Bears vs. Vikings game preview: Week 12 | Bears, etc. Podcast

Right justin middle of the field forty five fifteen bring Bress in front of all leaving lions in his way. I am Jeff joniha Litz is not Donny go R.

What was like playing for coache gooddo? I don't want to answer any questions like that.

Sixty one yards? What Sunday stroll for? Justin field? Ye Bears, et cetera.

With the voices of the Chicago Bears Jeff Joniac.

It's Thanksgiving and the Bears are doing the holiday balancing act of welcoming family and friends from parts unknown into their homes while going to work and preparing for the Monday night matchup with the Minnesota Vikings. And most of us in football work all the holidays, so we always have been used to it. Same with the players and staff.

Yeah, you know, I never played in a Monday night game during Thanksgiving week, so Thanksgiving Day was a normal practice day for me throughout my career or else we played on Thanksgiving Day.

So I think it's the right way to go about the schedule.

To get the week started, to get through some meetings, bring them in for a short period of time on Thursday, then get back to work on Friday, and you know, try to you know, figure out the last four minutes, but play more like the first sixty fifty six minutes, and I think they can have a positive outcome come Monday night.

I would say the status at Hallis is exactly that. The focus on the finish we've been talking about it all season, every week, focus on the finish. But frankly, it's a theme that's never going to stop in football, from the best teams to the worst teams, from high school to college to the NFL. That's the way it works. You find a way and you got to figure it out.

To me, I'm not looking at the players. I'm looking at what the coaches would do differently, because when you talk about the scheme and what they're thinking and the calls that come in from the sideline, it's then the players go out and do their jobs accordingly.

So as much as you.

Know you want to talk about the outcome of the game, I you know, I'm you know, concerned about what would the coaches do differently?

And they are four minutes. If you know, if you you know.

You could have the privilege of asking the questions when you look at the down and distance, you look at the time remaining on the clock, you look at the defensive formations, how would you go different about your business?

Yeah, I'm not gonna absolve the players though, because they got to make They got to make the play. They got to figure out how to make the play. If it's defense making an interception, that you got to have, or the quarterback making a pass that you got to have, or the offensive line making a protection you got to have because that's where the money's made, and it's it's across the board. Yes, coaches, but I'm not going to

And right, well, okay, well I was talking specifically about going on, but I know I know what the bigger picture is, so it'd be a good I guess it'll be a debate for the plane between Yeah, it's not gonna it's not gonna be a podcast debate. It'll be on plane debate.

And then the status we won't know until the injury report did it doesn't have to come out until Friday now, Oh no, I guess they'll do a Thursday if they practice type scenario. So Deontay Foreman, I want to know where he's at at running back and Lucas Patrick at center? Who left the game of the back endury? Am I missing anybody?

You know?

How did Tremaine Edmans come out of the game and where is he going forward?

But I think everybody else. It seemed they've come out of the game pretty healthy.

I want to retrack before we start preview. I got to talk about the offensive line more because Tevin Jenkins, again at least in pass protection, got a high grading from Pro Football Focus. But this year he has not given up a sack. It's been a test for the tackles, Braxton Jones to start the season with Larry Borum now Braxton Jones and Darnell right at tackle. And I'm interested because we don't ever talk about Darnow. I want to get your impression about how he's played.

I think he's playing really well. I think he's a really good, thinking rookie offensive tackle. I think he plays with strength. I think he's a heck of an athlete. I think he has a high desire to stay on the field, because we've seen him from the broadcast booth where he's limped after a play or shaken something off, but never wanted to leave the huddle.

Even Sunday, even Sunday.

Right, yeah, well it's more than once, you know, you look at the full picture of his season.

He's done a great job.

Field's played for the first time in thirty five days, with that dislocated thumb. He says he's going to keep it taped the rest of the season, just to be safe. At the podium on Wednesday, up at Hallis Hall talked about a couple of things. A one, if the pressure that Brian Flores brings at the line of scrimmage will affect his ability to run on the edges like he's been apt to do. I still think the middle of

If they bring all out, yeah, I mean you really don't have anywhere to go because you got your your outnumbered and protection. You know, that's when you got to get the ball out quick. So that's how you combat that. But yeah, when they bring their all out covers, you're a pressure then, I mean, yeah, you're not gonna likes you just completely out athlete. You know, the d N set them up somewhere one way or the other, but

So, as disappointing as it was in Detroit, are you excited to have a primetime opportunity to kind of show that that's not who you guys are.

Uh?

