Championship game. I think the way we lost that game to bed Up is by seventeen points in the first half and then losing a game like that.

I think we learned a lot from that game.

The number one thing we learned was that we got to have home field advantage. Everything needs to run through Detroit, so that meant getting the number one seed. So yes, I think if we get this number one seed and the games are here in Detroit all regardless on the road, I think this team has learned how to win those tight games and the in this opponents.

That was our biggest thing, finishing opponents last night.

Kind of a weird similarity in nineteen eighty four of the Bears get beat in the NFC Championship game out in San Francisco. They have a big talk on the flight home. They realize the importance of winning to get the home field advantage, and then eighty five took care of itself. So, you know, back in our memory banks because they go back so long in the NFL, I think about Detroit as it pertains to learning how to win, and it seems like, you know, you got guys like

Yeah, and you know with the I think what gets lost in the midst to Tom is the assistant coaches.

I mean, think about it. We got all the X Pro players that we have as an assistant coaches.

When we talk about Randall, Al talk about Hank Freiley, Calvin Shephard, Scottie Montgomery, you know Dan Campbell himself.

And I know I'm forgetting a couple. Yeah.

I mean, it's just unbelievable when you got those type of guys that you could come off the field if you're having a tough time and be able to talk to those guys who've been there, done That.

Was that intentional by Dan when he put the staff together.

You know, I think so, I really think so. I really really think so. And now I'm starting to see and that. You know, that's the first thing I do when I get an opponent's sheet, I look to see who's on the coaching staff. How many you know, X players do they have on their coaching staff because I know the value in that, I know what these guys could bring to the table. And yes, I do think Dan Campbell did that surround himself with good assistant coaches that used to play in this league.

Yeah, I mean, uh, that's a great exercise to do. I occasionally do it. I don't do it every time, but I think players who are affect the past, and a guy who knows how to coach, because you can be an ex player and not know how to coach and just tell him what you think. But to teach him is the key, right, Yes, who is your offensive line coach? Most of year?

Bill Muir brought me into the league. He drafted me in nineteen eighty five. And you know, my last coach was Bill Muir. So he was on the front end of my career and he made sure he got me on the tail and in Tampa Bay when I was able to win the Super Bowl.

So he was a guy for me that And of course I had.

Some great guys in between, George Warhop, Carl malt I had some great guys in between there too.

Karl Market. Now that was that was that was an angry man work.

That's a piece of work. That man used to tell us. Tom. It was so funny when a guy in the room and say you a.

Guy, borderline guy that maybe couldn't cut he was, and that he was.

He was like, son, you know, you.

Were one step from becoming a petroleum engineer. You know what that is? That's a gas station at Oh my goodness, man, he.

Is he's the John tierlink of offensive line coaches, where he's going to tell you like it is and he's either going to inspire you or open the door for you.

Well wait first, first, in an offensive line time, you know that. You know Tom's offensive line coach was do you.

So last week in the in the locker room when Dan Campbell was bent over talking to Skipper about throwing up. If you look right above his head, it's the name of Dick Stanfeld, one of the greatest offensive linemen in the history of the Detroit Lions. Was my offensive line

Wow, that's awesome. Now, yeah, I know the name.

I respect the name because you, like you say, he's one of the all time greats.

So lomus looking at the injury report yesterday, you guys had nine guys DNP did not practice, but some of them are resting.

Four of them were offensive linemen.

Is this team mature enough to get through the course of a week without having to go through their paces and practice to come out with the confidence on Sunday. Or is just a team that Dan Campbell is instilled a certain sense of maturity in them that they can do that.

I think they have the maturity in them if you think about it. Time we went through a tough stretch when we had four games and eighteen days.

I mean, you know again, and that was tough.

A lot of those games in between there was no practice in between those games because you just couldn't you couldn't have any contact, you know, so you're trying your body still trying to recover. And those were successful games, like I say, other than the Buffalo game. We lost on the tail end of it, and I do think the guys were kind of tied.

I really do.

They came out in that Buffalo game, the last game lethargic, you know, like we were playing and saying and you never used that as an excuse. But like I say, four games in eighteen days, that's a lot to put your body through.

So I think that has something to do with it.

But I do think it has the team ready and they know how to practice without having contact. They know how to practice without having the practice, if.

I can dare say that. So yeah, I think it's a lot.

Of things that they've learned going through that stretch of games that they can use to help throughout the rest of the season.

Lomas, David Montgomery, how big? How big is this beyond the obvious? And what has he meant inside that locker room? And you know that grit that you guys have owned as the kind of the rally cry in Detroit this year because of how you guys played it, does he exemplify that in every way?

I'm telling you.

