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We are back at it again.
Good to be with you tonight, and thanks for joining us on Bears Weekly, unpacking the loss of the forty nine ers and previewing them any match with the Vikings with Super Bowl winning Bears guard Tom Baher. I'm Jeff, Joniack a good friend, and former Bears quarterback Jim Miller will be along in just a while as well from Sirius XMNFL Radio and in the ESPN studio spinning the
Dallas tonight, Justin Pottinger. Thanks to our producers Dan Brilly and Jordan Treda from the Bears and the executive producer of the Bears Radio Network is Eric Ostrowski. Coming up our interview with Bears head coach Thomas Brown from our Bears at C podcast this morning and part of my I sit down with starting right guard Matt Pryor that airedon Bears Game Day Live prior to the forty nine Ers game. Good evening one and all Tom Theayre, how you feeling and a lot to unpack tonight.
Yeah, there's a lot to unpack.
You know.
The thing about it is nowadays, in the modern world of football, you get right to work as soon as you get on an airplane. Before back in the day, we used to have to wait twenty four hours for the video to get ready and then you got a chance to look at it the next day.
That's not the case anymore.
By the time you get on the bus, you have your video on your tablet, you go right to the plane a three ride, a three hour plane ride home, and then you start making corrections. It's not something that you can sit there and dwell on what just happened. You got to sit there and watch the tape constructively and see how you can make corrections, adjustments and improvements. And I think that's the way you go about business from the end of the football game until the start
of your next football game. And whether you're an evaluator like you and I are, or or if you are a coach or a player, you have a different way about going to watch the tape, and you know, everybody has to do it according to their improvements.
Just think what Jim Miller has to do. Fara Bears quarterback joining us tonight, Big Jim.
How you doing, buddy, I'm doing great.
How you guys doing well?
You have to watch all sixteen games every week?
Yes, that's true, you got to go through the tape. I don't spend a lot of time on Jacksonville, Tennessee, trust me, I know.
But then let me ask you this though, with the all twenty two that's available, do you, honestly, in terms of preparation, because you're doing a daily talk show specifically to the National Football League, are you watching as much tape as anybody or do you even have time for that?
Yeah? No, I think you can, like if you know, like the big matchups like tonight, obviously they'll be the big Monday night matchup. And but tomorrow I'll watch the coaches tape of it. So I watched tomorrow. It goes a lot faster than say a three hour broadcast. The tape runs a lot quicker because you don't have any of the commercials and it just goes play to play, So yeah, you can watch it and then do a pretty in depth breakdown of a game, say of a Monday night matchup.
All right, so what are your thoughts on what transpired yesterday? Obviously another slow start. They tried to crawl back in it late in the second you know, and not late but early start in the second half, and just just didn't have it yesterday.
Yeah, I think, you know, I think Thomas Brown was putting a tough spot. I think he was elevated to call plays and to continue the development of Caleb Williams, and then of course you have this this change with Matt Eberflus and now more is thrust on his plate, which you know, whether we like it or not, I don't know how fair that is to Thomas Brown, but that's what the situation is, and they're trying to make the best of it. So I think that's why they
did start slow. I think his attention to the offense, you know, had to take a back burner because now he's delegated to the whole team, where his one job was to get the offense up and running and get the quarterback. So there's Hey, there's a lot they're having to manage right now. And I think it went to kind of how we.
Went Jim, what do you think about the quarterback situation specifically? Because here you are a guy coming in with a lot of attention paid to you since the end of your college season, and then you start that journey towards the draft. Then you go through the draft process and onto the OTAs and hard knocks and everything else that's involved, and now you have, you know, the second voice in your ear through the start of a rookie season.
What do you think the.
Trials are for a guy like Caleb up into this point and throughout the season.
Yeah, I don't think it's been ideal for him. And he's had his part in it too, because he was a part of choosing the offensive coordinator and hopefully, in my opinion, hopefully that's not on his plate for the next head coach, because Caleb Williams shouldn't be choosing the next head coach of the Chicago Bears. And so whoever is chosen as the Bears, that's who's going to have to work with Caleb to get him up and running
to the to where it needs to be. At the National Football League to win games, and it's not ideal. I think you can see now the frustrations with Caleb. I think you've seen his demeanor at least the fourth quarter of the game against the forty nine ers, where it's kind of wearing on him. I mean, let's face it, he's the most sacked quarterback in the league. He's a little shell shocked right now, and they have to finish
strong and he's got to continue to push through. And that's where Thomas Brown, hopefully his focus is on for his young quarterback.