I think for the most part we showed who we were, you know, except until the end of the game. But you know, focus on finishing better and you know, finishing out the game with it when it counts, and you know, when a drive comes up, you know, making that big play when it matters. But I mean, yeah, we're definitely excited for this opportunity. You know, the Vikings that they've been playing, you know, great fast past few weeks. So

There and bawl out and so talk about that because do you see that field when it opens up up the middle, he should just go because it's a lot of green grass you have.

But Brian floores very creatively with his defensive scheming. He doesn't allow open lanes, even if he's blitzing from the inside or outside.

So it's more.

Of how quickly can you get the ball out of your hands downfield, and you have backs that are good receivers, you have a good tight end that's a receiver, and you have great wide receivers. So the immediacy of the ball out of your hand is going to dictate the way bliand Brian Floores runs a screen.

It runs his scheme.

If you become vulnerable to protection at the line of scrimmage and the offensive line has has some uncertainty, the crowd noise is effective, and then they set that outer edge that they don't give just an escapability.

It's the type.

Of game plan that Brian Floores has been as successful as he's been in some of the biggest games against some of the best quarterbacks.

But Justin, uniquely.

Enough, he has the type of talent that if they bring a blitz and he makes one guy miss that he can be gone. If he reads the hot read during the cadence, it can be a really big play. So there's a lot of ways that Justin can counter act the blitzing of Brian Flores in. One of them is is his supreme athleticism.

Now, this is something that I liked with. Justin had to say. He was very confident about his deep ball. You it's almost taking the words out of your mouth. You've been saying it all year. We're gonna hear it from Rix Bielman here in a moment about Justin's deep ball. He's very proud of it.

I mean, to be honest, I feel like deep balls just in general. I feel like that's kind of what I do best. To be honest with you, I think I throw the ball down the field exceptionally. I feel like, you know, it's one of my strengths. And you know, I've been doing it since high school college, so you know, I think it's one thing that I do best, and you know, one thing that I think we're like to keep doing and you know, get to more.

So.

Yeah, And so I think it's important that he own that. He said at the podium, this is what I do best. This is what I think I do best. A lot of folks think that Justin Field's best trade his run on the football, but I like to say he does both of those things well, and now it's everything else in between that can round out his play.

So the two things about deep ball. If you provide the protection for him, like in the Commander's game, he shows that he has small window of opportunities that he can take advantage of to give the receiver or an opportunity to make a catch. If he reads well inside the pocket and is able to step up field without crossing the line of scrimmage, he's got downfield accuracy that is as good as anybody in the league. So it's the things where and when and how you want to

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All right.

We had an opportunity to visit with Rix S Pielman. He's bouncing around to many different media outlets after a post management career with multiple teams, including the Bears back in ninety seven when we got to know him well for his three years before he went down to Miami as one of the pro personnel directors for the Chicago Bears at that time. I'll tell you he's done a great job with the thirty third team if you happen

I like it.

Trying to make it living, Yeah, no, I'm trying to live the life you guys have always that I've always dreamed of that you guys live.

So this is quite the lifestyle.

You know. Can you sum up where you're working? Actually, because a lot of folks if they want to see your work, because you do great job, great job analyzing the NFL and also always with an eye on towards the NFL Draft, which the scout in you you can't escape, right.

No, No, I'm doing a lot of work for CBS and CBS HQ on the weekends and then have a with the First Pick podcast and it's all draft related, talk a lot about the Bears and what should they do with their picks this year as a season unfolds. And we do that every Tuesday and Thursday on with the First Pick, doing a lot of serious XM radio hosted.

You know, Rick, the thirty third Team I was interested in because I really enjoy your contributions. So all of us are kind of used to talking about football and it comes easy to us. But when you're sitting down behind a computer and now you're starting to write, however long the articles have a tendency to be Is it more difficult to write or is the writing part just as easy as the talking.

The writing part is the reason why I didn't go into English literalgy. I can write a report on a player with these but trying to make that sound halfway. I'm not going to win any Politzer Prize with my writings. They do a great job with the editors, trying to make a chicken salad out of chicken crap is what they say in the business as I learned, so but they do a great job.

It's just being.

Able to express your thoughts and doing it in words is a lot easier because we all do that, but when you have to actually sit down there and write it, it makes it a totally different ballgame. It's getting easier the more you do it. But it's just like when you watch tape on a player and then you write up that report. Well, you can do it at a

Rick, is each position equally difficult to evaluate? Or is there a position that may be a little bit more difficult to evaluate then you know all the other positions you're looking at at.

You know it depends.

You got to say, the quarterbacks, for anybody's the most difficult and the hardest one to predict on who.

Will have success or not have success.

