Bobby Douglass on Justin Fields breaking records | All Access Podcast

Tuesday night. Jeff Joniac along my broadcast partner from news radio one oh five nine WBBM, A great Chicago Bears Super Bowl winning guard Tom Fair. As we get you set for Bears Eagles, Tom, I am giddy about the matchup. You're playing the best team in the league on Sunday at noon, winter blowing in strong on Sunday. It's gonna be better. And the final month of the season a lot to evaluate for our Bears. And I'm actress to see the Eagles and live living color about you. Oh

me too. You know earlier in the season they wanted to call the weekend after the Thursday night game a mini bye. I don't like that term. It's just an

extended week before you prepare for your next opponent. This is a bye, and it seems like a long time in between games, and to have a bye this late in the season, I hope it kind of reignited the hunger within the players not only to stay prepared for their responsibilities no matter what position they play, but get ready for an opponent that is probably the most well balanced team in the NFL, that's a true Super Bowl contender, and you kind of like you're saying, you want to

get a look at the Philadelphia Eagles, and you kind of want to look at some positions that the Bears ultimately need to become if they're getting themselves in a division winning football team that has playoff in Super Bowl aspirations. Thank our producers is always Dan really, Jordan Trentip and Sean Sears at the score Studios. Sean is an Iowa State gay. Tom mentioned to me, how about that brock Pruty Sunday that guys to talk of the league right now. Listen.

I think anybody around the league that thinks, because where you are drafted, you have no chance or you can't be successful in the NFL is wrong because you can go from Zach Wilson, the second pick in the draft at the quarterback position for the Jets, or you can go to Purdy, who is mister irrelevant. And you see both of them have good players and good supporting cast,

and you see what Purty's able to do. And I think San Francisco fan base is really excited about what he's been able to do for the team, and they believe that they can go deep into the playoffs with him and Wilson can't even get out of the field with an injured quarterback who's got bad ribs and Joe Flacco backing them up. It's crazy. We got a quarterback coming on the show in our next segment, tom the Lefty former Chicago Bear Bobby Douglas coming up in here

at six ten or so. In a bottom of the hour, the venerable voice of the Philadelphia Eagles, Merrill Reese, the senior broadcaster in terms of service in the NFL, fell great guy. I love them Eagles arriving on Sunday after winning their twelfth and thirteen games. So last night of the Bears Coaches Show, Tommy Mattieberflus basically unveiled what he's looking for in the final four games. The offense, the ability to run the football is very important to us defensively.

We want to see a big jump you know in our run defense, uh these next four weeks. To be able to stop the run, that's one of our big things we need to work on, you know. And then obviously protecting the ball. You know, we got to do a great job protecting the ball, not only in the first three quarters, but also during two minutes. You know, we got to do a better job of finishing games. And us protecting the ball and be able to operate in a two minute offense is going to be very

important to our success going forward. And there are two minute defense you know, to be able to stop you know, people two field goals or holding the zero points in a two minute drive, you know, and get a four and out or a takeaway to end the game. That's something we would like to see also. But so again, that whole thing about finishing that is a team that

is a team goal. It's a team thing that we want to really accompli here going forward and certainly improve on as we meet these really good opponents coming up here in the coming weeks. Now that Eagles bills Minnesota Detroit on the mix there in the final four games, so it kind of laid it out. That's kind of the bye week layout. Well, you know the thing about it, He's talks about all the team goals, which is true,

that is what the team needs to accomplish. But in order for the team to accomplish those goals, there are certain individuals that have to play better than they've been playing and they have to be more productive than they have been. So it's kind of a double edged sword there where Ultimately it's always a team goal, but there's other guys that could finish this season on a high note and really make an impression on the coaching staff and the scouting staff. All right. I know people are

doing this across the different media platforms. They're trying to zero win on some players moving into twenty twenty three. That you want to see something out of significance here in the final four games and give me four guys. I know I'm throwing this atche out of nowhere here, but if you want me to start it off, I will. But you know, I want to continue to see the development of tight end cole commet, the use of cole commet. I'd like to see what Chase Cluel Claypool does here

moving forward. In the final four games, he had a career high four touchdowns against this very Philadelphia team twenty twenty version a totally different version in this one, but he played him the week before the Bears acquired him in that deal with Pittsburgh. And then on the defensive side of the ball, I just want to see more of the young players in that secondary proved that they can be a part of the solution. You may be finding some depth players moving forward. And then a little

bit more about the offensive lineman that are here. You know, everybody wants to think that the entire offensive line should be replaced for twenty twenty three, but there's been some good things done. Buy that offensive line. Coach Simo has done a great job, and I want to see all of those guys how they perform moving forward. All I want to see Justin Justin Jones, I want to see Dominique Robinson. I want to see Jack Sanborn, and I

want to see Jaquon Brisker on defense. Then on the offensive side of the ball, I want to see Alex Leatherwood. I want to see Justin Fields. I hope Khalil Herbert comes back and provides what we've been impressed by through the early part of the football season, and then I want to see a Valis Jones Junior should be in serious consideration for playing opportunities next year, or do you have to make him compete and see if he can even earn a roster spot. Yeah, Vealis a third round pick.

