Whitehair talks return to playoff | All Access

Physical Therapy and CDW. It is Super Wildcard Playoff football for your Bears, one of twelve teams in action coming up this weekend Sunday three forty to kickoff against the New World and says we're gonna break it down for a full show tonight. Welcome to Bears All Access, brought to you by IGS Energy, with my broadcast partner from news Radio seven eighty and one oh five point outfw BBM. Super Bowl Bear, Tom Fair, you're very familiar with the Superdome, Buddy, Yeah,

had some big games there. You know, lost a big Sugar Bowl there in college to lose the National Championship, won the most important game of all winning the Super Bowl there. But you know one time we went there and I think the Saints were like seven to zero and we went down there. They had allowed supportive crowd,

and we beat them. And so you always have to keep those thoughts on the back of your mind and your back your memory, because anything is accomplishable if you put your mind to it and you go in there and you know that you believe, you've got to believe, and you know you belong. Evidently more attenable because they're a great home team. They're gonna play different than they

do ungrass. They got they know that building backwards and forwards, fifteen years together, Peyton and Breeze, weapons galore, defense, top five scoring defense, top five scoring offense, special teams, outstanding in every way. But there's no crowd, three thousand fans. They're gonna be a murmur compared to what that place would be under a normal circumstance pre COVID. So that's

an edge the Bears have to take advantage of. And I'm hoping Tom that the game plan is quite similar to what it was against the Packers, with the only wrinkle is that five trips to the red zone have to produce four to five touchdowns and four trips at goal to goal. You're not going to set up at thirteen points and that could be a big difference. Yeah, you know, Jeff, everything that you mentioned, you got to be able to do everything that's required of you. And

that's kind of on both sides of the ball. Every time you have the ball on offense, you got to take advantage of it. If you're gifted great field position, it's got to be converted into a touchdown and not a field goal. Just like on the defensive side of it, if you have a chance to get your fingertips on three of the opponents passes, you better come away with at least one of them. You better be able to change field position. So it's everybody is involved in this opportunity.

Special teams are equally as important as defense and offense. But like you said, from what the offense has been doing the last couple of weeks, I'm really impressed by it. I was super impressed by the four team play opening drive last week against Green Bay, and that's the same attentions that they have to have when they face New Orleans on Sunday. No, you gotta get off the field

on third down and long. That's not something that you can get away with too frequently against great quarterbacks and great offenses. Today, defensive coordinator Chuck Pagatto, Tommy was asked to why he thinks his defenders can get those picks, can make those big plays and get sacks and create pressure. Here's why. If we didn't trust them to make those plays,

we wouldn't have them in those spots, you know. So they got to wear a hard hat at you know, at times, but we fully expect that, you know, they're there for a reason that you know, we trust them to wear that at and to get the job done. So in order to go down there and play well and beat this team, you know, our game rerecords or five stars, they got to play that way, our four

stars or three stars. Everybody's got to play to their their ability, you know, and I've got to I've got to do my job, you know, and I've got to do it better. And caldel Mac also saying Tom Babe flat out got to play the best game and Bears history defensively, point they do, because you know, offenses change,

offenses changing. In the NFL, things are being done so differently, and when you get the opportunity to play against the team with this type of reputation, Pagano's right, if we're gonna put you in a position to make the play, then you got to make the play. Whether it's something that's unexpected of as a possible interception by Barkivas Mingo, or it's Eddie Jackson or Duke Shelley getting their hands on the ball. It's flying through the air, all right,

So Roe Kuan Smith no practice. Again, we don't have any real definitive evidence on if he can possibly come back from an elbow injury. But how does that change things? Because given what his athleticism is, like his range, his ability goes sideline to sideline, get off the hash, make plays out of the backfield, go with a running back like Kamara. He can take a swing and knock him

down before he gets his traction going. These are great things he can do against an offense like this, Yes, but the thing about it is you can't dwell on the fact if he's not gonna be there, because the Bears coaches have been coaching these guys every single day to be ready when their name is called, whether it's Josh Woods, Joe l Ea, Booney Way, or a configuration of defensive backs involved in the system. Listen, Man, ro Quan's an All Pro player and he's just scratching the

surface ultimately what he's gonna be. But you can't fold up the tens if he's not there. I love Roquan, I love everything that he's done on the field to represent himself. But everything I talk about it all the time. The guys that are waiting on the waiting in the wings, they got to approach this game like it's their super Bowl, it's their lifeline. It's the biggest game they'll ever play in their life. So that's the type of excitement I want to see on if he is replaced. Who his

replacements will be. Okay, Josh Woods, Joey Booney Way, certainly opportunities there in DHC is somebody that certainly will get the playing field if they don't have another plan that we don't know about just yet. All Right, we got a lot of the show coming up. We've got a full show, Big Tommy. We're gonna start with Zach Streef coming up here at six ten, the voice of the New Orleans Saints, of the former Northwestern player and Saints

offensive linemen. We're gonna be joined at six thirty by Cody white Hair, the Bears left guard playing some great football for the Bears on that offensive line. We got a surprise coming up at what sixty eight Ottawa at Gonlier played against the Saints in that NFC a playoff

game of significance at Soldier Field. So we'll visit with him and we'll hear from Mitch Dubisky a little bit as eob our feature this week on our Bears Game Day Live show, coming to you on Fox at ten thirty on Sunday, A lot ahead with Mike Rank and our producer. Thanks to dam brilliant Jordan tread Up and you for being with us tonight. That's more to go here on Bears All Access on Chicago Sports Radio six seventy The Score and welcome back to Bears All Access.

