Matt Eberflus on overcoming injuries | Coaches Show Podcast

This team is banged up to say the least. Yeah, I mean we had some some injuries yesterday at MetLife and uh, you know, we'll be searching through those and working through us with the doctors here in the next forty eight hours. We'll see where it is. Obviously, you know, we lost Mooney for the year, you know, with an ankle, you know, so we'll we'll go from there with him.

And again I talked to him. You know, he's a little bit down, but he's uh still here with the team and he's gonna be around with us and and we'll see where it goes from there. But what a great year he had. I mean he started to really get a good spark with Justin and uh did an excellent job blocking on the perimeter and he actually got he got injured on the one where you know Montgomer. He end up punching it out of there from the

minus one. Did a really nice job. It was just unfortunately was blocking his guy and went to tackle Montgomery and swung around and kind of hit him in the leg. But again, what a great job he did, and more importantly, what a teammate he is. He's a great teammate, what great leadership from him. But we're excited about his future. Yeah, I just talked to him last week just about the future, you know, and the patients involved with an offense that wants to run the ball and what is asked of him,

and he embraced it. But he was just really optimistic about where Justin's headed, where the offense has headed. So that's always a blow late in that season. How do you talk a guy down off of that. He's pretty pragmatic guy in general though, So yeah, he's always upbeating positive. You know, he's that by nature, and you know he's always going to be a good teammate. Again, it'll take some rehab and all those things, you know, getting through that, but he'll be ready to go here shortly. You know,

tight ends get rolled up on a lot. We used to say more man hours lost at the tight end position than any other. That has since kind of changed in the league. They become more athletic where they're more in line blockers before offensive lineman. Get it, but it's kind of rare that receivers are asked to do as much blocking in this situation. It is an occupational hazard, isn't it when because you get rolled up on, there's

no way that you know what's coming. Yeah. Yeah, you just gotta be mindful of it and hopefully be able to keep your feet moving as the traffic comes to you and h and do your best. All right, let's talk about the quarterback situation yesterday close to kickoff. Rare occurrence even for you, right, Yeah, it was kind of

a weird deal. You know, Trevor is out there, you know, before the pregame warm up, end up straining as oblique and then comes in and you know, says, hey, let me get some medication and seel I feel, and you know potentially Nate was gonna, you know, could step in there for that role. He was ready to do that, but it worked out good. He went out to warm ups and he threw the ball fine, and Trevor did of course, and then he end up, you know, going and it's scoring ten points in his first two drives

and against a really good defense. After the aim, he said he was almost embarrassed that had happened, but again, these things do happen, and if you can find a way to plow through it, which he did, you know, and no apology necessary, right, I mean, now, he prepared well all week, and he did a really good job the entire week, you know, because you know, obviously we didn't know what was going to happen with Justin during the week, and we had to play it by air,

so we had to do a lot of mental preparation as well. All Right, how do you think that coaching staff handle this because you had to have plans? No, I think it was good. You know, like I said during the press conferences last week, you know, we just really needed to you know, set you know, things aside for Trevor and then for Justin. You know, Justin obviously is a unique player in a lot of ways and can do a lot of different things that a lot of players can't do. And but we have a system.

We have a system in place that we can adjustin adapt and move based on who the quarterback is. And that's easily done. And I thought, guess you did a nice job of that, along with you know, the rest of the staff before we get into the details of the game. Throughout the rest of this hour, losing his difficult period. If you can separate this for me, and maybe you can't, but from a player perspective, how do

you handle that? And from your own self? Yeah, I mean I think it goes back to the to the mantra we've been setting, you know, even but again of the year when we won our first game, you know, then we end up you know, beat Houston and all those things. It's the same thing when you go on a winning streak. It's the same exact message that you know, the performance is the performance. You know, it's over if you win by three or you know, or you lose buy three. Um, it's always the same. You got to

look at it the same. How can I get better and how can I keep doing the things that I need to I've been doing well and I think that's all you gotta do. Um. For players and coaches and it's a partnership, you know. So that's what's nice about our player coach partnership is that those they're in it together, you know. So if a player plays well, you know, coach did a good job. If a player needs to improve, coach needs to help him improve. So he's always got

that partner with him. You have to represent in a very specific way as head coach, as the CEO of the football team. At a private level, is just eating you up. Well, I mean, obviously losing is you know, it doesn't no good. You know, obviously you want to win. You're in it's a win business. You know, this is a this is a business that you're you're judged by wins and losses. And but we're building from a young football team. You know, we're building. This is not rebuilding.