He's been through a lot, no question his average a kickoff return now it's twenty six nine seven on punt returns. Among the sixteen combined returns. He's had a couple of the muffs, but nine touches on offense only three receptions. And I really did think, and granted his preseason was wiped out, he missed three games with a hamstring much

at camp, so a late start. Never got traction offensively other than some of these fly sweeps and so forth, but I really thought that that aspect of things, I'd be able to see something from him in that regard fly routes, whatever the case may be, fly patterns down go ruts down the sidelines using that speed. So hopefully in these next four weeks we'll get a dose of it. Well, if we haven't seen impressions made to us by these fly routes, these speed routes down the field. Can he

catch some crossing routes? Does he have the willingness to go across the middle when there's a safety hunting you out and being able to make a catch and compliment an average throw by a quarterback and turn it in to an explosive catch after the run. You talk about the muffs on the kick, on the punt returns. Those

things are game costing. So he's got to bring himself from a below average evaluation to impress you enough to figure when ota start and you have two hundred and fifty reps of catching punks during the off season by the end of the off season in the training camp, are you so impressive at it that you don't consider Dante pett Is still the best pump catcher on this football team. Four returns one hundred and fourteen against Green Bay and the kick game, plus that fifty five yarder

in Atlanta. All right, we're gonna take our first break when we come back. Bobby Douglas due to join the program, the former Chicago Bear who has the single season rushing records. It's in dire straits, Tommy with Justin Fields tracking him down from that nineteen seventy two season. He'll join us next. This is Bears All Access and it's brought to you by IGS Energy with Tom Thayer. I'm Jeff Joniak on

Chicago Sports Radio six seventy. The Score. Back with you on Bears All Access on Chicago Sports Radio six seventy to score. Jeff jony Eak and Tom Fair choose clean energy for your home at IGS dot com because every good choice adds up to a better world. Or will be joined by Bobby Douglas at some point here. I want to talk about Sam must for time because I love the guy. Number one natural born leader, no question

about it. He's always walking talk in that locker room, no matter the circumstances, and I love what he had to say yesterday up at hallisall critically important to him to be hard on himself as he took the bye week and rewatched everything. Yeah, for sure. I mean you got to sit back and honestly evaluate yourself. And it's a continuous evaluation. That's what the NFL is. Um if you're not getting better, you're getting worse. Like nobody stays

in the same in this league. So I had, you know, look back that Mini bye we had that Washington week. I had looked back, and you know, where are the games I struggle in? Where the areas that are struggled in him? And it was it was past protection that was that was an easy, easy thing to find. And went back to the Giants game, watched my past sets against Extra Lawrence. Who's I mean, you'd be hard pressed to find a lot of guys in the NFL blocking

him one on one nowadays. But you know that's the challenge I want, Like I alluded to her, I want to play teams like the Philadelphia East Front seven, you know I want. I want to pay the Kenny Clarks in the NFL. I want to play the Desha Launces on the NFL, because that's why I trained Force. I love his attitude time me too. I've always loved Sam. I've always been impressed woson the moment he's gone here. He's super confetitive, He's got a lot of pride in himself,

and I like what he does. This does four, this offensive line, Fletcher Cox, Javon Hargrave and Don mckinsue, Jordan Davis, They're all waiting for him on Sunday, all right time now to join Bobby Douglas, the former Bears quarterback, the second round pick in nineteen sixty nine out of Kansas here on Bears All actually on Chicago Sports Radio six sevent You to score, Bobby, Good to talk to you. Thanks for taking the time. How you feeling, Buddy, Good to talk to you. Jeff and Tom. Hey, you know

obviously what's hey? Yeah, yes, sir, yes, sir, yes sir. Time's here for sure. UH just want to talk about, you know, what's going on with with the uh, the Justin Fields impact here this season, and obviously you've been you've been doing interviews on this. I'm sure, but that single season record is dangling by a thread for you, Buddy. I'm sure you're okay with it right now because Justin's just coming on with with so much fire this season with his legs and off a pretty good passing game

