Johnson previews the Saints | All Access

your all access passing to Chicago Bears football. Bears All Access is brought to you by IGS Energy and sponsored by Athletical Physical Therapy and CDW and Welcome into the program as we get you set for Bears Saints Sunday at Jodan Get Johnny Active, Tom Bear, and we're brought to you by i s SCV along with our producers Jordan shut Up game Brilliant, John Anderson getting ready for

the Saint. We're going to talk to you. Zack Street performing earthquestern offensive Lineman now the voice of the New Orleans Saints, and they've had some trouble down there, Big Tim. Welcome into the program. With a hurricane today, as if twenty twenty hasn't tell everybody enough, right, you know, New Orleans is probably that has a lot of protocol plans in place, whether it's a hurricane or a pandemic. They've had a couple of storm issues so far early this season.

And you know, I think Sean Payton and that whole organization has done a nice job of holding it together during all these difficult times they've had throughout their organization's career. But now they've got Drew Brees and they keep on perculating. You know, that's just it. That's an amazing thing about it is what is the glue that keeps this organization together.

I know that Sean Payton is really highly thought of, but when you look at the early parts of Drew Brees's career, in what he did to make this commitment to New Orleans over the course of Hurricane Katrina everything else, from a Super Bowl to a downward spiral back getting it to the top of the pile. I think Drew Brees is one of the best constants that New Orleans

has had in their franchise's history. Yeah, he felt he was not a year ago when Teddy Bridgewater came to Soldier Field Tommy and had a very very good day against the Bears. They also didn't have Alvin Kamara in that game, and if I'm not mistaken, they didn't have Jared Cook either. So they're gonna have all three it Soldier Field and so you can understand why Chuck Pagano It's interesting how he rates these players because I think almost every week this season he's referred to somebody as

a game breaker. And he had plenty to say today about Alvin Tamara. Obviously a dynamic, multidimensional talent both on the ground through the year. He is danger. He is danger, especially with a guy like Drew Brees who can dictate what happens from that pocket. And he's okay with giving you the short game without a star players. And I know Michael Thomas did practice so limited today, but the expectation is that high ankle and hamstring not quite ready

to go. But he makes good use out of Kamara to the point that he can beat you just with that two men game. You know. I think play in Carolina a couple of weeks ago, Jeff is a really good warm up from what New Orleans is going to try to present to you. When you look at Teddy Bridgewater and Mike Davis and you look at Drew Brees and Alvin Kamara, that's what they can do. Because the running backs for both teams can be a double edged sword.

They can be very useful in a power running game, but they can be just as productive as a pass receiver out of the backfield or beyond the line of scrimmage. So you know, it was a good warm up. However, it's like going from regular gas in Carolina to high octane gas in New Orleans and then you got the defense. I'm a big Cam Jordan fan. I know he doesn't have much in the way of sacks this year, but he's somebody you've got a block because who could wreck

you as well. He's got a big verse to his game, and as I discussed with you last night, I was amazed to find outs forty seven pass breakups. So he puts his hands up and blocks some passing lanes. Dad, that's a big number. That's the early partion of the career of JJ Watt when he used to call him j j swat. Cam Jordan cannot the ball down if you're not having the right to jective, which you know you got a six six quarterback throwing, so that helps. Well.

You know what's interesting, JJ Watt. When Houston was winning a couple of years ago and they were playing on the lead, he had a lot more opportunities to rush the passer than he's getting today, whereas it's the same thing New Orleans. A majority of the time they play on the lead. So these guys rushing the passer on the line of scrimmage, they know what's going on, they know the passing lanes, they know if they're stalemated at or near the line of scrimmage, and then they just

try to focus on taking up a passing lane. However, when you can read the quarterback's eyes while you're rushing the passer against an offensive lineman and understand the timing of it all, it's a lot like a quarterback getting rid of the ball before he gets sacked. It's the same thing as a defensive lineman reading the quarterback and

being able to deflect the pass opportunity. And what else impresses you about what they're doing defensively, because Damario Davis is also an outstanding player once to the named All Pro a year ago. But you know they're secondary. They're stopping the run again. They're stopping the run they did last year, they're doing it again this year, which is probably not music to the years of the Bears offense

at the moment. Until they get that running game figured out, they're holding you a less than ninety yards a game. But you know other things they're doing defensively, They're playing really physical on the inside of the defense, and I think that's one of the challenging aspects of it. Why they play so well against the run, because they have physical size and power on the inside that takes up

the point of attack. And then they say, okay, you guys, see if you can throw it down field, second nine, third nine against this defensive rush, we're gonna put on you. All right, We're gonna step away. Take it our first of the night, Zach Strieff, the voice of the New Orleans Saints and a great player in his own right for New Orleans and at Northwestern, would join us. This is Bears All Access brought to you by GF Energy

in Chicago Sports Radio six seventy to score. We'll get back to Bears All Access rust you by IGS Energy and Clean Energy for your home at IGF dot com because every good choice DGE ups to up better world.

