Nichols talks MNF | All Access

Physical Therapy and CDW. Let's trying to slide out of a three game skid and four out of six when they great the Minnesota Vikings on Monday Night football Soldier Field. They've had great success against them, the Vikings just four and sixteen of the last twenty trips in two thousand to Soldier Field and Mike Zimmer six and six as a head coach against the Bears. Good even everybody. I'm Jeff Johnny Aclamer broadcast partner Tom There from News Radio

seven eighty at one oh five point at FMWBBM. Welcome into the programmer, brought to you by IGS Energy, with our producer Tonight Julio ross Ass in the score studios. We got producers Jordan Tredup and Den really helping us out as well. Tom. How you doing and you know, I'm looking at this thing and a lot of questions today and on the news conferences, the zoom calls about

getting things turned around immediately. Otherwise you're at a critical breaking point and you heard nothing of a positivity about where they're at, though, because if you look at it any other way, it could implode. But man, Naggie, Nick Foles being positive, Yeah, you know, I think Nick carries himself professionally and positively. But and that's something that could

click at any moment. So if you take this football and you look at it on from the offensive side of the ball, and you just cure a couple of the problems that have been haunting them the last couple of weeks, it could be a completely different offensive team

on the field. And I think when you're complimented by the defense and the type of power and showcase ability they have, I think this is the perfect opponent for the Bears the face on a Monday night in front of a national TV audience, Because if you're really gonna get this thing turned around and you're gonna get it back in a direction that people think that you have a team is capable of something, it's gonna be about beating the Minnesota Vikings convincingly on Monday Night Football, showing

some growth on the offensive side of the ball, but show their devastating defense. Coming up on our program and moments at six ten, we joined by a local product, Pete Bursch. He is the longtime analyst of the Minnesota Vikings and their radio networking. At six thirty, were joined by a defensive lineman, but Al Nichols. Also gonna hear from Cairo Santos tonight the Birthday Boy today, Tommy, He's

celebrating his birthday. He'll be our feature on Game Day Live on Sunday morning at ten thirty on Fox thirty two. Shot Buddy Luke Canellis's let's handle some of the news of the day, tom So. Safety Dion Bush activated from the reserve COVID nineteen list. He's missed a couple of games this year, so I'm sure it shocked him that he could not play last week and then had to find his way back to Chicago by a car. The Bear set that up for him. So again, some of

the issues that COVID nineteen is creating. Yeah, I mean, it is amazing nowadays when you have to send a player home in a car by himself, so he doesn't infect the rest of his teammates. But it is a safety measure that you got to take in every one of these players and assistant coaches and position coaches, they

all are in an understanding of that. So I think Deon Bush has showed up a lot this season, and I hope he gets an opportunity to get back on the field because you know, even last week, when you watch the punt team and you think of the flyers, you know Cordarrell Patterson is ever present, but it's always that fighting for attention on the other side. So if he does get back in there, I think it will be a positive for the defense and the special team,

especially with Sheriff McManus. He didn't practice today because he's got an injury as well. A bunch of injuries on this team right now. Long guys, Yeah, long injury report. So Sherek injured his hand in the game. Also, I'm going to add that Dion it was not known that he had COVID. He was exposed to somebody outside the organization. Precautionary measure, Roy Robertson, Harris Tom. We had high hopes

for a big year for Roy Rob. Restricted free agent, the Bears to reinvest it in this year, but he'll be a free agent after the season. He goes on injured reserve. Had shoulder surgery reportedly yesterday. Yes, well, you know, he's a weight room guy, he's a Jim rat. He's totally committed to what you got to do in the sport to try to, you know, extend your career. And so what Roy Rob has done in the early portions of his career about changing positions up and down, gaining weight,

losing weight. Now he's kind of found a home as a defensive lineman. You know, I do think he's got a bright future in the NFL. But now the next couple months will be about rehab. So Sam Mustafer and Jason Spriggs both missing practice with knees today. Now, some of the popular thinking was that Spriggs, who's now off of the COVID list, might be able to come back to the offensive line and move in at right tackle. Reset the offensive line a little bit. Would you say

that still up in the air. Well, No, I think if he's healthy, he's ready to play, you know, because he finished the game a couple of weeks ago when he did have an interruption for a couple of plays, and he came in and played pretty well. And then you can move or Shad Coward back to the left guard position and have a lot of your normal pieces in place. But I think the center position either Alex Barr, Sam Mustafer or I don't even know the status of Cody White here yet right he's still on the COVID

nineteen reservelest. Same story for Lachavias Simmons. Rest days today for Jimmy Graham, Ackem Hicks and Danny Travathan, that's been normal. A rob with a knee, roquand back mingo shoulder to Sean Gibson foot they were limited today. I don't think there's anything to worry about there, but a lot of conversation about David Montgomery Tom he's in the concussion protocol, that's in the league's hands. Frankly, when he gets cleared