against Green Bay Packers. What has it been your impression of QB one here in Chicago. Well, I've I've said from the beginning, I think he's he's got tremendous upsides. I think he can throw the football, got got a really good arm. I think the only thing he needs from a passing standpoint, is just a more time. You know, they got to get him an offense that works for him, but that helps him, I should say. I mean he's he can you know, obviously run anything of the pro

type offenses. But I think they need to also take advantage of obviously as they are doing now, take advantage of his ability to move because he can. He's as good as anybody out there running the football. Hey, Bobby, before I get onto the subject of justin fields and football, Bobby Douglas football camp at Marmie and Military Academy. You're you remember that back in year so this is why

this is why I bring it up, Bobby. In our family's trophy room, the first trophy ever presented to our family was by the Bobby Douglas football camp to my brother Rick. And when you go back, yeah, when you go back and you look at those types of items and grown up as a Bears fan, I mean it was as super inspirational in terms of my brother and I get involved in Pop Warner football and then taking it to the through the high school and the college and pro levels that we are able to. And I, Bobby,

I never forget it. And I think about the opportunity to go there. So I just wanted to bring you bring up that. Um just you know, yeah, I always uh doing camps pretty early. Really. I actually still do a little camp here in Lake Forest every year, so I've been doing camps for a while. But no, that that's that's uh, that makes me feel really good that uh we had your brother out there. That's fabulous. Yeah, I think we ran a good camph. I really enjoyed

going out there. We only went out there two or three years, but it was it was awesome. I was a younger brother. I sat in the stands and watched it and it inspired all of us. But what I would like to ask you, Bobby, so back in the day when you were playing quarterback, the style you played, did you have any type of offering what would be an RPO in today's offense? Well, not really. You know, I really came in when quarterbacks maybe really didn't want you to run. Uh. There are a few guys that

scrambled a little bit. Fran Parkington, as you know, was uh pretty good scrambler, but he actually ended up for the most part throwing the football. Never gained a lot of positive yards. I kind of had to do it. We had a team that was you know, the path blocking broke down a few times, we had lost. They had lost a lot of players in a year or two in those two or three years before I got there, So you know, there wasn't as strong a line as you'd like to have, as fields would like to have,

you know. So I was I was a good runner, and uh so I did a lot of scrambling and as far as you know today, I you know, you any quarterback you'd love but scrambled back then would love to play today. The way the field is is suited for for anybody that can move. Because they've got five guys running down the field, it's spread out a lot more.

You can barely hit the quarterbacks. So I think there's some real advantages, and I think that's why you're seeing quarterbacks like Justin able to do what he does well. I think you and Vince Evans were ahead of your time in terms of where the game is today. Do you enjoy watching quarterback play and offensive football today because of all the experiences that you face throughout your career. Yeah, I mean I'm a big football fan, big basketball and football fan, but I watch I watch every Pro game

all week. I don't miss one very often. I just love the game. I think it's a great game. I think what they've done with the rule changes has helped the game as you as you can see now with all the parody that you have in for football, it's it's the best game there is on TV. Yeah, almost every game goes down to the wire. Now a league record through fourteen weeks and let it gropen up. You know,

it's so much more wide open than it was. Say when I played, all Right, I gotta n for the defensive game then yeah, wash And I want to ask you a question about that too, by your playing career. But when you were talking about that Marmie in military camp, Tom, a memory flashed through my head. I was actually on a football field defending Bobby Douglas. Bobby, you won't you

won't remember this. This goes back to nineteen eighty seven or eighty eight, I don't know which, when the Chicago Bruisers were playing in Rosemond Arena football and there was a media all Star game and Gayle Sayers was his running back and Bobby Douglas was the quarterback. And I remember trying to play, you know, tear the flag from Bobby, who's stiff arming like he's playing some serious football here against the media. The late Les Grobstein put this together.

He was the voice of the Bruisers. Do you have any recollection of that, remember the Chicago Bruisers back in the late eighties. Yeah, yeah, so I do. Remember. I didn't play the game, but I was on the field with Bobby Douglas, all six five of them, and the great Gale Sayers. Uh so six five, six five football player. Everybody lists you sixty three, but you were six five. You were big, dude, while the legs were I was big. Yeah, I was. I was a good size for that year,

although there was another good sized quarterback. I mean there were six or seven others. Actually the record that I broke was Greg Landry. You know, Greg was about my size, and uh you know he had the record before I broke it. Uh I think he had about five hundred yards and uh so, you know, there were some big quarterbacks, but I but I was. I was a little more physical probably than some of them. But you know, the underrated aspect of it, and the numbers certainly didn't reflect.