Jeff jon Town there joined by Zach Street now from New Orleans, the voice of the Saints and former Northwestern Star and one of the outstanding offensive lineman for the New Orleans Saints, enjoying great success in two different careers and really spinning on a dime from doing it shortly after becoming an announcer after wrapping up his NFL career, Zach, how are you doing down there? First of all, is everybody okay? After the hurricane went through? Hey, gentlemen, thanks

for having me on. Yeah, you know, we're doing pretty good. We got lucky. Was soaked fast. It was moving about twenty five miles an hour when it hit landfall, so it was substantially stronger than we thought it was going to be twenty four hours earlier. But it was also out of here about twice as fast. So certainly a lot of power outages, but I think by and large we got away. Okay, It's not like anything has had

upen weird this year, hasn't it. I mean, I mean, you guys have dealt with a lot over the retor Yeah, yeah, I mean wouwenty without a late October, you know, rare hurricane for New Orleans for sure. Hey, Zach, I got a question for you know what we all we talked in your introduction they talk about how you're from Northwestern I have to ask anybody that because the times have

changed a lot around Northwestern since you've been there. Have you ever been back to see Northwestern's new facility and how beautiful of a presentation they make to college football over there. Yeah. I have actually gotten to get back since they've finished the facility. I was inducted in the Northwestern Hall of Fame a couple of years ago, the year that they opened that place up, and so I got to get in and see it all, and it's

it's pretty mind blowing. Having been through Northwestern and knowing, you know that what it was and the facilities in comparison to other Big ten schools, when I was there to see what an incredible job they've been able to do it Northwestern, and certainly led by Pat Fitzgerald, understanding how important that was not just for the football program but to the athletic program in general. And it's a

stunning facility. I swear every time I see it, I kind of have to remind myself that's at Northwestern on Northwestern's campus, so pretty special places. And I'm super super excited that the university can attract a different type of athlete now that they can compete with the facilities. Is because certainly on an academic standpoint there they have a lot to offer. Hey, Zacho, let's talk a little New

Orleans football. So the Bear so far this season they played against Matt Ryan, Matthew Stafford, Tom Brady, and now Drew Brees. So when you look at Drew Brees at forty, what part of him looks forty Well, you know, it's hard to say because if his hairline's interceding. Since he was about thirty two, that's always been kind of as a soft spot for him. He's not a big fan of me bringing that up, but I'm happy to do something.

You know, really what we've seen and I think, you know, it's indicative of what a lot of quarterbacks do, or not even quarterbacks, just players in general. He's adapted, you know, to you know, where his strengths are and found ways

to kind of avoid the weaknesses. You know, there's been so much talk over the last couple of years about his arm strength and whether it's at the level that can be successful in the National Football League, and those of us who know him and know the style of game that he plays, we kind of bury our heads in the sand for a while, so we don't have to hear it, because we know it's a matter of time before he strings off a bunch of highly impressive performances,

and he's kind of in the middle of that right now, so you know, he listen. He's extremely efficient. He runs his offense the way it's meant to be run, and that is to be efficient, to complete passes, to get the ball into the hands of his playmakers, and he does that as well as anybody in football. You know, he's knocking on Corcus seventy yard pass on you guys in the air. But he couldn't do that when he was twenty six either, So I think he's really, you know, honed.