to return. Short of his return, you're hearing a lot of questions being asked about Lamar Miller because that's a veteran of note on the practice squad right now, a couple of one thousand yards seasons one in Miami, when Bill Lazier was there as an assistant and one in Houston when his current running back coach, Charles London coached him for two years. It is an intriguing option should

something not be right with David Right. There's a lot of similarities to Lamar and to David Montgomery when you look at their body style, but there's a big difference with Ryan All. So I do think if they if David Montgomery is not able to answer the bell on Monday night, then I it's got to be a backfield that Ryan All. He really he I think the line starts behind him, and then you have Cordallard, Patterson, Lamar Miller and R Tavis Pierres. So there's a long list

of guys. But to me, I'm still intrigued by what Ryan All could offer a team if he was offered a significant amount of snaps. Right not getting any carries, got a few pass catches, but we know he's a north south runner town We've always liked him. He does have breakaway ability as well. We'll continue to break things down. Look at the Minnesota Vikings, a team that has gone in the division and knocked off a couple of opponents.

So They've got some juice right now. The two game winning Street coming to Soldier Field will break it down with Beat Bursach, the veteran analyst of the Vikkings Radio Network. It's all coming up next here on Bearzo Access brought to you by IGS Energy at Chicago Sports Radio six seventy The Score. Welcome back to Bears All Access brought to you by IGS Energy. Choose clean energy for your home at igs dot com because every good choice adds up to a better world. Bears and Vikings coming up

Monday night, four twenty. The pre game seven twenty the kickoff on News Radio seven eighty and one h five point at FM w BBM with Tom Fair. I'm Jeff, Joniak and John by our good friend Pete Bursch, Provident Catholics finest a Golden Domer celebrating no doubt the uh. I guess, I mean we're calling it an upset right off Clemson, Pete, I don't know, I didn't, I don't know all they won. You guys, you guys are that that was fun? Man? That was fun. How you doing? Man?

It was I'm good. So you guys do a three hour pre game whatever they're paying you, they should double it. I'll tell you that right now. As a blong three game, how do you keep fair from falling asleep for three hours before a game? I never sleep. That fact is true. He does not sleep. He's not he's not a hibernating.

When I found out there weren't going to be fans in the stands and that we weren't going to be traveling now was the one thing I knew I was gonna miss was to see that big bald, beautiful head on the sidelines on TV before the game. I'm like, I don't get the seattlayer on the I did it just it just breaks a man's heart. That's that sounds like a broadcaster that has the leading rusher coming into soldier field. He wanted to spread those peacock feathers out

and come around. Well, yeah, I don't know about Yeah, we do that. It's not just one guy on a team unfortunately. So we've you know, we've got our own issues, and which is why we're two games under five hundred. Well so what are they? What would be three and five right now? No? What are the issues? Oh? The issues? Well, I mean, you know, uh, hearing the names like Chris Boyd, Chris Jones or Harris in hand? Does that strike the fear and any wide receivers in the league. How about

Jeff Gladdeney? How about that name? Oh well, he's a first round pick. Now he's actually glad of all of him. Gladden, he's been has been playing the best and uh, you know, defensively, uh, thank god that you know, Harrison Smith and Anthony Harris have been you know, our safeties and they've they've been around for the whole season. But we've had a bit

of a bit of a revolving door at corner. We've we've seem to have settled down a little bit, not giving up as many big plays in the passing game, but we are giving up, you know, still giving up a lot of yards. And you know, your guy just threw the ball with forty five times in one game, so he said, a franchise record for most past attempt past attempts. So you know, it it looks like he's ready

to go. Hey, Pete, when you lost all that veteran talent in the off season, was this expected of the defense this year that maybe they were going to live through some growing pains or did they think they they had the uh, the draft capital to be able to come in here and you know insert and play well. I mean, you know, you lose UM. You know, you lose Denil Hunter. I think that's that's kind of the big thing. You know, you had Everson Griffin, UM, but

you had Denil Hunter. You didn't really you know, you wanted to get you know, you wanted to get Everson back. I don't think that was any anything personal or anything that you know like that there, but they just did weren't willing to I think pay what what Everson Griffin wanted to make. And so you know, losing one of the two makes sense. But then you have a you know, our nose tackle opted out because of the COVID and

then you lose Denil Hunter to a neck injury. Now you're down three of your four starting defensive linemen UM and you know, so it's not it's not ideal. But fortunately we've we've done a decent job drafting at that position. So some of these young guys, some of these guys that you've never heard of, like Jalen Holmes or DJ Wannham or Jalil Johnson or Armand Watts. I mean you know a Fadia Dentibo is probably are you know, most experienced defensive lineman. I mean two and a half sacks,

that's uh, you know, that's about it. When we lost Unique in Goackway during the trade, he was you know, he had five sacks. So he still leads the team even though he's been in Baltimore for a couple of weeks. Weeks. All right, So now let's you think what you said about your defense and the growing pains their face. And I guess the best the best help there is having a leading rusher. So if you stop, if you stop or able to contain Dalvin Cook, is the rest of