But in the game played in that era, you had one of the league's strongest arms, and guys had a hard time negotiating the heat coming off your missile, wasn't it. Well, yes, I mean, uh, you're gonna I mean, if you if you go back and I happen to do this because so Actually John Hadel, I don't know if you remember John, but just died. He just died actually, but you remember him.

I'm sure. Uh. John coached John Elway and uh, and they had a little problem because you know, he had has a great arm, had a great arm, and they were dropping some passes. They went out and got a couple of receivers because of that. Uh. Hadel told me, So, you know, you're you have a guy that throws with a lot more velocity with some quarterbacks do Uh, you're gonna have guys dropping more passes. Uh. And you know it was a It was a negative for us, But for the most part, I was I was getting the

ball to him. It just we had a few more dropped and we didn't throw a lot of the little short stuff today, you know, the that make it a lot different game. I threw the ball deep, I think as well as anybody, So you know, that's I mean, you know you don't play if you can't throw it. So you know you don't play ten twelve years if you can't throw the football. Hey, Bobby, when you think of today's game, where is the biggest difference in receivers? You think it's the size of the wide receiver or

the multiple uses of the tight end position. Well, I think it's a combination of a lot of things. Probably the rule changes, which gives a quarterback more advantage today than they had. Say, well, that all started changing in the late seventies. I don't you remember when the blocking rule change. Well, you're a little before that time, a little after that you could use your hands when when you came into league, correct, right, yes, you said you

couldn't do that when I came into league. So that changed the game, I think, as drastically as anything other than the fact that obviously you could you could also get a guy anywhere on the fields until the ball was in here, and that lasted through the seventies. In fact, I don't want to get into a long an addition of why, but that's all because of the AFL and the fact that they were throwing the football. So the game changed, and that's probably more what is happening today

because it forced everybody. You go out and you get get guys you can catch the football, and they're throwing the ball in college now, so guys are coming in are much better receivers, and they're catching the ball now in high school and guys are just they're getting better athletes that are playing receivers. All right, Bobby, last question, and we'll let you go. Appreciate the time out. We really do take take this. We love the history, so

we love the history of the game. Give me the worst hit you ever took and the hardest defense you ever had to deal with. Well, the hardest defense was Minnesota. They had They had a phenomenal defense from when we played them. Detroit was really good and green Baby was pretty good too. It was a real good defensive league at the time. I don't you know everybody asked me that question. I don't remember ever getting hit so hard that I thought about it for any length of time.

To be honest with you, I guess I was lucky, yes, but no, I never never got knocked out or you know anything like that. Well, we appreciate it. Appreciate your time as a Chicago Bear nine hundred and sixty eight yards in a fourteen game season. That's the record that Justin Fields is tracking down here in a single season. Love to see more Bears wins in the future. And I know you think Hiley at Justin and what the

final for the Chicago Bears. Bobby enjoy the holidays of money, so they better go out and get a couple of receivers and some offensive blinding. They don't do that. We're in for some problems, all right, Bobby Douglas. Our guess we'll take a break when we come back a little more preview of the Eagles. Will also talk to the voice of the Eagles, Meryl Reese. It's all ahead here on Bears All Access, brought to you by IGS Energy

on Chicago Sports Radio six seventy The Score. Welcome back to Bears All Access here on Chicago Sports Radio six seventy To Score with Tom Bear, Jeff Jony Actors. Second of Bears All Access is brought to you by CDW. People who get it. He's hurt from Bobby Douglas going through You know you mentioned Greg Landry. He did and that was your first quarterback in the USFL. Yes, Yeah, Eliza. You know, I was a twenty something year old kid just getting in the league, and he was a forty

year old quarterback. He was He took great pride in his job, and he tried to teach give lessons to everybody that he came across, which that's one thing I loved about Greg. And good quarterback coach too, right he did. Yeah, the coaching too as well. Yeah. Was he here, Yeah, he was here with the Bears. Yeah, yeah, he played. He went from playing in the USFL to the Bears quarterbacks, getting hurt, leaving the USFL and going and finishing the season for the Bears. Yeah. The story always these uh,

and he's he's You still talk to him, don't you. Yeah, when we go to Detroit. Yeah, all right, time to join. Uh. One of the greatest guys in the National Football League is forty sixth season as the play by play voice of the Philadelphia Eagles. The dean of NFL play by play announcers on radio for their local teams, the Great Merrill Reach, joins the program. Merrill, Good evening. I know you've been busy tonight with activities. Thanks for taking the time.

How you feeling anytime? I'm feeling great, yeah, and looking forward to seeing you in a couple of days. Yes, always, always, always a pleasure to talk to you. Tommy has been great for me in my career, been very supportive, So I do appreciate you. But for you as you as you call these guys the Birds. The Birds are flying high, second time in franchise history at twelve and one start. I know you want a Super Bowl a couple of years back, but how much fun is this team right now?