Danny's as accurate as he's ever been. He's as locked in mentally as he's ever been, and quite honestly, probably has more weapons when we're at full strength right now than he's ever had in his time in New Orleans. As good as Drew is, Zach I am. As good as this offense is. Is this a defensive driven team or is it still the way the offense goes that's

the way we'll go as a team. You know, I would say over the last couple of years, this team's played pretty complimentary, and I think we've seen periods of each season where you know, the offense would go on a run for six or seven games and be dominant and then run through a stretch where they really struggled in the defense was able to pick up all that slack and more and win football games for this group. But you know, so far this season, I would say

that this has been an offensive football team. Again, offense has been highly efficient. Like I said, they're scoring about thirty points a game, which is seventh in the National Football League. You know, they've been fantastic on third down fifty five percent right now, which is really astoundings of the I think the stats are watching this game against the Bears defense and quite honestly, the defense they're not

standing against the run. But but the issues with the New Orleans Saints this year, I've been on the back end and not even the ability. It's a talented secondary, probably it's talented the secondaries we've had in my fifteen years into Orleans. But man, the mental errors, the blown assignments on the back end have really killed this team. And also lead the National Football League with eleven defensive passenger aferances. So you know, in spite of not giving

up a ton of yards. Um, they're giving up some big and easy plays and on top of that you kind of cap that off and again it's it's an interesting comparison to the Bears. UM. Nineteen of twenty two trips to the red zones for this football team have ended with a touchdown. That's last in the NFL. And so you know, they're not they're not bending and not breaking. They're they're bending and then breaking in the red zone.

And that's really been, you know, where the issues have lied with this group, and it's been mostly on the back end. So until they get that straightened out, until they can stop turning people loose and giving up big plays and having the big penalties, UM, this is going

to have to be an offensive led football team. Sax Truth our guest here on Bears All Access brought to you by IGS Energy with Jeff tim There, Jeff Jonny Ak and this segment of Bears on Access is brought to you by Microsoft Surfaces tw People who get it learned more at EW dot com. What is the status of Michael Thomas. Well, Michael was able to go a

little bit today. He was limited for today's practice he missed yesterday's You know, he's coming off of a hamstring that he had during practice, initially a high ankle sprain, which he recovered from, and then as he kind of came back last week, you know, you know, sprain is hamstring, and so he was able to get back today. I think that was surprising for some of us. I think most people assumed it was going to be another week.

I certainly don't think that's necessarily an indication that Mike's going to go, Especially knowing Mike Thomas, I think Mike could do anything just to get out on the field, even if that means telling them he feels better than he really does. But I do think it's a good sign. I didn't think we've seen him until next week, so it's a possibility, you know. I think there's a little bit of stress there. Immanuel Sanders still in the COVID

nineteen reserve list for another week. And then Marcos Callaway, who kind of been a surprise performance led this team with eight catches last week. Undrafted free agent out of Tennessee. Really just really like the second or third game that we've seen him get in at all, and he was targeted a lot early on in that football game last

week against the Panthers. He had an ankle injury in the fourth quarter as well, so you could theoretically be looking at three of the top four receivers down for the Saints, and I think Mike might be feeling some of that pressure to get back and help contribute. I'll tell you there was like a league wide eye roll whenever a great quarterback can absolutely make a difference in his receivers by just being on the field and helping them,

you know, reach their potential. So the eye roll was, Okay, how in the world did the say it's get another guy? And who is Mark Wes Cattaway. I mean, obviously he's an SEC guy, so people knew all of him. But to get this undrafted guy to be the leading pass catcher for a game and help the team get a win, you could probably appreciate that frustration for offensive struggling teams that are still trying to figure things out and get guys developed at that position. Yeah, I think every guy

that's ever really come through this organization. You know, again, in the last fifteen years since Drew's been here, have kind of sung the praises of how much his tutelage has meant, and what a greater understanding they have, not only have this offense put up the game, you know, getting to experience practice. Drew's a teacher. You know, He's not a yell or he's not a guy that's going to go after a young guy for messing up. He's gonna chase him down and explain to him, you know,

what he did wrong. And I think guys really respect that and really learn a little bit faster because of And so there's been a lot of years in this offense where you'd say, hey, there's really not a premier offensive talent outside of Drew Brees and the offense, and yet the offense has always went And that's you know, a testament to Drew Brees and what he's able to do, also to Sean Payton, and I think one of the more creative play callers and offensive schemers in the National