You know, I love David, love me some David Montgomery. In like I said before the season started, he was my offer, my MVP for this team, and he was the straw that made that drink mix, that mixed that drink.

He was.

He was our call man. And it's gonna be tough now knowing that he's out. Now. The great thing about him, like I said a little earlier, was that this man here has gotten one two opinions on his knee and still going out to get a third opinion.

Won't let them put him down on our r man.

That's saying so much about his character and where he's at and what the love he has for this team and how he wants to be out there.

He's still trying to find a way to play.

That's why I said I love that guy, and that's why satan On, I'm telling you it's gonna be hard to replace him. We got Sonic back there, Jamiir Gibbs. We got Sonic back there, but without Knuckles. I just don't know how that's gonna look.

Man.

So we're in the unknown world, and our first test really be this Sunday against Chicago. I mean, Chicago's pretty good up front defensively, so we're gonna see how our offensive line would have struggled over the last week or two couple of weeks we struggled up front. We're gonna see how we match up against that d line in Chicago.

Long So the backups for McNeil and Montgomery, are they capable of absorbing another twenty reps?

So I like Craig Reynolds. I like Reynolds behind him. I think he's pretty good. I think he could provide a little bit of what David Montgomery gave us between the tackles, I think, but again, it's not gonna be David Montgomery. They're talking about they probably gonna have to bring somebody in, you know. So and then you got to see only Vodke, who's a rookie. So you know what I'm saying that he hadn't played a lot or

And teams know that.

Now that teams know that, you know, how does that change our approach?

Well, the Bears and Lions they've had some tussles, so the Bears they play the Lions tough, they do. The outcomes may have not always been what we expected here in Chicago or the finish, but how do you what's your level of respect given that this team is dealing with a pretty hefty losing streak and an unknown future. How do you respect how they're playing and how they're coming out there?

So this would be my question.

I throw back at you two guys, because before he got the job, Thomas Brown, I heard some of his press conferences and I was like.

Man, this dude here, and then he got the job.

My question to you guys is how has the team responded to him?

Because he even said hisself he could.

Be a little rough around the edges because he going to tell the guys, you know, what they need to hear, and it may not always come out roses what he says.

So how has the team responded to him?

You know, have they have you all you guys seen a remark uptick in the team?

Well, I would say against San Francisco, I was a little disappointed in what happened out there, but there was that was the great unknown with Thomas Brown being in control of the first week. But I think they responded better the other night in Minnesota. The defensive line played better, they played him, had a more physical approach on defense. And you know, you got a guy like Caleb Williams, Lomas the guy is gonna be something special from the

Yeah, And I would say, uh, yeah, all you gotta do is look at how they performed. Uh, you know they they're not starting quickly. Obviously they haven't done it but once all season long, if they scored in the first quarter or just gone up, I should say, excuse me, let me rephrase that. The only time they've had to lead in the first quarter was Minnesota the first game seven nothing. So it's been a challenge, but there's no quit.

I don't think it's a fact.

That they proved to me when we went to Green Bay in that game where it was I ain't in it, it's kind of cold there.

They proved to me that the elements doesn't bother them.

That they really take into what Dan Campbell said, We'll play you in the parking lot, We'll play you on dirt, it just doesn't matter.

We'll play you anywhere.

And they've taken that, taken it the hard, and especially Jared Golf because a lot of the questions have been about him, how.

Would he handle it? And Jared has handled it like a champ.

So the rest of the team I don't have I don't think they'll have a problem with following suit. So no, I don't see any reason to have concerned about the outdoor weather.

Lastly, time, there's three pictures behind Lomas in his office of him blocking that middle one. It looks to be a bear.

Yeah, that's that's the great Wilbert Marshall, my ex teammate at the University of Florida. I'm my good friends and yeah, you're right about that, And yeah, I just happen to.

Have those up there.

Man. Man, I hadn't talked to Wilbur in so long. Man, I don't know if you guys have talked to him, But man, just a great, dear friend of mine, and you know, just just loved the guy to death. Man, will Kitty, we used to call him back in college.

One of the most one of the most naturally physically gifted guys I've ever seen in my life.

Yeah, Tom, without a doubt, Man, I have to I used to have to block that guy, of course in practice at Florida, and then when I got to the league, and you're right, I'm telling you just a quick he was the only guy after we played USC and you know he was.

He won uh College Defensive Player of the Year that war.

John Robinson after the game came in our locker room, stood in front.

Our whole team and told Wilbur in front the whole team, that was the greatest.

Defensive performance I've ever seen on the collegiate level. And it was just unbelievable to see John Robinson walking our locker room after defeat and Tail.