We're brought to you by IGS Energy. Choose clean energy for your home at igs dot com because every good choice adds up to a better Jeff Joning actin Tom there with you. Zach Strief, the voice of the New Orleans Saints, will be joining us shortly, real quick on the injury report time too. I kind of missed this one today at such a long list, but a lot of full participation today. But I see Josh Woods with a toe glued injury, so he was limited today. I'm

not certain that's a major concern right now. But Duke Shelley also limited with a knee. So a couple of key players in this mix. And I met a hopeful return for Jalen Johnson. Limited today, and that's good news as he tries to recover from a shoulder injury and

get out the field for a playoff game. You know, Jeff, honestly, I would have every player on the re injury report because I would say I would say everybody so are at this point, and there's other coaches that have done that in the past, just to try to keep a little bit of a curveball in there. Yeah, Saints limited. List a couple of players. One that did not practice today, Trey Hendrickson. He's got a neck and he was injured wednesday'd been limited. But this is a player that's come

on real strong. He's thirteen and a half sacks on a unit that has ten different players that have put together forty five sacks, eighth in the league overall. But he's the guy right now that has really went crazy with the hits. He's hit the quarterback twenty five times, thirteen and a half sacks in a bunch of hurries for a developing player that has really come on strong

for the Saints in this system. You know, he's got a great arsenal of weapons in terms of his pass rush moves, his pass rush ability, but he has a high motor and it's kind of the perfect combination of defensive linemen. You have a nice repertoire, the moves that you can pull against different types of offensive lineman, but you're always playing at one hundred percent level. And that's the unique thing about him. Yeah, he's not the biggest, he's not the strongest, but he plays with the most

intentions of what he needs to get done. Who else impresses you on that defense because I'll tell you right now since Week eight when the Bears played them, So you got to include that Bears game. It's the secondary that has really come to life. They have put together obviously a ton of interceptions to tie for the league lead in that category with three other teams, but also third and takeaways. Overall, the pressures are up, but these

corners and the nickel corner. CJ. Gardner Johnson, the guy that you know, stirred the pot a little bit with Jevon Whims and the Boys, and probably will be yapping again because that's how he plays the game. But thirty three pass breakups just since week eight by that trio right there, and it's resulted in some some picks from Malcolm Jenkins. He's got three since week nine. So a lot of good things happening for these guys in the

secondary marrying that Russian coverage exactly. You set it right there. I don't even need to answer. They're they're marrying the Russian coverage because they are getting such a quick rush, such an aggressive approach at the quarterback that they're sometimes that they just got to throw the ball up sooner than they really want to, just to avoid the sack or avoid the pressure. And then the defensive backs get

a good job on it. But they're good defensive back So it's complimentary football between good front seven players and then the back end four or five defensive backs. However, many of your playing and no disrespect for Cameron Jordan, because still a terrific player, outstanding player. Hasn't had the big sack total that we come used to, but he's still hurrying the quarterback. Tommy's still knocking him down and

he's still forcing the run game. Well, you know, Jeff, I think it's a lot like similar to what the Bears are looking at with Drew Brees. You may not necessarily get sacks, but if you can get the ball out of his hands a half a second early, if you can deflect a couple passes that are meant for the middle of the field, if you can get him off of his position and make him convert his talent as a quarterback to those forty plus year old legs, I think you can change the dynamic of Drew Brees.

But it's different elements outside than just sacks. I gotta talk Anthony Miller. Don't start chuckling, because I'm always rooting for this guy. I'm always rooting for him to get something going. His best game of the year. Most targets eleven against the Saints in Week eight, most catches he had eight, He had a few first down he had seventy plus yards. That was his high point of this season.