the offense good enough to pick up the slack? You know? I think that's that's the question that's going to get answered really Monday night. I mean, you know, Dalvin Cook, I was fortunate enough to grow up with watching Walter Payton, got to play against Barry Sanders, and then I called every game that Adrian Peterson played as a Minnesota Viking. And you know, Dalvin Cook is he I wouldn't put him in that, you know, that category of those three,

but he's up there. He's very versatile running back, um, he lines up at wide receiver or catching the ball in the backfield. He's you know, he's very very good at that. He's also very good in protection, which not every running back is very good at. And I think what happens is is, you know, we struggle on third and long, and so when Dalvin's not getting three four yards a crack on first and second down, it puts

us in a puts us in a tight spot. Now, justin Jefferson, our rookie wide receiver from LSU uh, he's lead. He leads a team with six twenty some yards were in receiving a big you know, a big play threat runs well after the catch, and then of course there's Adam Seelan and Kyle Rudolph and Herb Smith Junior. But you know, the games that we've won, we've kind of kept the ball out of the hands of Kirk Cousins, who you know was kind of interception happy in the

beginning of the season. I mean, every loss we've had, he's thrown at least one interception. So keep him on the positive side of that. And as we make our way out of a minus six take give, you know, we're able to win a couple of football games, and I mean I kind of see it that way. I mean, you guys are gonna stop Dalvin and it's gonna be up to Kirk Cousins to throw a couple of deep balls or a couple of big plays down the field, kind of like what you saw last week against Tennessee.

And you know, if we can do that, the Vikings have a good chance. If not, then it could be a long night because I don't know. If Dalvin Cook can put up over one hundred yards on the ground against the front seven you guys have defensively, you know, then I think I'll hit a whole new level of respect for our offensive line, for c. J. Hamm Our fullback, you know, and you know, for Dalvin Cook himself. Pete Burst. It's our guest here on Chicago Sports Radio six seventy

to score. This is Bears All Access with Tom There jeff jonihac Hey. Tell us a little bit more about Justin Jefferson, because he is taking the league by storm, literally eighteen yards of grab blowing everybody away in terms of what he can do. I think his maturity level was very high coming into the league, much like our own Darnell Mooney he was a fifth round pick in getting a lot of attention just in a little bit

that he's accomplished so far. But but this guy's the number one guy in the league in terms of yeah, what I mean, what an amazing draft class at the wide receiver position. It seems like every it seems like every twenty two years the Vikings get it right. Because about twenty two years ago, you know, we had we drafted Randy Moss, and then twenty two years before Randy Moss, we drafted a guy named Sammy White. You know, unfortunately, you have a couple of Laquon Treadwells, you know, sprinkled

in there in between, which which really is good. But when you know, when we lose Stefan Diggs, what Stefan Diggs did is you know, his yards per reception last year were somewhere it was somewhere around eighteen and it went from ten ten yards per catch the year before to eighteen. And that was the biggest one, you know, one season jumped by any receiver in the NFL. So he was our deep thread. He was the guy that could get behind the off to get behind the defense.

Excuse me, and Jefferson, had you know that was the big thing is can we get that big playability from him? Um? And and we have. It's been more run after the catch. However, it hasn't been forty fifty yard passes down the field. It's been you know, twenty fifteen, twenty yards and then letting him run. So Uh. He does do a great job of creating separation, which you know Laquon Treadwall, our other first round pick from a couple of years ago,

never really did. Um. He's been very yeah, very impressive wide receiver. Uh. He's learning the game. I mean that's and that's the big thing. He's mature enough to know that it's as much an art form as it is anything else. You can't just run a great forty, but you know, good hands and a great catch radius. He can come down with some you know, some of those passes that are tightly contested. And yeah, we're I mean, it's been a pleasure to watch this young man go

about his business. Um. And you know, and Dalvin Cook at the same time. You know, to me, those jack yard guys are are more dangerous and they get my attention because guys can there their possession receivers all around this league. But if the protection's not holding up against some of these better pass rushers in the league, you need guys that can do something with the ball after it's given to them and they create the separation to

get there. And you know that's what makes defense is nervous. Yeah, no, absolutely, because you can you know. And the same thing with Dalvin Cook. I mean you when you're when you're a defensive coach and you have guys in the right spots, I mean, that's that's where the coaching ends and having to be a player begins. And if you have guys in the right spots and they still can't make the plays, um, you know that's what That's what keeps defensive coordinators up

all night. You know. But Joniac, you guys know you haven't cut the grass in that stadium, the stadium in a park. You haven't cut that grass in like three weeks. It's gonna be ankle deep. And it's you know, it's just a smart thing to do. It's like that every year when we go there. Hey, let's hope, so I hope there's doug on snowstorm. You know, you gotta slow those guys down. Tommy, you know all about letting the grass rode along this flow. Those athletes down that come

into South, what do you do. They don't even have grass there anymore. I mean when you went when you went there back in the archaic days, they did have natural grass. Yeah, I remember New Rockey would go out there on his track there and cut it himself. He would be out there mulling that he'd be pulling that nice and you know, nice and short for us and everything else. Yeah, when when you look at Adam Feeland and Justin Jefferson, but you look at the role that