We're building a team. And that's that's the big difference that people have to understand. And we're excited about the foundation that we're laying and it's going to be really good for the future because you know, these players are going to be here in the future and they're going to know the foundation and the standards of which we operate, and they're gonna be able to teach it to the younger guys and the new acquisitions we bring in as

we go along with this process. How do you convey a message that, you know, when you're getting guys off that you know you're playing everybody, that they feel like there's their support there because they're running out of body so to speak. And even now for the final five games, they don't know that could be new guys coming into

the mix, you know, out of need and necessity. Yeah, I would just say that we need to do a better job in the second half when guys do go down of guys stepping in and operating, you know, because we had to you know a Mooney goes down, Eddy goes down, Riley goes down. It was pretty early. But when guys step into that role, they have to do a good job. Are operating. What does that mean? That means getting your alignment, your assignment down. That's a pre snap.

You know, know your job, do your job, so to speak. And we got to do a good job with that at all levels, you know, offense, defense and kicking. And I think we need to do a better job of that in the second half. We'll touch on it later. But just for people joining the show just now. The strategy now continues to be the same with Justin this week right as it was last week. Yes, it's a day to day and we'll see where he is. Like again I said at the podium after the game, it's

about mobility and strength. And when he has the mobility and the strength and that left arm that he feels in the medical staff feels that he can perform at a high level and perform the way he wants to perform and the way we think he can perform, then it's a green light and then it will be so. But until that point, we're gonna it'll be day to day. Before the game, I always ask you the name of the game, and yesterday was which team was going to

run the ball better and take the ball away? Right? Yeah, you know, at the end of the day we ended up there was it was twelve carries for I think we're twenty six yards in the first half and they end up running the ball on us in the second half. You know, the takeaways, you know, we're really you know, we had one at the end. It was pretty even right there, but they end up running the ball a little bit better than we did so, but again I thought we run the ball p really well. Pretty well.

I think monkgo we ran the ball. He saw a lot of nice runs by him. The offensive line did a really nice job in that regard nap to Simeon, clean pocket throws back of the end zone, fighting for the ball, Pringle or read hit Pringle for the touchdown over the middle bandling with the cornerback. How a laser throw by Trevor Simmeyon a four yard touchdown and the Bears are taking the lay down the Jets. Welcome back

to the Bears Coaching Show with Jeff Joniac. It's Bears head coach Matt Eberflus breaking down the Bears and Jets from yesterday. Just heard the touchdown Byron Pringle. Break it down for me from Trevor Simeon. No, that was that was a good drive. You know, the first two drives there. We had a couple of explosives you know to the halfbacks, you know, and check downs. That was really good. Obviously the big fade to Claypool that was a nice play

where he caught the ball. And then obviously going into the second order the play you're talking about, we just we just heard was you know the Pringle catch and what a really nice catch by him. Um I thought it was a good design um by getsy down there in the red zone. It was an inbreaker towards the middle post, and Simeon had some pressure on his right side and he ended up ended up delivering the ball

and Pringle made an outstanding catch. It was basically off the guy's helmet, you know, end up taking it in being strong at the catch point and uh just you know, not being denied at that moment. Reid doesn't give up touchdowns. It was the first touchdown against him, an over eight hundred and fifty snaps pass coverage snaps, which is a lot which a lot get catched by him. Yeah, exactly, Yeah, right,

good catch. Indeed, let's talk about David Montgomery back to back one hundred yard from scrimmage games now, and he actually passed Mike Ditka for eleventh on the Bears all time yard from scrimmage list with forty five hundred and fifty yards in his career. So anytime you could pass a Hall of Famer, no matter if coach didn't get the ball as much as today's tight ends. But that's pretty dog on onto here. It's good. It's good. It's good company too. You know a coach Dick is outstanding.