I would say probably the most film you have to watch to get a true feel is on a defensive safety or a defensive back because they're not involved in the play every snap. When you watch the Tom Fairs, they're hitting someone every snap on the offensive line or defensive linement that you're watching, so you can get a pretty good sense or running back with all the touches.

Rick, That's why I whiffed in the two thousand draft. When I was watching tapes that you and George Peyton, now the general manager of the Broncos. You're a good friend, worked with him all those years at Minnesota, and I was looking at safeties that year and George says, well, who do you like? And I said, well, here it is Rogers Beckett San Diego State. And he goes, okay, and he slides me Mike Brown. He goes, I think

Because you at least giving efforts.

Some of the guys to talk about NFL talent don't even watch the tape.

I mean, we're all wrong. I've been wrong, George has been wrong.

So but at least if you're doing the work, you respect the opinion. You may not agree with the opinion, but at least you're respected.

Hey, Rick, Jeff.

Even back remember when I was with the Bears as the pro director, one of my favorite things to do was to come on your pregame show and give the advanced scouting report. That's where I finally figured out that one day, when I'm done working in this executive office BS, that I might enjoy doing the media. Was all because of Jeff Jonah giving me my first shot in front of a microphone.

Well, you did a great job, and I was honored to have you guys on, and you guys gave me a lot of access and you trusted me, and I always have appreciated that.

So do you guys.

Still use that little number you remember walking to the trailer before the games?

Yep, No, that is long gone. That's the previous radio station. And now we're on ESPN Chicago, so it's a whole different ballgame. Hey, you mentioned quarterbacks, and I just talked about this with Tommy last week on our podcast. Here and teams fall all over themselves. They mortgage the future, they make deals, they shred their roster just to move up to get a guy that they hope is going to be the guy. Every team in the league has

Yeah, I think it's always been more and more difficult, more and more challenging, because if anyone had the answer to the burning Bush question, there wouldn't probably be as many bus and including some of the bus I had trying to select a quarterback during my tenure.

But I think that everybody is trying to find an edge.

I know the evaluation of a quarterback has changed so much on trying to apply analytics to it, trying to do this or that, trying to figure out what ticks, you know, because to me, you can see the physical ability, you can see him run, you can see him throw, the arm talent. It's the quarterback position. And Tom you know you've played, you play with some pretty good quarterbacks.

And you know this year when CJ.

Stroud came out and the test score that s two score, I believe said he was the lowest out of all the quarterbacks. Well, going forward, I would want to make sure my quarterback scores as low as.

Possible on that s two tests. I know he's going to be the next CJ.

Stroud, so but that's just such a hard prediction to make it the quarterback position, not because of the physical ability, but it's because you're trying to get in the mind, in the heart of that player. You're trying to figure out what makes him tick. Does he ticked when the pressure is on the line. I mean, you see CJ.

Hey, Rick, I'm interested in your GM point of view on this question. So Kareem Jackson from Denver is suspended for four games, second time he's been suspended this year. He appealed the first one, then he got suspended for a hit on Joshua Dobbs as a GM, how do you go to bat for him? Or because it's the second time around, do you have to live with the suspension?

Well, if you do that within the first five plays coming back off of a suspension, I mean, what you know, you almost ask yourself, is this guy a knucklehead? Or what are you thinking? I understand the aggressiveness and you want to play the game hard and you want to play the game physical, but you have to know, after you lost money, after you've been suspended, to maybe just keep your head up instead of launching with the top of your head into a player that's not going to fly.

But since the.

Penalty was not called, maybe they held judgment until after the game, and then they saw the replay. Now they pinged him again. But there's a line between playing physical and aggressive but also playing smart and biting by the rules that are put in place for players safety. And it just seems like if you didn't get it the first time, hopefully you get it going forward after the second time, you're going to get popped, you know.

So I questioned outside football a little bit. So when we used to play in the Metrodome, I hated more of the walk back and forth of the locker room of any stadium I played in. So now that the Bears are on the cusp, but possibly building a new stadium, is there any immediate thoughts come to your mind about the dos and don'ts of building a new stadium for the home team or maybe that longer walk for the away team.

I know Kevin Warren, you know, when he was in Minnesota, he was did a phenomenal job leading our organization along with a couple other executives and getting that stadium, our new stadium built, So he knows the ins and outs

There's rules in the NFL.

