Previewing Bears-Falcons | All Access

This is Bears All Access. Jeff Jonnyak and Tom Thayer from news Radio seven eighty and one oh five point out FWBBM with our producers Jordan Trutup and Dan Barelli. We thank you and the guys at the score, we break down tomorrow's kickoff betweugh the Bears and Falcons from the Mercedes Benz domat Atlanta. We got a lot on the docket. Here. We'll hear from the play by play voice of the Atlanta Falcons, West Durham. We'll hear from safety to Sean Gibson, a chunk of our feature interview,

and our Bears player profile. To hear on Bears Game Day Live Sunday morning at ten thirty on Fox. We'll touch on the passing of the Great Gayl Sayers the age of seventy seven. We'll talk about that and here from some of the players and coaches involved in this week's game. Tom, how are you looking at this matchup? I think it's a game that the Bears should have the confidence to go in there and win. Along their development path. That's the unique thing about the Bears early

in this season. They still have a ways to go to eventually be the team they have the capabilities of being. But I think confidently they should go down to Atlanta and really have the belief that they're the favorite team against the O and two Falcons. Health is wealth. That is the new catchphrase. I guess health is wealth because if you keep your health, you're gonna earn your paycheck. You're gonna help your football team. And right now the Bears are knockout Wood is about as healthy as any

team in the league. You still have a limited label on Kaloe Mack and his sore knee, and then you got the Atlanta Falcons. Julio Jones, Tech McKinley, Klea McGarry, the right tackle, and Ricardo Allen. He is out. That's been the injury report all week for the Falcons. It's long, Yeah, it is, and I think that's going to be the norm, maybe early in this season or throughout the whole process. But I look each team, they have the luxury of

having a bigger roster. When you talk about that sixteen man practice squad, it's gonna pay dividends throughout the season. And like you said, health is wealth. But I think the guys that are always thought, man, I don't know if I'm ever going to get an opportunity to play in the NFL. I would just be prepared and waiting for that opportunity to come, and when it does, I'd make the most of it. John Jenkins is out going to be out at least three games with a thumb injury.

They brought up a Daniel mccullors from the Pittsburgh practice squad, but he's got experience. Massive guy, massive guy in size eighteen shoes. Well, he's got a six seven, three hundred and forty pounds frame. He plays low, he uses good center of gravity no matter how tall he is. And now you're talking about you better can't dedicate two offensive linemen to him if the point of attack is going to be in that interior position. And we don't know if he'll be active or not with his debut and

maiden voyage with the Bears, but certainly an option. I want to go to Bill Laser toom the offensive coordinator at good things to say about the developing improvement of the offensive line, and in particular, I think we both were very impressed with the physicality of James Daniels. You should keep getting better, right, I mean, this is the point where guys really in their careers start taking off.

So so hopefully it's a it's a good match with how he's being coached, and you know, hopefully there's a good continuity with the guys next to him. I'm you know, the two guys on both sides of him. I think you put all those things together with a guy who really wants to be good. I mean, I think this is the time in his career where you'd like, naturally to see him take off. So hopefully that's what we're seeing.

And next to him it's Charles Leno Junior and Cody white Hair with long consecutive game start streaks, right, And I think they're really fortunate right now that they can keep James at one position. Yeah, he may be the emergency center if they ever did get into that need. But now James being able to develop at the left guard position. Countless amount of reps with Charles Leno and the amount of reps that you can get with Cody

white Hair. It's as valuable as his role itself. Is how offensive line works together, and we've seen some really considerable development from the end of last year to where they're at going into Game three. For me, the biggest development is the nasty. The nasty. Last week he was nasty. He was looking for somebody to hit, and he did so in a very aggressive manner. Wanca steel finish. That's

the whole finish. You know, they talk about being physical, but they talk about finishing and that's what you're seeing out of James. All right. Coming up next, we're gonna visit you with a voice of the Atlanta Falcons West Durham coming up next on Chicago Sports Radio six seventy The Score. Hey Bears fans, it's important to stay connected now more than ever, and at Motorola we love Mega 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 motto Jeff Joni Actom There back on Chicago Sports Radio six seventy the Score. This is Bears All Access, brought to you by IGS Energy. Welcoming in the long time legendary voice down to the south of the Atlanta Falcons, my brother West Durham. He's always been real kind to me. You know. That's that southern hospitality that we'll miss this week because we won't

see you, but we'll be thinking about you. How are you doing. I'm great. It's good to be with you guys, and uh and welcome to twenty twenty in the NFL where we do things virtually, but we'll miss seeing you.