Football League since you know, really, I guess since the two thousands. You know, he's really good at getting guys in good positions. And I think that at this point this offense is his and drews and they speak the same language and are able to manipulate defenses in ways that a lot of teams aren't. So, you know, as long as you can find your way to the right spot in this offense, I think Drew Drew Brees can

get you the ball. Hey, Zach, So you look at what Alvin Kamara can do for this offense, and you talk about the relationship between Sean Payton and Drew Brees. If the Bears defense is good enough to make the New Orleans Saints one dimensional, whether they take away or they pass for us so well they take a little bit of that away, or they stop to run so

significantly they have to go exclusively to the past. Do they have Do these guys feed off of each other the running pass game, or if the Bears did make them one dimensional, are they good enough to survive on one portion of it? Yeah? I think it's a great question. You know. I think that knowing Sean Payne, I think this offense is good enough to be one dimensional. I think that it's proven that many times now. I can also tell you, as an offensive lineman that spent twelve

years in the system, I dreaded those football games. And it wasn't always because you shut the rundown. Sometimes just because Sean decided he wasn't going to call any other run place because he felt so good about passing the football. But this is a game I can pretty much guarantee you going to Chicago on the road. A cooler game, you know for the Saints, maybe not for the Bears, but a cooler game with some wind and with as

good of a pass rush as the Bears have. They won't come in trying to run the football, and he will. He's always much better running the football game. It's you know, elite defenses. I think he understands and Drew will certainly understand the importance against the Bears of having some balance, not just you know, for protection standpoints, but you know, to keep this secondary that's so good and when they're being aggressive and they feel comfortable that they know it's coming.

They've been so good this year. Um, I think you're going to see the Saints really um dig in you know, hard on on keeping this game balanced. But if if it turned into a into a passing uh contest. Uh, they are not shy, and Drew Brees and Joan Payton are very comfortable saying, you know what, let's spread them out, Let's go five wide. This ball's coming out of my

hands in one point eight seconds. And this pass rush, you know, we can we can, we can take this pass rush away from them just by spreading them out and getting the ball out quick. So I think certainly capable of both. But I can assure you they will come in um more committed to the run than people are used to see them. Zach. You know, Jeff was telling me his stat earlier or in the week about

how many deflective passes Cam Jordan has. And you've been around there a long time when you're a former offensive lineman. Is it instincts, awareness, or penetration that allows him to be so effective in that role? I'd probably say yes. I think all of those things. You know. I think Jam's a really smart football player, and I think he's excellent at understanding when he has a chance of getting to a quarterback and when he doesn't, and so many

of those badd passes. And you've seen other guys around the league be really fantastic at this. Hey, you know what I can tell by the way this offensive lineman set This ball's coming out. This is a three step drop. I'm gonna stop and I'm gonna you know, I'm gonna identify where this ball isn't trying to get my hands in a throwing length. He's been really good at it

for a long time. He plays under control. He's able, I think, to read an offensive tackle or an offensive guard really well, and he's done a fantastic job of doing just that now to that point. And he doesn't have one yet this year. And I think part of that is we have not seen camp Jordan around the

quarterback nearly as much of this season. Just one sack right now, been very active in the running game, twenty nine tackles, which is a big number for a defensive end in a four three defense, But um, we have not seen him around the quarterback a ton and I think that, you know, that's that's part of not seeing him get his hands on any balls yet this year.

All right, Zach, gonna let you go before I do, you know, making that transmission from not so far removed from I'm playing for the Saints and then becoming their play by play guy. Several guys have done it in the league over the course of their careers. Dave Logan and Denver has won and Steve Rabel in Seattle another did you always want to do it, or did it just something that just kind of came before you and you went for it, you know it, I would say

the latter. I had met with a couple of different media organizations around New Orleans, and one of the those was de WWL, which is the flagship station of the New Orleans Saints, and I'd had a good relationship with them in the past and had met about a couple

of different things. And one of the things they told me as I was walking out of the office is, you know, so much of this industry is you know, what is available at in the moment, we really don't have, you know, any shows that have an opening or you know, we're really not necessarily looking. The only job we're trying to replace right now is Jim Henderson's. And you know that's not really a former player, you know, right out

of playing kind of a job. And I said, I understood that, and I walked to my car and all I could think of the entire time Jim Henderson, who was the play by play voice of the Saints for thirty years before me, I can just remember I'm walking to the car, and I kept thinking over and over of all these big moments in my career, and when I think of them, I have his call in the back of my head, these iconic moments, you know, in my career that I don't remember as much from the

field as I do the replay that I've seen a hundred times and the voice of Jim Henderson and I turned around, I walked back up to the office and said, I'm really not interested in anything else but that. Are you willing to give me a chance to audition, to