Well, Thomas Bronce certainly embracing the moment. This is something that he ultimately wants to be. He wants to be a head coach in the National Football League, and he's taking it head on, and he's taking it head on in terms of what went right went wrong yesterday. So we'll hear some of that, but I appreciate his honesty and his thought process throughout the course of all the interviews he did today and after the game last night. But he feels there's no loss of confidence and there's
plenty of optimism and they're going to battle forward. All the things you need to have in your room to continue to make some progress here and focusing on, you know, just another another week of prep. They thought they had a really good week of prep. Players said it, They said it after the game, they said it before the game, coaches said it, but it just didn't translate to the grass completely.
On Sunday, Tommy, yeah, you know, and listen, I was expecting a high excitement performance as well, and I thought that the conditions were perfect for the Bears, obviously the outside outdoor playing conditions, the fact that there are some injuries for the San Francisco forty nine ers that I thought would affect their performance.
But now you know again, you.
Know, we talked about it at the beginning of the show. So you have that opportunity to make the corrections, to watch the tape on the way home, to take that time in order to figure out how you're going to make corrections and adjustment on the way home, and then you get into the meetings today. But it's almost like you have to leave that behind you now because you got to start talking about what the Minnesota Vikings do.
What you can take the good portion of the game, what can you take and add it to the Minnesota Vikings how can you look at the last game film that when you played the Vikings, put a lot of study time into that and what you did well and how to continue that process. What did you do in the second half on the offensive side of the ball that you really like that you can add from the beginning of this game all the way to the end.
Jim, did you when you played quarterback and it could be college or your coordinator? Was he at times on the sideline or at times in the booth, and which did you prefer?
I had both in college. He was in the booth at Morris Watts. He coached over fifty years at the college level, so he was well versed in it. And he went both pro and came back to college, and then in the pros it was both ways. I've had both. The coordinator on the sideline, which was nice, and had him up in the booth. But either way you can
talk to him. Just because he's up in the booth, you still have the phone where you can just get on the phone with him and talk to him and talk through things and talk through the pictures if you need to. And a lot of times it's just by choice where maybe OC wants to get the bird's eye view or the bigger picture, rather than being up close and personal down on the sideline where you can't get that overhead view that you need.
Did you ever consider going into coaching and being an offensive coordinator or quarterback coach?
Yeah, I have decided. I've been asked to do that, but you know, it's got to be the right situation obviously. But yeah, I have been asked for, you know, to join staffs, but it's you know, coaching is kind of a nomadic life, you know, it really is. These coaches move around and it's really shortened even more. But it would have to be the right opportunity.
Jim, what kind of coordinator would you be?
Multiple? I think you got to be able to do everything. You got to have every club in your bag and make them defend everything. So whether that's you know, your base offense to if you need to go five wides, so you better have everything, but you better be able to run the football too. It'd be similar to mcveigh's system, is what it'd be, but it'd be multiple where you can do everything.
And my last question about this time, I'm intrigued. I don't know, you know, after loss is like this. You know, things just pop in your head. Had nothing to do with the game that I'm asking these questions, but in terms of of that, you know, the kind of system and whatnot. I know, I talked to Tommy earlier today on Our Bears et cetera podcast about Kurt Warner some of the things he's saying about getting rid of the football quickly, you know, try and trying to make big
plays and whatnot. There's all these ex quarterbacks and quarterback gurus that they call themselves gurus and teachers, and they have quarterback camps and whatever. So everybody's got opinion on quarterback play. What is your strongest statement about quarterback play today in the NFL? For young players that you think needs to be tweaked.
Or worked on, a decision making. Okay, ultimately the most important job you have as a quarterback is your decision making, because the game can be won or lost by your poor decisions. And I think we've seen that, you know, for young quarterbacks. You know, even for for Caleb Williams. You know, a bad decision by not calling the time out, you know, so obviously you know it stems from there.
I think you better be tough, both mentally and physically, because that's how you gain respect in the locker room. Your quarterback needs to be one of the toughest guys on your team, if not the toughest mentally and physically. To take the beating from the press, to take the beating from your teammates, to take the beating from your fans and turn those jeers into cheers is what you gotta do. Yeah, you better be a hard worker, you
better be preparation. But all the stuff in terms of the intangibles, loving football, all those things need to be a part of it. And then of course the tangibles. And I think we know Caleb Williams has all the tangibles. What is that arm, speed, athletic, You know, he's got all those things that there are mouldible traits to be successful.
And he definitely has the intangibles as well. We're gonna come back after a break. That's Jim Miller thomp there, I'm Jeff Joniyak, and we'll hear from head coach Thomas Brown after this break on ESPN one thousand and the Bears Radio Network.
Speaks Bears Weekly with the Voice of the Bears for twenty four years. Jeff Joney, chef on the Bears Radio Network.
This this Sega the Bears Weekly is brought to you by IGS Energy, Jeff, Jonny K, Tom There, and Jim Miller. Earlier today, I sat down with Thomas Brown, the Bears head coach for our Bears. Instead of a podcast, took kind of a different route discussion on all kinds of things about the game and about him.