Kirk Cousins has played in their career. Justin Jefferson barely has had a career, but he's got big numbers. Adam Feeland comes from what Minnesota state, comes out there, try out and now he's a you know, double digit per catch. And then you look across the Bears and you see

a rookie corner. What relationship is that the Kirk Cousins and Adam Feelin or Kirk Cousins and Justin Jefferson that you think would be planned against a rookie corner and Jalen Johnson Bears, Well, I would think they would want to get the veteran against them, Adam Feeland. I still think Cousins leans more the way of Adam Feeling, and the closer you get to the red zone and the shorter the field gets, the more he leans on Adam Feeland.

Adam Feeland's seven touchdown receptions, uh, Jefferson has three, and a couple of those were big. One was for seventy one yard. So I still I still think Cousins wants to lean toward Adam Feeland. I would think smart thing would be to have if you can have Kyle Fuller, uh, you know, working on Adam Feeling and then let the young man, let the two rookies kind of battle it out. I mean, I think, uh, that o'coon, the rookie from

Ohio State that played with Detroit. I think Jefferson got the best to him a couple a couple of times last week. But yeah, so that'll be, you know, that'll be that'll be a really good, be a good matchup. But I would try to keep the rookie on the rookie and then keep the keep the veterans, Kyle Fuller on Adam Feeling. When you when you look at a couple of guys, you know, Harrison Smith. He's the scariest defensive player that the Minnesota has, and they've had the

last couple of years. He's very deceitful. He can hide, he can bait a quarterback into making a throw that he knows what area responsibility he has. He's not always going to line up or a good blitzer near the line of scrimmage. Is he the guy that Zimmer or the defensive coordinator this team has the most confidence in to not be a free lancer but kind of work the field the way he sees it. Yeah, I think so. I mean Harrison Smith. And the thing about Harrison is

he's so versatile. You know, he can if he walks down up to or walks down in the line of scrimmage, the you know, the offense has to respect that because he can u you know, he can defend the run very well. He can also blitz very well, so you know, sometimes you have a safety you know, maybe Anthony Harris when he comes down you just kind of look and say, yeah, they're just bluffing that way, because you know, as a coordinator, you only you know certain guys blitz better than others. Uh.

The other guy, though, is Eric Kendricks. Eric Kendricks um leads his team and tackles by a belie forty. Um. Uh, you know got an interception last week, very very good past defending, uh linebacker. And I think between Harrison Smith and Eric Kendricks, you've got you know, those are the two veterans kind of down the middle of the defense that that Zimmer's really relying on. Zimmer's definitely simplified what

the defense does from a coverage standpoint. Um, just because the youth at the cornerback position, they just don't have the you know, the awareness to you know, pattern read and pass things off and do those things. And so I think it's allowed are some of the shorter passing game to be more open, so to speak. But um, but Harrison Smith and Eric Kendricks are you know, are by far the two leaders on our defense and and you know Zimmer's relying on those two all the time.

Pete versus our guests, the long time analyst for the Minnesota Vikings on a radio but also a former assistant that time. Do you remember Pete being an assistant coach with the Viking course, I mean I literally forgot that, And don't be offended. I just cannot. I don't remember that peaked. I know you're gonna get mad at me, but that's great because you know, you know, they fired me. They the Vikings have fired me like three times, and

I keep coming back, you know what I mean. I don't even like to go over the building just because you know, I don't want him to realize I'm still around. It's charmed, you know. And then I did not realize this either because um, and again this is bad on me. But your grandfather, Bob was a college football player. What's that? My dad? Oh? Your dad? Okay, your dad, Michigan State

and the Dallas Cowboys. What years on the original? He was on the original Dallas Cowboy team in nineteen sixty and played till sixty two where he hurt his knee, but he was on he was on the nation, the national champion, UH Michigan State team. UM. In the late fifties. He went to Argo High School. He was an argonaut

back and graduated in fifty five. So you know, you know, Salt South suburb type and UM, yeah, I mean it's you know when you when when your dad has done something, it's kind of like when your dad's an account, and everyone's asking you're gonna be an account when you grow up. You're like, yeah, well my dad does. It should be pretty easy, you know what I mean, it kind of took it, kind of it kind of you know, put

the luster off of all of it. But uh, yeah, he's still around eighty four, still lives down and down a new Onox and go down and see him as much as I can, and you know he's still he's still kicking very good. Well, shout out to Bob. Hopefully he's a Bears fan. You're not gonna answer that. Well, I was growing up. I mean, come on, and you know in eighty five, I'm you know I'm talking about I'm talking about Papa. Well, you know what, though, he

played against the Bears in Wrigley Field. And I know you guys have a section in your in your book about their the Bears record when they played at Wrigley Field. But yeah, he played against the Chicago Bears in Wrigley Field when the brick wall was right in the corner of the end zone. So that's that's how long ago we're talking now. Tom. The reason I said grandfather because I'm looking up Pete's son at the University of Minnesota.