But you know, for Goovery to be able to do that, that's that's that's certainly an accomplishment. But he's been running hard all year. You know, he breaks a lot of tackles, and he runs with a purpose and he's always knocking it forward. So he's uh, pretty special that way, and he was doing it in the fourth quarter when things seemingly we're getting out of hand down twenty one, he's still doing it. Yeah, it's just that's that's his that's

who he is. Yeah, he's got great fight and great determination. And then with his hands. I think we doubled yesterday. Then out on an average like two and a half catches a game to the Backs, But yesterday was you know double that could that be um something the future that maybe we'll enhance the offense. Yeah, I think you know, Justin said, you know has talked about that in the past, you know about check you know, taking the check downs. You know we did it, uh, you know in really

good fashion. There. We had man free coverage. We dumped it out you know, down to d there and he did a nice shout of taking it down there. So, um, the one was also man coverage. It was quarters coverage, which basically man on the backside the one that Montgomery had. But uh, it was both great catches and both great runs afterward. Yeah, and you know about Darrenton Evans too, darn Sevins. That was man coverage for sure. Twenty six yard pass that was first drive of the game. Chase

Claypool two for fifty one. Again sean exactly what he's equipped to do. Those fifty fifty balls, attempted fade in the end zone with Sauce Garden around him. Those are fun fun plays to see. Yeah, and uh, it's a it's a good matchup. You know, it doesn't matter who's covered him because he's such a big body. You know, we always say those guys are always open, you know, because of how big their catch radius is. And uh, you know when you throw the fade or the back

shoulder fade right there. Um, it was are heart of defend for sure, and he did a nice job come up with the catch. Let's talk defense. Um four or sixty six yards of offense by the Jets. That was the most surrendered this season. What was the big takeaway from you after watching the table, Yeah, I would cause that, yeah, I would just say that, you know, in the first half was more of the passing, you know. You know,

we end up getting up some big passes. I think it was almost a hunt yards and two passes, you know, one was you know, over the both were over the yea one was the one Eddie got hurt on um. So we just got to do a better job of tackling. You know, I'm keeping a little single limited. One of them was on third down. I think we're in two man and then uh, Eddie came up and shoulder tackled the guide. He bounced off of him. He's got to

wrap that up. And then the second one was just an incut deep incut, which I think Matt Adams had a chance to pick that play. He just just missed it and he's just got to rise up and catch that. And again that's when Eddie hurt his foot, so we lost our middle of field safety and they end up running all the way in for that one. But so two plays, right, there's one hundred yards of offense. But but again, overall in the second half, we have to

do a better job tackling. You know, we didn't tackle really well when they ran the ball again, I think they ran the ball thirty two times. I want to say they ran at twelve in the in the first half. So we just needed to do a better job with our fundamentals and tackling and angles and cupping the ball and doing it the right way. Yeah. I was asked this last night, you know, because once the tackling thing becomes a topic, it's hard to tell people. How are

they going to fix that in practice? Well, I said, Mattie Buflus and his staff don't let these things just go away. They'll go back to the fundamental teaching of what they want specifics. And is that simply the way it is? Yeah, just I mean, if you watch all the tackle just there, we're tackling too high. You know,

we're a low tackling team. We call a hamstring tackle where we grabbed the hamstrings, pull them in and our top of our shoulder pads are at waist level or below, and we were on our feet for three yard steps. And yesterday during that game, for whatever reason, we were tackling higher and we kept stressing the guys on the sideline and I know they have smaller backs, you know, in there, and I know that Sambourne is really tackling them high a couple of times and running them and

putting them back on his back. But at the end of the day, that's gonna get you in trouble because you gotta take a man's legs away when you tackle, and you gotta tackle them below. Back to throwing a poor man a rush throws out to the outside, not comming to catch, breaks a tackle forty forty five midfield third down in six, Montgomery twenty six yards on the catch and run at the Bears first down. Welcome back to the Bears Coach Show with head coach Matt Everflus calling.