Let's listening. I know you've already talked a lot.
About this game and the benefit of traveling that kind of distance. You do get a lot of work done on the plane, don't you.
Absolutely just haven't a challenge from a prep standpoint headed there, but also on the way back. It gives me enough time to be able to grade both sides of the ball and also take a pick at special teams as well. I try to always, you know, watch all phases multiple times. I have a kind of a more accurate picture when I end up meeting with the coordinators.
But definitely get a ton of work there.
Let me ask you about that because I learned to watch tape from Tom There Super Bowl Bear so over of course from my career, I don't know assignments or anything like that.
But it's just that that ability.
To watch things over and over again, it slowed the game down for me to call the game. When you first started playing football and you ran the ball at Georgia, did you before you go into the NFL, did you know how to watch tape?
Absolutely not.
I think come out of high school, you know you don't really watch much tape in high school. It's no mean, everybody's in the same media room and the head coach might have a couple of clips to show from the other opponent. But I don't think like anything else, it's as skill you have to develop when it comes to understanding what you're looking at. But also you know understand how to break down the actual film. So watching the game is one thing, building cut ups and preparations is
something different. So we tried to do a really good job. As I learned throughout talk about the years at Georgia, of what am I looking at? I think when I was a freshman, I'm just I'm just watching taping and tape running.
I have no idea what I'm looking at.
I'm not, you know, necessarily reading coverage and looking at linebackert the minion. I'm looking just for big plays as time I was the only you understand to look at. You know, formational alignments from a defensive standpoint, are there any pressure tails indicative when it comes to how limbacker's feet are, also how guys going to play and the fence, certain blocks you can of anticipate certain reads.
But I think, like anything else, reperti is the mother of learning.
So the more you hear it, the more you hear it, the more you see it, the more you do it, the better become anything.
Yeah, you know the crazy thing about it, it's the subtle stuff. It's the hand placement, it's the footwork, it's how somebody's lined up. The uniqueness of the greatest players that in a split second can do something that one tenth of one percent of the entire world is capable
of doing because of their strength or athleticism or their instincts. Right, And that's the beauty of watching tape because if you really slow it down and watch it over and over and over again, it almost paints a different picture every time, don't you agree.
It's like watching poetry emotion of time.
And I think you know that's why I oftentimes get irritated when people speak about athletes football player in general not being intelligent. You have to be highly intellectual to be able to understand and diagnose some processing and a split second and make a full speed decision with the.
Game in the line.
So I think it's it's all about, you know, kind of what you commit yourself to, and as you mentioned before, the greats becoming the greats because of their habits and with the repeat on a regular basis, but also what they can kind of do a really good job of with Tennessees.
That's what I try to.
Do a really good job with the offense of how we marry formations and motions and even just talk citible about his mechanics and demeanor in the pocket proof that wise they're gonna keep everything off of your hand placement that you grab a tael before the ball comes any manner and they can pick up on them for the balla so try to be as uniform as possible.
They can't get a key on when the ball's gonna be snapped.
You know, it's almost And I play baseball, so I always used to hitch before I threw, and sometimes if a fast runner.
He got me, you know, but exactly almost almost every quarterback taps before they throw.
Though, to me, that's an indicator, right, but it is part of the ritual that you grew up with or your you can't, I mean, it's just you, right. Do you find that interesting that a lot of quarterbacks tap it first.
Yeah, I think it just goes back to habits.
I think whether you create good habits and bad habits, it is still define who you are. And so, as you mentioned, a lot of qbs do kind of pat the ball before the ball comes out.
I remember being in LA listening.
To idb's coaches talk about pattern match and reading key e ball out break wileos got to make their breaks off of a kep pats balls about to come out, so they we go trigger and drive on the ball, which to me, if you're aware that from a quarterback standpoint, you can play off of that and you can dumb me tap, make a defensive drive for double moves and
throw the ball behind them. So, but it's definitely all about kind of playing the game within the game, and also how much can you disguise and minimize the tennessees you kind of exposed to the other opponent.
So with that being said, when you watched it and watch it, watch it again, and watch it again, and you'll watch it again with the team. What are some things that you feel are correctible from the tape from yesterday's game.
Yeah, the execution first and foremore as far as our assignments, our details, and how we execute the players if they plays become just wines on the sheet until you bring to life something.
The more clear that we can.
Give our guys a better understanding, the better they can execute. Opposite getting played a really good football team. This is just the NFL that there's no d League of the NFL, So it's the best of the best that are here, and so.
We can and we out.
You going to face really good opponents with really good players, and so have to be ready for that challenge to.
Be up to it. I think also when it comes.
To separating, you know, motivation and confidence from actually execution, I think our guys were definitely motivated, they were definitely confident.