Is a linebacker there, a red shirt freshman. It says grandfather Bob Burstitch played college football at Michigan State in the NFL of the Dallas Cowboys. So my bad and a little how's how's young Pete doing? By the way, Oh oh, we call him, we call him repeat repeats doing great. You know he's he's Uh, it's been a goofy, big kind of a it's been a really crazy Big Ten season for those guys. And uh, you know, the

Gophers didn't start out the way they wanted to. I think they have Iowa coming up, so to be a big be a good test, good test for them. But p J. Fleck is come from Western Michigan. He's done done a real good job. It's it's a complete lead. Different environment than the one I knew going to Notre Dame with Lou Holtz. You know, it's a complete a little and I'm sure it's a little different Atmospere than

you know when Fayer was around. I mean, it's uh, it's all positivity, it's all uh, you know, it's a it's just a it's a different different animal, different kids. I guess I don't know the games. The game in that respect has changed a ton. So all right, Pete, we're gonna we're gonna let you go. We got blown Nichols coming up here in a moment, Bear's defensive lineman. Uh so you're not traveling, so we won't see you, but hopefully down the line we will and get together.

Shortly we'll be calling them off the TV. I was gonna say, Tommy, the forty six zone, the bare front is still around and the Vikings are running the counter and power to it, which is the same thing that ended it and ended that front twenty five years ago. So it's old is new again. How about that? Well, you better have the right personnel to run that defense, because it's not something you're just gonna throw eleven defenders

out there and say, okay, run this front or else. No, but you guys do have the right guys for sure. All right, Pete, thank you so much. You coming up next below Nichols have joined the program. This is Bears All Access on Chicago Sports Radio six seventy to score. Welcome back to Bears All Access, brought to you by IGS Energy. This segment of Bears All Access is brought to you by Microsoft Service and CDW Bele'll get it. Learn more at CDW dot com with Tom Thare, Jeff Jonahak.

Getting Ready and you Ready for the Bears and Vikings on Monday Night Football, The Vikings coming to town with a two game winning streak and now join on the show by defensive lineman below Nichols Blow. Thanks for joining us tonight. How's everything going? Thank you, Jeff, appreciate it man, thanks for having me. Everything going good on this Huh yeah going good? Uh, little little extra time to get ready for the Vikings. Can't hurt when you guys are

got a long injury list right now. I guess that's the mid season bumps and bruises. So how is your body holding up at this point this season? Yeah, you know,

my body's holding up good. I mean, you know, like kind of like you said, you know, as the season goes on, things start to show up, and you know you just gotta you know, jump on there early and attacking and treatment and just trying to make sure you stay on top of your body because you know, we plan on playing this thing all the way till pass the Super Bowl, so you got to stay on top of your body. Hey, Bala. How you doing this? Tom Fair?

Nice talking, Thanks for taking the time out. First and foremost, Hey, when when you think of a game this magnitude for the Bears divisional game, national TV audience and everybody knows about the Bears defense, do you guys feel that as a pressure or do you feel it as a positive? Uh? We uh? First of all, Hey, Tom, how you doing? Always good talking to you. Um, you know, we look at it as a as a positive. You know, we

want to be the defense that people talk about. We want to be known to have a rocket defense, a defense that fly around and cause having and just make it hard on the opposing team. So we embrace things like that and we hold ourselves to that standard. I mean, that's ultimately, that's that's that's what you want from your defense. You know, when you look at yourself throughout the course of this season, you've played a variety of positions. Is Blile Nichols morphing out of the edge player that he

is because you're playing inside so much? Or are you still an edge player but you're embracing the opportunity on the inside. I think I'm an edge player who's embracing the opportunity to play inside. I mean, you know, I just I look at it as a you know, opportunity for me to show that you know, I'm I'm a versus player and you know, an anywhere I can contribute on a football team. Um, you could put me there

and I'm gonna make things happen. Um, you know that that's always been the type of player I looked at myself as and that that I always wanted to be just versus two. Um, you know, switch Army night type of guy. You can throw me in anywhere and then you know I'll still be productive. What's it like moving inside like that? What have you realized this year? Because you've played it before, but now such a consistent number

of snaps there this year? What's it like in there for you in terms of exs and os and just how what kind of trash you gotta shift through? Yeah? Man, it's it's definitely different. Um, you know, my first two years, I will play it. Um, you know, I was more of a you know, a rotational guy come in. But you know, my my primary position was because a vent whereas this year, you know, most of my work come