And heck, I gotta be honest, I missed the opener because of some testing issues and things like that, so you know, uh, first game i'd missed, a second game I'd missed in seventeen years doing these games, but came back in time to do my first virtual football game last Sunday, and man, that was that was hard to take. Fellas I'm not gonna lie to you, but great to be with you, so as it's to be nice about it, as I can't as it's unraveling before your eyes. I

know the angst and the pressure. We want, we want our teams to win, but is it's just you can't you have no control of watching what's happening and your team's devolving. What's going through your head as you call the game, because you know, we compartmentalize things, but we're

looking at it also from a fan's perspective. Absolutely, And you know, it's funny because I had a conversation on Tuesday this week with somebody who's kind of been with the organization as long as I've been doing the games, and they said, okay, in terms of the gut punches, is that top three? And I said, well, everybody knows what number one is, so yeah, it's not far behind. Because I really felt like, but you know, Jeff, you

and Tom have done the game so long together. When you do the games and you kind of know one another, you can say early in the game, and Dave Archer, who's been with me and Jeff, you've known arts for years. Dave put it in great concepts early when Atlanta did not score touchdowns after those turnovers, and in the league, especially this league, you know you've got to be able to maximize stuff like that in short field, and the Falcons didn't get it done. So when they were kicking

field goals, arts sat on the air. I hope we don't come back to regret not getting touchdowns. And sure enough, when Dallas got to score late in the game and they put the other one on the board, we knew, good and well it was going to come down to recovering the onside kick. And it is disappointing. It is discouraging because it's gonna be hard given the schedule for

this team. Now the challenges. You got to shake the mental thing and get ready to play Chicago, Then you got to go to Green Bay on a Monday night. Then you come back and play a Panthers team that's also looking for a stride in your first division game. And look, we're in this thing and these teams are going through all this stuff, the fans are going through it. So it just it almost exclamates every game, and so therefore it's hard to start oing two. But they got

to get it. They got to find it quick because it's not going to be easy the rest of the way. Hey, West, what side of the ball has the opportunity to absorb the pressure. You know, Bears, they're still a developing offense competition at the quarterback position. They have higher expectations out of the Bears defense. But when you look at Atlanta met Matt Ryan MVP. You got Dan Quinn control with and Raheem Morris on the defense. But so what side

can absorb the pressure? You know, all the back's needed in Atlanta. Well, I think the interesting thing is, Tom, had you told me that who Jones is gonna be full go this week, I would tell you the offensive side, we're not sure where he is. Quite frankly, I'm not sure he'll play. That's just me personally. The injury list the guys that were out of practice was nine ten deep on Wednesday, So let's see kind of where this

is by Sunday, I would say. Offensively, although they struggled to run the ball again, defensively, we were awfully encouraged by the way last season ended and the way it finished, going six and two in the second half. The offense and the defense seemed to be really kicking in and yet here, you know, you look at the two quarterbacks Atlanta's played in the first two weeks, the numbers are

like sky high. I mean, Russell Wilson's playing at an incredible level, and then Prescott got it got it going last week. After the early struggles, he started to find the group in the second half. But I'd still side to the offense in terms of a group that can withstand the flurry and still bring it every week. I think.

All right, I got a weird question for you going into the week three this season, when Dan Quinn and the coaches put together your practice squad, do you have the type of bodies with experience on that practice squad that maybe can come in and fill the void if you do have multiple injuries at one position, even to contribute depth wise. Yeah, I think they can, especially as it relates to linebacker. I think they feel like they kept a couple of guys there that are really important

to them. I think the other end where they probably helped themselves more than anything else, is they kept the slot receiver guy. You know, if Jones goes down and they've got to make a one week exception, They've probably feel like they can push a guy from that squad up the offensive line. They've moved some guys through transactions. They brought John Wetzel back. I mean, if if let's say they have an offensive lineman go down, they probably okay there. The area that concerns me the most is

probably the secondary. They get a big injury in the secondary again like Ricardo Allen, who you know, left the game, that could be something that could handcuff them long term. They've got a lot invested in a j. Terrell. They've obviously elected to go Isaiah Oliver at the other corner. But Keyan O'Neil, and you guys know this, Keano O'Neil's only played four games in the last two years prior to this season. That was really really difficult for them

to take. And so they need to stay healthy. There's no question about that. West Durham, our guests, the voice of the Atlanta Falcons is the Bears get ready to go down to Georgia. This is Chicago Sports Radio six seventy the score. You mentioned Keyan O'Neil. He's a guy who just throws that body around with reckless abandon and I will not forget the twenty seventeen opener when he whacked Tarik and three remembers it too. Is he still

play that way. Yeah he does. And that's with you know, two years ago going through an injury on opening night, right and then comes back and last year they lose him in Indianapolis to an achilles injury. But yeah, he still brings it. And the amazing thing is a couple of years ago they signed this kid, Demante Kyz from San Diego State, where they can move Neil to the nickel.

They bring Kaz into play, and you know, most teams now or what, they're three to three five now for the most part, and Atlanta gets into that nickel almost on every down. And with Kz on the field, he's as physical as Neil is. The funny thing about him is he's twenty five pounds lighter, but they get pretty physical in the middle of the field, just like DQ's teams did in Seattle. And I think that's one of

their calling cards for sure. Hey, West, when you look at the centerpieces of your offensive defensive line, Alex Mack and center Grady Jared on the defensive line six foot three hundred and two pounds, the guys explosive. Man. I've always liked him as a player, but I've also liked Alex Mack. There are two roles on this team. When you look at them, oh and two, are they the guys that can come in and be the leadership type

of personalities you need? Yeah, I think so. I think especially in the case of Jared Tom I think that when I look at Grady Jared, I see the prototypical, you know, one technique in the NFL now right. He's a guy who's gonna be point of attack. He's slick, He's a little Aaron Donald Leish if you will, in terms of size and space. I'm excited about his fewer I thought he got a well deserved contract. He's a local kid, so everybody here rallies to all of that.