We had a really good week of preparation.
But the game, the execution is what matters the most when it comes from winning and losing football.
Games, and with that becomes the psyche of a player or a team.
Do you do you feel that you have a.
Pretty firm grasp on the overall psyche of the team, especially one that now has unfortunately lost seven games in a row, because that could go many different ways. But you've been there the whole season, and it's not just now that you're in charge. You have had a good sense of it, but the hopes of a winning season for example, our dash, but now it's about just putting your best foot forward for the final four.
Do you have a good sense of that from these guys?
Yeah, I mean I feel like I do. I mean, I've seen time you drop seven in a row. I'm not gonna say the cycle is going to be in a great spot. That would be unrealistic and not a true statement. But I think as far as our guys belief in themselves and ability better fix things and get better, that's not lost. I think there's definitely still a good continuity in locker room as far as they're belief in each other, which is one of the big points of emphasis I want to make last week as far as
stay connected, unifying as a football team. So he had an opportunity to concede and move forward and ultimately, like we're all paid to do our jobs and so regardless of feelings, those don't really matter.
I think feelings come and go.
As a grown man, you have to do stuff sometimes that you don't feel like doing. Our responsibility is to attack every single day and be it at best.
And this converges with the Monday night game national attention. They're they're gonna be looking at us, They're gonna be poking at us, They're gonna be looking at you know what's next and everything. How do you plan on telling these guys, Hey, listen, man, this is us on Monday Night. I mean, we we gotta, we gotta stay together, which I don't doubt you won't, uh, but we gotta, we gotta. We gotta really play some really good football against this Minnesota Viking outfit.
Yeah. I think my missus continue to say the same.
As far as the outside no is I think it becomes harder for our player the times because it's a social media generation, so everybody looks at their phone and watch every TV show.
I don't look at anything with purpose of the football season.
I don't really care about the outside world or what their thoughts are.
Even if it's positive, then it don't help me.
Do my job any better, and so I'll keep the same miss as far as he has a primetime game, Yes, Monday night football, Yes, the whole world is watching. But the most important thing is how to prepare and being able to play at our best when it met.
Us the most.
Yeah, I mean, i'd imagine that's super difficult. Yeah, it is difficult because that phone man, that thing lights up. It was lighting up during the broadcast for me, and I'm like, I can't.
Look I turn notifications off, and you I do.
Uh. I do have a little small Instagram deal. I scroll past certain things. I don't even look at it. Even if it's positive, it doesn't matter. I'm just keep scrolling and look at something different. So I think, you know, diet is is definitely you know, what you put into your body, but also die is also what you allowed to go.
Into your ears and also in your eyes.
So that's I don't care who you are, what you think, that will still have an effective use from a subconscious standpoint, So I choose always ignored and block it out, particularly do a football season.
I need to take that advice from you as well.
Buddy.
It's hard, Yeah, hard, it is hard. Uh, let's talk about something.
I want to talk about Jandre Swift because when Homer goes down, No Roa Sean, he's the man, right.
You got Darien ton Evans there, but he's he's been around for three years.
But I hasn't been here much this season, and I was looking at the workload, okay, because it was going to be him in the second half, and clearly that long drive was a part of it.
But is he capable of a good heavy workload?
I went back and looked last season against Minnesota went twenty eight for one to seventy five, twenty one for seventy three against Carolina this year. So he's capable of handling a big load if necessary.
There's no doubt about it.
I think he's in the right mindset, in the right framework as far as how you compete him prepares every single day. But the issue sometimes would come to that position is how bald it can be. It's a very valid position. So I think playing running back every single snap to getting hit by multiple people you've been asked to hit people for because very few stamps that are kind of ended up being non contact downs for running back.
I think he's he's taking on the task.
He wants to be in the entire time and sometimes you got a saving from himself, you know, so he doesn't wear himself down, but you want to have that mentality brought to it the other way.
And then what did you think you know, as a as a great player watching great players, you never get sick watching greatness.
And Keenan Allen, is.
That the fastest to nine hundred and fifty catches in one hundred and fifty games?
Has it turned out?
Now?
Eleven thousand yards? Six to active There's only fourteen players that have a thousand catches in the NFL, So just to I know, it's in a losing effort, but that's significant.
It's kind of cool.
He's part of the Bears, although he's been you know, the La Chargers guy, but to have that happen in this game.
Yeah, like you.
Said before me so kind of gets overshattered the times because of our record and losing football games.
But greatness is greatst as you.
Mentioned, he's been one of the best for a very long time and continue to prove it.
So to be consistent. I said it back in training camp. I think the guy is on.
Guarded but when he wants to be able to kind of have some one on win opportunity. So good team to Cold continue to prove himself every single day and we'll con see to find ways to get him involved.