from then inside. It's definitely different. Things happen a lot faster when when you and they're playing those and U inside like that grinding and intransive um, things happen a lot faster. Doubles happened a lot faster. Um. You have to be more precise with your technique. It's no, it's not really any room for error because everything happens so

much faster. And then whereas when you outside of end, you know you have time and space that may allow you to make up for you know, some technique issues. So for example, if you take a wrong step or you know or or or you know you gaining ground, you have time to to to react to the block that the tackle giving you because you have space and you know it's it's a lot of area to cover, whereas you know inside it's not like that. It was

definitely different. But I love the challenge. I've always been that type of way, and you know, I look forward to it. Hey blah when you look at you know, last week when we are listening to the Zoom conferences by the coaches, a lot of them were talking about how you have to where they want you position when you're tackling Derrick Henry. How is tackling Derrick Henry different than tackling Dalvin Cook. Yeah. Well, you know Derrick Henry,

you know, everybody knows he's a lot bigger, um. Definitely a physical guy. Um. So like with him, if you notice a lot of tackles when people attack him high, he breaks them because he has the upper body strength and you know he has the power and he runs hard enough to be able to break those type of tackles, um, you know. Whereas if you tackle him low and you wrap up his ankles, it's it's kind of hard for anybody to run when your ankles is wrapped up. It

don't matter how big you are. So, you know, a guy like him, you know, you gotta at tackle more low, be a lot more fundamentally sound and your technique and tackle on it. Whereas Dalvin Cook, he's the type of guy you know it's kind of hard to get a hand on him in the first place. You know, he's so good at change of direction, uh, you know, playing off one foot, moving the opposite weight, cutting it back, um, you know, and he creates space. Uh, he's very good

at getting one on one situations with different people. Want to feel, whether it be line in corners safety. He's very good at doing things like that. So, you know, two totally different types of runners. Um and the way you attack those runners are totally different. But but Dalvin also has that ability to be able to break tackle. So you know, we just gotta wrap up, you know, and we know how to tackle. We practice it on a daily at practice. So we just got to stick

to our technique. We gotta do we do it. We'll be fine. Hey, last week, the Bears fans were introduced to Big Dan mcculler's snubber seventy five? Do you feel small when you stand next to him? Six seven, three hundred and fifty two pounds? Now, when you put him on the outside and they put you on the outside, there's still a lot of space being taken up. But I mean, does he seem as massive to you? Is when I watch him out there on the field. You know what's funny one thing about Vick Dad, he said,

he's what six seven, three hundred and city two pounds? Yeah, he is every bit of six seven and three hundred and fifty two pounds. That's that's the thing. But but but has the athletic ability to be able to move and do things that a person that big shouldn't do. Um, So it's crazy because he's he's one of the people

you look at. He actually looked makes a team look small, So you know that that'd be kind of funny sometimes if I'm out there with both of them and I'm looking at both of them, I'm like, you know, King, he kind of got you, bro. He look looked like you need to hit the weight room a little bit,

you know, messing around winning and stuff like that. But uh, he's came in and done an unbelievable job for uh, you know, he came in, he played really good football on last Sunday, So you know, I'm excited to see him continue to get his opportunities and to see what he does with it. Yeah, it's been interesting. But aw Nichols our guest here on Chicago Sports Radio six seventy the Score. This is Bears All Access with Tom There

and Jeff Jonaiac, brought to you by IGS Energy. Because you gotta give it to the personnel department, they've done some good things in this tough time to find players because teams are sucking guys up because there's protocol. It takes time to get him on the roster. If you're gonna have, you know, a concern with either COVID or an injury, you got to really have guys on the pipeline. But here they bring in Daniel mccullar six years or the Steelers on a very rugged defense, a very good defense.

That's a Steeler type of guy right there. You got Mario Edwards Junior. He's come in and giving you some pass rush very and Brent Urban last year. So it's been very good in terms of adding depth to that defensive line because you guys all can't take every snap. The best defensive lines are the ones that stay fresh and can rotate. Do you still feel fresh because of those guys here in twenty twenty, Yeah, you know, I do.

It allows me to feel like you know, or anybody on our team and on our d line in general. It makes us feel like we don't have to be out there every play, you know, you know, dog tired, fighting through it um because we have guys that can rotate in and there's no drop off in the game, you know, and these guys who come in and still play at a high level. So you know, as as

as a defensive line, that's that's very important. Like you said, like the good defense lines are are the ones that you know, rotate and you know, keeps guys, keep fresh guys on the field and stuff like that. So you know that that that's been huge for us. And you know it takes a lot of pressure off of you as a player because you know, naturally as a player, you never really want to come out of the game, uh and feel like you know things are going to drop off. But we've never had that issue, so it

makes things easier. You know, you out there for a few plays, you know your little gas, you know, let another guy come in and just know he gonna come in and do a great job too, and you know it's no job off. So that that's what you want. That's a championship defensive line right there. Hey Bloll. You know when they talk about the relationships in terms of football quarterback, receiver, running back, offensive line, the relationship between you and Robert Quinn, I think it has It has