So he's expecting similar opportunities in this playoff game against the Saints playing a lot of man So that created a lot of opportunity for me and the guys. Uh, you know to you know, running basically any route we could to get open. I think it's gonna be the same. I believe that that's top fighting league playing man coverage, so I expect to have a fun game. All right. We don't know what darnelmoney situation is, so obviously he has leap frog him in terms of targets and being

the number two receiver here. But Anthony Miller the coaches are today saying Bill Laser said, Hey, it's not it's not necessarily what he isn't doing. It's just where the ball's been going. How do you feel about that? Because with the ball in his hands, he's got yackability. He's quick, especially out of that slot and uh at C. J. Gardner. Johnson's a feisty player. Man. We can make comments about his mouth, but he backs it up because he's a

very very good slot defender. Yeah. You know. The key ingredient though, is you can't get caught up in that part of the game. You can't get a caught in the drawing in between plays before after you know, it's for funny because Bears Game Day Live, we have to pick one of our most important Bears, and I wanted I had Anthony Miller written down a couple of times. It's almost like I didn't want to jinx myself, so I change it. But I do think that Anthony Miller

will have his most explosive game this week. No, he's looking for explosives. They're looking for explosives the big place, twenty yards or more. Against the Saints. When they get close to the red zone, something happens. Don't know what, but they haven't been great defending the touchdown deficiency, so that is something. If you move the bond get in the red zone, you have to take advantage of their

miscommunications back there. You know, the best catch last week in the game was on his fourth down catch earlier, So if he made third and fourth down catches alone, I'd be okay with that. I expect more explosiveness out of him. I think of that that long fifty plus yard pass. If they threw Darnell Mooney, Anthony Miller is capable of that same type of route. So if Darnell Mooney didn't play or he was limited, you don't have to leave that play on the cover in the cupboard.

You gotta use that same play with Athony Miller, all Right, we gotta listen to a little Khalil Mack. He was talking to the media today. I had some really good stuff. Certainly, he was asked about the underdog thing that seems to be the vein that everyone's going because the Bears have been underdogs for most of the games they played this season. In certain cases understandable. Other ones, maybe you scratch your

head a little bit, specially some home games. But they're the biggest underdog tom out of the twelve teams that are playing. They are the biggest underdog against the Saints on the road, against a powerful team, and you might expect that. But when asked if he feels they're like underdogs, you're gonna get an interesting response. He personally always it's just me and I know these guys do as well. Man,

it's a lot of disrespect. Oh that we know. I'm saying, I've been here, and so obviously you got to use all of that to your advantage and not to speak on it suits so much, but to go out and use actions, and that's what we're looking forward to dinner. Well, the interesting thing he's asked where he's hearing it from, Well, maybe I'm not. You know what I'm saying, and you just hear certain things and you know that take offense to it, but in the right ways. You know what

I'm saying and use it to your advantage. So how do you use that to your advantage or is that just cliche? Well, it's usable cliche because I would say, we're so disrespected. Before our injury report came out, they made us a nine and a half point underdog. So if we had a healthy roster, would we still be

nine and a half point underdog? So I would I would use that as as you know, information to turn it into a positive because I don't think there's any reason for these guys to be underdogs by nine and a half points. They lost to him in overtime here during the regular season when the Bears offense wasn't playing very well. So hey, man, it doesn't matter what you're under It's like Khalil said, actions are louder than words.

Go out there and motivate the group of guys around you, like we see the effort that Khalil gives each and every week. Now, let's talk more about the offense. Establishing that run again against a very good run defense. Again, they do everything well I look at them, I kept thinking because of Aaron Rodgers and because what they've done in the second half of the season. Defensively, they're getting better,

the secondaries playing well. They got pressure going on big time right now for the Pack, and they got a running game with a three headed monster. If they wanted to that, they are the best team in the league. That's my opinion. But the Saints are the most complete team potentially because they do a lot of great things with a lot of personnel on defense, offense, and special teams. Where do you look at them as you've watched them

on tape, This is a really good football team. They're willing to play physically on defense, and that's where the Bears have to match him the most. But I'm not saying this disrespectful, but I don't fear Drew Brees as much as I do Aaron Rodgers because Drew Brees he throws out of a ten foot circumference. Aaron Rodgers can go with the with he can go anywhere he wants to because his legs will still carry him. So if you can condense the pocket immediately around Drew Brees, he

has a hard time seeing over things. And then if you're a defensive tackle and you're rushing closer to him and he's getting ready to unload, hands up in the air, and then you're gonna take up You're gonna fill a passing lane, and then that's gonna help your defensive back. So I have all the respect in the world to the approach that Drew Brees takes in order to be prepared as professionally as he has been through his whole career. But if we're talking about Aaron versus Drew Brees, I

still have more fear and respect of Aaron. What about the addition, potentially of Michael Thomas. He has not played much year, just ten quarters. With Drew Brees coming off an ankle, maybe they've been screwing him away, putting him away a little bit, getting ready for the playoffs, to bring that offensive player of the Year from twenty nineteen out of the cobwebs and into the spotlight. What do

you think. I'm not so sure a player that timing is so important that you can plug and play and expect them to go from seventy percent practice effort to one hundred. I can't say one hundred percent effort in the playoffs, it is different. It's more physical. You kind of have a different brand, a different style of the game. So I'm not certain that you can just play. He's still great, he's still a dynamic receiver, one of the

best in all of the NFL. But I just don't know if you can go from zero to one hundred within a week's time. Chuck Bogano had a lot of great things to say about Avian Kimara obviously today, And you know, the whole idea of what you do with a guy like that at so much yard from scrimmage because he can do it on the ground and in the air. Things they did to him in the Week eight meeting pretty good. But is your best shot to control this guy and not worry about completely shutting him down.