He played at Clemson, so all those things have built him to succeed here. And he's been a pleasure to work with from our standpoint, but also within the franchise, he's a lot. He's a big community guy, which is huge. But in times like this, I think Grady Jared's voice counts. I think it counts a lot in that room. I think the other guy whose voice Alex mackew mentioned, I

think Matt Ryan is also that guy. Matt Ryan. Every quarterback is the face of a team, but Matt Ryan has because of the experience he's had here and the years in the investment he's put in this community. He's as much the heartbeat of the team as anybody else is now too. And it's interesting. He's aged beautifully, as I tell him. He hates when I say it, but he's aged beautifully because of all the things he's been through, and it's almost like he understands maybe his cause is

to get this thing back. And I've always been impressed with the way he just handles all of it, from locker room to game, to media to all that. But I think he and Jared are really kind of the heartbeat of the team in many ways on both sides of the ball. Max important, don't get me wrong, But Alex Mike is a quiet guy. He's a he's not a verbal guy. Good interview, not a great interview, you know what I mean. He's just that guy that's steady and shows up every day to snap it. Really, what

do you got with him? My three point three yards to carry? Now? Is it? What's the product here? Because we've seen what he's capable of at this level well, and that's the thing we all came in thinking Okay, you're getting him on a one year deal that LA is responsible for about sixty percent of and you kind of start figuring up games and you think, okay, well, let's see he's playing. He's touched the ball thirty seven

times combination of running pass and two ball games. So you divide it up, and that's a pitch count of about eighteen touches a game. Dirk Cutter threw out twenty to twenty five in the preseason, and I just never felt like that was realistic, to be honest, I think it is what it is at this point, you know, And that's not a cop out answer. I think you've got to invest in Gurley and let him be your guy. You really got to have him in the red zone.

I thought last week one of the times when I was talking about them kicking field goals and not scoring touchdowns, guys, they didn't have Girly in the game. They were going to Edos Smith on short yardage. And I think you gotta go with a muscle back, if you will, and Girly's that and Tom. I'll say this, Jeff, when he's really good, you'll know it early. He was good early against Seattle. He was decent against Dallas, but it tailed

off pretty quick for him. And I don't know if that's just gonna be kind of the up and down we're gonna get through the year or not. I'm interested to see against your front and your front seven, in particular, how Sunday goes for him. Wester of our guest voice of the Atlanta Falcons. So Calvin Ridley, all of a sudden is blowing it up in everybody's mind. But you're on the inside, so you've seen the development yourself. But as a route runner, you are better, aren't they. Yeah,

he's really he came here. I don't want to say he was a this product because the ACC guy and may want don't want to give Alabama that much credit, right, But look at all the guys from Alabama that have gone to the league in the last handful of years. And we can take Jones, who obviously came here a decade ago, but now you look at Cooper Rugs, Ridley, think of all the guys they've just put in the league. Calvin came here incredibly polished, and I think it'll be

fun Sunday with Riley on the other team. To be honest, I just think that's a unique story for those kids. And he's come here and been fantastic, and he's become very quickly a guy who has a voice. He has a voice and is a really good leader. Harry Douglas does some suffering our pre and post games and still

talks to a lot of those guys. And he made the comment a couple of weeks ago that that Calvin Ridley has quietly become one of the leaders with a young team, and some of these younger guys are leaning on him to say, Hey, what do we need to do next? And we're talking about a guy in his third year. We all more in the loss of one of the greats of the game at Gail says, you and I both had the opportunity called Devin Hester's kickoff returns,

and you've called some other great offensive players. But wouldn't you have loved to have just one crack at it. He'd be a challenge to capture him, wouldn't it. I told this story the other day. I met him in nineteen seventy four when I was eight years old at the Final Four in Greensboro, because Kansas was in the Final Four with NC State, UCLA and Marquette and my

dad was a huge GAYL. Sayers guy. My dad loved Gayale Sayers and my dad who was doing the PA at the Final Four though there's another story Joniac for another dinner. My dad was doing the PA and he came and got me in the seats at the Final Four. Between games on that Saturday afternoon, Kansas played Marquete in the afternoon they lost. Ucla played NC State that afternoon. He came and got me and said, I want to introduce you to somebody, and he took me to meet

Gail Says. My dad was just very few times in his life that I ever my dad not be able to generate conversation, but around GAYL. Sayers, he couldn't do it because of my dad had done Brian Piccolo's games in college at wake Forest. Not many people know my dad did wake Forest long before he did North Carolina, and he had done Brian Piccolo's college games, and he knew from Brian's widow Joy how much GAYL. Sayers had met to Brian. And so when my dad went to

meet GAYL. Sayers, he was speechless and to me, I was meeting I was meeting the trading card. I was meeting that three D graphic you got in the cereal box. I was like, holy cow, that's the guy who you know made me want to watch football. I have those cards too, to this day. I always remember my Gayl Sayers cards. And I don't know how anybody in their right mind could ever say anybody ran better big time. Oh no, no, he said A standard and a great story I heard this week, and I knew you've heard

a hundred of them. Was I heard somebody talk about him at the Hall of Fame. And when he would go to Chris Berman said this the other night. When Gayl Sayers would go to the Hall of Fame, everybody in the Hall of Fame went to Gayl says the two guys they would go around. All those guys in gold coats who were great players would go find Gayl Sayers and Jim Brown and say thank you, and they should have. It was at the Hall of Fame that

