Right, justin middle of the field forty five to fifteen, bring Russ in front of a leading Lions in this way, I am Jeff Joniya litsus On dot go uscir.
What was like playing for coach boddom Ah.
I don't want to answer any questions like that.
Sixty one yards?
What's Sunday stroll for? Justin field?
Ye Bears et Cetera with the voices of the Chicago Bears Jeff Joniac all right, what is the value of one win for a Bears team that went into Washington to tax scored and finished the job forty to twenty I'd.
Say it's significant.
We're gonna find out how significant as the week rolls on. Welcome into episode twenty three of The Bears et Cetera podcast, alongside my broadcast partner at twenty seven year Super Bowl winning Bear guard Tom Thayer, and coming up our weekly visit with Bears head coach Matty Refluse. We come to you every Tuesday and Thursday, and we appreciate you listening and hopefully you are enjoying the show as much as we are enjoy your weekend.
Tom, Yeah, I did you know? It's kind of you know, fun after a victory, you know, you get some work done that you don't get a chance to do that in the course of the season, and then you get a chance to watch football. So yeah, it was a good weekend. Notre name got beat my high school one, and of course we started it with the Bears victory on Thursday.
Yeah, it's certainly more fun to talk about it, and we talked about it on a Bears Game Night Live last night. We were laughing, having fun breaking down big plays. It's always fun to see big plays. Sometimes over the years, you know, you become jealous when you're watching teams put together an aerial show and you're stacking up victories and their playoff contenders. So hopefully this is the spark that lights the firetime.
Yeah. You know, though, Jeff, when you look you think about the Denver game and you think about this past Washington game. I think there's a lot of value in the film. And even though they lost the Denver game, but they won the Washington game. I think you kind of saw a lot of workable, workable type things that
you can reuse both offensively and defensively. So I think that, to me is the encouraging part of it, and hopefully we'll see going forward how it fits into the remainder of the year or at least the next game plan.
Yeah, you know, I think there's gonna be a lot of regret about that Denver game down the road for some reason, that thing that was there to be one, uh and it should have been one. And I think that will be something that it may it may haunt this team later in the year. But you know, this is all the process of learning. That's that's football, that's that's the NFL.
But I didn't I did the math. Zero to two wins.
There are eight teams in the league at that at that number right now, we've got a bunch of one and four teams. We've got a winless team in Carolina, a couple of two win teams. So everybody's not getting out of the gate like a flash or playing five hundred football. Everybody's still trying to figure it out. And even the team. Look at Minnesota, an upcoming opponent eleven one score wins a year ago, and that is not the case one and four here in twenty twenty three so far anyway.
Right, So you know that's why you talk about the haunt of the Denver game, because if the Bears had won two games in a row, got back, well, you know, had a chance to get back in the division with this upcoming game against Minnesota. But I guess you have
to leave the results in your rearview mirror. But you have to take, like I said, the value out of the tapes and you know how you improved, who's improving, how guys are instrumentally fitting in their roles on this football team, because in the if you look at the production, there's a lot of new guys that had a lot of production in these games that I think that you have to continue to capitalize on their performance and their willing their ability to improve.
Also, you're going to be looking at staring at two more losing streaks. You got to get rid of one. You've lost eight in a row in the division, and you'll you got a nine game home losing streak. Time it's time to get back Soldier Field.
Yeah, yeah, you know, I think the fans, the fans did a nice job last week of really being involved in the game, and the Bears gave him something to be involved in. And I think the same thing is, you know this week, like you said you got to get you got to get ownership of that stadium back.
And I think it's really important for a lot of these guys that were here last year and guys that have been here this year haven't seen leaving Soldier Field during the regular season after a victory, and how appreciative the fans will be.
All right, some of the roster moves designating cornerback Kyler Gordon and offensive center Doug Kramer for return from injured reserve. So the hand injury that Kyler Gordon had, he was off to a great start looking forward to his return. In Doug Kramer's battled injury his first two years in the league, the local product from Hensdale in the University of Illinois, always a smile on his face in the locker room, looking forward to getting back.
And Darrington Evids's back.
Got a call Friday, call Friday from his agency, Hey, you know they might want to get you into Chicago and so here back. He played against him in the preseason with Miami, had a big thirty five yard running with a motion. You remember that run he had against against the Bear. So he's back on the fifty three man coming off of Miami's practice squad.
So and he had a choice.
He had a choice, you come to a roster and get paid as a rostered player, or stay on a really good team right there down in Miami hoping for an opportunity. That's always big decision now for players.
It is, but players want to play, Jeff, And that's the thing about it is if you're buried on the depth chart and you may never be able to sniff the active roster. These guys are type A personalities that they want to have the opportunity to contribute wherever they play.