Do you feel like within a dune's sake, still learning obviously, but a good connection with Kleb, you got cole Comet, you got DJ, you got Keenan other players as well, that that these guys all are capable of being uncomfortable.
There's no question.
I think that's that's the benefit of having the guys that we have, and we have we.
Have displayed at times.
Then they say showcase itself yesterday, but I would said that the previous game before the three in a row gets three of the best in the league.
Those guys consistently made plays.
Then team to find ways to get him open, and obviously Callab has found him as far as with accurate ball plays, rhythm and timing.
That's definitely important. And you obviously mentioned.
Rome Rome as a is uh the youngest of all that bunch, But I mean that dude is because to me, I was already special in the team to be special in the future because he's super detailed and lucid rock Runner has really strong, aggressive hands, so love all those guys kind.
Of get involved in the game, all right, not looked.
We got a long week.
So last question, what's it going to be like getting in the ring again, going to the toe Brian Flores.
Yeah, I mean he's one of the best in the league, if not the best. I think he actually did reach out to me after the first time we played him, which I think was was great of him, and I do appreciate that reaching out. Tommy and I exchanged a couple of texts with him. But it's gonna be hard, and it was the first time. I once you kind of show your hand and explore yourself. He does a great job. But adapting tojustin to give you some new looks.
That defense probably has the most disguised to the vidio of the league. So I'll be about trying to prepare our guys the right way, particularly you know Caleb from a quarterback stand, put up understanding different looks, how to diagnose things fast, but also the ball distribution and put the ball in play and you know, not losing the game because of the stuff that they do.
As far as how they impact the coverage units.
You might have follow up on that with him. How rare is that? And had you guys a previous relationship And I.
Met him one time briefly just at the combine, just kind of just walking in past and I just told him how much respect I had for him, introduced myself to him, and kind of just kept kept moving. So not much dialogue before that, but I think it was
really cool and also a humming of him himself. Again, he is regard as one of the best, if not the best, in the league at his role, and so I think it's also a good testament to the display we had from off of the stampoints you Garner respected one of the best in the league and it'll be a tough test for us on Monday Night football.
That was pretty cool. That's a pretty cool story. Thank you so much, appreciate the time. As Bears head coach Thomas Brown, We'll get reaction from Jim and Tom after a break here on ESPN one thousand, This is Bears Weekly on the Chicago Bears Radio Network.
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This winner Jeff Joning, Act, Tom There and Jim Meta from Serious XMNFL Radio get your reactions. You know, Thomas gave us a little bit, you know, more, he talks Morey's available, Jim. He gives you some insight into what he's all about as a football man. I got a kick out of that interview.
Well, I mean he's got a lot on his plate, you know, like you said, you know, you know, you've got the big picture, the micro and macro macro views, so to speak, and you know he's trying to put everything together but yet still try to develop young players. Here he's talking about Roma Dunsa and in Caleb and so that they're all on the same page. So there
is a lot ongoing. There's been a huge disruption. I would think it would be more settled this week, and like you said, it'll be in primetime in a big matchup and there's plenty of play for for everybody involved.
Big time.
What he thought, you know, I just like the seriousness and this tone of voice and the preparation.
As Jim was talking about, how you get to learn a little bit more about him.
Every single time that you get to interview him and week to listen to him. And I'm really interested to see is the second time around inside the division, how he would subtle changes he has his game planning, how it affects the team on the field to play, and then how the team comes out. It gives a representation of respect to Thomas Brown because this is still going to be an emotional team. Minnesota's got a lot to play for. The Chicago Barrets players should have a lot.
To play for as well. And whether you know whatever, you think, Caleb is the future of this football team. And so you got to do everything and you're possible to continue his development and his protection to make sure that he gets through the game he plays as well as he can possibly play, continue the development that relationship with Roman duns in all the offensive assets and let's roll this on Monday night football and walk away with something you can be proud of.
I felt strongly about what he had to say to the media at his morning news conference as well, because you know.
They felt that they were ready to go.
But you know, inspiration is different than execution, and the execution wasn't always there, and that was in both run or excuse me, offense and defense. Obviously, fell as Tommy, you can jump in.
Yeah, I'm one hundred percent with you. And you know that's the interesting thing about it is because you have that.
Worktime on the airplane home, you have the worktime when you got there this morning. I'm sure that he was up and at him early before he met the press. And now what you have to do is you have to go in there and see how to address the football team when you get to meet with.
Him for the first time before this game. You got to see how.
You're going to talk to Eric Washington about the adjustment you'd possibly make on defense, and then what he's thinking in the offense and where he's going with the good things they did in the first game, the good things they did yesterday, and where they can go with more immediacy. Try to make those first and second quarters as profitable as you've been able to do in the second halfs
throughout these games. So start fast, get Caleb, you know, off to a fast, fresh start, and then get on the attack.