I was from Mike Singletary's induction. I ran into Gail and it's the rare time I've asked somebody to sign something. And as Tom knows, there's no better penmanship ever in sports by any player. Coach or executive that has put his pen to an item. Gail takes his time. He took his time sending a perfect autograph, Right, Tommy, That's awesome. That is awesome, most perfect penmanship for a Hall of Famer, because he's he signed thousands of autographs, you know, I mean,

so he's he's he's a credible guy. You know what too, is about his his post career success. I think I think it's a little bit understated because he transitioned from a short career into being, you know, a well known businessman here in the Chicago business market. Yeah, my dad passed away from a neurocognitive situation, and I know Gail did too, And it's a it's a it's a hard goodbye in a lot of ways. And so, uh my

prayers and thoughts are with his family and friends. And certainly we've got a lot of close friends in the Chicago area who who my family has known for years, and I know what he meant to that community, and I know what he meant to the NFL. And uh, it's sad. It is sad that, uh that it ends like that, But uh man, what a player, what a talent? What's your quick thirty seconds on what you think you'll see from the Chicago Bears on Sunday. Well, I think

it's a really good team. I like what they've done, uh man. I'm a huge Roquan Smith guy. And Khalil Mike's still being there just delivers a presence that you know, we saw in the NFC South with somebody like Keekley for a long time. You know, when Khalil Mike's on the field, there's there's something there every snap. So I like the front from what I've seen. I think it gets the job done. But it's the linebackers that make the money, and that's the way it should be in Chicago.

And then you know, I knowing Mitchell a little bit from his days at Chapel Hill, I think he wants to let Cohen and Montgomery run the game. And you got some talented guys at wide receiver. I'm expecting this thing to be pretty close. And by the way, Jimmy Graham has done nothing but kill Atlanta in his career, so I can't tell you I'm excited to see him walk through the tunnel at Mercedes Benz on Sunday, for sure. Good nugget to know. Can you leave him an old

hair before the charter leaves. By the way, that's West Durham, Voice of the Atlanta Falcons. Always a pleasure. Thanks for taking out some time, my friend, anytime. Guys, great to be with you. Have a good year. Okay, have a good call you too. That is West Durham, Voice of the Atlanta Falcons. More with Tom after this break on Chicago Sports Radio six seventy the Score. This segment of Bears All Access is brought to you by CDW. People who get it learned more at CDW dot com. Jeff

Jonny Akin. Tom Fair back with you on Bears All Access. Good to have you a lot. Coming up, we'll be talking to Chuck Pocatto, the Bears defensive coordinator, about what has always been in a very successful campaign that the Chicago Bears have reunited with the National Football League and the real Bears fans wear pink shirts that are available for purchase. We'll talk about his battle with cancer over the years and his recovery and what it all means

in the big picture. Tom, let's talk about Cole Commet. We know that he's not getting a ton of snaps right now, finding that patience right, Well, that's you use the word, took the word right out of my mouth. That's about finding patients, making you know, very few got very few times do as a draft choice in that high up have a chance and the luxury of development in development with mentors in front of him that can do the types of things that he's going to need

to do throughout his career. The more he gets on the field, the more I want to target cole Commit. I want to get him actively involved in the passing game early. So now every coordinator long way has to have cole Commit concern. And if you do get him one and a nice time pass early enough on the run, you're going to see yards after the catch. It was a topic broached in his zoom call with reporters that Friday. Yeah. Me,

it takes a lot of patience, you know. Um, you know, going from you know being the guy to now, you know, kind of being in the learning position right now with you know, obviously two bats ahead of me in terms of Demetrius and Jimmy. Is uh something that you know, I got to learn a vacatient with and you know, something that I'm fully embracing right now. So Um, yeah, it definitely takes a lot of patience and you know, just uh, I gotta use it to my advantage, you know,

during the week. Just being able to learn from these guys. It's just it's just invaluable. So you know, just kind of making the most of it right now, and you know, continue to improve each day and you know, staying patient during the whole process. You know, I can I definitely

can see what can happen. And you know, I'm just sticking to my process in terms of coming out to practice every day and showing improvement every day and going week to week and you know kind of just game by game and that and whatnot, and so, um yeah, I know, I definitely can see that happening. I just like, like I said earlier, just a lot about patients at this point. You know, Um, you know, I'm a young player in this league. You know, I'm only twenty one.