It's a question posed to Chuck Pagano today earlier with the media. You gotta have a bunch of eyes on this guy, obviously public enemy number one. They've got a ton of talent. Michael Thomas is going to be back and Hall of Fame quarterback. You know, great option for him in the past game, Manuel Sanders. So the list

goes on and on and on. But Alan's he's just a tremendous all around back, and you know, you split him out and like a wide receiver trying to cover him, trying to figure out, Okay, who do we got that we can put on him? And it's not going to be just one guy. It's going to be all hands

on deck. Yeah, you know, it's kind of like the old philosophy that John Tierlink, a great defensive line coach who passed away a year or so ago, and George Allen when we faced the team, they had a dynamic quarterback. It was every single play, Jeff, you rush the quarterback and you tackle the running back on the way by. So I think that if you have a passive approach at the defensive line waiting for Alan Kamara to come towards you, Drew Brees is gonna throw it over the

top of you all the time. But if you have a high impact rush zone into the backfield and Alvin Kamara gets that handoff he's an outlet receiver, then you put Drew Brees in a defensive backpedaling position. So to me, I am gonna sick the dogs. Every one of these defensive lineman. They're gonna rotate, they're gonna stay fresh, and I'm gonna bring it every single play that I possibly can.

And that's gonna include James Voters, It's gonna include Barkvous Mingo, It's gonna include Gibson, It's gonna include every single guy that has a defensive upfront Jersey number on. All Right, with the with the turnover thing, is the luck about to twitch? Because the luck hasn't been there a year? So is this a game in the playoffs? Because he doesn't turn it over much? They don't turn it over much.

They're outstanding plus night. But after a while, if you're in the right position, is the ball going to bout your way? Finally? Yeah, I think. I think the velocity of the football that Drew Brees throws is a lot different than the velocity of football that Aaron Rodgers throws. So I do think the defenders are going to have more opportunities to get in front of an Aaron pass or a slower velocity pass. Can he still hit his

mark every time against these guys? He can, but it's a different flight to the football between these two quarterbacks. All Right, Coming up on our show on Sunday on Bears Game Day Live. Our player profile on Fox with Luke Anellis and my partner here Tom there with Mitchell Trubisky. Here's a portion of what you might hear. I remember back in twenty eighteen, we were so excited. We're on a roll and we've won a lot of games that year,

and flast forward into this year, it's been different. There's been some ups and downs and megame bench and then coming back and be about being able to lead the team to the playoffs. It's it's been a lot of fun. So I've learned a lot, I've grown a lot over the years, but it's back to that surviving advanced mentality and really at the end of the day, just grateful for another opportunity to go out there and compete, have an opportunity to go out and win a playoff game,

and so we know it's the stage of set. It's a big opportunity and we just gotta keep preparing and get ready to rock and roll. You've always been great about putting team first and you think about everybody else other than yourself. That makes you the leader that you are. But in this situation as well, is there anything you need to prove to yourself? No? Nothing, I need to prove to myself, just go out, go out and win

the game. So I know if I go out compete and do my job and just continue to bring the same will and passion and love for this game that I have and love for my teammates and go out and compete, and I know I'll give this team a really good chance to win. And if we go out and win, it'll be it'll be a lot of fun. So that's all I'm trying to do. When you look at your team and the situation that they've gone through, you guys have won in various ways. This season hasn't

been one particular formula. You think that makes you guys a dangerous team because you've learned to deal with a lot and you've overcome a lot and you've won in different ways. Yeah, I think it does. I think it can make us dangerous. Well, we've definitely shown a lot of grit over the course of the season. I think it's brought us closer together, just dealing with adversity and

going through tough times with people. I think it brings out the best in you, and we've grown a lot and improved over the year, and I think it's made us a closer group. I mean, just the way we've had each other's backs and battled back really out of a hole throughout this season. I think it's prepared us for a possible playoff run here. And now we have a step one of hopefully more to common and we

got to take care of business. So it's one thing at a time, but we have the potential to be dangerous and it's all about how we execute on Sunday.

I found it interesting too, just throwing this at him, because you know, when you're a young quarterback, and again, not everything has worked out great over the course of his time here, but you know, you're a starting quarter back in the field of fourteen that's in the Super Bowl tournament, and you got guys like Breedy and Brees and Rodgers and Roethlisberger and Russell Wilson, and you know, ten years from now on, you know, or thirty years from now, and he's got his grandkids on his lab.