And Nathan Peterman back to the practice squad as a linebacker, Deslin Alexander. It was released before we get to a coach eber Flus and hear what he had to say. And again we tape this interview with coach on Friday after the game after we got back, so we'll get you up today on what he had to say at his news conference on Monday.
But a happy six.
Whenever I hear an eighty five bear is turning sixty five or older, it freaks me out. But Mike Singletary, Happy birthday on Monday at the age of sixty five for the Hall of Famer.
Yeah, you know, I was talking to Hampton and I know that he recently had a birthday too, maybe within
the last two weeks. And you know, our generation or our our group of players, they're climbing the ladder and age and you know, you know, look, man, you look at Singletary nowadays, great shape, he's great character, you know, And to me, he doesn't seem any older than the guy that I used to locker directly across from in the old Hallas Hall and spend plenty of years, you know, enjoying his company, and you know, looking at his his dedication to being great in you know, being a great contributor.
Yeah, what do you learn football wise from Big Mic?
He's the most well prepared professional football player I've ever been around, physically, mentally, spiritually, The way he wanted his teammates to grow, the way that he was super informative in the locker room, the way he would take charge his leadership role. He didn't shy away from some uncomfortable conversations with management, whether you're talking about the conditions of
the practice field or what we needed as a team. So, you know, I just think that Mike is just the type of CEO player that you want in a locker room.
So Monday, Matt Eberfluss out of the break, talked about the self scout, looking at the scheme, looking at each individual, then looking at each position group, couple of improvement suggestions for each player, also looking at the scheme, but now also looking at a little help. So he's going to add a senior defensive assistant. Could be somebody that works
a little bit at home, works about here. It's more about the advancing of the next opponent, to take a little bit off that plate and get them maybe hitting the ground running a little faster for weeks.
I don't know who it's going to be.
It's somebody that he has not mentioned the name, but you know, people jump to Rod Marinelli right away, but he said no, he's.
Enjoying retirement down in Vegas.
So do you think this is a good idea if it's if it's a good idea for coach, I guess it's a good idea if it's going to help them, you know, I don't know.
You know, I guess if you can give some pre scouting advice from watching an opponent beforehand, and they don't only watch one game. They'll watch several games and they'll get their tendencies, and they'll get information from their past experience in the league and how to pass that information forward. I want them to be, you know, help constructively. I
don't want another voice of confusion. So if Matt feels that he would welcome the help of someone out there that he is familiar with, hey, I'm all for it.
Yeah, So Matt continue to call the plays and be the defensive coordinator's last head coach. Injury news, he won't get into that until Wednesday, but there could be some promise for Jalen Johnson returning, Eddie Jackson returning as well potentially. And now we don't have an official word on Khalil Herbert, but looks like the running back could have an ankle injury that could keep him down.
Yeah. I mean it was kind of evident of that when he taped his ankle up and he tried to come back in the game and it was a one play trial and he head back to the sideline. Thankfully, they had a guy like Cary blasting game. And because he is in the role of a full back, he has to be equally knowledgeable about the role of the halfback. So I'm sure any play that Luke gets, he wanted
a call from the sideline. You know, he had one hundred percent you know, opportunities with blasting game in the game.
And in terms of Minnesota, Justin Jefferson coming down with that hamstring injury and I know they are going to have a hard time keeping him off the field. They had a hard time keeping him on the sideline. He doesn't like miss a play, let alone a game, but a they're going to take it slow unless it's just gaming ship and he'll show up and have a great game. I don't know, but uh, that's that's Kevin O'Connell basically
saying they're going to take it slow with Jefferson. To me, still the best player in the division, regardless of position. That's my personal opinion.
Well, you know, it kind of surprises me because if he was close, if it wasn't that significant of a poll, and they were in that game yesterday up until the end, I thought maybe he would go back in there and try to get that isolation rep that he needed that resulted in a score. Justin Jefferson is a great football player, like you said, probably one of the top one or two in the division, and I I, you know, I never want to wish.
A guy in No, no, absolutely, you know, you.
Know he's he's a tremendous player and he has been since the minute he walked on an NFL field.
We're brought to you by Middle of Life, the official beer of the Chicago Bears. Tastes like Middle Time Chicago. Here's my conversation with head coach Maddy Bruflues following the win in Washington.
All Right, good to have you back. Congratulations first and foremost.
I know it's just it's.
Just one and you'd treat a loss like a win, but this just feels different, you know, feels different.
No, what's happening for the guys?
You know, you know, it's good that they had the weekend off and it's important that we build on this momentum. And I thought the guys did a heck of a job of coming out and executing and on a short week and having their minds right, you know, in terms of their preparation, because you can certainly feel the passion and the fire that came out on Thursday night.