I'll be twenty one for this whole whole season, So I got a lot of got a lot to learn, still got a lot of ball play and you know a lot of learns throughout that process. Against the Falcons, do you anticipate at all in terms of position groups? Do you participate more of this two and three tight ends against them, because while they Falcons have speed and athletics, the Bears have size and they could use that through

their advantage and owning that clock tomorrow. Okay, the size of your advantage, JEP, you have to use it by the interior offensive line because when you talk about Grady Jarret six foot three h five Kyler Davison six two three oh nine, that offensive line has to get those guys blocked first, or whatever's on the exterior is not gonna matter. Now, let's bring in the tight ends. If they have solid blocking on the inside, the tight ends offer them the opportunity to run the entire width of

the field and the running game. They can block to the outside, they can get on the move, they can trap, they can run screens. They can really have a lot of develop a lot of opportunities they create for the offense. You know one thing about Cole commit as if I'm a developing offensive guard. Every time I break the huddle, I'm going to the right guard. I'm getting in a three point stants or a two point stands. That's what

I'm doing every single play. Cole commet, he can be in their five plays and being five different positions every plate. That's why there's so much on his plate, so he needs time to develop. It's not just the routine of a right guard. It's a routine of an h back, a fullback, a tight end, a wide receiver. You got a block, you got a trap. You know there's a lot of details. What ultimately where Cole's gonna be at? You got a wham? Who doesn't love a wham? You

gotta Dan, you don't want to wham? I don't need you. I'll tell you. What the Bears need is more great play from the secondary against the Falcons with Calvin Ridley, the unknown of Julio Jones. They've got an outstanding tight end in Hayden Hurst and a guy that me draw the attention of Deshaun Gibson, the veteran safety. Featured tomorrow morning at ten thirty on Fox on Bears Game Day Live with Canalis myself in time there wonderful sit down with him and say, ticked down all the great place

he's made of his career as a ball hawk. Well, you pick six Jake Cutler, the experts quarterback. You pick six Drew Brees. You are the guy who intercepted Deshaun Watson for the first time in his NFL career. You've intercepted Ben Roethlisberger, if I'm not mistaken, you intercepted Pat mahomes All. You got a lot of pelts on the wall with future Hall of Fame quarterbacks. Absolutely, I take pride in that. Man. I got a couple of them

hanging in my sun room. You know, the good ones, the Patrick mahomes and and you know the Drew Brees those was those was got to go on my personal stash, you know. But a couple of them I let him hang on the wall. Man in his room. He think it's the coolest thing game. And man, it'll be like, man, be Ben Roethlisberger actually threw his ball. It's like, yeah, man, that's the real football. So being able to do that, man,

it's pretty cool. Man. I've been fortunate enough to be able to play long enough where I've got my hands on a couple of um, some interesting some some you know, Hall of Fame level quarterback interceptions, man, and those type of things that those are memories that live with you forever and ever, you know, And my kids as they get older, they still understand the importance of it, man, And it's just a cool feeling for sure. Yeah. Throw Matt Ryan and there until your pick six to him. Absolutely,

this secondary, you're in the star studded. I put you in that category too. You're a pro bowler. You have that on your resume with the Cleveland Browns. You had a great year back in fourteen. Six picks a part of a really impressive secondary there too. How does that one with some big names compared to this one with an All Pro and Eddie Jackson. You've got a rookie that's coming on strong at corner and Jaylon Johnson and a two time pro bowler and Kyle Fuller. That's a

decorated secondary. Do you have a bit of a comparison. And maybe it's a part of you being a younger player then and now a veteran player now you've seen a lot. Yeah. I think that this secondary here, man, we have the perfect combination of you know, youth as well as you know, a veteran leadership in presence, and

I think that those things balance out so well. Obviously, you know the talent itself, you know, playing with a guy like Eddie Jackson, you know the things that he can do on the field, not I mean the guys can do. Kyle full of himself. You know, Buster in the slot is you know, one of the best slots in the game. And you know Jalen the way he came on with no reason to not believe that he's trending upwards in a hurry. So you look at that. Man.

I plug myself in there. Man, it's just you look around and you can't help but be comfortable around here. And I think that the communication and just the vibe and the atmosphere, you know, on the back end, I've played in some really good secondaries in my career, but this right here, I think from just like a paper standpoint as well as a talent standpoint. You know, a lot of things can look good on paper, but when you turn on the tape and you know all these

players actually what they're perceived to be on paper. And I think that this secondary bar Nun is probably one of the best, if not the best secondary that I've been a part of. Obviously, the year got to play out, but I'm so excited about being a part of this second day, of being a part of this team, being a part of his defense, in itself. So I think that we continue to get better, continue to grow. Man in this second day, I think the sky's a limit, no reason why we shouldn't be where we want to

be accomplishing our goal. Man as being the top second day in this National Football League. It really is something that this guy has picked six some of these quarterbacks from Drew Brees. He's intercepted Ben Roethlisberger, as we heard in this but he's also done so with Matt Ryan. Tom last year ninety plush yard return as a Houston Texan. Is that in the head of a Matt Ryan, it

is in in the head of the ball hawking Gibson. Well, you know, if you can play on the lead and then you can be a lot more aggressive defensively upfront, and that results of the interceptions on the back side.