had a real effect. You guys run stunts really well together. He brings in a great deal of experience and just talking football and getting to know Robert Quinn. What can you teach us about him that we haven't had a chance to go face to face with him because of the strange times we're in and you know, how how would do you and he talked football together? Oh? Man, it's It's. One thing I love about Rob is Rob

is a very selfless person. Um. I mean like literally, he's a dude who will you know, sacrifice his game for you to happen with the game. You know a lot of the times when we out there and me and Rob we have every chemistry year. I mean we you know, we talk a lot in the locker room and me and Rob really been able to develop that relationship with each other. But you know, one thing that you know people might not know about Robbers he's a very selfless person. Like he's all in a team guy.

You know, he's everything you can ask for in a teammate. Um. You know, and a lot of our success has happened just because of our the chemistry we've been able to build and that you know, he you know a lot of times he'll he'll tell me just go, just go and I'll play off for you. And that's just an example of him being selfless, you know. And and uh and I do the same to him. Man, I feel like that's why things have been able to have been

so impactful between us. Well, led do your sack. Last week you got a couple of a couple of close calls on safeties. Man, you almost got there. But it's been a good start. One last thing for me will let you go so much appreciate it. Your draft class. There are six guys are still on the roster and

contributing significantly. It's turning into a very potentially impactful draft class. Uh. And you guys are all tight and role quant Smith is leading way right now on your view of it as you watch the tape, because he gotta watch what he's doing by you can't. You don't advise in the back. Yeah, you can't see everything he's doing behind you when you get your hand down and rushing or stop on the run.

Just how far he's grown here in twenty twenty. No, yeah, you know I see it though, um and I and and I tell Roquan like a lot, I'd be like, bro, man, you're playing, you playing some really special football right now because you know obviously you know, I don't see anything in a game because like like you said, he's playing behind me. But when I cut that film on after the game off. Oh man, I see I see all

type of all type of freakish things that he does. Um, you know, the blend, the speed, power, tenacity, all that type of stuff. It's it's like it's like it's it's crazy to see. And uh, you know, I tell him like it's funny because I did the tend to see game to him, I said, Bro, you know you played played you played great football this game. You know it was Tims. You've seen him coming downhill, meet the fullback in in in the hole and then still finding a

way to get to the running back. Like it's crazy. Like I mean, just seeing his growth, just seeing the speed that he plays at day in and day out. I mean, you know he's one of those guys you know you'd be honored to play with. Yeah, well let's let's hope it's a long career for both the Event and Bears Colors. So Bill Out, we so much appreciate it. You're wonderful. Got to talk to you and thank you so much. Good luck on Monday night. Appreciate you guys.

Thanks for having me, you know, always a pleasure, pleasure, and I appreciate you guys are taking the time of damn me tonight very well. Thank you so much. Bloud Nichols our guest here on Chicago Sports Radio six seventy the score coming up. We'll here from Cairo Santosh. This is his birthday today. He's on a hot streak twelve straight field goals for the Bears. Here from him coming up next here on Bears All Access on Chicago Sports

Radio six seventy to score. Hey Bears fans, It's important to stay connected now more than ever, and at Motorola, 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. Hello Moto Jeff, Johnny act Tom there or a delightful guy. Bala Nichols is Tommy. I have guys like that on a team, and he's been that way since his rookie year. You've

seen him being a media contributor. But the development of his personality, of his team concept, of his development, it's it's really impressive when you get a chance to talk to these guys over a couple year period. You know, I mentioned that draft class too, because again six of the guys, Kylie Fits the only guy not on the roster and every one of those guys, James Daniels excluded at the moment because he's on injured reserve, but there's

a promise for him. Uh, joey Ya Boney booney Way one of the core special teams players, Balah Roquan, I mean it's a it's a it's a good draft class that is still contributed. Anthony Miller obviously, and and Javon Wims. Oh I hope, I'm I hope they're only scratching the surface, every one of those guys that you mentioned. And I hope that a guy like Anthony Miller hasn't even started the scratch the surface yet because he's got so much.

But when you look at Rokuan and where what he's considered doing in the league and how respected he is, and blal Nichols playing sensors rookie year, and you know, if joe l Ea booney Way gets his opportunity to play that he's super productive. Because you know, when you talk about these guys that are sitting there waiting for when their opportunity is presented, you know, guys like Joel. You know they're gonna be They're gonna be expected to be able to do a lot since they've had time

to develop. Here all right, Tom coming up on Sunday, we're gonna have an interview on our Bears Game Day Live show Bears player profile. I'm Cairo Santos. Here's a portion of it. What a journey it's been for the Brazilian name. It was the love for soccer that has gotten me. That's where I'm at right now. Growing up in Brazil, all the other kids that I was around, we dream being a professional athlete, but specifically a soccer player. So that was my life ever since my parents told