I love the attack first snap.
It just soind of set the tone then for everybody all three phases. But did you feel that everybody kind of just like just let it.
Loose, just let it loose.
Well, it's you know, I think it was just a mindset for the whole week.
You know, we talked about, you know, being on the attack and making sure that we had our bodies right, you know, and then really the focus of the detail during the walk through, because you get a ton of walk throughs, you know, during that time. The first day, I think we got sixty plays have walked through, and the next next day we almost got a hundred, you know, yeah, oh yeah, and it's it's.
Really good for the preparation.
And then you get a Friday that that that gold zone practice there on Wednesday before you leave, and then you get another walk through the day of the game on Thursday, so you get a bunch of reps.
And the execution was high on Thursday.
So I got to be honest with Yeah, you know, I have friends that played high school football or whatever, you know, maybe held in college or whatever, and they kind of scoff at the whole walk through thing. Say, hey, Matt always talks about walk throughs, and I think in general, I think the average football fan. I mean, who cares like it's a walk through? It's not full speed, You're not fit, you know what I mean?
What's the the meaning.
Of it in the bigger picture that people maybe overlook?
Yes, yes, so a walkthrough is really you're actually running plays against the opponent. So you have a show team offense running a play against our defense, and a show team defense, you know, aligning up against our number one offense, and they can do everything live up into the snap. So it's feet, hands and eyes. You're getting in a fitted position. You're you're stepping through and it's almost like
a jog through pace. You're stepping through your assignment, you know, your protection, your your blitz path, whatever it may be. The coverages, you know, the matching of the routes and the coverages, the adjustments for the receivers you know, you know buy the coverage and you know so to me, there's a lot of things that go in. You're actually physically running the plays and it's just not at full speed.
And you can get a ton of reps on that, a ton of different looks, and you can get your assignments down, you know, so, and your technique you can work on your technique, even it's a slower pace, so there's a lot of benefit from it. We do it all the time. Before every practice, we do a twenty five minute walk through before we actually practice the plays. So we do it every single day and it's an important part of what we do.
So have to belabor that point. There's much to talk about, but is this kind of the exam portion of the week. If if they're not mentally right, they're making mistakes and walk through, that's a red flat.
Yeah, because you what we do is we install during the meetings, you know. So with that we'll you know, obviously have powerpoints and different things, diagrams, video to back that up exactly how we want it done, you know, give them the perfect picture, and then we'll go immediately
to the walkthrough, you know. So they got to transfer the information that they gathered during the meeting onto now functional intelligence, which is you know, actually executing you know, the play call or the defensive call or the special teams assignment.
One of the things I enjoy about wins around the NFL Peter King's Dinner for years. It's like there's a there's a story behind the win, especially a big one and he writes about it on Monday morning and gets to talk to the coach and the quarterback, like, not just these the stuff that everybody else is, like something behind the scenes that led to this, a creative thought and idea.
Whatever?
Is there one to describe this win? Given what you guys have gone through?
Is there a story?
I would say that, you know, working back to the Denver week, you know, we really you know, we had just had a hard loss to Kansas City, you know, we were going into Denver, and you know, we focused on the details of your position and I challenged everybody at your position that they play their very best this week coming up in the Denver game. And we focused
on details of the positions. So we did it for the walkthroughs, we did it for the drills during individual we did it during the practice, and you know, I had everybody write it up exactly. You know, two things in the run, two things in your past techniques that you need to get better at. And we just focused on that, the details of that, and I said, if we can get better at that, guys, we'll be a better football team. And they did that. You know, we did a really good job of that, and they and
the guys. Obviously we executed a high rate in the first half of the Denver game and really through three quarters, you know, And then my to them after that game was, hey, guys, really a good job and there's a lot of momentum to build from Denver, I said, but the one thing we have to do is learn how to finish, and and how you do that is just keep.
Doing the same thing.
It's a cycle of the snap, one play at a time and focus on those details because the little details make the big things happen.
And that's what we did on Thursday.
All Right, how does that become sustainable?
Thinking, Yeah, it's just you got it's repetition, consistency and repetition. You know, you can never get you know, board with the mundane, you know, with the with the you know, the constant repetition of the fundamentals again and it changes. Your fundamentals don't change, but the scheme changes a little bit. You know, the way you dress a play up, the way you you know, maybe have a blitz. It looks differently,
but it's really the same type of blitz. But you know, those things are always constant in football, and you really have to be a laser like focus in your mind to get that done.
All right, You've had a ton on your plate as a head coach that goes without saying, now the defensive calls, and I've defended this decision to call your own plays and be the defensive corner at why you're head coach, because it's been done many times before. And then I heard something on Wato and Sylvie that this week you said last week you said, you know, they asked you if you talked to folks?