You have to meet x standards in order for a visiting locker room to get a checkoff from the league office. Now, whether you walk, you know, two hundred and fifty yards across the field or around the stadium, you do three loops around the stadium to get to the field, that's that's something that you know. Yeah, I don't know if it will pass inspection, but there's ways. Like I said, but most of the time's going to come down as our team by other in your team and who's going

Regardless of the walk. I still hated it. Rick maybe a major mad so you played better. Maybe it had a counter effect on you.

Rix Bielman our guest here on Bears Etc. Podcast and we are brought to you in part by Ticketmaster. Bears fans, you can be there for live NFL action all season long. As the official ticket marketplace for the Bears and the NFL, Ticketmaster has a wide selection of tickets available for every game. Find tickets today at ticketmaster dot com. Slash Bears. So it's Bears Vikings on Monday Night. I know you basically

Well, make make sure you throw that player thing around very loosely, because I might have been a Hall of Fame camper, but not much more after that.

Hey, all I know it was an asker, is what was the other camp you were in?

I started out in the Chargers camp.

I remember the first time I lined up at mini camp because there were no to it OTA's back. Then is went out there for mini camp. Dan Fouts was a quarterback, and then I was a linebacker and I was covering in a one on one drill. Kelln Winslow, Oh my, and I didn't know whether to ask them for an autograph or do I touch him? Or how

Wow.

So yeah, let's not use the word player. Brother, he was a player. Yes, he was born with the change of direction. I was born with the hair and good looks, even though we can't see.

It right now.

How about Dobbs. The Dobs story, it's crazy story.

Yeah, and there's no question his intelligence and you know what he was came and did for Minnesota, you know, because Kirk Cousins to me was playing almost at an MVP level and his game even went up a notch when Justin Jefferson went on IR. And you've seen some of the guys, you know, the tight end Hockinson, Addison has stepped up kJ Osborn, so they've done a great job and I think Kevin O'Connell has done a phenomenal

Just sit back.

It was almost like watching a seven on seven drill at times and try not to give up the big play where coach flow Right now, Brian Flores is way more aggressive in sending pressure from all different angles on that field, different guys coming from everywhere.

So it's kind of hard I think.

To get a bead for offenses on what they're doing on the defensive side of the ball, which I think has helped.

Hey, Rick, you know you brought up your brother's name. I had a pleasure of playing against him. I love your brother, He's a phenomenal player. But you know, you Spielman brothers, you guys belong in the NFL. Is there Can you have conversations now with Christen's he's with the Detroit Lions that maybe you couldn't have if you were with the Minnesota Vikings. Or do you even get a chance to talk that much about you know, either life or going on in football.

Yeah?

No, we talk almost on a daily basis right now. I do a lot of for a lot of the stuff I'm doing in media, I watch a lot of tape on a lot of these college kids, So you know, we'll bounce just between me and him, just what we think on certain players and what's going on. But it's funny when they did not play very well against the Baltimore Ravens a few weeks ago, I got the call on Monday, because usually my rule was like, let me

So I didn't call him.

And then Monday after that Baltimore game, I got a call and I was like, I got to hope everything's okay, and he just rant and rave for twenty minutes how frustrated he was when they the lost the way they.

Did, and then he hung up on me. I was like, oh, yeah, Mom's doing great. Yeah, but I'll call you next week. But it's great.

We are a lot more probably open with each other as far as you know, sharing things from a football side, we know where the line is and even when he was broadcasting when we talk to each other, we're never going to jeopardize each other's integrity on what we have

You know, Rick, there's a lot of people that want to put a timeline on the evaluation of justin fields. Now put yourself in that same position. How do we evaluate him? And in your mind is there a timeline on his evaluation?

Well, the timeline is going to be at the end of the season because they're going to have some decisions to make, especially if they have Carolina's pick and end up with the number one overall pick, And to me, the evaluation is going to be Like Justin Fields before he injured his thumb, I think he had like one hundred and twenty quarterback rating the way he was playing, and he was on fire and came back and I thought he played very well last week against the Detroit

Then?

So I think they got a wait to see how the season unfolds.

Hopefully Justin can stay healthy.

He hasn't been able to stay healthy and on the field for a full season, I believe was it last year he got hurt as well, had a knee.

And couldn't play this year. It's the thumb.

So there's some third bilding questions probably that they need to answer. They know inside better than anyone what he is in a meeting, how well he picks up things. There's no question about his arm talent. To me, he's one of the best deep ball accuracy as far as accuracy throwing the ball deep down the field, that was one of his strengths coming out. The question is is he one of those quarterbacks that can speed up his progressions and get through his reads?

And I don't know that.

I think people in that building know that they know a lot of things that outside the building you don't know. So that's how they're going to have to base their decision on if they're going to be justin Field's going forward or if they're not going to be and try to get one of these two young quarterbacks, especially if they think that Caleb Williams or Drake May is that unique.