Wilble that man.

So you're right, Tom, one of the greatest players I've ever played with.

Wow, that's a great story that you don't hear every day.

Yeah, that's when you think of guys like Chip Banks or Ronnie Lott or some of the other greats of the greats that John Robinson got to be around and coming to an opponent's locker room and just congratulating for an effort like that, something that probably stick with you the rest of your life.

Absolutely, absolutely one.

Of the greats as you are. And I know the disappointment. I'm sure Hall of Fame you made, you made uh deep in there, so it's common. I mean, how do you how do you how do you how are you accepting and handling it?

So another bear story I just told you guys.

I was with Jimbo Covert, uh probably about two months ago maybe yeah, about two months ago.

And man, the words that that man gave me. Man the encouraging word he said to me.

You know, after how long it took him to get in there, what he had to go through.

Man, he made me feel so good just.

Talking to Jimbo Man, so one of the great guys that ever played the game. And look, it's no shame when you see guys that you played against, that were right in your division go to the Hall of Fame that played the same position you play that Let just lets me know the competition I went up against.

Think about it. You got jimbo Kovid, you got Gary Zimmerman. You know guys that played around our era. The you know, they're in the Hall of Fame.

And we got other guys competing in that same area the get era to get into the Hall of Fame. So Richmond, well he just got to be one of the finalists. He's been waiting a long time. So it ain't no shame because it was so many great offensive linemen, especially tackles back in my era when I played, so Man, kudos.

But Jim Man, that's my guy. Man love, big fellow.

I'm glad to hear that. And uh, the day will come, The day will come, Lomas, the day is gonna come. I know those are trite words when you when you have your hearts. I appreciate it, you know it it's gonna happen. Hey, thank you so much.

Man.

We appreciate you, and we'll see you on Sunday.

Absolutely looking forward to.

He almost come in for some hot coffee because we'll have it in our booth.

I'm will because I'm gonna be dress long. Take care.

Discuss that David Montgomery aspect of things, Tom. I like when he walks down Memory Lane with you, fellow offensive lineman, and and and you know the disappointment he must feel. But the encouragement from Jimbo about the Hall of Fame. I thought that was a cool story.

You know.

You know what's weird about Lomus. One quick story is is saying hi and goodbye to him.

After the Detroup fun time.

I know.

But you know, we always had the upper hand on those guys back then, and so you kind of always out for Lomas because he is such a good quality guy and he's such a good football player, and he was the type of guy at that time along with your Calvin Johnson and your Barry Sanders and the good players that they've had through Damkasou throughout the Detroit career that they never really got surrounded by great players, so

End of it, and they all understand what.

David Montgomery missing time means to this offense. And he was saying that David Montgomery is not giving up, that he's going to multi, multiple visits to doctors to see if he can maybe get back on the field. And I don't want David Montgomery to do something that's not beneficial for the long term of his career. But I've always known David as a guy, especially when he was with the Bears, how he was determined, how much he was determined to get back on the field after any type of injury setback.

So the crazy thing about this division, and I'm with you hundred percent on David for sure, and I think they'll have it. You know, there's a different attitude the way he runs the football that you know, when he started that game, it was David Montgomery pounded away, you know, and he sets the tone.

Listen.

You know, Jamar Gibbs a super fortunate since he's coming to the NFL that he's had that guy in front of him that he can reach out to and he could try to catch up to and he could be influenced by now. When you're the main key of a position and you got to do all those things that David Montgomery has already put on display. That is challenging

Man, when you walk out in that field.

It's not a podcast without Tom Thaer's weather report. It really isn't. Well, I don't even look anymore because I know I'm I'm not gonna hear from.

You when the three to eleven miles an hour with gust up to twenty six.

So you've been pretty much right on the money all year long, all year long. You know, the Lions have not lost a road game. I know have not lost a road game.

Can you can you do you have the schedule in front of you?

Yeah?

Can you can you say? Their road games?

So the Detroit Lions. Lions have played at Dallas and at Minnesota to start the year. They won forty seven nine and thirty one, twenty nine at at Green Bay twenty four to fourteen November three, Right, okay, Uh, they played at Houston, won by a field goal in door one at Indy twenty four to six and door and here we are at Chicago at San Francisco next week and then they wrap against Minnesota. They're four to zero division unbeaten on the road. Two things that help you get to the Super Bowl.

Yeah, yeah, I agree.