Because it does look like the most complete team in the NFL. Well, they're fun to be around. There are a bunch of good guys, Nike's coaches, coaches that are cooperative and make your job very, very pleasurable. But this you're right, this is a good team. Whether they're the best team in the NFL will find out in the NFC. I think maybe they are at this point, but as

you know, the best team doesn't always win. Hey, Marrol, this is Tom There, a former offensive line with the Bears, and I'd like to just go down memory lane for just one one question, and I would like to talk about the fog Bawl because I was a player in the fog ball and you are a broadcaster in the fog ball and to me, Merril, that was one of the best defenses during that period that I've ever faced

in the NFL. And just where he had, Randall Cunningham was one of the most explosive quarterbacks in the league at that time. Where in the transition of the NFL where what did you think about broadcasting the fog ball and what did you think about that team of that era When you talk about this team this era with one of the most impressive defenses, an explosive quarterback in all the other assets they have, Tom, it's funny that you said that because my color analyst at the time

was Stam Voters. It was a former Eagles offensive lineman and stand at the time. I remember him saying, I think somebody just set off the smoke bomb on the other sidelines, and before we knew it, the entire field was shrouded in fog and it was unbelievable and we couldn't see a thing. And I know, I tried to get through it by finding some humor, and I said, I think there's a problem because Raindall Cunningham just came out of the huddle led by a German shepherd. Whatever

we could think that, we thought him. And then we got into the second half and the Bears had somebody on the sideline with a wireless microphone announcing the down in the distance and who the past and we went extoringly. We went entirely by what we were getting from the PA, but it was impossible to see. And my wife and I were going to have a New Year's Eve party that night back in Philadelphia, and I'm thinking, well, there goes the party. We're going to be stuck overnight in Chicago.

And when we got out of the stadium to the buses, there wasn't any evidence of fog. It was a completely clear night. And I remember saying the buddy, it's a shame they didn't stop that game and wait for the fog to clear, and he said, they don't stop wars and you continue to play. Hey, Meryl, slightly better view from the booth at Old Soldier Field in the fog than we ever get in Washington. To say, to call a commander's game right, well, I think the commanders they're

no longer the worst. The worst is now Miami. Yes, you're right, get right out of my when you go and you think about that team of Reggie White and Jerome Brown and the rest of the counterparts they had in that defense. Like I said, it was one of the best. And now you think about this defense that the Philadelphia Eagles have. Did they need to go out and sign the Dominican sue in Linnville Joseph or could they have got through without them. It's a good question.

I think at the time, they were having trouble stopping the run and they needed some beef in the middle. And don't forget Jordan Davis was hurt. He was out for the He went on injured reserve for four weeks because they had to excuse the pun But they needed more beef. They needed to beef up the defense and that's what they brought in and these guys have both contributed. It's the thing about this defense, Tom, it's it's it's so deep that they're able to rotate so many combinations

of people. The thirty forty year old Brandon Graham was able to come in last week and pick up three sects. That's how fresh you was. You're talking about a running game. When you talk about the Bears, you talk you know you got Dave Montgomery. You have Khalil Herbert, you have a couple of other running backs, and then you have

Justin Fields. Now, is this a defense that can shut down the running game of running backs, not including a quarterback, or is this a running game defense that can shut down a running quarterback as well as a good running game with running backs. I think yes, yes, and yes, because don him forget last week they really shut down se Quon Barkley. The week before, they handled Derrek Henry and kept him to under They kept him to under

thirty yards rushing. And then they also shut down Jonathan Taylor. He had a big first half and in the second half he did nothing. In the Annapolis and they've been able to contain the quarterbacks, but I don't think they've played a quarterback yet who can run like Justin Fields. I think he's probably the best running quarterback in the

game right now. All Right, So a lot of conversation and with Meryl Reese the voice with the Philadelphia Eagles as the Bears get ready to meet Philadelphia on Sunday at Soldier Field. The comparison contrast the first two years of Jalen Hurtz, who was at the beginning of this whole process considered. If I'm not mistaken from a Philadelphia point of view, a bridge quarterback and here he's taken the ball, and you know, I watched him play at Oklahoma.