All Bears fans get the ultimate VIP fan package with Chicago Bears VIP. Secure a game ticket and appearance from Bears legends and more by visiting Chicago Bears vip dot com. That was the aforementioned Dave Montgomery twenty six yard catch in the first quarter that we touched on. Just his ability to get open, make catch, and then make people miss after the catch, something that the Bears incorporated yesterday. We touched on that. I want to go back the

tackling thing. Though. You get the old players and they say, well, that's all I attitude, it's all I want to Is that also part of it? You got to really want to do it, even if your fundamentals are going to be right on, if you're not willing to stick your nose in there. Did you see any of that creeping in or fatigue in the fourth quarter, or just not being lined upright or a little bit of all the above. Yeah, I would say that the old timers are correct because

it does take desire. You got to have the want to to do it and the desire and the insight grit to be able to make it a good tackle, you know. So we didn't see a bunch of that in terms of you know, guys doing that and not having the desire. But it's more technique. Is more technique and bringing their feet on tackles and then putting their pads in the right position. No Brisker, no Gordon yesterday on top of it. So let's break it down. DHC had nine tackles, and most he's had since a game

a few years ago. I've always said, you know, whatever role you put him in, he's going to perform professionally and was that the case he No, Ghc's been great. You know, he's uplifting to others. You know, he really works hard. He did a good job in there yesterday, you know, and made a lot of tackles. You know, he made a lot of tackles. But again, you don't want your sick on the secondary making a lot of tackles. You want your defensive line, your linebackers leading the way

in that regard. And typically when you have a corner or our safety leading the tackles, you're not playing very good run defense. That's happened in time or two this season. Yeah, yeah, it has like five or six tackle leaders are either a linebacker or but the defensive line is is this is this the area of greatest need and of improvement right now? Yeah? I would say that. You know, certainly our front seven needs to do a good job of stopping run. It starts with those guys. It starts with

those guys playing their gaps. Those guys you know, you know, fighting and competing to stay in their gaps with good technique and good fundamentals. You know, like Justin Jones I think has done a really good job of improving upon that. He's really improved the last few weeks of staying in his gap. You certainly noticed him yesterday. He was really doing a good job with the three technique of staying in that B gap making plays on the back side. So we were really pleased with the way he played

um yesterday. But it goes for everybody, even to defensive ends. When you're running outside zone, you gotta be able to set your arm okay and then make sure that they don't get too wide for the rest of the defense. But we have to improve that way for sure. What do you think of you know, run Marinelli. I always ponded it in my head about takeoff get you know, takeoff, get off. Have you guys switched that up over the course of the season on how they attack the line

of scrimple footwork and stuff. No, we have not switched it up. That's been the same. We're still a penetrating defense. We want to play on their side of the line of scrimmage, and you know, they get off is the most important thing, you know, and then be able to set edges on the front side, stay alive on the back side, and do a really good job with our fundamentals.

A really good conversation with Travis Smith this week or this past week when the assistance are available to the media and talked about Okay, do all these guys have a toolbox? I'm talking about the defensive line toolbox and one move. You go to move and then you have one counter, one counter yep, and he goes they probably they probably don't all have that counter yet. How long does something like that take? It takes. It takes time.

It does take time. Like for a guy like Dominic Robinson, you know, it takes a little bit of time for him to be able to figure out what his fastball is and then what his counter is and that's all you need. You only need one fastball in one counter. But they should both look the same, you know, on the approach, you know, so when you're approaching that rush, it should both look the same. So it's it's your fastball and then the counter to that, and again that

varies by guy. But you got to audition some things. You got to try things out, and it's not always the same. You know, it's really the same move for you, but you can make it look differently for different types of past setters. You know, so it's important that you have that always playing that game inside the game. Some of the best that have had that ability to maybe even throw a third move in there that you've worked with. The guy that I worked with, DeMarcus Ware, you know,

he was obviously very special at that. You know. I also had on the other side Anthony Spencer, you know from Purdue. Both those guys had a ton of sacks in the same year. Um, so pretty special year for us. But when I was with Dallas and those guys were remarkable throwing their fastball and then having a counter you know, and they worked, you know, in conjunction with each other. And what they did mostly was they when it was