try and throw you some tape? And they were. And I think ultimately my relationship with the New Orleans Saints certainly helped out, and a lot of people took an awfully big chance to give me the opportunity to have, you know, one of the most special jobs in the world. And I think that I've gotten a lot of a lot of people not so thrilled that I was given an opportunity, which I totally understand having had the job

now for going on three years. It is a special, special rule and something that means a lot to me, having been with the Saints, you know, as long as I did, and still having a relationship with so many of those guys, but very very special opportunity, something that I know Deuce and I both we take very seriously. I guess the responsibility that comes with narrating. You know all of these special moments exactly how Tim and I feel about it now, twenty years in this together. So

great story. Great job you induced some callis to do a great job. And good luck on Sunday. You guys traveling up? Are you guys staying at home? We're gonna come. Guys. We've been on the road this year and trying to make it happen, so we will. We will be in Chicago, all right, Well, good luck and it should be an interesting bog and thanks for taking out the time. Zach. Thank Zacht, Yeah, thank you, gentlemen. Zach Street, voice of been Oran Saints. When we return, we'll get more on

the Bears and Saints. To break it down here from Jalen Johns to the Bear's rookie cornerback. It's all head on six seventy the Score. We welcome back to Bears All Access down Chicago Sports Radio six seventy the Score, Jeff, Joni Eck and Tom Thair as we get you set for Bears Saints. Interesting story for Zach Streef on Tommy. Yeah, it's an incredible story, you know, because I kind of

put it him. Me and his shoes have all the tape you watch over the years and just kind of pay attention to offensive line play and how it figures in against the defense. Now you got to have a whole different view of how you prepare and how you watch the game after all those years as an AHOLD alignment. Sean Anderson is our producer tonight. Sean, can you just let me know if we got Jalen. We're having some technical issues tonight, so working at this from a different angle.

Jalen's ready, okay, Jalen's ready all right, Jalen, thanks for joining us here in Chicago Sports Radio six seventy. The score A great matchup ahead here in the NFC. It seems this way every week that you're facing some quarterbacks of great vintage. I'll say, because this has not been an ordinary year with that, because they're having one season, guys like Tom Brady and Philip Rivers coming to town and now Drew Brees, and I mean the list is

going on. It will continue that way. For a first year player, it's got to be a treat a little bit because these are guys you grew up watching. No, it's definitely fun for sure, especially being able to go against guys that you admired on TV and I always kept track of the accolades and kind of what they're being able to accomplish. So now being able to experience that firsthand and being able to compete at a high level of definitely a blessing that honor. At the same time, Hey, Jalen,

would you look at your performance this year? You already have a highlight reel at the mid season point. Is there any one frustrating play that stands out in your mind that either you go over or you've had to wipe clean off the slate so you don't think about it. I wouldn't say one particular play that was frustrating, but I mean, if I had to give you an applies that the touchdown I gave up just because I allowed points to be put up on the board, So I mean,

I never want that to happen. But I couldn't give you any one particular play that I really dwelled on or really was trying to figure out what went wrong. I kind of just learned from all my plays you know, you talk about the learning process of the rookie year, is there anything that you've seen for the first time? Speaking offensive football in the NFL level, I'm not gonna to see outside of you just playing against great quarterbacks

and great facilitators. I mean, I've never really competed against quarterback to that that level. I mean, justin Herbert bald wouldn't consider him a great just yet, but I mean, just being able to play against high quality quarterbacks and offenses is the biggest thing that I've got to face. Who talks more trash wide receivers or dbs as a whole,

I would probably say dvs. You know, it just it's interesting just to see how the process goes because when you look at some of the dvs around the league, and you look at some of the high profile or receivers, it's always interesting when you see the conversation after the play and you never know who's starting it. You guys at the defensive back position or the wide receiver, But so you go on to claim that it's the DBS. Oh,