Rex Buelman, our guest, are remaining moments with our good friend, former Chicago Bear executive and NFL Executive of the Year in twenty seventeen with the Minnesota Vikings. So I've always loved the draft. I've always dove deep into the draft as much as I can for all the twenty seven years I've been associated with the Bears. But the last

Well, you hope that the players mature enough to handle the outside noise, because I'm sure they're.

Getting it whether they perform well or not. So you have to have.

Very callous, thick skin to play quarterback in this league. And you have one bad game and all of a sudden the world's on fire, you know you can't You're not good enough anymore. So I think that as long as it's the messaging, I think that comes from the front office. And I think but during the season with all the noise, because there's more noise out there than just a draft, although I can't believe I already did two mock drafts for not even tell thanksgifting yet.

Who'd you mock to the Bears? Who'd you mock to the Bears?

You'll have to go look, But you'll they have to be strong enough mentally to handle that pressure because that's such a high pressure job and you're going to get the heat no matter what. And if you're starting to listen to the outside noise that maybe you're not strong enough to handle what comes along with that job.

All right, one more for me and then we'll wrap with Tom. Are we at the age in the draft that it's okay to draft any position number one regardless because there could be an elite talent that you just cannot pass up.

Are you talking about Marvin Harrison? John?

I am who to me is going to be a future Hall of Famer. But I also think these two quarterbacks are very, very interesting.

I compared Caleb Williams to Drew Locke. I guess Drew lock is who.

Kind of he reminded me of coming out as far as that kind of savvy for the position. I said, Drake may and you guys can laugh at me. I said, he has some similar traits, not as good yet, but similar traits to Trevor Lawrence with his length and the way he throws the ball, in his athletic movement skills. So those are the tough decisions that you're going to have to make. I think you have a generational receiver. And I'm going to ask you guys this am I allowed to ask a question on this podcast.

It's free flowing. We're friends, we're friends.

What do you think is.

More important to have if you had a combination a quarterback and a receiver or a quarterback in an elite left tackle.

I'll let time answer first.

I'll go I'll because I'm an offensive lineman.

I'll go with elite left tackle and a mentally strong quarterback.

I would probably be in the same camp because the line of scrimmage, you never can have enough great talent. And I'd like to see offensive lines grown together through a draft. But you know, there's there's a sexy part of it too. I mean, you know, the wide receiver is just so unique.

But Austin Jefferson, Yeah, yeah, I'm just telling you this now, I'll probably never get drafted or asked on this podcast again, that's not true. I'm going to disagree with you both. I'm just looking at Philly had a pretty good offensive line. But what helped the development of Jalen Hurts When they went and traded for aj Brown, Tua was considered a bus Look what he did, what Tyreek Hill did for the MAA for Tua down in Miami. So to me and Tom, you guys have watched this NFL for a

To me, I think having an elite receiver in an elite.

Quarterback or a quarterback that is a very good quarterback will give you a far better chance to get to the Super Bowl and win a Super Bowl than without one. Now I may be wrong, but that's how I feel, all.

Right, Rick, last question for me, when you look at junior eligibility for All Star Games, does that make the mock drafts more difficult for you or does it give you a better evaluation going into the draft.

I think it gives you a jump on the evaluation because you were never able to even talk to or first time you got a chance to get in front of the juniors was usually at the Combine. By them now being eligible to play in these All Star Games, you're going to get a lot bigger, a lot faster jump on these kids. So you can really, once you get to the combine, hone in on maybe your top prospects, not just all juniors. We always had the philosophy, let's interview and knock out as many seniors as we can.

They have a rare opportunity here back to back years to have really strong high draft picks. What's your philosophy.

Don't pass a blue player.

I remember when my first draft in Minnesota Vikings and Adrian Peterson was there. We had Chester Taylor at the time. We had a very good year previously. But don't pass a unique player. And because that's going to be a game changer for you. If your board says you can have you have four or five guys in the same area of the board, then maybe you move down and try to get as many of those type of guys

Well said Rick. We can't thank you enough. This was awesome. We could keep talking to you for hours. Join us again sometime, would you, even if.

I disagree with you on the damn offensive quarter.

Hey, that's the beauty of the sport. Hey, listen, it's like politics, right, everybody's got an opinion. But no, it's great to talk football. I always appreciated you, have a ton of respect for you, and I think what you're doing right now is fabulous. You got a big smile on your face. I hear you're playing pickleball too. Oh my goodness, yeah, golf. I got pickleball elbow right now. Broke a little bursa sack.