crunch time, they came up big. You know. So when it was two minute, when it was during this passing situations they were they were either making a sack or making a strip sack or pressure in the quarterback. During those moments, maybe save a special fastball for crunch time, right, they would they would hold it back. They would hold it back to the very last play that when it mattered, and they would throw it. And that was pretty special

to watch. So I two by two formation snap, you gotta give it on the read and Jack Samborne wrestles down Michael Carter down near the twenty nine yard loud of the Jets a Canada four boy. He hits you and he fights you all the way to the ground. Great seats available to see here. Chicago Bears this season had sold your field. Get your tickets at Chicago Bears dot com slash tickets. Welcome back to the Bears Coaches Show with that coach Maddy Reflus. Just heard one of

many tackles. Jack Samborne had fourteen on the day. That is a single game record for a rookie in Bears history. Did you know that? I do? Now, I mean that's something considering who played this game and had good rookie season. That's really good. And uh, you know, obviously we've had a lot of good backers here, you know, with the Chicago Bears over the history, you know, some of the

best of all time. Now, that just shows you his instincts, you know, his instincts and his ability to read and react, you know, and you know, spring into action and his block protection is really good too, you know. So he's done a good job with that and he had a lot of tackles yesterday for sure, he's continuing to progress really well. Block protection, what are you referring to? Yeah, so the ability to keep blockers off of you to

get to the ball. Here, So, as a linebacker, and I've had been blessed to coach a lot of good ones, is that you know their ability to keep blockers off of you. Because your number one goal is to hit the ball, you know, so you hit the ball, the guy with the ball, you're hitting them so or you're intercepting the ball or punching the ball out. So your number one goal of all linebackers is to hit the ball, and part of that is tackling, and to get there

you have to use block protection. So it's just basically varying ways how the blocker approaches you, and you have a bunch of different tools you can use to keep those guys off of you. All right, I want you to define instincts because Tom and I had a little back and forth in the broadcast, But I said, you know the instinct to just get to where you need to go and fire and trigger quickly. He goes, that's preparation.

Can it be both? When people say this guy's got great instincts, how would you as a coach, define it well. First of all, it's innate most of it. For example, last week at Atlanta, DHC caused the fumble on the on the punt, we punted the ball to them. They returned to DHC and you know, Jacker and coverage and DHC causes the fumble. Who's the first guy to jump on it? It's Jack? Why? Because he sees it the

fastest and he's able to rack the fastest. So there was five other guys standing there, But why was it him? It's because of his instincts, his ability to see and do right now. And that's what it is. And I've been fortunate to coach you know, Shawn Lee, Shack Leonard, Uh. You know, like I said, DeMarcus Ware, all those different guys that are all pro players, and every one of those guys had great instincts. And can you help a guy have better instincts? Sure? You know, I've obviously working

with those guys were my eyes and why? And that helps him tick a little bit quicker and helps him to become elite almost like they know what the player is there before it is there. For example, screen passes, tosses are actually running to the play before it actually snapped. That's preparation, but they still have to have the innate instincts to be able to see things in front of

him and diagnosed quickly. You know, for a linebacker and you're standing behind the offensive line, you're looking at the halfback, but you can see and feel the lineman in front of you, So you feel the steps of the halfback, and then you feel the line in front of you. Do you see polars, you see the zone action, you

see lineman jumping up through you. And then also it's instantaneous reactions of how you react to those plays and then also knowing when it's play action and to be able to get into windows and pick passes off like we did at the Detroit game. You know, Jack Samborne jumped in there and didn't bite on the play action. He was right there and picked off that pass to change the game right there. So you know, it's I've been fortunate to be able to work with a lot

of those guys. I think Jack does have really good instincts. I think he does have the ability to tackle, make a lot of tackles and take the ball away forty four tackles. You know, if the organization does not move on from Rokuan. He doesn't get the kind of opportunities potentially,

so is he a revelation for the future. No, I think it's great, you know, with all these young guys playing, you know, from Dominick to Sanborn to Gordon to Brisker to you know, all of them, you know, every one of those guys that are playing there with us right now. And I think some guys are gonna get some more action, you know, with some guys going down and we'll see

what happens. But to me, it's it's really good for those guys to get bank all those reps, you know, because it's so important because you don't get those without getting that experience. Snap side stemming in the pocket, Simeon gonna launch out the right side going for Claypool. It just makes the catch. Now they'll call and a flag on Sauce Gardners. That's a big play from Trevor Simeon. On second and eleven, he picks up thirty one yards and a Bear's first down. All right back in the