I mean, it really depends on who's playing. But I mean, I know there are a lot of receivers I like talking as well, but I mean for like DBS chat a lot as well. Kaylan Johnson, our guest here in Chicago Sports Radio six seventy the Score and when a two hundred and fifty dollar Jewel Oscar gift card to the Bears home getting sweepstakes to keep the snacks flowing on game Gay Enter at Chicago Bears dot Com breaking

down to Bears and Saints. Hey, real quick, what do you love about playing in this particular defensive scheme as it pertains to your position and just in general cool particular defel Honestly, I would just say you gotta be a dog, because I mean you just got to hold up your end of the bargains. I mean, they put a lot of pressure on us in the second day to be able to cover, and even a front seven put a lot of pressure on there and be able

to stop the running get to the quarterback. So I mean just being a dog and what your role is and just accepting it and really just excel me in your role to make everything come together. I had a conversation with the Cheam Hicks today on a piece that we're gonna air in our Bears Game Day Live show on Fox on Sunday morning at ten thirty, and you know he brings it. Obviously, he's a very physical player. And I said, right now, it's everybody's playing that way

on defense. There's some big hits going on from every level of the defense. So that's becoming kind of a label for the for the team. That aggressive pounding hitting, and that's really critical. Kind of fits into the tradition of Bears football and everybody would love to see that the old monsters in the midway. From your perspective, when did you realize that that was the case, that this is a team front to back that will whack you

and they got guys who don't mind hitting you. I would definitely say that kind of was something that was established during camp and then we had a real opportunity to display it nationally into everybody without the defense of yours. Mean, really it's just about Kennedy and my attitude and definite theicality weekend and week out. Hey, Jalen, When an offensive as an ex offensive lineman, when we watch tape, you learn a lot both about yourselves and about the other team.

As a defensive back, do you learn more about you when you watch tape or the opponent. I mean, it's been what I'm watching, you can you can learn both when I watched the game film moves last week I watched more so myself and what I can correct. We're just moving forward to going against the team. Um like this week you learn about teams. I mean, it just

depends on the setting of when you're watching film. I guess is your preparation changed at all sense of the Detroit game to now, because uh, you know, it seems like it's been a world away. It has been what seven or eight seven eight weeks or something, But you just think of the experiences you've gained, the receivers you played against, the corner quarterback competitions you face so far. Do you feel that you've improved drastically since that first

Detroit game? I mean, and that's the end goal was just to keep getting better. I mean, at the end of the day, I know, um, I don't have a long way to go, m but I mean, as long as I'm improving, and I've seen improvement just in takeing me, knowing the defense better, in trust in my teammates as well. So I mean I feel like that's that's just what it's all about. Right now, just improving and getting better

week in a week out. Bears rookie cornerback Jaylen Johnson our guest on Chicago Sports Radio six seventy to score on Bears All Access, brought to you by I Giff Energy with the tim there Jeff Joniac. So I can't help but notice that. So this is the first seven weeks of the season. Going into number eight, we got you from the Utah Secondary. We saw a blackman from the Utah Secondary intercepted pass against the Bears. For the Colts, she got Burgess, who was unfortunately injured in your game

on Monday night from the Rams. Am I missing everybody. It's crazy that all three of you guys rookie year are making big contributions right out of the gate in your NFL careers. And they said it was a great defense, and boy, it's shown with these individual performances. I mean, honestly, I feel like that's just a testimony to us individually and our hard work and then just the program that we came from. Just everything that they taught and it's

instilled into us mentally and physically. But I mean, we've all put in a lot of work and that was something that we took pride in UM during college. I mean, it was everything we do is for the long run, especially both guys. They were great teammates, great guys to be around. So I mean it's definitely not not surprising for for Medial for us to see our success because I mean it's something that we've always envisioned and always just took pride in and just being able to be

successful and do things the right way. I don't know if you realize this, but according to my research, you are officially the most targeted defensive back in National Football League through the first seven weeks of the season. Uh, the dividends haven't been great because you your completion percentage defending against his outstanding I don't know if you knew that, But what what's it say? I mean if you as you look at numbers, you know, stats sometimes tell different stories.

I mean, the day, it's all about taking chances, and I feel like a lot of offenses and a lot of quarterbacks feel like they have a better chance um and throwing my waist. I mean, that's why I fel like, that's why I get the majority of the targets have gotten the most targets I mean that's not surprising if it's being a rookie UM and taking a lot of snaps as well. So I mean that that makes sense. But I mean for me, I don't. I don't mind

it at all. It just gives me more opportunity there to make plays UM and there's definitely plays I left out there that I can keep making or make better plays on UM. But I mean, I don't. I don't think nothing is thinking. I don't think anything into it too much. Hey, Jalen, how do you study for this game? Because there's uncertainty about Michael Thomas. You don't know what Marquest Callaway is going to be able to play, and there's not a lot of video evidence of him since