He's gonna be telling, hey, I was in the twenty twenty one playoffs Wildcard pandemic and you'll never believe the names that I was playing with. And he goes, yeah, that's it's something cool. But you know, I want to make my own name too. And the guy's confidence is just it really is coming out of the pores right now. For Mitchell Dubiski, well, he just has to realize that

every single rep during the game is important. We can't interview him after the game and said, oh, I wish I had that one back, because you can't have that in this week. It's about every single pass that leave your hand. You know exactly where it's going. All right, We're gonna step away for a break. Coming up at the bottom of the hour here, Cody Whitehair, the Bears veteran left guard, will join the program together. We made

it here the Playoffs. Enter the Bears Playoffs Sweepstakes at Chicago Bears dot Com to what a piece of this one of a kind season, though I'll take a break. You're on Bears All Access Chicago Sports Radio sick seventy The score. This segment of Bears All Access is brought to you by Athletico Physical Therapy, said Athletical dot Com. To request an appointment in clinic or virtually and start

feeling better tomorrow. Jeff joining act. Tom Fair back with you on Chicago Sports Radio six seventy The score Bank, Mike Rank and our producer and joining us on the line now Bears left guard Cody white Hair. Cody, how you doing, brother? We have missed you. I haven't been able to see you. Talk to you. What's going on? Brother? Oh? Not much? Guys. How you doing? We're doing fantastic? You jacked up or what? Yeah? We are. We're excited for

this opportunity. You know, given the ups and downs of our season and the sixth game losing Street, you know, we're just very fortunate to be in this position. And it all comes down to, you know, the grit and you know the heart that this team showed throughout the season.

You know, if you can tell me a story, tell me what it was like for you and you guys during that period of time when you really didn't know what direction this thing was going to go, and then tell me a story, and then tell me a story about how it's come how it turned out. Yeah, you know it was. It was definitely tough. Um. You know, you never predict yourself to lose six in a row, and um, you know, predict yourself to be in that situation.

So it was definitely tough. Um. You know, but I think It just speaks so highly of our team and the guys we have and the character, you know, the high character guys we have on our team to be able to stick together, come to work every day, focus on the fundamentals and the techniques that you know, all those little things that we talked about that was going

to get us out of this situation. And that's what we did, um, you know, and we stuck together and wrote it out and um, you know, we're we're in the dance now. So you know, we just got to continue that one and O mindset and take each week as its own and not get too far ahead of our ourselves and just focus, um, you know, on the task at hand. You know, Cody, you specifically, you kind of settled in a left guard and there's no talking about changing you one week or than the next. Are

you are you start? Are you able to have some fun in this position because you're you're showing it on the field that I don't know if you're smiling, but some of the blocks you're making are just so fun to watch. Are you? Are you having some fun on the field? Yeah, I'm having a lot of fun, you know. Um. Due to injuries and the worldwide pandemic that we're in

right now. You know, there's been some shuffle on the line, but you know, we were really playing very well together and it's it's been a lot of fun out there, you know, Cody, I don't know if I've ever said in my life that I've seen a play block perfectly, but that that touchdown run that David Montgomery had in the Minnesota Vikings game, that was incredibly because every single guy from tight end a wide receiver had unbelievable block and you had one of the most impressive pancake blocks

that's highlighted all the time. You know, when you go back and you just think about that football play, did it resonate with you that how much your offensive line, the tight end Juan Castill have been able to accomplish over this renaissance. When you when you look at a play that was run that well, yeah, I mean you

just go back. You know, we we were doing some a little bit of self scout um, you know, on ourselves, and you go back and you look, you know where we were when we played the Saints last time, and just the amount of improvement and you know, the attention to detail and the attention to the fundamentals and the techniques and you know everything it's carrying over, um, you know. So that's really cool to see. And you know, as even though this line had some shuffle and you know,

guys aren't playing positions that they started out with. Um, you know, at the end of the year, guys have really embraced their roles, um, you know, in those new positions and you know, we're playing at a high level. So that play was just very well executed by by all eleven guys on offense and it was fun to see. Hey, so now you get a chance to watch a team that you've already played in the regular season a lot

like all your other divisional teams. Is it beneficial for you to have that game on tape to see an example of your line or your offense even though there is considerable change, But again, you get to see the personnel that you're facing in their specific techniques. Yeah, absolutely, And you get to see how they play us against certain plays you know, this, this and match. So that's always good to see, um, you know, and it it just gives us a better look, you know, on how

they're going to play certain certain personnels and stuff. Like that and what we're going to see, so that definitely helps us out. Bears left guard Cody Whitehair our guest here on Bears All Access on Chicago Sports Radio six seventy to score Bears in Saint Sunday three forty kickoff from New Orleans, a road trip for the Bears, that first one in twenty five years in the playoffs. Cody, I didn't know if you know that play Obviously, with