My daughter was an Oklahoma graduate. I saw him in a spring game. I was impressed. I was impressed in that Alabama and certainly impressed with him now and then Josh Allen their first two years and then they take off in their year three. Justin finishing up his second year, the last half of it's been outstanding, finishing strong as the hope into a year three. Is it fair to

have these comparison contrasts about these three young quarterbacks. I know every quarterback develops differently, but they're all similar or in the sense that they can run and they can

throw well. There was a lot of divided opinion about Jalen Hurts when they drafted him to begin with, and then as late as last year after the playoffs, there were a lot of people who said that Jalen Hurts was not the quarterback of the future, he was just somebody to play until they got the real franchise quarterback. I was not among these people. I liked Jalen Hurts. From the time I saw him at Alabama. I loved when I saw an Oklahoma and I was thrilled when

the Eagles drafted him. Now they drafted him to be a backup for Carson Wentz, who had had some injury problems. But boy, that didn't last very long. And this young man has developed. He I thought he did a great job last year and only his first full year as a starter, But the jump he made from last year to this year to become a legitimate MVP candidate has been enormous. There were people who said he didn't have an NFL arm. He's got a great arm, He's got

great mobility. But you know what, I'm a golfer and I love the game, and I remember something that Bobby Jones once said. He said, the most important part of the game is the six inches between a player's ears. And that's the thing with Jalen Hurts. He is bright, he is diligent. His hobbyist football, his professionist football. He's all football all the time. He's seeing film every day, every night. He is such a worker, and the biggest

difference between last year and this year. Yes, he has cleaned up some mechanics as far as throwing his concern. But his decision making is so quick and he makes the right decisions, and he knows when to get out of pounds and he knows when to give up on a play and throw the ball away. I mean, you know that when you see that he has twenty two touchdown passes and only three interceptions. He has had a spectacular year, a quarterback rating of one hundred and eight

point four. And you know that out rowdy threw under a blitz last week on a dot that I saw a video today of Darius Lay, your star cornerback, saying if you know, if he's gonna put away this cornerback stuff and he's going to become a receiver and be a fifteen hundred yarder because that guy throws so accurately on the move under pressure, and that's quite the compliment to him. What is your opinion from watching tape of Justin Fields as it relates to Jalen Hurts. Do you

see similar progress over the course of this season. I don't know much tape you've seen or what you've watched. What do you think of Justin I think he's terrific, I really do love him in Ohio State, and I think he's a bright young quarterback, and I think you have to give him time. You have to be patient, and he will become a more accurate passer. I think he's he's a brilliant athlete. When it does with his

legs right now is mind boggling. He's he's frightening for defensive coordinator to watch during the week as he prepares to face him. And I think he's just going to become a more total quarterback as time goes on. When I think if Bears fans give him time and keep their minds open, you've got You've got the makings of a Pro Bowl quarterback at the variety of systems that Jalen Hurts his face throughout his development through college into

the pros. When he if he gets three or four years in the same system, same terminology, same supporting cast, just like I hope Fields has the same opportunity, do you expect significant improvement in his abilities because you can kind of now you finally become familiar with the same terminology over a period of seasons. Absolutely. You bring up a good point on because Jalen Hurts, up until this year, had played with five different offensive coordinators in five years.

This is the second year he's played with Jane Stikeen, and he's certainly very comfortable in the offense, and the same will happened with Justin Fields. He's going to be a winning quarterback. There's no doubt in my mind. I think he's special and I always have and I think it's just a matter of really being oriented and ingrained in one system for a while. Teams that you look at the bad teams that are always making changes and

hiring this one and firing that one. I think Justin Fields has a lot of positive years ahead of him and it will happen. His big jump will probably come from between this year and next year. He'll he'll be a different quarterback next year. Now, I would assume, I would assume from what I've heard about him that he's a very diligent guy and that he puts in the time, and that he has the drive and desire, because that's

very important too. That's the top of the thing with Justin with the Jalen hurts, he wants it so badly. He wants to win. He's been a winner at every level, and I think you probably have that although I don't have any firsthand knowledge, but I would think from what I've heard that Justin Fields had some of those same qualities. All right, we're wrapping up with my good friend Meryl Reese, the voice of the Eagles. Last thing, just give me a short story as we try to beat the clock here.