he is a rookie out of Tennessee. How do you What element do you study? Do you study the quarterbacks habits, the analytics of how they run the offense or different formations and what they're gonna throw at you? Specifically, I study the offense. That I mean, no matter who's playing the seius, you got to run the routes. I mean, if now like they can just come in and pick and choose based on who's playing or a route they

run to run. So I mean, if you study the offense and you have a good field for concepts and formation, is that in tendency that its offense is like to do so? I mean, and then it doesn't matter to me person neil wise who's playing. I mean, of course I would want to study Michael Thomas considering who he is as a player. But I mean, at the end of the day, that's just about going in and trusting

your technique and making plays on the ball. What you do for a job on the field, and you you know, defend passes obviously, but when they have a running back is talented, is a camar? Does that make your job any more difficult because of how often they're willing to throw to it? Does it make your coverage responsibilities any more difficult just because of you know, things you have to see coming out of the backfield as well as

receivers going downfield. Oh no, most definitely. You gotta put your big boy pants home because he's able to get to the to the back end and get to us. And in the second and third level, I mean, we just gotta um you just be able to cover and then also make sure that we have our head on the squive and make sure that we can come back and also help um on Alvin Camara and everything that he's done out of the backfield and receiving. So I mean you definitely have to be able to limit his damage.

All right, Jayleen, We're gonna let you go. Appreciate your time. Ten past breakups already on a five and two football teams that these Saints and Drew Brees coming to Soldier Field on Sunday. That's lucky preparation. And thanks for taking the time. I man, Yeah, sorry, thank you. Guys. Have a good one. There's rookie corner and a good guy Jalen Johnson playing some really good football for the Bears. Back with Tom after this on Chicago Sports Radio six seventy.

In The Score, Bears fans, it's important to stay connected now more than ever At Motorado. We love making that possible. With the new razor. You can enjoy staying connected a little bit more. It's a phone, it's an accessory, it's an icon reinvented head Omoto, Jeff Joni Act, Tom thare Or on Bears All Access here on Chicago Sports Radio six seventy. The Score brought to you by igs energy, Tom Jalen Johnson. Seriously, now you think about it. Literally,

they played at the quarterback position. Think think about that for a second, and they're challenging him and he's making plays. He's got ten pass breakups. I think the bigger plays are yet to come. He's getting tested. Indeed, every day you're just you're hitting mile posting your young career, and you got a half season to go. You know, there was an expectation that by mid season he was going to be really, really good. I think he's already beat

that post. I mean, there's there's time. He's given up some catches obviously, but you know he's already gotten there a little bit. You know, Jeff, when I've seen you interview Cole come at, Darnell Mooney and now talking to Jayleen Johnson tonight, you can hear the character in their voice, in their answers, in their response into their work ethic of what we ask them in their preparation and how

well they're able to answer it. So you know, when you when you have a chance to talk with these guys in the last recent weeks, to me, it is an indicator of, you know, how how well they how well they can tell you how they prepare, and then you can kind of figure out why they're being they're able to play at this level at this stage of their young career. I think you're right. I mean, this draft class, it's a serious bunch. These guys are no nonsense.

They're they're out there to go play football, and they're not really interested in all the other stuff about being a pro athlete. They're just dialed in right now. I think that's the way they they start to play in this game. I mean, I was kind of blown away last week when Darnell Mooney, you know who ran a four to three eighty. He says, I never looked at myself as a speed guy. I wanted to learn how

to run every single route perfectly. So until that time came that people start calling me a speed guy because I ran a four three eight forty. He really never occurred to me, and I found that flabbergasting. Well, you know, Jeff Willie Galt was known as a speed receiver. He was not known as a many rep receiver during the course of a game where he's gonna get targeted ten times and make eight catches for whatever yards are attached. To that one touchdown during the Super Bowl season, but

he had great speed, world class. However, I think when Darnell Mooney talks about it's more important for him to be a quality receiver and everything that's asked out of you then to develop a narrow minded reputation as just a speed guy. So I do think for Darnell Mooney, the best is yet to come. I still say he's one of the most creative pass catchers the Bears I've had here in years with the ball in his hands, and so that's what I'm excited to see about Darnell.