no fans, it is a little different. There is no more home field edge, so that certainly helps you, guys. But you know, you and I have had these discussions before about team culture and anybody that comes in you

would always hope, hey, will they fit the culture? And then you got these two guys from Notre Dame, these undrafted guys, Sam Mustafer and Alex Bars come into the mix, and you know, do they fit perfectly for what you, as one of the leaders of this team felt was chemistry and when they got their chance, they just seemed

to be a match made in heaven. Yeah. Absolutely, those guys, you know, you could tell um when they came at it, came in as undrafted free agents and you know, spend some time on the practice squad and then you know, you just see the way they work both in the weight room and the film study. Um, you know, and then as they execute out on the field, Um, you could just tell that they fit the mold of you know, what we're what we're trying to accomplish and and are

off it's a line room. Um you know. So that's really cool to see. But you you could tell from day one that those guys were going to fit the mold, and um, you know, they've done a great job. Cody, I don't know if you care about this stuff, probably not, but Pro Football Focus Tom Melly's rolls his eyes when you hear this, but this is good news. I don't know if you heard this, but you were the number one rated left guard in the NFL this year. Wow, congratulations,

thank you. What do you think you think? What do you think of that? Because obviously, you know, when they look at things, they don't know assignments, and they don't know black you know, whatever was going is going on play to play, So in many respects, they're just watching how you take on a guy, uh, you know, right across from you and whatnot. They're watching tape. But it's it's different because they don't know what your assignments are. But you know, any any kind of projection like that

is good when it's it's it's good news. Correct. I mean, do you take that? Do you feel you've played that way? Yeah? Absolutely, you know it's it's obviously I don't pay much attention to it. Um you know, I just focus on my team. Um, what we're trying to accomplish, and that's you know obviously right now beating the New Orleans Saints. Um you know, but I couldn't. I couldn't be in the position I'm in without you know, my guys in my room and

my coaches. Um, you know, everyone believing in me to make that change over to left guard and be able to play. Um, you know, at the level that we're playing as a unit. Um you know, I I think with individual accolades like that, Um, you know, it's it definitely reflects as a whole offensive line. Um. You know, we're just playing at a high level. Um. And I don't think you can really you know, PenPoint one guy, because it takes all you know, five guys up there

to communicate to be on the same page. Um, you know, whether that's passing off games. Um, you know in pass pro or or executing a double team, you know, it just takes all all five guys up. They're working together. And that's that's what we've done. Um. You know the past well five or six weeks, we really you know, turned it up and nods or playing at a high level because of the change in what your guys are doing, putting him on the move, Mitch on the move, the boots,

the nakeds, the running game cranking up. What have you noticed defensively? And I know every team does it a little differently, but anything that teams have done differently or more of in terms of whether it be past blocking or run blocking, uh, that you've noticed, whether it's more games, what if it's types of stunts that are being used to try and try something different on you guys, Anything that's perceptible to you. Yeah, absolutely, you know you're seeing

more games. The one big thing you see, and it's just is trudos to Mitchell because he's got God given ability with his legs. You know, there's definitely somebody spying Mitchell. Um. You know, so that's one thing that's that's kind of taken a person away from maybe the rush part of the game and focusing more on him. So it's definitely

helped us out up front as well. Hey, Cody, you know, I think it's important conversation that guys like yourself, Charles Leno, Jermain Effetti, maybe Jimmy Graham to Cole, maybe Alan Robinson to the youngsters. There's a definite tempo difference between regular season and playoffs, and I think there was a little

bit of that atmosphere in Soldier Field last week. So do you you know, can you have or I didn't even know if it's possible with the pandemic type of meetings that you're having to have that conversation with Sam and Alex and Jimmy to have it with Cole and these young guys that don't have this playoff experience yet, because it's something that these guys got to be notified before they just go into that stadium and see what that tempo, that temperature is going to be. Like, Yeah, absolutely,

it's something us that the veterans have to prepare them for. Obviously, you know, in practice and this, this and this, we try, you know, to replicate that as best we can, but we know, you know, without pads on and guys flying around and this, this and that that. We can't get

that one hundred percent full look. So it's it's it's more on us, us veterans to prepare them mentally, Um, you know, as far as having that mindset when they go in there that hey, this is gonna you know, the regular season is physical, it's fast, it's you know, everything that you feel. But the playoffs is another level,

you know, because now you have that winner go home mentality. Um, you know, so everybody, you know, I think the biggest thing is is veterans of our rooms is we just have to prepare them mentally so that when they go in there and um, you know, bullets are flying and this isn't that that you know mentally, they're ready for it, you know, Cody, everybody gives is giving great effort from the from the tight ends to the receivers. But being on an offensive line and blocking for a guy like