Get my arse kicked every week by seventy seventy five year old.

So it's a tough life down here on an island.

Yeah, you're on Santa Bell, Right, you're on Santa Bell. Yeah.

Well, we just talked to Scott Kolakowski in Detroit, who is an enormous pickleball player. He and his wife, and he's talking about another game similar to paddle ball that's been brought into the United States from Europe.

I can't remember the name of it. Padel, Yeah, pidell. It's not paddle but padel.

Right, And so he's talking about that, the growth of that and the growth of the pickleball courts in the Detroit area.

So yeah, you know, stay on your feet, keep moving.

Keep the Yeah, there must be one hundred and fifty pickleball courts on the island down here.

That's the number one thing to do on the island.

Is Michelle.

She's playing.

She kind of pulled a calf muscle the other day.

She's got a calf. She's got a calf.

So now she's been laid up for three weeks. And I would say, well, Joe Burrow went out there and gutted through it.

You know.

I was like, you got to play hurt sometimes hunt.

And then I got to shoe up side my head. And then we moved on to life.

All right, Rick, we appreciate it.

All right, thanks for having me on, guys. It's fun.

Thank you so much.

All right.

So we learned a lot there. I love that he's still acting like a general manager. He's watching tape every single day just like you would, you know.

Yeah, I love the Spielman brothers actually because Rick is you know, really pays attention to details of all the jobs that he's had in the NFL front offices. He's got a brother, Chris Bielman, who was a Pro Bowl caliber. He was a Pro Bowl player, All Pro player, played against him plenty of times, and it's They've been dedicated to football their whole lives.

And I'm glad to see him, both of them still involved in the.

NFL, because the NFL is better with the Spielman brothers in the league.

All right, before we get into the vikings twenty twenty three aren't Rooney Sportsmanship Award. Every team has a nominee, thirty two of them, though I'll be voted on at the end of the year to see who wins that honor. But TJ. Edwards was the Bear's choice, and I couldn't think of a better guy wearing that uniform right now for the Bears to have that. He is a tremendous guy, soft spoken, but a very big leader in the locker room.

You know, what's so awesome about that is the immediate impact he has on the Chicago Bears in such a short amount of time. You started in an OTAs it traveled through training camp, it began with the regular season, and he's approved improved every game since then. And then to have this honor bestowed.

Upon you, it just shows you, you know.

What a good choice Ryan Poles went out and bringing a player like that back to his hometown and having the impact in the locker room and on the field that he has.

All Right, let's dig into the Vikings on Monday night. Maybe you know their streak stopper was something that raised their attention in their eyebrows that they could not finish that job in Denver after winning five in a row of the Bears defeat at their hands back at Soldier Field in Week six, So that started the ball rolling for the Vikings. But they lose Kirk Cousins. They did not have Justin Jefferson against the Bears in week five or week six. Rather, he injured himself in a Week

They're not going to risk him for anything.

It's going to be when he feels that he's one hundred percent and he can play equally in all four quarters, then you'll see Justin Jefferson back.

On the field.

My thing is is, I'm not going to be enamored by this feel good story about Joshua Dobbs. I have a tremendous amount of respect for him, but I'm going to attack him like an opponent. I'm going to try to keep him inside the pocket with no escapability, where he can't use his legs in looking downfield and kind of a desperate throwing situation. I'm going to make him throw on a decision from inside the pocket because I

So what do you think he does well?

I think he runs outside of the pocket with vision downfield. I think because he's in a situation that there's no expectations of him.

He's willing to make some chance he throws.

He's developed a quick relationship with the tight end that is not necessarily long drawn out routes that sometimes you're you're bigger in the type of protector or the type of coverage you're receiving, and he takes chances with him, And I think Addison is a nice complementary receiver with the loss of Justin Jefferson.

So that's why is you.

Know, Kevin O'Connell, the coach does a lot of coaching on the quarterback headset. I'm going to make him live through that while I put pressure on him, hopefully the way the Bears can.

Tj Hockinson is the trusted target. He's got the target high right now with Dobbs, but he's been taking a pounding much like Colekmet does. It's a position you're going to battle through some stuff. He's battling through a rib injury right now. They got the bye week coming, just like the Bears you played, you got some bye weeks, right Yeah. So two teams both going into the bye week after a holiday with friends and family in town. You know, where does the edge lie here?

Well, bye weeks were different when I was there. They dangled the reward like carrot in front of a horse. If we played well in one, then we only practiced for three days in pads and then we got a couple days off. If not, we practiced the whole week like a normal practice week.