So it is gonna be a key ingredient here that the offense has to have some points success in Atlanta, so they can have this offense chasing the dream, trying to take advantage downfield and then Eddie Jackson or Gibson there in the perfect area you get that tip ball, You get good coverage by the corners and buster screen and that's what he's going to take advantage of it. So he should go in there expecting to get an interception. Look as you got in front of you, that group

of guys that are rushing Matt Ryan. Listen, it's different, it's a different monster. You're dealing with what Robert Quinn on the edge than the unknown that they face in Detroit against Matthew Stafford, who is equally as decorated as Matt Ryan. Yeah. Yeah, and you get the pressure. It could mean good things. If you don't, it could mean bad things because he will pick you apart. Matt Ryan

has done it many many times. Right, all right. Coming up next, we'll hear from Chuck Poganto, the Bears defensive coordinator, as we bring you Bears All Access the day before the Bears meet the Falcons down in Georgia. This is Bears All Access on Chicago Sports Radio six seventy the Score. Welcome back to Bears All Access, brought to you by IGS Energy, a proud partner of the Chicago Bears, providing electricity, natural gas, and whole warranty products to over one million

customers across the country. Learn more about IGS Energy at igs dot com. Jeff Joning acc along with Tom Thair and Bears defensive coordinator Chuck Pagatta. Welcome back to Bears all actions. I get you out the Coaches Show and now you're double dipping. It's always a pleasure. Grateful to

be here. Good to be here as well. Let's talk about the NFL US Crucial Catch campaign, the unveiling of the Bears twenty twenty version of the Real Bears Fans where pink T shirts is coming out in partnership with Advocate Healthcare, the official healthcare partner of the Chicago Bears, and your name to this campaign is attached to it

under the big bold letters. If it takes all of us, Chuck, tell us about it, Yeah, you know, going through my circumstances back in two twelve and fortunately coming out on the right side of it, we know that not everybody does make it through. We had a saying back then, n FA nobody fights along, So it does take all of us. And I just feel, you know, very humble and grateful that I can be a part of this and I'm around to help and encourage others anyway I can.

You know there are layers to your journey in this and now it's been what seven years, so you have met a whole new group of people in your life, not only those who cared for you, but those you met afterwards and continue to meet because of your own foundation and your own fundraising efforts with Chuck Strong. Uh how's it changed you? It's uh, it's been amazing. UM. And uh just again to um, just my perspective uh has always been really good, but it's really great now

about life. Um. You know, we have tough jobs, players, coaches, your job, any anything to deal with the NFL is really hard, but life is much harder. You know, there's real life stuff going on, and we're lucky to get to play a kids and a game and coach a

kids game. So, UM, building those relationships with not only the doctors, the nurses, the caregivers, the you know, first responders, all those people that just are so selfless and what they do uh for for these people fighting these battles, but then having the opportunity to meet so many people and and get a group together and and be able to raise uh you know, awareness and raise money for research, because that's what it's all about, is is they got

to have they've got to have them money. They're gonna have the dollars to be able to to do their jobs, these scientists and these researchers to come up with cures for all blood cancers, and and uh, you know, so you know, I'll be until they put me, you know, Jeff in my last suit, I'm gonna you know, I don't know how much, how much coaching, how long I'll do it, but I know, until the day you know

I'm done, I'm gonna be. I'm gonna be doing that Bears Defensive coorda or check Pocanto here on Bears All Access, Jeff, Johnny act top there, Chuck Strong, you launched it in twenty thirteen, if my math's right, north to seven and a half million dollars raised, and it primarily goes to Indiana University Melvin and Brent Simon Cancer Center. Am I correct? And does that? What does that number reflect and what does that number mean to Chuck Pagano? Yeah, it's crazy

and it seems like yesterday. And you mentioned how many years it's been, you know, and how many years removed we are and you're in remission. And then what we've been able to generate from a from a financial standpoint, what we've been able to give, you know, the the I. U. Simon Cancer Center there um and every penny, every penny

goes to research. Again, I can't emphasize that enough. And and and there's like pediatric cancer We're way behind, but a lot of those dollars go to pediatric cancer and pediatric you know research and things like that. So um, you know, and there's been so many generous people, those people in Indiana and Indianapolis and that community there. You know, I'll be forever connected with those people because of this,

uh and going through the circumstances. But you know, like mister Hersay, you know, two years ago, this year unfortunate because of COVID, we had to cancel the eighth annual you know, Chuck Strong Gala. We'll pick it up hopefully in twenty twenty one, Lord Willing. But uh, he steps up and gives a million dollars. So when when a guy like that steps up in one evening and gives a million, and then you raise another you know million on the side, and you can you can come up with,

you know, raise two million dollars. It's easy to get to that number that you mentioned. But it's it's just selfless, generous people. Mister Gary Edwards down there, and he'd killed me for mentioning his name because he never wants to

be mentioned. But entrepreneur down there, who's just there, and there's tons and tons of people that have given so much, but just amazing just how good people are and how generous they are, and they understand that in order to win this battle and keep fighting this battle and keep getting ahead of it, you know, there's gotta be there's

gotta be money there for research. The real Bears fans wear pink shirts are gonna be available for purchase online at Chicago bears dot Com Backslash Pink for thirty bucks can be shipped or picked up at Bears Fit in Vernon Hills, and the proceeds benefit bears Care and help fund local programs which provide care assistant at support services to breast cancer patients and their families, including helping facilitate timely access to critical breast health services for low income

win him women. Thirteenth year of the campaign, March Ham from Bearscare, the director of Care, Uh, really the greater importance right now during the pandemic because the cancer diagnosis and the disease itself does not stop. Yeah, yeah, no no doubt about it. And that uh you know what Marge has done and what this community has done, and what everybody continues to do again, like you said, especially during uh you know, these circumstances, uh, never more important.