Walter Payton. Now you're on an offensive line and you're blocking for a guy like David Montgomery. And I'm not down playing Cordarrel or Our Tavis or the other guys, but David Montgomery isn't He's inspiring from up in the booth to down on the field from being a an expert to watch in a modern day bear, how inspiring is he to you guys in the effort and what he's willing to do during runs and after and at the end of runs. Yeah. Absolutely, you know, Dave. Dave

is a special player. He really is. Um you know, the way he hits holes, the way he the way he finishes his bronze. I mean, you can hit the guy straight, you know, right in the hole and the guy won't go down. I mean the passion and the love of the game that this guy has and not willing to go down easy at all. You know, it's gonna take three to four guys to get him down. He's he's gonna make that one guy miss. He's gonna

you know, lowers page and knock that one guy off. So, I mean, just a passion and you know that this kid plays with is very special. All right, last question and we'll let you go. Cody, thank you so much for taking the time to join us tonight. So what are you looking at when you look at this New Orleans Saints defense? Because highly ranked in virtually everything, a lot of pressure up front, they merit very well at their coverage. What are you looking at as an offensive

linement with this bunch? Yeah, this is a good a really good defense. Um. You know, my main focus it is the front seven obviously with the line and the linebackers, and you know, when the safeties come in the box, they're just they're very sound, um, you know, in filling their gaps and being in the right spot. Um. You know, it's in situations where we do have to pass the ball, we're gonna have to be able to to execute versus games and be able to pick up blitches and recognize that.

So that's that's our main focus is, you know, just not hurting ourselves and put putting us in the best situation to be successful on Sunday. All right, Cody, best of luck, bring one home. Will you be fun to watch? Indeed, and thank you so much again for your time. Thanks bad Thanks guys. Cody, White Hair Bear starting left guard. We'll take a break on the other end of it at about six forty eight here tonight, about six minutes

so we'll be joined by ottawaayagunlier joined the program. Bears and Saints walk down Memory Land in the NFC Championship game back at OH six with Tom There, Jeff Joniak, and our producer Mike Rankin here on Chicago Sports Radio six seventy the Score. Everybody Bears fans with shopping for your game day celebrations, don't forget to pick up your

favorite variety of lakes, potato chips, and tostitos. Tostitos and lays are an essential part of the game day tradition and the official chip of your Chicago Bears Gold Bears. I'm laughing because I'll tell you what, Tom, the excitement of playoff football, it never gets old. I tell you,

I don't care how you get in. Once you're in, and the games are so much you're on edge as a play by play guy and as a color guy as well, because every snap truly does matter, and you're eating glass, as coordinators have told us in the past. Before you know, you're just eating glass on every single play. I can't wait, right, you know what it starts, though, Jeff at the beginning of the week, because I know it's every coach says it that, Hey, we're only one

of twelve teams practicing this week. How lucky are we to be on this practice field right now. Where else would you rather be? All these old sayings that they've been saying since the playoffs have began, the message is still true today of all the hard work, the effort, the conforming to what these players had to conform to

this year and still have a playoff opportunity. And I'll tell you what, I've never been more excited for the playoffs in my entire football career because no team has an unfair crowd noise advantage, and it's a it's an even steven playoff. And if you're as good as the team like Seattle is, they're better when they play at home because their crowd noise is so damaging, just like New Orleans. So it's gonna level the playing field throughout

this playoff period. All right, we're gonna take another break here, But real quick, what's the one thing that cannot happen in this game Sunday to the Bears in all three phases? We'll start with offense. You know, with offense, you can't give away possessions and that's everybody. You can't fumble the ball, you can't give away interceptions. And then I think on the defensive side of the ball. You can't give up

at fifty plus yard play. You want New Orleans to have to earn every blade of that artificial turf that they're earning, just like the Bears will have to. But the Bears defense has to be stingy and just none of those explosive plays. I'll take special teams. Just no penalties that give field position advantage to Drew Brees and the Saints try to steal possession. That'd be great as well. Otto La Gunlier will join us, our old friend from the Bears OH six NFC championship team that went to

the Super Bowl that'll be coming up next. This is Bears Don't Access on Chicago Sports Radio six seventy to Score. Welcome back everybody to Bears All Access with Tom Bear, Jeff Jonah Yak. Thanks for joining us tonight. Our final moments of the show we're gonna spend with Ottawa. Ottawa, good to talk to you once again. Thanks for taking the time. Long time, no talk. I think we spoke at the one hundred, but uh, it's been a bit

and good to have you along. You're the perfect guy to talk about this playoff weekend, Bears Saints, this one over there in New Orleans. But uh, it's not. It seems like a very long time ago, and maybe for you it was. But two thousand and six, you had

a heck of a night. Oh man, this game. I mean when I saw the matchup, I just obviously every year playoffs, I get I get chills because I remember that that two thousand says actually, in my mind, probably the best game that we've played as a team, and probably the most memorable game, you know, throwing us into

the super Bowl. So it was a it was a it was a great experience, and I'll always have fond memories of of the Saints and faints in the playoffs, big days, sack, forced fumble, couple quarterback hits and Drew Brees and a fumble recovery. So you had a line that was outstanding. But I often talk about this with guys. You look at the roster top to bottom, even even the guys that came in in certain roles, and it's

an underrated a bunch of talent. Obviously, you guys made the Super Bowl, so that aspect of it isn't But there that defense was something else, and there's so many guys that contributed to that team. Oh yeah, man, that defense was just flying around, making turnovers and just giving our offense just the ball as many times as possible, just playing you know, good smash mouth football. I mean, I just you can go from top to bottom, from secondary to the d line to a lineback and corps.