And I know the collective bargaining agreement is different.

I think there's a lot of incentive for the Bears players to come out there and play fresh, play hard, play aggressive, be able to finish the game at the end with the victory, and have that bye week as a late season reward before this thing winds down.

Good news, 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 Reulder bag United trying to fly the Chicago Bears, and you too, a new change up at running back. I think there's some concern with Alexander Madison with the fumbles. He hadn't been bad since early in the season with that, but overall

Of course, I think he got to be physically with Madison because here's a guy that played a backup role basically to Dalvin Cook, so he didn't have the abuse of a year that was solely on his shoulders. So if you can be physical with him and you can create the collision, don't allow him to lower his shoulder pads into you. That's when you can separate him from the football. And if it comes down to a running game that is going to decide the fate of this game,

You know, looking back at that Vikings game, they held the Vikings to three to thirteen on third down. The Bears defense two hundred and twenty yards one hundred and thirty net passing right, and he held them under twenty points less than that because Jordan Hicks took one back on the fumble. So they really played well well enough

You have to have a creative game plan for Justin devised by Luke Getzi. You have to put Justin in multiple positions to.

Throw the ball.

The Bears only had one hundred and thirteen yards passing in the first game and they were sacked five times. If you try to make Justin sit in the pocket inside Minnesota, I think you're playing with fire. But if you allow him to roll out to his right and to his left and have bootlegs and have designed quarterback

All Right, different topic, now, just hit this because he really got my attention, and you and I spoke on the phone about it yesterday and we both agree. So Tom Brady, I know it's been talked about on Stephen A. Smith Show this week. I'm just going to read the quotes. I think there's a lot of mediocrity in today's NFL. I don't see the excellence I saw in the past. I think the coaching isn't as good as it was. I don't think the development of young players as good

Agree with them.

One hundred percent, and I'm glad someone finally had the guts to say something about it because I watched football on a regular basis, and not only the Bears in their opponent. I watch every game that I have access to, just like I'll be sitting there on Thanksgiving watching all three of the games, and I watched undercoached guys.

That is frustrating for me to watch.

And I see quarterbacks that lead receivers that they have to catch the ball, and all of a sudden, the defensive player hits them because of a lay throw by a quarterback, and then they blame it on the defense.

I think all those things you have to take into account, and I'm.

Finally glad the Goat stood up there with this half a billion dollars in earnings and had the guts to say something that needed to be said.

I do believe that he Peyton Manning. They want to preserve the game. The game is what we knew. I know there's changes that's never going to stop. Evolution of everything in the world is going to make different looks to things. But I also I heard Ron Rivera, your old teammate, on Sirius XM this week, and this whole thing came up, and it's about more time spent on task dealing with tackling, tackling properly and those types of things.

And then have more physical practices when you have the opportunity.

I'm saying, so what I'm saying, and I.

Yes, I agree with you. I guess you're saying it in a different way.

But if you want things fundamentally done correctly in football, then you have to practice them in football.

You can't sit out.

There and have a drill that's run at a certain percentage of effort and think that's the way it's going to happen on a game day.

That's just not the case.

And these guys get paid handsomely to take the chances in life that the sport it challenges you with, just like the generations before me, my generations of the generations that come. So again, getting back to the original topic of Tom Brady, I think this is the first time I said I admire him.

For speaking out that way.

All right, here's another one. Steve Young. I don't know if you heard this today. He was at trun Golf Club. There was an event and Jim McMahon was in the audience. They clearly had a golf tournament, and Young was speaking and he said of Jim that he learned the game from Jim McMahon tells McMahon's dad all the time. I owe Jim everything. How I dropped a throw. I didn't know how to throw a football. I didn't know how to get the ball to spin. Jim taught me all

I heard that before, and I talked to Jim about this and about the Lavelle Edwards approach the head coach there at BYU at this time, and that developed this offensive proficiency.

That carried through to a lot of other positions.

So Jim's two offensive tackles when he played at BYU was Andy Reid and another guy named Nick Earr. Nick ear was my offensive tackle in the USFL. So I got to understand a little bit more about McMahon before I ever had a chance to play with them.

And then when you get a chance to play with them.

Jim understood covered so well that he didn't need to sit there and watch tape for hours. And I remember sitting at the Bears facility one years ago and I was watching tape and he came back in the back room where we used to sit and watch it and came to say hi, and I was watching something. He goes, oh, they throw the ball here.

You know.