Are you talking to your old coaches? Is that where this is?
You mean my mentors?
Yeah, the guys, and like, what's that conversation?
Like, Yeah, I've talked to a lot of them, a lot of them, you know, have given me words of encouragement, you know, have you know, But really the thing that I take most from those guys is what I modeled the you know, you model the behavior you see, right, you know, as a as as a child growing up and you're in your family, as a young coach growing up, you model the behavior of the guys that are ahead of you. And I had some really good ones, some Hall of fame guys and some really good coaches to
be able to do that. And the one thing that's consistent with every one of them is they stayed consistent.
You know, they didn't ebb and flow with the tide.
What they did was they said, hey, this is the principles, these are the standards, and if we keep doing right, it'll be right. And you just keep doing that over and over. It's repetition again. We've won one football game, right, and and but we understand that the momentum is swinging in the right direction. And we also understand that this league is hard and every week is a challenge and we have to focus in every single week and to get this done.
All right, So when you get up every morning last week during this streak, because frankly, I know, I know it's a new year, but you know, you personally have had experienced fourteen straight losses, no matter what the team looks like. So did you fight the urge to change what you do typically you personally or did that those little like pep talks from your peers and mentors help
you stay the course? Because did you have these tendencies to think, gosh, what if I did try something different that's out of my comfort zone?
Yeah, I mean I think it's you know, does not try something different. It's refocus, you know, on the basics.
You know.
So it's not like go to somewhere someplace where you're gonna, hey, I'm gonna run this different defense or this different scheme. That's not where the answer is. The answer goes back to the basics. And that's what my mentors would say too, you know. And that's that's what we focused on.
You know.
The last thing I said to the guys before they went out, you know, in the in the game, was I said, win the physical battle, I said, and I said also, I said, do the basics.
And what is that?
I said, blocking and finish, Tackling and finish. And I said, if we do those things and we take care of the football and take the ball away, we're gonna like the result. I know that sounds very basic.
But if you can focus on simple, it is.
But it's hard, it is, it is. It's hard. The guy and the guys did a nice job at Thursday.
Night, would you would you agree the offensive line exemplified that significantly, that group, and that was shuffling going on because of injury and plan with Tevin Jenkins. I think for football focus again, we all evaluate differently, but they had him for thirty seven snaps and no pressures. They were awesome. I mean, they were right on point. The pockets were clean, justin look confident in the pocket, I mean, and.
Allowed those routes to develop.
In some cases, routs had to develop for a minute there, I mean, it was there a long route. So would you say they exemplified everything you're talking about.
Here, Yeah, I would definitely say that.
Chris Morgan, you know, Luke Steckel, working with the offensive line, Cable, they all do a great job with those guys. And you know, the injuries that we sustained during training camp really actually helped us, you know, for this game because we had moving parts. Yeah, Lucas Patrick leave and then Cody went back to center. Well he played center during before we moved back to guard during training camp. You know, JT had to come in and play, you know, so
you had different guys rotating in and out. Larry is playing now, you know, so you know, because Braxton's out, you know, so there's a lot of moving he is there. But because we were able to do that during training camp and the first four games, we were able to operate. You know and really do a good job of executing in this moment on Thursday.
And a tip of the cap to the coaching staff to get a team ready on a short week.
It just showed. It showed you guys were ready to go. Yeah.
Yeah again, I credit the players and I credit the coaches for that and did a great job with the mindset and a great job with the detail.
All Right, I wrote this about DJ Moore. He's not just a receiver.
He's a bundle of explosion and a study in persistence after the catch to avoid being tackled.
His plan after the catch is impressive. It likens for me.
It's like I think about my MBA days of covering the Great Bulls Team.
MJ had a plan on every move.
It seems like I'm not saying he's Michael Jordan, but MJ's one one type of an athlete. DJ's another. He has a plan after that catch. It is sudden, and it's precise, and it's physic that dude is not get knocked off his pins. I mean, do I have that frame properly?
Yeah? You do.
He's strong, you know after the catch, he really is, and his ability to his contact balance is really good. So when they go to tackle him, it's very difficult to get him on the ground because he has great contact balance, so he's able to keep his his frame. He's able to keep his balance and be strong through that process and that's why it's so hard to get him down. And he's also very elusive. You know, his
route running is impeccable. And like I said last night at the podium, the thing I love most about him is he's he's one of our hardest workers. Now, we got a lot of good hard workers, but he's definitely one of them. And it's great when you can have a leader like that that is one of your hardest workers.
A few people know who Greg Stroman is.
He's been in the league a bit and he has turned out to be a valuable asset in that Nickel spot. Tell us more about him and how impactful can he continue to be.