You started with nineteen seventy seven Eagles. Do you remember your first broadcast? Who was your color analyst? I know that was Ron jr Orski's team, Harold Kermichael Bill Burgee, Herm Edwards, and a secondary that had nineteen interceptions from the starting four. Yeah, it was nineteen seventy seven. I

had done the first twelve of the fourteen games. I had done them as the color analyst, and then the play by play man tragically died, and then I had the last two games of the seventy seven season with no guarantees. I reached out to a friend of mine who I knew who lived in the area by the name of Herb Adderley, who was in the Hall of Fame with the Packers and the Cowboys, and Herb did the color for those that first those first two games,

which were the last two of the season. A rookie by the name of Wilber Montgomery took the kickoff back coast to coast. I ended up calling every touchdown on Wilbert's career, and Ron Jaworski won the game with a naked boot life bootleg to the left to beat the Giants. Great recall, It's uh, it's it's living memories, isn't it? Great? Forty six season. I know you're never giving it up, buddy,

I'm not. I'm not. They're gonna have to remove me with a crane because as much as I love to play golf, I like to do this even more I know you do. By the way, NBC's Today Show did a great job taking their cameras into your booth saw it a few weeks back. That must have been a nice honor as well. We'll see a Sunday Buddy, Bears Eagles can't wait. Look look forward to a Jeff take care, have a good night, all right, good night? More Bears All Access after this break on Chicago Sports Radio six

seventy The Score. The segment of Bears on Access is brought to you by CDW. People to get it and also athletical physical Therapy visit Athletical dot Com to request and deployment in clinic or virtually and start feeling better tomorrow. Jeff Joniak and Tom there with you breaking down Bears Eagles for Sunday. Justin Fields certainly the hot topic. It's two QB one's Tom Jalen Hurts QB one, Justin QB one. Despite the disparity and the records, the positions and where

they're headed here on the next four weeks. This is a premier quarterback matchup and every little thing that happens on Sunday, we're going to be comparing and contrasting and evaluating, and it's gonna be fun. It's gonna be a fun matchup to watch. It is, but none of these guys are a one man band. This is about how did this this quarterback in or act with their supporting cast. And you have to identify what receivers you're developing a

relationship with to get the ball down field. And I think Justin Fields did a great job against the Green Bay Packers of staying inside the pocket, getting the protection from the offensive line and then identifying big play opportunities to eq Saint Brown, to Kiel, Harry Cole commet and so if they can do that, then I think that

that's what gives the Bears the best fighting chance. And I'll also be interested to see on how Luke getsy after a chance to maybe to go over some tape evaluation with about the pressure, the pressure of getting a game plan ready, how he figures justin into the mix. All right. One of the big questions is how to ignite a pass rush, whether if it's extras, do you just run the risk and try to throw stuff at this guy because the Bears haven't been able to do that.

It was a topic with Mattieberfluss on the Monday Night Coaches Showing WBBM, but we delved into Dominique Robinson and his progress and improvement that's needed over the course of the rest of the season. I know you feel strongly about Dominique. He had a seven tackle opener against the forty nine ers and the rain and what a surface at Soldier Field with a sack and a half, but has been developing and trying to get his pass rush

moves and technique down. Yeah. So we call that gap and a half so meaning that if the guy's playing outside shade of the tackle and he's the defensive end. You know, he owns that C gap, but if the ball gets run into the B gap. Once the ball that clears in there, he can he can shed off and play the B gap as well. We call that gap and a half. So you own your gap. The first gap is the C gap, the half gap is the B gap. Once the ball declares in there, he can shed and make a tackle in that gap. So

that's what he's talking to. UM. You know, defense line away always need to play lower. Um. You know, he you know, we talked about his hustle. He's been really good at hustling um, you know, the whole year and given the second effort, and he has a high standard for that and it hasn't been where he wants it to be. But he certainly improved that last this week and we look for him to keep improving that in the coming weeks. Coach felt he faint came close to

getting a couple of sacks last week. That was in reference to what Dominique say he can play his first gap, well, he's been adjusting to that second gap and playing two. Talk concern for Dominic Robinson and how he gets influenced by what the quarterback does with the football after they get the center quarterback exchange. Sometimes he is susceptible to

beginning deceived out of position. You can talk about your responsibility when you line up before the play in your stance in terms of where you're lined up on the defense, but what Dominique Robinson and how his future is going to be built is what he does after the ball is snapped. So you have to make sure that you understand what the offenses you're facing analytically, what they do per down and distance. And then you got to see countless amounts of reps to get the experience to become

the player to build into your athleticism. All right, now, I want to talk about another guy, Tevin Jenkins's. He's been a big topic here over the course of this season for his excellence on the field and just for his journey. And it's been one according to ever flues Um and they're pretty fast. You know, he really did a good job of stepping in there. Um. He's really smart. Um understands that guard position does has some different things

that we do, has some more calls. Um, you know, does more in the run game in terms of polling and jump into the second level than the tackle does. Um, So that fit him really well, you know. And it's really good to have a big body in there, you know. So you know he's got he's obviously got a really big frame. He's really athletic, but it's certainly good to have that inside there in the pocket to keep that inside pocket clean, um infirm um for the quarterback. So