Jim And yeah, of course of your career, just observing and analyzing. Is there a common denominator for slow starts for teams?
Well, I mean when you fire your head coach, you'd like to think there's a sense of urgency, right, But I think with that disruption, like I said, and things should be more settled this week because when the Iberus Eberflus was let go, now it's set in place a chain of events, right, Eric Washington now elevated to the defensive play caller. Here Thomas Brown, who was just elevated to call plays, now he's elevated to now delegate to
the whole team. Now he's now got to spread his time thin now talking to Eric Washington, how is he gonna call a game? So there's a lot of working parts here is my point that Tom that has been put on Thomas Brown's plate. And yeah, I think that sense of urgency was there. I think that's real. I
think everything's authentic about what the coach said. But with the situation last week, it'll be more settled this week because that is a lot of disruption for one coach to go through, and he basically changed his hats three different times in the last three weeks. Thomas Brown has all having different requirements that that are that are being asked out of those jobs, and so I think we could give him a little bit of a break, but I would think it'd be much more settled this week.
How tom Oh, sorry, Jimmy, Tommy. Defensively, Thomas mentioned also in that about communication issues on the back end of the defense. Those are things second, in my opinion, unless I'm wrong, easily corrected.
Well, you know, anything in the NFL is not easily corrected, but you have to do it, as he said repetitiously, and the more you do it, the better understanding you get in, the better you play, the better you understand each other. But the Bears have a group of veterans in the defensive backfield with Kevin Byard and Jalen Johnson and.
Now Tarik Stevenson has the experience, and they've gone through a couple of other secondary safeties and they have Kyler Gordon. So all these guys they have to be up to stuff in their communication because they got to be able to control tight end, a couple of good receivers, a quarterback that's really playing well right now, and they have a back that catches the ball well out of the backfield. So however that back seven, back eight, they work together. They have to do it and being on the same
page every single play, every single down and distance. And when you talked about Thomas Brown, how you watch tape, the Bears have to make sure that they put in their tape study to see if they can get any hints or clues or keys before the ball has ever snapped.
Tom what would be the impact if Javon Dexter can't go? We don't do't We're not gonna know injuries really until Thursday at least. So Travis Homer, Jan Dray, Carter all left the game obviously as well. Homer concussion, Downdray Carter ankle, Travon Dexter ankle.
Well, you know Zach Pickens recently came back. You have DeMarcus Walker, you have Coward.
You have guys that are reversible, changeable and can play up and down the line of scrimmage. You may even have to explore some opportunities by putting Montese sweat on the inside at the three technique defensive tackle to see if he can give you some immediacy of pressure on the inside there, because then that's going to change the responsibility of the offensive line at the last second and
they're gonna have to talk about make an adjustment. So I think when you look at guys, even like Daniel Hardy and the rest of the outside pass rushing crew, they.
Have versatility within this defense alignement. So if you can do something that's unsuspected by the offensive line in their preparation during the week, maybe you can create a little confusion and a little apprehension on their protection that gets you to Darnold a little earlier.
You know, Tom mentioned the name of Daniel Hardy, and Jim, I don't know that you had a chance to meet him when you were at Bears training camp this year.
But this is a guy who he got here the hard way, right.
He definitely overlooked and then he plays constantly hair on fire. So he and I'm in a band Lamimiga are special teams tackle leaders, and that was an area that also was recognized by Thomas Brown. As being that that was the violent, physical, very good play yesterday from Special Teams.
Those two guys are a part of it.
Hardy heard from again on Special Teams that that can't be understated. We only focus obviously on offense because it's Caleb Williams. He's the number one pick, he's the future. And then how we talk defense by boy. Special teams has had some good moments.
Yeah, they really have. And you know, obviously Hardy I remember him in the in the preseason. He did he played with his hair on fire. Like you said, he had an impact and you know and all that and and that needs to continue because like you said, now when guys are a little bit banged up here, you know Tom's talking about Pickens is obviously his numbers in his snap totals could go up. It's this is the point in time of the year where everybody's got to
grab an oar. It truly is how deep is your roster. Everybody's got to help out and you're going to be expected to play. And other teams have been able to weed through uh that you know that part of their schedule and these are the games that normally you want to be in. That matter right end of the year division matchups, and that's what's going to be key in this game for the Bears. I thought it was interesting
because Minnesota just played the Falcons. Jesse Bates the safety of the Falcons, you know, he said, we did not play as a secondary to the physical stature of the Vikings. Well, what does that mean. You've got Justin Jefferson and you've got Addison who basically climbed the ladder and made a big catch in their game. But Jesse Bates said, that's
where they failed. And we interviewed actually Rahiem Morris today, head coach of the Falcons, and he said that, he said, yeah, we did not when it came time to contest the past where we need to play bigger and make the plays. We did not and that's where they thought they failed. And obviously this is going to be a big test for the Bears secondary.