Yeah, he's done really well for us.
Obviously that big interception last night, you know, stepping in there and you know we converted on that, and you know, he's done a really good job the last few weeks. You know, missing Gordon over these weeks, you know, it was difficult, but Stroman's done a nice stab of stepping in there for sure.
And lastly, here are the seeds planted for that defensive line and the defense in general to continue to get home on those sacks. The pressures have been adding up sacks came against this quarterback. I know it's a new plan every week, but do you see that bearing fruit here?
Yeah?
I think it's you know, just Garner's confidence, you know, and fosters that and the guys are really really excited last night after the game or last Thursday after the game, and you know, it's think it's really important to just keep building upon that, you know, I really do. You know, we had several hits on the quarterback during that game and we have to continue that. And we had some missops. You know, we let him spin out of a couple of sacks, and you know, we could have had a
couple more. But you know, five sacks was a good, good start in the right direction.
And now I'm Minnesota Kirk Cousins and of course justin Jefferson's elite. So you begin there and build a plan from there, I imagine.
Right, yeah, absolutely, yep, And it's going to be a big challenge. And again, it's all about us. It's about us focusing on how we do things and about our.
Execution, all right, coming out of that, you know, just I guess the big topic and it will remain that way. Because DJ Moore emerged in a big way and being compared statistically favorable to the best receivers in the league through five weeks of the season right now, you.
Know he is. I mean, just think of a receiver and what's required out of him to run perfect routes, to have body adjustment, to have a visualization of making the catch even though he has distractions within his sight line. He's a difficult tackle once he gets to his feet, and he's got the speed to take it whatever distance he needs to take it. So everything that's required out of a receiver to be an official You know, I don't know when the last time we could say, okay,
there's an official number one on this team. DJ Moore is an official number one on this team.
Well, we had Brandon Marshall, Alshawan Jeffrey that was a one in one A maybe.
Yeah, yeah, but you know, I don't think they were in the prime of their career like DJ Moore is. And I listen, I like the work ethic and the seriousness that Brandon Marshall brought to work every day. But it ended up going haywire and he went on his way, and you know some of the other guys. But I think for as long as we've been wanting to say a number one receiver, I think DJ Moore is that number one receiver.
Well, and Justin Fields, as we talked about on the TV show. I mean, he's got a perfect quarterback rating justin throwing the DJ Moore this season can't get any better perfect.
You know. Two is I don't want to lose sight of how much respect I have for Darnell Mooney. I think DJ Moore is a great receiver, and it's nice to have someone on your team you can have number A call and Number one. However, I think that DJ Moore the more targets he gets, the more opportunity it's going to present Darnell Mooney. And if Darnell Mooney would have made that catch the first play of the game, and look, they're asking a lot first play the game.
They want the offensive line to sustain protection, they want Justin to drop back, they want him to throw a long, precise pass, and then Darnell come up with the play. If he would have came up with the play, it would have been super explosive. But they didn't shy away from continuing to throw the ball down the field. But I would like to see Darnell maybe get three to five more opportunities per game.
All right, let's talk about the offensive line. You're the best man for the job. I thought they were tremendous.
I did.
We're talking about a number one each spot on Washington's defense, and they handle their business pass. Did they give up some pressures? Absolutely, they're going to every week. But the protection, the pockets were nice and clean for Justin to feel comfortable and rip it, rip it in all areas of the field. And then the run game the pools. I really really really like Darnell Wright and Nate Davis pulling from right to left. That is a sight to see,
in my opinion. They are big, strong, and there and their landmarks are being hit. You tell me, that's a beautiful play right there.
You're right, But you know, first of all, take in the offensive tackle into consideration. To talk about the offensive line first, So you have a rookie on one side, and you have Larry Borham who we know is athletic and has ability, but he's replacing Braxton Jones right now and he's playing up. He's playing at a high level. So offensive tackle position on the road you can rarely hear the snap count, so you have to have organized
timing amongst the group. And when we talk about the offensive line developing chemistry, that's one of the most important elements of chemistry you need to develop. So this offensive line was really evenly timed on the snap of the ball. There wasn't guys that were getting off intermittently in at the wrong time to open up creases for the pass rush. So the interior guys worked well with the offensive tackle position, but I think it's it's tougher for the tackles because
they're not really hearing anything. So as a complete unit organized they were at the snap of the ball. They had really well organized for the running game and the multiple plays they ran. But to me, when you go back and you research this pass protection, there was a lot of plays that Justin was never hassled off of this spot and he wasn't looking to eject the pocket. He had extended looks for his wide receivers, and I think it showed in his accuracy, the efficiency, the big
catches that led to the big plays. So I was super encouraged by the offensive line. Oh oh yeah, Lucas Patrick had to go on, Cody Whitehair had to go to center, Tevin Jenkins that maybe I thought was gonna get five to fifteen snaps. I think Matty Eberflus at the podium said he got thirty seven. So super super encouraged by the job that Chris Morgan, offensive line coach, did, and Jaitari Carter also started the second half. So a lot of good from this performance.