we're really pleased with that part of it. And uh, you know, he's done a good job of growing. You know, he's grown in terms of his consistency and practice, which has led to more consistency in the game. Tom, what do you see for Tevin Since Tevin Jenkins has been inserted in the lineup. I like the psical nature of

his play. What I need is some of Sam Mustaffer to rub off on Tevin Jenkins to make sure that everything that you do in terms of getting better weekend and week out, playing and play out is super important to you. And that's one thing I want Tevin to prove to me that he's in love with the game of football, he likes the position he's playing, and he's going to continue to improve. He's missed some time due to a couple of injuries. He's been in the tent

a couple times during games and he listen. You can't control that. But when you listen to a guy like Sam Mustaffer at the podium and how important life and football is to him, I want that same importancy to filter into Tevin Jenkins. All right, we're gonna take another break. Well, one more segment to go. This is Bears All Access

on Chicago's Port Radio six seventy. Discore brought to you by IGS Energy with Tom There, Jeff Jonik back in a few Bears matchup with the Eagles is brought to you by United Airlines, the official airline of the Chicago Bears, Jeff Jonyak and Tom Fair, where the Bears hosting the Eagles on Sunday. Appreciate our guests tonight Bobby Douglas, the former Bears quarterback and also Meryl Reached the voice of the Philadelphia Eagles, getting you set for the matchup as

well at Soldier Field. Gonna be cold, Tom, gonna be cold for a lot of guys on Sunday. I wasn't even aware of it. You brought it to my attention because you've been doing it all year. You've been telling me when it's gonna rain. You've been telling me when it's gonna be hot. You can tell me when the wind's gonna blow, and you tell me what's gonna drop down to the single digits on Sunday. So that what you're telling me, it'll tell you a little bit about

the game. Watch the players who come out of the locker room to warm up. It's not gonna be a pleasant morning. So you know, don't think you're gonna be ready if you just come out of the locker room at kickoff. And so to me, I'm excited to see where Jikwan Brisker and Kyler Gordon are. When you are two rookies and you miss a significant amount of time during your rookie year, you have to come right back at full speed. It's not like a breaking end period where you get a quarter or so to become re

acclimated to the playing conditions. By the time you get on the field for that opening defensive snap, you have to know that you've been there before. You have plenty experience in play, like you haven't had any time off three weeks. With the bye week in they'll be facing some really dominant players obviously with the Philadelphia Eagles, and not just in the passing game. Miles Sanders is tough to put down. He is playing with a real gusto

right now, even in past protection, blocking as well. For his teammates. He's really risen to the occasion his first one thousand yard season running the ball and getting in the end zone. Yeah. You know the thing about the defensive backs, it's going to be interesting what type of coverage they play and where their eyes will be because you can't cover these talented wide receivers and watch the

quarterback at the same time. You just have to play your responsibility called in the huddle and make sure everybody else inside that huddle does their job there. Fortunate they have a linebacker like Nick Morrow with that type of speed. He's not necessarily going to be a spy, but he's got the quickness to work the interior running game and chase down the quarter all right. A couple of nuggets involving the Vikings and Lions and division. We're talking more

about them than the Packers now, which is interesting. But I just saw this today. The Vikings are ten and three. They've been outscored by one point this season. Two hundred and fifty teams in NFL history with ten or more wins in the first thirteen games, The Vikings the only team ever with a negative point differential. Weird. The Bears should have beat him the first time around if they didn't leave a ball on the turf at the end

of the game. And they've given up five straight games of four hundred yards and more of the longest streak in franchise history. Lions have won five of six. They're six and seven, They're at the Jets, They're at Carolina, then they get the Bears at home and at Green Bay.

Will they be a playoff team? I don't think they'll be a playoff team, but they're definitely converting the attitude of their coach into the performance on the field, and they can become the first team since the seventy Bengals to make the playoff after beginning of season with one

or fewer wins in their first seven games. Interesting all land ahead for the Bears in the future too, because the Lions are going to be loading up with prospects, including their special draft picks that they got in deals, and they got something going there as well. But so do the Bears. We'll look forward to it. On Sunday nine a m Our pregame newing the kickoff on WBBM. Tom, thanks so much early, Jeff. I'll be there with Tom there. I thank him and Sean Sears, our producer here at

the Score, damn brilliant. Jordan Trutup as well. Thanks for listening everybody. We'll talk to you next week on Bears All Access here on Chicago Sports Radio six seventy The Score. Goodnight, Thanks for listening to this Chicago Bears Network presentation of Bears All Access. Podcasts are available on Chicago Bears dot com and on iTunes, or download the official Bears mobile app. Bears All Access been brought to you by IGS Energy and sponsored by Miller Lite