But going back to jail, and you know, when you think about the quarterback competition, he's faced, the receivers, he's faced the condensed preseason without a lot of time to learn, you know a lot about the NFL. It's it's impressive when you talk to him because you know why they're so well prepared. His answered today, I don't know if you heard it on the deep ball that he on the stutter go that he beat Jalen Ramsey on he said, Hey, I just gotta run faster, and that was the answer

to his question. He's not throwing anybody under the bus. And miss just missing that targeted throw by Folds down the field. It's it's all about what I need to do. And I loved hearing that answer the Injury News today. Little Iffy obviously, Alan Robinson working through concussion protocol. That's that's a league thing at the moment. Cody white Air with a SWORDCLF and Tom we know him, we know he hates missing snaps a little loan games. So are

you optimistic? And what's your about calf injuries? You know, I think calf injuries on a guy that's three hundred and twenty five pounds is very ginger. The last thing you want to do is say, hey, I'm just going to go out and test it, because if you go out and test it, then you start playing one legged. If you start playing one legged, you increase the chances of you getting hurt. If you go out there and really stress it, then you're probably gone for the season.

So I think Cody Whitehair has to understand how well respected he is around the league for his durability and he has to do what's best for Cody to make sure that he is one hundred percent. Really difficult injury to go out there and say I'm just going to test it and see how it goes, because you can't take up the value of a game day roster spot if you really don't feel that you can make it a significant portion of the game. And Lou, that's sam must have for the second year player out of Notre

Dame who got about twenty something STAPs last Sunday. Excuse me, Monday night is the man if in fact Cody is unable to go well. Segment to go here on Bears All Access with Tom There, Jeff Joniac on Chicago Sports Radio six seventy The Score Sat. Sunday at Soldier Field. Catch us on News Radio seven eighty and one oh five point nine FM WVVM stetting with the noon pregame show round LEAs and Jim Schwantzon, j Higgenberg and the kickoff at three twenty five to four and two Saints

come into town with Drew Brees. It's supposed to be very windy, Tom, so that was the topic today for Chris Tabor, Bears Special teams coordinators. So they're saying twenty thirty miles an hour the wind gusts, So that should be an interesting day if the weather holds up. That way, Well, maybe they can go back and get the Nathan Vasher when he returned. The was a mixed missed field goal in the San Francisco game during a windy day for one hundred and something yards. But you know that's the

thing about outdoor stadiums in these types of conditions. It will be a change of environment for the New Orleans Saints just because they don't play in these types of conditions. But you know, I do think sometimes it can be a factor in the game for the quarterback in terms of direction of their throws in or out of the wind. You know, we start breaking this down immediately first thing Monday night after the Bears lose to the Rams, and

start looking at the Saints. So as you start looking at what you can attack, what the Bears must do against the Saints. Is anything evolved over the course of the week to leave us here Thursday night, just a day and a half away or two days away from playing these guys, anything change from your perspective, No, I just think they still have to try to achieve balance, and that's from you know, the run pass option to

keep their defense off balance. You don't want to give these guys an opportunity to be a one dimensional defense where they're just consistently rushing the passer, because I think that'll put a huge amount of pressure on the offensive line with the substitutions they had that a couple of weeks.

I just think it's, you know, a physical style of approach and be determined to get this running game on track, because as soon as the running game gets on track, it's going to help the overall performance of this offense so much. And listen, you cannot just leave the running game in your rearview mirror because that's dangerous for the remainder of the season. It's about significant improvement from one

week to the next. You know, listening to Charles Leno Junior, we had about forty five seconds before we go, you know, the quick start, and where's the energy, Like there's missing energy. That was a big topic today among offensive players. You develop your own energy. You can't expect and wait for someone to provide that type of spark. You see Drew Brees gatherers team around before the start of the game and give this inspirational speech that only lasts so long.

It's about performance on the field that gets the sidelines jacked. Up. Go look back at the tape of the sidelines when Kyle Fuller had that hit a couple of weeks ago. It ignited the sidelines as if there was sixty one, five hundred in the stadium. All right, Tom, we're out of time. Coming up next is Thursday Night Football for Tom Fair. I'm Jeff Jonny Ac. Thanks to Sean Anderson,

Jordan Trenup, and Dan Burrellian. Thanks for listening. This is Bears All Access on Chicago Sports Radio six seventy to score. Good night everybody. Thanks for listening to this Chicago Bears Network presentation of Bears All Access. Podcasts are available on Chicago Bears dot com and on iTunes, or download the official Bears mobile app. Bears All Access has been brought to you by IGS Energy and sponsored by Miller Litte