And a clean sheet on those thirty seven no pressures, no sacks allowed by Tevin Jenkins.
That's why he was drafted in the position. He was to be considered a play offensive tackle. But now, Tevin, listen to me, listen to the podcast. I need ten straight games out of you and Nate Davis. I need ten straight games out of you guys to help your offensive tackles develop over the course of time in the regular season. And that's a big ask from what we've seen so far. So give me ten and then let's go to twenty sounds good.
Let's talk about Larry Burn for a minute because Braxton Jones next week can begin if possible return. I don't know if he will, but what have you thought of his performance so far? Based on playing last year right tackle and also getting some work at guard.
Larry boorm pass blocking wise, has played more physical at the offensive tackle position. I thought last year there was times out of his set he may have been getting bull rush or pushed back a little bit too quickly in the quarterback's face. He's playing offensive tackle with more of the attitude that he showed us as a rookie when we saw him out there, and what a good, fluid,
big athlete he looked like. So I'm super encouraged about what I've seen out of Larry Borham since he's been inserted in the lineup because of the Braxton Jones issue. And the more reps he gets on the field, the better the offensive line is, The better the offensive line is, the more depth they're developing. So I really important you know what he's doing.
Take a chance download the Bent Rivers amp today and for all your journeys ahead, go with the partner who's been on your team from the beginning, the one members and communities have trusted for over eighty five years, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois, always standing by you, with you, for you through it all. Jeff Joniak Tom Thaer on the Bears et CE podcast. Let's talk about
Javon Dexter. I think most people feel he had his best game according to eber Flus, you know, getting off the ball a little little better against Washington, more consistent, and that's really the key for every rookie is to find consistency. But I think he had three pressures in the game. How important is this development kicking in gear at this point after five games? Now you're starting to work towards the middle of the season. Here for a rookie with this kind of second round draft grade.
Well, you know, during the broadcast, we are talking about how I was sitting down on the Bear sideline and I was watching him go through some pregame paces with the defensive line coaches and they were, you know, saying the different scenarios that he's going to face, and they went through a snapcout and then they showed him how they what technique he wanted to use, the differences in the technique, the different types of attack at the snap
of the ball. According to the specific defense called. And that's what I like most about Javon Dexter is you can't only use one type of technique against an offensive lineman or they'll eat you up. You have to use a variety of your assets, whether it's your feet, your length, your strength, your power, or your arsenal of moves. And so the more reps that he gets against NFL offensive lineman, the more he gets the studying on tape. But then some things don't surprise him so much when he has
to go to an alternate move. And that's what I like about his skills and his body style and his everything being able to develop at a rapid rate. And again his arrow is pointed straight up.
All right, justin fields.
Last year he had that stretch when he started taking off running and the Bears put up a lot of points.
Now it's through the air that it's working. Here.
In the last two games, they've scored sixty eight total points and he's thrown for six hundred and seventeen yards and eight touchdowns. Do we have now a higher expectation because we show he's shown he can do exactly that well.
I think that's what everybody wanted to see as great as his legs at are and his dynamic of an athlete he is. You're going to be able to survive long term in the NFL as a quarterback if you can throw the ball efficiently. And I think to me that's the most exciting element in his game because there's no denying he still has the escapability, he still has the run when they are happening to get more coverage involved in more coverages downfield, and that may open up
a steam at the line of scrimmage. So justin I'm excited to see his continuous development. But this pass, this passing that he's done the last couple of weeks, big time, big time on the road, especially in Washington.
Heck, get a high snap both down, went nine yards right up the middle.
Yeah, I mean that's good stuff. Good new Chicago. United Airlines is getting brand new planes with all the bells and whistles, like Bluetooth connectivity screens at every seat in room for everyone's roller bag. United Proud to fly the Chicago Bears and you too, all right, we always throw some wrinkles in here. Jerry is Zuma, a good buddy, the former Bears cornerback and kick return of the Pro
Bowl kick returner. He's a little annoyed at the league and officials and commentators who are talking about penalties when they throw purposely.
A deep ball underthrow.
Where the receivers got to work back and the dB doesn't turn around, and the dB gets flagged for pass interference. He says, enough with the not turning your head around. You know this is a purpose throw to get a flag. How do you feel about it? I think here's the thing. I don't You could do that on every play.
You really could.