Bears Coaching Show. Just heard one of Chase Claypool's catches, the thirty one yard fade in the first quarter. As the Bears get ready to take on the Green Bay Packers this week. Not sure who's going to be on the field. We'll learn more as the week rolls on. And that's so that's standard. Fair, But a lot more injuries this week. As you touched on if you just

joined the program, we always like to update you. Darnell Mooney is lost for the season, will likely need surgery to a pair and ankle injury, and a bummer for the room too. A lot of guys look up to him and I know this the relationship and what has

become of Justin Fields and Darnell Mooney. But that forty five minute practice after the practice, yeah and it was I you know, what they learned about each other, the subtle things that great receiver quarterback combos will benefit from moving forward, whether it be a look a nod that was happening in those sessions. No, it's great. They're building a great bond for the future, you know, and that

takes time. You know, those guys spend a lot of time together from all the way back in the summertime. You know, I think they were back down they're working out in Georgia. I want to say and and all the time they spent during training camp, you know, and all these sessions, like you said, forty five minutes after every single practice, and those are all banked hours. You know, those have not gone to waste. You know, those are things that are going to really apply to the future.

And those guys are excited about their relationship, not only on the field but off the field, and both great teammates and great bears for the future. For sure. I like what you just said in banking to the future, because people can all just assume, Okay, well, this roster could get a major upgrade again or a turnover next season. They always do, at least a third of every roster. But whoever remains here everything that happens, does it roll over? Yes,

it does. You know I said that in the pressor today this you know, earlier today that you know, we're laying foundation for the future, and that's important. You know, it's a standard to how we operate, you know, how do we operate meetings, how do we operate in practice, how do we operate and walk throughs, how do we operate in the game. And the standards are the same for everybody, you know, So it's the coach's job to hold the standards, you know, it's not the player's job

to do that. Now, will they be a great example of standard? Yes, they will be, and we'll be able to point to those guys and they'll follow by example as we acquire new players, as we know, draft new players and so forth, you know, going forward. But that's the most important thing that justin fields is the example

is the standard, you know. Uh, the players that we have into building are all the standard, you know, and we can just point to them and say, hey, just do this, and they'll actually teach them by modeling that behavior. So committee of players that you have, I think it's numbers fourteen, leadership council, how have they presented to you?

If you can talk about this, I don't want you can just how the defeats have hurt them or how it's how it's making them feel and the bigger team chemistry and yeah, and I think it's really Uh, it's taught us to be resilient. I think it's taught us. You know, through adversity you only get stronger. You know, if you let adversity defeat you, then guess what you're defeated. But if you have adversity as a as a learning lesson,

as a tool to get stronger. Then it helps you because we all know in life that we've all been through adversities. Right, Well, what did you learn most from success or adversity? Well, you got to set back. You learn more about yourself, You learn more about the people around you, okay, and how can I improve How can I improve myself? Okay? To get better in any aspect you know. And I know we're talking about football, but that's really in life. And I think that those guys

are learning that they're all young guys. Um, they're applying these lessons and they're banking these lessons for going forward. And our eyes are always forward. We're ready to go for this Peckers week coming up. We're excited about the challenge and the guys will be ready to go. How has it been for you to have a locker room and a building that respect is important? Obviously, it's something

taught from the top down. It's what's asked about. But you know, you're not putting out a ton of fires other than injuries, and but you no trouble, you know. In addition, because again when you're not winning, it happens. It happens, It could be really detrimental or a disgruntled veteran that's you know, you're you're counting on a set an example, and it goes the other way. That is

not going on here. No, And what's a proof of that is that we've had a lot of veterans you know that would step up, you know, either because they're honorary captains or not whatnot. And they said they've never seen the morale of a team be this high with this many many adversities going on at the same time, and the guys sticking close together and respecting each other, working hard, coming to work every day and putting their best foot forward. And h the guys have done that,

and that's really just the culture that they've built. You know, we set the standards of you know, being on time, you know, working hard and respecting each other, and then we model that behavior as coaches. But really it's the players that have to do it. You know, they've been doing it since day one. They're continuing to do it.