And you know that was when I asked Lomas Brown, does this team know how win? Because winning throughout the course of the season and winning one it counts at the end of the season and into the playoffs. That's really judgment day in terms of does this team know how to win? And so I think they still have

Heaven newer gently used coat laying around Head to your local jewelasco until February tenth and donate one of your new or gently used coach to the thirty sixth annual Chicago Bears Coat Drive and help keep Chicagoans warm this winter and good new Chicago United Airlines is getting brand new planes with all the bells and whistles like Bluetooth connectivity screens at every seat in room for everyone's roller bag. United Proud to fly the Chicago Bears and you too,

I agree one hundred percent.

And you know I'm not giving advice, but my only thought about after watching the tape, if you were going to go for it on fourth down, you'd have to explore every option that you have given to you at that point, and a difficult fourth down to try to to make up that first play that first fourth down they went for, because I do think both fourth downs in that third down that was a fumble cause and

On last Monday night.

All right, I walked through on the first two days of the week's practice tom no goal for Tevin Jenkins, calf still no Gervon Dexter, Ryan Bates arrest day from Mercedes Lewis. On the upside, an upgrade to a full participation after missing a game with a concussion for Braxton Jones and Roshan Johnson who's missed He got hurt in the Detroit game and had not been back since. But I saw him in shoulder pads yesterday at Hallis Hall. And then Darryl Taylor also a full return. So those

Yeah, one thing about Rochean.

If I'm throwing a pass and I need max protection, he's the back that I want it in there. I think he's technically the soundest of all the backs in terms of that kind of fundamentals. Braxton, I'm glad he's there, give competitives to the position, and I'm not saying here that I would put him right back in the lineup.

I would hope to see.

I would hope to think that maybe he'd be ready to play by Sunday. And I'm glad to see Darryl Taylor back because I think that Eric Washington did a really nice job of defensive lineman rotation, not only who was playing, but where they are playing. And I think they got significant pressure on to Darnold, and I think with less escapability by golf, I do think that Eric can do the same with the largest group of guys.

Heck, it's even possible. I'd imagine then if if Tevin's and no Go Kuran could play left guard.

Correct.

Yeah, yeah, Bears fans. Steinhoffels a proud partner of the Chicago Bears. This Bear season, Steinhoffels is partnering with Special Spaces Illinois to create dream bedrooms for children battling cancer. For every false start caused by the Bears defense during a home game, Steinhoffels donates one thousand dollars to Special Spaces Illinois shop in store and online at Steinhoffels dot com.

Well, I think they have to defend a run inside the tackles better than they in the Detroit game. I think when Detroit tried to run outside the tackles, the lateral pursuit of the Bears defense did a nice job. But I think the immediacy of point of attack inside the shoulders of each offensive tackle was hit quickly enough where guys were either still fighting off blocks or guys

Blue Cross from Blue Shield of Illinois right here at home, driving access toward healthier communities. Through it all special teams there have been some highlights so over the course of the season. They had some penalty issues early on in the season. That's ironed out for the most part. But you get a guy like Dominique Robinson. We discussed this in our Monday podcast, but high Tower really gave him

You know Jeff.

So, when you're repetitively taught on punt block and you know it's an all out block, your aiming point at all blockers is the foot of the punter and take the ball off the foot of the punter without contact.

Uh huh.

That was blocked by his face mask with elbow contact to the chest to the punter. And so Dominique had won his rush so quickly that he was beyond the foot in the leg of the punter long before the ball was ever being dropped to the punter's foot. And so, from the technical standpoint of a perfectly designed block, Dominique took exactly what was offered to him, and he made the most out of it. And I congratulate him on that effort and that reward.

I know it's touchy because you got no it's a numbers game, But can one play like that on special teams as physical and violent as he attacked? It earn him an active spot to play more on special teams and get into that rotation up front defensively here in the final weeks.

You know, I think he's got the athleticism that you wouldn't not give him a chance on any one of the special teams. Is he a willing and a capable blocking on kickoff return yes? Is he a willing and capable rusher on kickoff coverage yes? Can he block on punt coverage yes? Can he block? I mean, can he rush on punt block?

Yes?

So everything that you need out of him, including extra point and field goal rush, there's a place for him. And that's the thing about Dominique Robinson throughout his career. If he's not a regular in the pass rush in the past defensive line rotation, he's gonna have to be able to keep his stripes earned on special teams a lot like Israel Adonaje throughout his career and then ultimately what became of him in the aftermath as he became

All Right, We're brought to you by PNC Official Bank of the Bears. Appreciate PNC Bank as always, And that'll wrap us up for this week. We'll talk down the radio a good old fashioned noon start at Soldier Field ten am. The pregame out of ESPN one thousand of the Bears Radio Network special thanks to Lomas Brown, the Detroit Lions legend and the radio analyst for the Lions, and to eighty five Chicago Bear Tom Theare I'm Jeff Joniyak.