So um again, I'm just I'm thrilled to uh to be a part of it. And we did something a year ago here tackle cancer deal and and all these all these kind of things. I just think we can't do it. We can't do enough, um, you know, to raise awareness and and uh there's a lot going on right now in our world and we're talking about a lot of different things and they're all they're all great,

but um this is this is important as well. And and uh shoot, if we can we can save you know, one life, you know, and one family doesn't have to say goodbye to a loved one, know before it's time for you know, especially a young one, then then damn it's it's well worth every every every second we put, you know, in time and energy that we have towards it.

And check. I can only speak for the men listening to this, because sometimes we're hard headed and we don't we don't go to the doctor maybe when we need to. Screening is the first step, isn't it. Yeah, no doubt about it. And like you said, we all are resilient. We never think it's gonna be us, you know. I you know, even back when I was going through and having you know, the symptoms that I had, you know, was during the season, and you're gonna put it off,

put it off, put it off. But you can't do that, like you said, that's that's the most important thing is is make sure that you get screened and you get checked, and you go to the doctor and you get a physical. And if you're not feeling well, you know, you don't have to play the tough guy bs, you know, go go to the damn doctor and get checked out. And if you you know, yourself checking whatever and you feel a lump, you feel this, you feel that take the time.

None of us think we have time, you know. But again, the biggest myth in life is that we have all the time. We don't we have today, you know. So that's huge and that's very very important. Well, many people remain inspired by your story, Chuck. Keep the fight up, and I know it was probably super moving. I can't

even be in your shoes to know. But when the Colts left the light on in your office for three months before you came back, and yeah, we're able to turn the light off, you kind of close the chapter that was at least first part of the book anyway, and you moved on and have done great things to help others. So congratulations to you and keep it going, my man. Yeah, thank you, I appreciate you, and good luck this weekend in Atlanta. They're fast, thank you. Yeah,

it's gonna be tough. We're gonna have to be at our best, all right. Chuck Pogano, Bears defensive coordinator. The Bears and Bears Care officially recognized National Breast Cancer Awareness Month October eighth for the Bucks. And that's the crucial catch game, Chuck Pogano, our guest. We'll return with Tom Thayer after this on Chicago Sports D six seventy The Score. Tide Cleaners is now offering new Tide Complete Care. This exclusive cleaning formula can only be found at Tight Cleaners.

Visit Tide cleaners dot com to learn more. Today with Tom there, Jeff Jonihac, good to have you alongside here on Bears All access to our final segment. We'll be bringing the game to you from the studios of WBBM tomorrow morning, starting at nine am with Ryan, Jim and Jay the kickoff in New nine w BBM. We're not going to be able to travel. Are you ready for this? This is a new adventure for you and I. We've never done it before. We're gonna We're gonna kill it, though,

tomorrown't we? You know, the first year the USFL, George Allen used to say every single team meeting, this is a season of first. And this is the season of first for us, whether it's going to Detroit with no fans, seeing what it's like and soldier feel with little to no support, and now doing it from a monitor. This is a season of first for us. And although we've been around for a couple of decades, where hey, this

is a new experience for us. Yeah, we are. We're gonna have the All twenty two, which we can see the entire field coming in, so that'll help bu as an analyst, for sure. You don't try to break it down as best we can. I'm excited. I'm excited. Hey, it's it's football. We're calling it. So We'll be happy to do it, all right, and so will Mitch drubisk You be happy about getting out there. He's got confidence

right now. Yes, it's got to get evened out in terms of the success and failures of each quarter or a half. And this week he was asked how improved the running game is and how it's specifically helping him as a quarterback. Yeah. I think sometimes you notice that sometimes the windows are just bigger, or when you drop back the pass and you see a bunch of defenders get deep really quickly and they're not respecting the underneath routes.

So I think it either makes them bail out and more of the underneath stuff is more open, or if it's a different type of drop back, then the windows are a little bigger and they're they're having to cover more of the field just because maybe they're in a little bit more of a panic because they respect the run game, or they lose track of their assignment for whatever reason. It's just nice to keep the defense off balance.