You know, I told guys in the locker room before Thanksgiving the practice after practice that day, I said, hey, you know, you guys going anywhere, And I said, you know, irlak Or used to invite anybody who was Eddie Jackson did house full of people, apparently guys who didn't have anything going on, right, no doubt. It means he cares about his brothers, you know, he cares about his teammates and it wants them to have be part of a family. And he invited us at him into into the home.

So that's uh snap plate thick stands in the pocket, throws over them at all. Catch just made forty thirty five thirty twenty five Evans brick to tackle fifteen spins down inside the ten Darryanson Evans a thirty three yard catching run and welcome back to the Bears Coaches Show with Matt Eberflus here from Hallis Hall. Didn't know a lot about him, didn't have a touch this year for the Bears. Third round pick of the Tennessee Titans. Brought

him in. Looked really good during training camp. What do we know about Darrington Evans because there's there's a veteran aspect to him. Yeah, I mean Darrington's you know, did a nice job. We've seen it all along in practice and he got himself elevated, you know, from the Peace squad a couple of times, then finally got a standard elevation and to the fifty three and uh did a nice job of his opportunity. And uh, you know what I know about him is he's fast. Um, he's elusive. Um.

He's very good at catching the ball. As we just heard out of the out of the backfield that was man to man coverage and what he did with it afterward, he burst it away from a linebacker who's a really good linebacker in the league. Um bursts it away from him. And then he broke another tackle. There was a guy who came off man coverage and he split two basically and uh and then was you know, knocking it forward

all the way down almost scored. Um. So he had a couple of nice runs too, had his pads forward. You know, he's splitting two, knocking guys, like we said, forward and uh, and we're excited about where he's going. All right, here's a bunch of different topics. The Trenton Gilline kickoffs outstanding. He's got quite the leg for that. No, he's got a strong leg and he can really boot it. And uh, you know, we want a high hang time.

You know, we wanted to land on the goal line there for you know, because we want the team to return it, because we got a good cover squad. Um certainly he's he's our guy for that, and uh, you know, Cairo does a nice job of it too. But it's good to have the one two punch because they do both have strengths when it comes to kicking the ball off. I had some big punts as well, although I did

hear you say maybe a little more hang time or what? Yeah? Yeah, So when he you know, he's got obviously a tremendous leg, but when he hits it that far, um, like when he's in a backed up situation, he's trying to flip the field. But you know, we've got to make sure that we got better hang time on some of those he really you know, someone was like sixty two yards in the air or something. You just gotta have a

little more hang time. We're gonna have at fifty five yards in the air with some more hang time so we can get the coverage down there, so the guy doesn't catch it before our coverage can get down. So take a little bit off his fastball, Yeah, exactly, scheduling quirk. No road games in December, you're probably thrilled because they've been front loaded and there have been a lot of trips. It almost feels like it every week. Last time this happened for the Bears in nineteen sixty four, So no

road games in December. Are you looking forward to this? Yeah? Our players are too. We're excited about getting, you know, back in front of the Chicago fans, you know, the greatest fans in the world. So we're excited to get in front of those guys. And uh, you know, don't get us a big win. Veayless Jones on kick return. We'd all like to see him return it. You got him situated, don't don't take anything if falls behind or whatever.

I'm assuming that's that's wherever his heels are. Would you maybe just like to see just to see how it works out? Yeah, Mary, Are you more worried about field position? Yeah? We we do that every week. You know, we adjust that where he takes the ball from. You know, sometimes it's too deep, sometimes it's three deep. Sometimes it's you know, like a lot. Yesterday I think it was you know,

one yard. He was sitting right at the one yard Mark so um that changes week to week based on the cover team, based on what we think we can do. But we certainly went the ball in his hands on the kickoff return. So if he if he is he glued to a spot, also say it's a yard or too deep and you're giving him the green light, but it's a little bit to his right or a little bit to his left. Fard, Yeah, he's not glued to it took spots. It's more of a horizontal you know,