me could stand up. They gave me a ball and I would kick it around the house, kick it, you know, over the walls of our house, and go to the neighbor. So that was me up until high school when I was really developing the skills and trying to pursue that dream that in Brazil, as competitive as soccer is there, I wasn't getting the exposure that I was looking forward to make it to another level, so I looked elsewhere

in the United States. My dad, before becoming a pilot, he got his pilot licencestant in Florida before meeting my mom and all that story. So he was my whole life. He would we would fly to the United States and he would tell me how how great it was living here and getting an education. So that was a goal of mine to be an exchanged to it when I got to the right age. So something my dad convinced me to do when I was fifteen years old, and so looked at a Florida because of the weather similar

to Brazil, and started going with soccer. And one thing led to another. My buddies had me kicking a football because I couldn't throw a spiral, and so I said, just kick it, and he went four houses down the neighborhood and it said, that's equivalent of a sixty yard field goal. And they talked to me in the next day after school, talking to the football coach and get me a tryout. And I could hit a fifty yard or that first day and he said, you're playing Friday.

You're on a team, aren't You're proud of that journey, yes, And I still feel like I'm living a dream. You know. I pinched myself and it's been seven years and I can't believe I've made it this far, and it's always one year after the other. Just keep pursuing a bigger goal, a bigger objective, and I just want to keep going farther and farther into this dream because you never know one of the last, your last time kicking the ball.

And we've known how far it is too well, how difficult it is to get to where we are right now. So very few in the world that have this opportunity, So every opportunity doesn't matter how much success I've had. It's another day in the NFL and a great franchise like the Chicago Bears's, you know, one of those moments that you have to just step back, just take a deep breath and look around, how you know, Like I said, no, I'm proud of it and fortunate to be able to

live my dream. What is your celebrity like in Brazil? You know, I've been fortunate to know being the first um Brazilian born player to to make in the NFL as fast and as big as football has grown in Brazil, and I was able to the moment I back in twenty fourteen that I entered the league. Un till now I think I was an influence to spike that growth. It's something that I think gave him me a platform to be an idol. Like I looked at the Ronaldinho's the name ours Um, the Cocks, all those guys in

Brazilian soccer. Yeah, some great names in the soccer world if you're soccer enthusiast. But you know, think about it. He is helping in a great way a bunch of young kids who want to become just like him in the name of football. Eage Tom a long way away. Yeah, but you know it's the reflection of his work ethic. You know, Jeff, you've been around the NFL now, you've been around professional sports for your almost your whole adult life, and you've never seen a lazy guy being able to

accomplish a lot in any type of career. And when he talks about his work ethic as a young kid and through the soccer program, and then the constant dreams of having a better opportunity to have higher competition, I think every single guy that's successful in a professional career, it's about their work ethic. And I think cairos I and I tease kickers a lot, but his determination the success he's been able to have this year. The road's

never easy, so I admire what he's been able to accomplis. Yeh, he's sound a streak at twelve straight, Tommy, he made all his extra points, but I don't want to jinx it, obviously, because they need every point on this team that is struggling the fine points, and if it's a kicker that's getting it done consistently, that's at least one. Forgive the pun foot in the right direction. Top there, and I'll be back for one more segment. This is Bears All

Access on Chicago Sports Radio six seventy to score. The Chicago Bears Network presents Inside the Bears, brought to you by Verizon and Anthony Adams and Laurens Greed and cover the world of Bears footfall on and off the field every Sunday night, eleven h five m on Box thirty two Chicago, or watch anytime at Chicago Bears dot Com around the Bears official app. Tom we got about a

minute and a half shout out. Tony Medland, the longtime Bears equipment manager, got the thirty second annual Coat Drive cooking starting this weekend through February twenty seven, time new and gently used coats donated at eighty five designated locations at jewel oscos through at Chicagoland area. He does good work, does he not. Oh, it's one of the greatest events ever created on behalf of the Bears. And it started when I was an actual player, So that tells you

how long it's been going on. And when they get up there, and it's not a plea to the people, it's just a question, Hey, if you have some extra jackets lying around, we have all these sites where you can drop them off and then we can distribute to them the people in need during the winter. I love this event every year, all right. In addition to Cairo's birthday, Lance Briggs, a guy who covered every snap of his NFL career, seven time pro bowler, a birthday boy today.

In thirty seconds, give me your best Lance Briggs memory. Just his you know, his initial reaction. You talk about a lot of guys that play, you know, kind of textbook robot type football that wasn't Lance. I know the coaches didn't always love it, but his reaction and his understanding and his speed and his desire and his willingness to hit I just like when it was in motion, because you know, Lance was a freelance, very good football player. All right, Tom, we'll talk to you Monday night. Bears

and Vikings. Thanks to Julio Rosas, also to our entire broadcast crew and you for listening. Thanks to our guests to Night Beat BERSA Jambal Nichols, Colts and Titans. Coming up next on Chicago Sports Radio six seventy the Score. Good night, 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