Again, to the secondary, I know it, to the secondary.
Also want to talk Tory Taylor had a good day, a really really good day bombing punts for sure. So when we come back, Matt Pryor, we'll listen into a conversation that's coming up next here on Bear's Weekly on ESPN one thousand and the Bears Radio Network.
Bear's Weekly with Jeff Joniak on the Bears Radio Network. Well, welcome back to Bears Weekly on the Bears Radio Network. Here's your host up Bears, Jeff show you.
This segment of Bears Weekly is brought to you by CDW people to get it, Jeff, Tom and Jim Miller from Serious XM NFL Radio. Getting things ready for the Minister of the Vikings. Early start of the week for us, well, Monday night at one of the best stadiums, if not the best stadium in the National Football League's going to be loud. Vikings are currently on a roll. Will dig into them in a moment, But first a portion of
an interview I did. This was a little while ago, so this is prior to Thomas Brown being elevated to head coach. But Matt Pryor the Bears starting right guard, just his experience so far with with the head coach.
You know, it's just a different energy. He carried himself well, and you know he left the room filled his energy and you know, just just as mindset of you know, being physical up front and you know, getting solidified in the run, which is what's I think helped offense kind of you know, expand on plays is getting in there and being able to run the ball and running it early and then not only that, but getting the ball to our playmakers playmakers early, and you know, that's what
he's doing a great job of doing. And just as my set, you know, the physicality, physicality and uh you know, playing offense and upfront. He's really hard on the stuff front. So uh, you know, it's just it's good.
Do you like that?
You are you a guy that likes being coached hard?
Yeah?
Yeah, I mean, uh yeah, I like I like hard coaching. You know, some some people don't respond to it well. But you know, I've had my whole career, not only in the league but in college, so it's not new, you know. Yeah, yeah, you know, I came from Philly, so you know, you got coach all in there, and Coach Allen's going to coach you hard, but you know he means it, will buy it, So you know, I'm used to it.
I like it.
And you don't have a problem of physicality because you're the biggest guy around. And you don't have a problem of physicality because you're the biggest guy around. There's only so many people walking the planet, Like I'm Matt pryor.
Yeah, yeah, man, I mean obviously you play online, you got to like being physical, so uh, you know, it comes with the territory.
How does your length wingspan which is massive and you and I have talked before on the radio side just about using that link, but how do you use it to your advantage and not have it become a negative because sometimes if there's a shifty or smaller guy and get on of you.
And yeah, I mean I think with the shifter guy it comes more down to being patient and you know, throwing your hands. But you know, obviously it's a lot more. I don't know how to put it, but like the complexity and being taller in the entier has its, you know, weaknesses and pros. But it's a lot quicker in engagement when you're on the inside compared to being out on the edge. So you know, I kind of use that to my advantage on you know, dudes with shorter arms
and whatnot. But you know, it's it's it is kind of shifty with the quicker guys just because you don't know what they're going to do, so it just comes down to being a little more patient and throwing your hands.
Following your timeline, You've been through organizations that really value run in the football from indeed Philly, certainly San Francisco, certainly here too.
I would take that as a compliment.
Yeah, because they're investing in a guy like yourself.
Yeah. Yeah, man.
They did a great job in all three places I've been at run the ball, and you know here they fall suit and you know, just being being able to go out there now and you know, getting that job done, it's great, especially when you have you know, the runners we have in a Swift and Rosauran and you know, allowing them to go out there and do what they do.
How do you feel when people talk about your versatility do you look at it as a positive?
Obviously everybody says you can do in the league.
But for a guy like yourself, I don't know what you envisioned when you came into this league. What you wanted obviously want to start, but where and all that. But because they keep moving you around.
I say, when when I first came in, I expected to be a tackle and I kind of got tricked. I'm not gonna say tricked, but I went to my thirty visit. I went out to dinner and sat down with Stout and Chung, the assistant O line coach, and they kind of baited me into saying I want to
I'm a tackle, and Stout didn't like that. You know, It's kind of when when you're a young guy, and when I got drafted there they had all pro you know, offensive line, Brooks, Lane, JP Kelse, Yeah, and uh, you know me going there, I was like, man, I'm never going to play just because you know the how good that old line was. So you know, the only way I see I could get on the fields if I was able to play everything. So that's kind of what I try to do. But you know, obviously everybody wants
to just settle down into one position. But you know, when it comes out like this year, I had to play tackle. But you know, if it comes down to me having to go out there, I don't have no issue. You know, I'm I'm a team guy. I'm gonna do whatever the team needs.
And that really is the story on Matt Pryor, Tommy, is your area of expertise, give us, give us an update on this young man.