if it's deep, you know, into the end zone. All right, what you're thinking with the bye week, I know you got packers first, but does this group just need to recuperate and just get the whole week? Yeah? Well, you know, like last week, I you know, I knew the guys felt they were a little bit you know, tired because of it, you know, just because of a length that you don't we have a bye week until week fourteen,

you know. So I did a walk through practice last week and then it kind of a jog through the next day and then you know, full speed Friday. You know, so the guys you know, definitely need some rest, you know, once we get past the packers and uh, you know, it's gonna be a much needed for those players. Would you ever consider giving Tevin right tackle snaps? Oh, that's a good question. You know, we liked Tevin at right guard. He's done a great job there. But we're gonna look

at all combinations, you know, we have. You know, Leatherwood could be in there, depending on what where Riley is and and we'll see where it is and and we'll decide as we get through the week. And then when Justin does get back, you would you like to see more of the passing game just for a more further evaluation and see what you have for the future. Yeah, I mean, I think we're gonna want to see the whole offense. You know, we want to see the whole offense.

We're gonna we're gonna, you know, do what we do and if certain, we'll have some things schemed up for this week, and uh, we want to execute those the best way we can. But Justin we'll see where it goes. He's day to day, but we're hopeful. Yeah. I have a hard time keeping him away from a Bear Packer game. You know that, don't you. Yeah, I'm sure, Yeah, I'm sure, Yeah, for sure. All right, now, It's time to look ahead. Brought to you buy Bette Rivers, the official sports book

partner of the Bears. Packers coming to town here on Sunday. They lost to Philly forty to thirty three last night. Aaron Rodgers, already with a broken thumb, apparently left with a rib injury. Will find out more about his status over the course of the week as well. But the wow of that game was the rushing yards put up by the Philadelphia Eagles. And I touched on this with you a couple weeks ago, because it's not just the Bears, it's it's other teams getting these two hundred and fifty now,

I mean three hundred sixty three yards rushing. Is this the new NFL? It's Week twelve? Well, I think when you have a you know, two or three pronged attack, like a justin fields of Herbert and you know Montgomery, I think that creates a lot of numbers, you know, just as they have. You know, they got some good runners over there, and obviously they got Jalen Hurts. You know, that's and they got a dynamic offensive line and their

scheme is hard. So that's you know, one of the better offenses in ball right now, all right, how about the Pack? A little different team both sides of the ball. Injuries and whatnot. But one of the key differences is the expansion and performance of Christian Watson. He's tearing it up. Yeah, yeah, he really is. He's done a really good job. And uh, you know, he's obviously an explosive athlete. You know that we're gonna have to deal with. You know, you saw

the play last night. You know, it was really good play and when the backup quarterback was in Love and um, it's a you know, he's an exciting player and then as a banged up Aaron Rodgers, dangerous Aaron Rodgers. Like all the great players, they seemingly put aside whatever ailment, sickness or whatever and sometimes have legendary games. Yeah, he's still making some dynamic throws. You saw last night he made a couple throws. One of those touchdown throws is

pretty cool to the half back. Um, you know, so he's still got still got it. And then you have to get ready now also for Jordan Love, just in case man you would anyway, I'm assuming, but question, yeah, question you do, and uh, you know, so you know Aaron's been hurt through his career and always you know, shows up in plays, you know, So we're anticipating him playing and we'll see where it goes during the week and then, uh, you know, do you say anything special,

Bob Barris Packers this week Round two? Yes, it's round two. It's Barris Packer week. We're super excited and you have to get ready to go. All right, good luck with your preparation. Thank you. Thanks to our producers Keith Johnson, Andy Gersherdan Billy and Jordan Trudup. For head coach Maddie Berflus, I'm Jeff Jonaiak back at Soldier Field or a noon start against the Packers. Our pregame gets underway at nine. Stay tuned for Pittsburgh in Indianapolis here on Monday night

football on seven eighty AM. Joined in Progress. News continues on one oh five nine years CBS News at the top of the hour is next. This is News Radio one oh five nine w BBM. Good night, everybody,