He looks at the play for an instant and he knows exactly just by the positioning. So Andy Reid, why is Andy Reid such a considered a quarterback guru? Why does he have the most wins in Philadelphia in Kansas City history. He's a little bell edwards guy, even though

Must give you an amazing amount of confidence in your quarterback. When he's steep speaking like that in the huddle and then it comes to me, you.

Know, it's amazing because it's you know, there is no listening device at that time. He's hearing the play either from the sideline or someone's bringing it in, and he's kind of given a description what's gonna happen while he's calling the play. You know, hey, Matt, show me a good fake here, Hey Walter, carry this out and I'm gonna hit you over to the left hand side. Hey Dennis, if you hit that slant and go, it's coming to you. And then we break the huddle on one and boom. The rest is history.

Late Sid Luckman born on this day, one hundred and seven years ago.

You know, I had dinner with Sid Luckman right before he passed away at Gibson's and.

A great story was, I don't know if you ever been to Gibson's.

They have unbelievable desserts there, and so during the time of year, they had apple strudel, and so he told everybody, you order what you want, because no one's going to have any.

Of my apple strudel.

He ordered it, and he ate the whole thing, all the whole interior of it, with a spoon.

And you know what, he was a great gift giver.

When we went to dinner that night, he gave me a tie and it was a really nice had a nice gold chain on it, a really nice tie, and I know I still have it somewhere, But you know, the guy was just incredibly gracious.

And incredibly good, four time NFL champion with the Bears, and football's first great tee formation quarterback. Now I got oh, this is a side note that he never got into the game broadcast on ESPN on Sunday in Detroit. You know who the winningest coach in Lion's history is. It's a sub fonse, yes, but it's a sub five hundred record. I mean, we're talking about it. Team was very good in the fifties and you know, but yeah, it's Wayne Fonts.

Off the top of my head too, But that's pretty good. I just thought that he.

Did have some success when he was there, and he was not a pushover now in terms as being as a coach.

Number one, And then I'm gonna agree to quote and you tell me who you think it could possibly be. It doesn't necessarily have to be an NFL player. My best bench press was five twenty five, my best deadlift was seven to ten, and my best squat was six ' ten. First of all, you probably came well you the most you ever benched was what five something? Right, most ever bench was five thirty five, you beat him? How about deadlift?

Deadlift? I was weak.

I think my best deadlift ever was five to seventy five eight ten.

Well, you're no Arnold Schwarzenegger. But that's who made that quote.

And Arnold Schwarzenegger waged a lot less than I did, too, Even at the height of his bodybuilding and his strength.

He was not a heavy guy. He was just super strong. Had a chance.

I met him a couple of times, once at Gold's Gym out in California, and once with Jim Belushi filming a movie Red Heat here in Chicago, and I asked him, I said, hey, Arnold, how much do you weigh?

He said to twenty two?

Two twenty two. So when you were throwing this up, you were in the two sixties too, seventies three hundred.

No, I was.

I was probably about two eighty five, okay.

And they were all under the witness of Clyde Emrick.

Well, I guarantee, yeah, you know, we're not doubting.

You purely departed. I'm not, you know, making up numbers here. It was all in front of him.

Silver screen star, former governor, and a bodybuilding champion. Many times over, you beat him in everything but the deadlift.

But I was a lot heavier.

And you know, but I remember as a kid driving from Chicago to the movie theater on Rush Street to watch the documentary Pumping Iron and with he and Lou Frignol and SERGIOA.

Levey and.

Frank Colombo and all the greats of the greats, And he used to walk into the bodybuilding contests and look around and say, I'm just wondering who's gonna get second, because he was the greatest of all time.

Take a chance download the Bette Rivers app today and we're brought to you by PNC Official Bank of the Bears. Any final thoughts on what has to happen Monday. The Bears have a twelve game losing streak dating back to twenty twenty one in the NFC North. They've been beaten by an average of twelve plus points per game in those games, and Justin has won one game against an NFC North opponent in games that he's played. He hasn't played in all of those due to injury. But you

Start fast and finish strong, and that that should be the theme of the week. And whether you're on defense and you got to provide some pressure on Joshua Dobbs, or you can have a drive as well constructed as Luke, Etsy and Justin and the rest of the guys did.

Opening drive in Detroit.

Steinhoffels is an employee owned furniture and mattress store. Is it any there for Chicago leand locations in Vernon Hills, Crystal Lake, Downers Grove, and Hartwood Heights. Our shop online at Steinhoffels dot com. Big Tom, enjoy your Thanksgiving, multiple brunches and layouts of food from your family, and we all hope we'll have a nice, beautiful time with our families and friends. And we'll be back on the radio on Monday night in Minnesota for the kickoff against the Vikings.