And he's a delightful. Guy loves being here too.
He loves playing well, you know the thing about it, and body size is no longer or only isolated to one position. If you have the athleticism, the bendability, and the mental part of the game, then you're going to be plugged in anywhere you can possibly help out the offensive.
Line the most. And we saw Matt move around the offensive line up and down wherever they needed the most.
But I do think when you have a player of his talent and his ability, and the longer he can play one position longer, the more familiar he becomes with all the nuances of that position, how he can be most beneficial to the right tackle, how he can help out the center the most. And then the offensive coordinator gets to learn a little bit about what his strengths are in what type of plays that you can run directly behind him, how you could use them as a
pulling athlete out in front of the plays. And then on pass plow what can he do at his best to make sure that you can put the protection in the place where you use that big body, that big size. So the more that you keep a guy in one spot, the more you learn about his strengths and vulnerabilities, and then I think the more you can build an offensive game plan around the consistency of have an offensive.
Line in place.
Jimmy, you like that big size on the interior help you out?
Yeah? Absolutely, I mean you got the big guards, and you know, because I wasn't running anywhere, so the firmer the better up there to shore it up a little bit. But you know, it's so much of a space game. We know the tackle's got to be able to move. And then when you have the versatility and flexibility like prior, he can play more than one position, which always helps, and that's going to add your value to a roster. Obviously, the sack totals have been a problem. I mean they
lead the league in sacks. It has to get better, not only from a upfront standpoint, but from a quarterback standpoint as well, processing and get rid of the ball a lot faster as well. We'll see where it goes here as they close out the season.
All right, when we come back, we'll preview the matchup on Monday night against the Vikings, and our final segment. This is Bears Weekly on ESPN one thousand and the Bears Radio Network.
Is Bears Weekly with the voice of the Bears for twenty four years, Chef Jon Chef on the Bears Wadio network.
The segment The Bears Weekly brought to you by Athletico Physical Therapy. Visit Athletico dot com to request that in clinic or virtual deployment. It's dark Feeling better tomorrow. Final moments here on Bears Weekly. Down there, Jim Miller, Jeff Joniac So by this quarterback.
Darnold.
I think his first name is Sam. Where is this coming from twenty eight touchdown passes? Five yesterday?
I think, Jim.
The more remarkable thing is justin Jefferson caught us first touchdown pass since week three, but five. I've all told he and Jordan Addison danger.
Yeah, he's playing with a lot more confidence.
You know.
It was interesting. I was watching Caleb Williams his mannerisms out in San Francisco on the bench when they saw me. You just see him taking a deep breath, kind of rolling his eyes a little bit. That looked like Sam Donald back for the New York Jets days, you know. But now you look at Sam Donald, he looks like he's in control.
You know.
I think you see how big his arm is. He's athletic, he can move around, he can make plays, and coach O'Connell really has done a good job with his decision making. He still has some turnover issues, but they've been able to overcome it and they've been able to win with Sam Donald. So I think it's a remarkable comeback story. So Gino Smith and now he probably add Sam Donald to the mix. He looks very relaxed this year.
Tommy.
You know, it's I have really admired what Donald has done because there's a lot of people that thought that his career was basically on the over and actually when they started at training camp, I thought they brought him into be a camp arm for JJ McCarthy. But they obviously have done a good job of coaching him.
But then you look at the offensive assets that he's there, not only from their running back with Aaron Jones and the tight end Hockinson and the rest of the receivers
he's had. He's really taken advantage of his opportunity and he's done a nice job developing and I think the Bears have an opportunity to get right back on track by limiting his success, putting pressure on him getting the ball out of his hands quickly and get yourself an interception or two to get your defense back in the right side of the ball.
And I just wonder what floor is the defensive coordinator has in store for this one at home. Things he didn't really show in the first meeting because they didn't blitz a ton on Caleb Williams in that game the first week time.
We miss Yeah, Kayla was throwing completion So the thing about a blitzing coach is you throw completions, then you don't blitz.
Them very much.
Jim, if you feel the same, yeah, you just just got them.
Make sure you get completions and they'll get out of the blitz. Totally agree.
All right, it's gonna be an interesting matchup as get back in the Division four pack of games. To wrap things up, Jim, thanks again for taking the time to join us. Appreciate you, buddy.
Always fun. Good to be with you guys.
All right, that's.
Gonna wrap us up for Tom Fayer and Jim Miller, and special thanks to Thomas Brown and Matt Pryor.
I'm Jeff Jonny Act.
Thanks to Eric Ostrowski, Dan Really and Jordan tread Up and of course, Eric Ostrowski is our executive producer the Bears Ready Network. Thank you, Justin Pottinger. Coming up next, We've got Black and Abdalla. This has been Bears Weekly on the new radio home of the Bears ESPN Chicago.
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