You could do almost do it on every play and be flags galore. I'm kind of leaning with Jerry on this one. Tom you I you know he's a heavy penalty for that play. It's a lot of Aaron Rodgers made a living.
Yeah he is. He is a Manda man coverage on the outside. They run a formation where he's gonna have that opportunity and then he underthrows it and you know the defensive back there. They're going to give Aaron the call every time, and they're going to call the interference and you're going to talk about a big game first down because of it.
Here's the delineation. Here's the delineation. Though, so Aaron did it on purpose.
Some guys just have a bad throw and you still get the benefit. So he says there should be no PI on poorly underthrown football.
That's gonna be hard for You're putting too much responsibility on on the the officials to be able to make that call.
And his final qu on X otherwise known as Twitter, which you've never been on DB's should be vocal about this. Start cranking it up, all right, Dante formal.
Hold on, let me let.
Me say one more thing. I'm tired of announcers and TV people talking how they should outlaw the Philadelphia the push.
I listen the Brotherly Shove time, do you like? I love the Brotherly Shove. That is the greatest nickname you know for the city of your brother They love the Brotherly Shove.
Well, the Giants said, two guys got hurt.
So so what I'm just telling you get hurt on it.
That's about safety.
NFL football play. Are you gonna stop getting you know, vander esh last night the linebacker from Dallas got hurt into running one of his own guys. So what are you going to tell them? If you're running with your head down? The play's got to stop because you might accidentally hit your head on your own guy. It's ridiculous for these guys to sit there and clamor and pound their fist about outlawing that play. Get the heck out of here, go play the game for well.
Philly certainly cornered the market on the success rate of it, that is for sure. They've got it down to a t. Bears used it twice, right, the Bears. It was twice in this game, right, yeah, twice.
So if the green Bay Packers back in Vince Lobarti days, they run the green Bay sweep and they're successful at you gotta outlawed other players. Just other teams just copy it and they run a different version of it.
Do you is there any aspect of it that you would be concerned about? The injuries to your interier offensive line. There's a lot of weight down those guys. You've told me before you get on a pile like that, it's pretty rough down there.
What do you think the super super physical play? But every quarterback sneak is whether you're not pushing from behind if it's a quarterback sneak, because the defensive lineman they have a certain technique that they're using an offensive lineman are trying to road great amount of there. He's the only thing for all I'm doing is I'm venting because I'm tired of people complaining.
Here's one thing, though, if it's isn't it true that you're not allowed to help somebody into the end zone.
You can't like carry.
A legal advancement, you can't like, don't William Prett. William Perry got called for once picking up Walter Payton and carry him across the line of scrimmage. That's a legal advancement.
But again, two guys pushing on the quarterback from behind, right, that's okay, I mean, that's advancement. I'm not I don't like the place cool I like to play. I'm just trying to play Devil's advocate here. Isn't that an illegal push?
Not to me, it's it's a well designed it's a well designed efficient play to get six inches to one yard maximum. Okay, So how many times have we been frustrated over the last twenty seven years about the Bears lining up on a fourth and one, even in the first couple of games of the year and not getting it? So how can you devise a scheme that is more likely to get it.
And the funny thing about that you you are, so even if it happens a few times a season, you now have projected out into your mind that the Bears haven't been good at it for years. And I told you percentages on third and fourth and one. It was like seventy five percent last season or whatever. But you know what, there's damage done from me all the years, and they add up, and so you put it in one big plump, don't you.
Yeah, well, it's probably getting yelled at by Dick Is saying, look, if it's whatever in one yard, we should be able to go up and tell the opponent, hey, we're getting We're going right here for one yard, and which leads me to this, and it's not an easy job.
Which leads me this.
Is there a third or fourth and one that you'll never forget that you didn't get and you're still mad about it? Come on, you've got stories all the time about specifics.
Oh yeah, you know. So we are playing the Dallas Cowboys in a playoff game. Maybe it was ninety one and it was fourth and one I think it was, And I didn't take a big enough step to the inside in the linebacker beat me across my shoulder and made a stop. And it was a super bad play that I can remember to this day.
And you're probably glad I can't pull it up and see it.
I mean I could find it.
All right, quick, quick. Look at Minnesota, we touched on Justin Jefferson. He's not missed a game in his career. So that tells me that if he can play, he's gonna play. What else sticks out because Kirk Cousins is always getting a wrap about finishing and finishing big games. But he's a very good quarterback. He can tear you up if he gets in a rhythm. So I guess the big task don't let him get in.