In I think when you have a steady run game and the way that our line is doing a great job controlling the line of scrimmage, it just it gives more stability to this offense. I feel like play action is what we're talking about here, and there are many benefits to it. You know better than anybody. You guys did it a lot with water Payton. Well, the benefits to it. It's the easiest block for offensive lineman to make,

but they're also the biggest salesman of play action. They have to run a play on the line of scrimmage exactly like the run play would look, and they have to exaggerate with their helmets staying low to the ground so the linebackers don't see it too until too late. And that's what Mitch is referring to. After he does a play fake and he turns around and he looks at the linebackers being sucked up to the line of scrimmage, the safety is confused and the cornerbacks thinking that they're

coming up to support the run. And then bam, he's got a fire and take advantage of it. And then, like he says, you see the windows a little bit bigger. But again, it's a nice combo of what Mitch sees provided by the offensive line. Do teams adjust to play action? Can you make them pay for it? Oh, you can make him pay for it. You just can't become frustrated if you have a couple of runs that maybe go for one or two yards, because the defense is going

to hold up their end of the bargain. You're gonna get those explosive runs like we saw in the fourth quarter last week. Is just the abuse of the game. Takes a toll on that the front seven of Atlanta Falcons. However, if you get these guys trying to react to a Cordarel Patterson or to David Montgomery or what Tree can offer you, if they try to overreact, that's when the windows are going to get even wider. For Trabisky in terms of that as well. It's benefited him his scrambles.

Believe it or not, the stats are this. He's number one in the NFL on yard per carry on scrambles. He's only had three. It's a small sample size. But when you think about all the great mobile quarterbacks out there, and you think of all the more right away, and you think of Lamar Jackson, you think of Russell Wilson in Seattle, you think of certainly now the kid Kyler Murray and in Arizona, if that can build, if he could keep getting it's twelve point seven yards on three

scrambles on average. If that can continue this year, what will that do for the entire offensive success. Well, it's just gonna change of the defense of a configuration of all defensive coordinators. They're gonna have to dedicate a spy on the Mitchell Trobiski. So that's one less guy you got to block. That's one less guy that's deep in coverage because you're concerned about Mitch's legs. However, if I was going to keep that stat and all the world

of analytics, tell me what happened after the scramble. Did they just go three and out? Did that result in a touchdown? Did that give me a field goal? Did that run out the clock so the opponent didn't get back on the field. That's what I need to see, and I think that will tell you the value of your scramble ability. We need Doug Colletti on the case for that one. I'm sure it'll be on the broadcast tomorrow.

Your wheels are already turning. I got you there. You know we've heard often that, and teams are playing a lot of man coverage in the league right now, and they are getting burned. It's if you don't have the pass rush, you're not gonna have the the time involved to continue to plaster coverage and make plays. So what will the Falcons deploy against Mitchell Trubisky as he evaluates

his own play against zone and against man? All great players, I think if you work on your weaknesses and try to make them your strengths, I think that's that's an attribute that all players try to do. You got to look at your weaknesses honestly and assess those and be like, we want to get better at that. So we look at it as a challenge. If if we're better against man and not as good against zone, yeah, sure, bring

it on. We'll attack it. But it all comes down to timing ball accuracy and then receivers, tight ends, running backs being in the right place at the right time, and everybody recognizing it and being on the same page. So that's going to come down the film study and then just execution throughout the week. But I definitely think with the group we have, we're off for that challenge and we're looking forward to two teams possibly doing more of that. To us, what are you envisioning tomorrow from

the Falcon secondary. I think they're going to try to keep Mitchell Trubisky guessing because they just don't want to be come one dimensional. Because now you're talking about matchup nightmares for the Atlanta Falcons. If they're going to stay exclusively man cover of Mitchell Trabisky, then I put the speed in the creativity of Darnell Mooney out there. I put the size of Jimmy Graham out there. I put the speed ability to run route of Anthony Miller out there.

I always have Alan Robinson. But when you're talking about guys trying to match who's gonna match up against Jimmy Graham nine to twelve yards down the field, I don't think a lot of guys the secondary move of Darnell Mooney. I don't know if these defensive backs know him well enough to predict how he's gonna run routes. So I think, look, if you give the Bears a steady diet, a one dimensional on defense, you're asking for it because you have a stable of running backs, and you have a whole

different caliber of wide receivers. You know, and I listen, I don't want to leave out Javon Wins and these guys. But when you're talking about specifics and how you attack coverage, the Bears have an arsenal that they can do a lot of different things. This is Bears All Access, brought to you by IGS Energy, with Tom Fayre Jeff Joniac

wrapping things up here Tom before we depart. Yes, it's a fast track down there, and the Falcons are athletic and fast, and we know they got speed at all three phases of the defense and certainly on the offensive side of the ball as well. But the Bears have improved speed too. It's not where they like it yet, certainly on the offensive side of the ball, but the defense is fast in places, and it's definitely fast on special teams where our guy Cordarrell Patterson on that surface

if they kick it to him. I'm very excited about the possibilities, but you know it is I think it puts a lot of fear into the defense or the special team's coordinator when they know a guy like Cordarrel is coming into town because he's unpredictable. To me, I'd like to see Tarik at a punt return opportunity. He has a chance to be equally as explosive is what Cordarrel can do at the kickoff return game. So yeah,

it's a fast track, it's an indoor facility. The flight of the ball is going to be perfect and turn it up all right, Tom, that's gonna wrap us up. Be looking forward tomorrow's game began. Check us out nine am. Pregame neon kickoff on WBBM. That's gonna do it this week for Bears All Access. Thank you to all involved, including Jordan tread Up, Dan Brilliant, and the guys of

the score. For Tom there, I'm Jeff Joniac again. Thank you IGS Energy and your sponsorship of Bears All Access on Chicago Sports Radio six seventy this score, 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