A rhythm, right, Yeah? That and you know no more Dalvin Cook. So do they have a game breaker? Do they have that superstar speed get If he gets to the outside, either in a carrier or a catch, he can take of the distance. So I think the Bears if they can go out there and play a real physical style of defense and they don't give up those big plays, or they don't allow Kirk Cousins to get into a comfort zone, then you get the crowd behind you at home. Maybe you can can be a little dysfunctional,
and you know you can. Really the defense can help themselves and then keep the same explosiveness on the offensive side of the ball.
Right now, when you spend over twenty nine to ninety nine, that's two nine ninety nine dollars, it's Steinhoeffels. You'll score a one hundred dollars Bears Pro Shop gift card. Visit any one of their four Chicago land locations Vernon Hills, Crystal Lake, Downers Grove, and Hardwood Heights, or shop online at Steinhoffels dot com. You gotta make sure you don't let Hockinson beat you too much. He's gonna get the ball. They're gonna target him. He's gonna make catches. The backs
that you're referring to, Madison is a nice back. Cam Akers is there now, but at the receiver position, Jordan Addison is a good looking rookie. He's already got three touchdowns. He's got nineteen catches averages thirteen yards a catch. You know, Osborne is also a guy that can hurt you a little bit.
I don't know what you think of their offensive line.
To me, it's like some days it's really good and some days it done looks so good.
Very inconsistent, right.
That's what it is. They You know they have some they have some good players up there, but as a whole, you know, they're not a sixty minute, seventeen game a year offensive line that you know that you can count on in some of the most difficult circumstances. And I do think that the Bears have a nice rotation of guys on the defensive front that are starting to gel and get better timing with each other, either individual efforts like in Gackway or some good stunts run by DeMarcus Walker,
Javon Dexter. You know growing up Rasheen Graham is a good outside long rusher. So if they can keep that depth flowing, you keep them fresh. Yeah.
Also we'll look at the defense of it. Harrison Smith always sticks. He's thirty five. Now they say he's slowing down a bit, but he's still very a part of that defense. An annoyance to the Bears over the years. And now you got to stop Daniel Hunter from Daniel Hunter can still rush the passer. But we'll get deeper in and we're gonna have fun on Thursday.
I thought of this.
You know, we always have either Pete bursich on or an analyst like yourself. But we're gonna have the two play by play teams, Paul Allen, who's who's a he's a fun guy, and Pete Burstich the local guy, and Tom and Jeff. We are gonna break down the game and tell partner stories because we've.
Been part Is that gonna be fun. That's gonna be fun.
It's either gonna be fun or I'm gonna get I have a question for you. It kind of comes from the game the other night. Yeah, and I don't get to ask you questions.
Well, you always are a free too.
I'm I was thinking about Stroman getting a sack and an interception in the same game. Do you know who the last player was to get a sack in an interception in the last game? And I'm surprised since they've been keeping this stat how many times this has happened by the Bears.
Okay, would it be Brisker? No, No further than that? Oh yeah, yeah yeah, oh like a long time ago.
Then Okay, well I'll tell you because I know you won't guess it. It was Blo Nichols six twenty. But what surprises me is there's been sixteen guys to do it over since they've been keeping the Nikolkowski, Bryce Callahan, Adrian Namos, Aaron Lynch, McManus, Khalil Mack, Trevaith and Julius Peppers. In the Lovey era, Irlacker, Lance Briggs, Alex browned it at twice, also Zooma Peanut, Hunter Hill and Meyer, and Kevin Payne.
So wow.
The only reason I did go back and look at it because I was interested. Does it happen often? And is it? So? It's not most likely defensive.
Backs, it's whole defense wide everybody. Wow, that covers all three levels. Would have never gotten the below, but now I can pictured on my head. I remember right by the goal line. I don't remember who he played, but you know, I'm always looking for that, you know, corner blitz. I love the corner blitz, so hey, just bring it. And I think Kyler Gordon could be a good blitzer in that regard. I thought Brisker may have done it already in his rookie year, but no, but he couldn't
because he sacked the quarterback. I went right to Brisker, but Yeah, Peanut was great at it. But those names that you mentioned a lot of lot of defensive linemen.
Aaron Lynch surprised at how many guys because Iron Lynch, I didn't think it would be a regular occurrence.
Yeah, that's pretty good work.
You know, it's more regular, more regular of an occurrence.
If you know, in addition to what we get for the you're gonna get a tip this week. That that's tip money right there for Tom. There, that's good stuff. That's the good research that's grinded. Were brought to you by PNC Official Bank of the Bears. All right, that's gonna wrap us up. Be sure to join us on Thursday, Tuesdays, and Thursdays all season long. Bears head coach Maddy Refluce
tomp there, I'm Jeff Joniyak. Thanks for listening, everybody, Coming up well detail the Minnesota vikings and the Battle with Soldier Field noon start coming up on Sunday.
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