We all you know, contributed to having a successful season. And you know, if you remember that year, you know it was up and down quarterback player Rex was heard earlier than Kyle Or was an amazing you know, offensive manager, a guy that just wouldn't turn the ball over and it just you know him and the way he played just clicked really well with us in defense. So it was such a magical year. And you know, I hate that it ended the way it did, but that was

a great defense and a great year. You know, while you say it's a magical year, this year has been a year like no other. So now put yourself in a stance on the field Sunday. Are you a type of guy that you want to hear silence in the stadium to pay attention to the quarterbacks voice? Or do you like it when you play at home and the crowd noise is so abusive that you're just kind of caught up in your your own to get off or

watching the football. What atmosphere do you like better? I think, I mean obviously, I mean, I think it's a no brainer. Having the fans, whether you're on the road or at home. Having the element of you know, breathing, living fans in the in the crowd, booing you while sharing you on is adam motivation either way. You know, I just love

having them. You know, playing in shoulder field is amazing, But even going on a on on road and playing against hostile fans, it's like it's like a defenses dream, like I could care less put me anywhere, you know, despite the elements, you know, good defenses should show up no matter what, whether it's rain, sleet, or snow inside outside fans, no fans, but having fans definitely makes it

gives you that more of an edge. So well, I'd like to ask you something about specifically about defensive endplay and Robert Quinn. Do we expect too much out of a defensive end going from the right side to the left side and do they is it equally? Can they do it equally as well? Or is it similar to a right tackle and left tackle? It takes a little bit of transition to use your balance differently. How do

you feel about that role? Absolutely? I think it all depends on, you know, how much practice time you get at it. Um. You just can't, you know, think that someone's going to go from a left handed to a right hand, or a right hand to a left or left to right. It's so much different. Friend, in the dipping technique, your mechanisms, your footwork, there is a big change in doing that. Early in my career I was able to go back and forth. And you know the reason I was able to do that is because I

practiced that way. You know, in practice I would have to go But once you become like a left and right end towards the end of my career, it is a little with more left and right. With me and Alex Brown, you tend to start now practicing over and over and over and over and over again, hundred and hundreds of snaps on that side. So it's hard to not to retrain your brain to to start doing it

the other way. So it is a difficult transition. What about this wallely, um, You know, sacks are hard to come by in the NFL, you know, so when you're talking about a defensive lineman. You know, interior as much as exterior is. You get you're rushing the passer and you and the then you become stalemated. Is it recognition of the quarterback's eyes or is it just instincts by defensive lineman to raise their hands up and possible clog up a passing lane. I think it's a little bit

of both. You gotta do a little bit of both. But you know the problem with stelle mating. You know, sometimes you think that your your stalemate and then not a quarterback's out of the pocket, or you could have pushed a little bit more, try to do a little more another move and gone free and gotten the sack. Right, So it's gotta be it's gotta be instinctive. Um, you gotta know who you're going against. If it's the quarterback, they'll likes to get the ball out of his hands,

um really fast. I mean it comes with watching the film and all of that. But at the end of the day, you know, a stalemate is bad. But if you can get your hand up and get that ball down and get in the passing lanes, um, that's just as good as as sometimes it's getting the sack member of the twenty zero six Super Bowl Bears Ottawa a Goolay joint against a couple of remaining moments left. It's it's crazy to think you're a forty three year old man.

I'm sure you're in terrific shape. You're starting a second career and you got Drew Breeses gonna be forty two on the fifteenth here in eight days and still playing at a high level. Well, because I looked at his line against the Bears in the regular season, it almost matched his line against you guys in the NFC playoff game.

He's really no different. Maybe the arm strength is not exactly there, but given how you wake up every morning and go to work, is it feels strange to think that he's forty three years old and still playing at a high level. That is amazing, you know, you know when you when you put it that way, one I feel I feel I feel really down about myself now, like why am I not playing? But honestly, it's it's

an amazing he is an iron man's feat for him. Obviously, the league has changed a bit from the time that we played, and it is given the quarterbacks a little bit more of longevity of you know, those brutal hits that we were allowed to get, you know, hit on quarterbacks back then. And these guys are you know roming him Tom Brady, um, but to know that you know he's still going. I played against him in college and

then now in the pros. I mean, this is this guy is is definitely one for the ages and it's gonna make it so much more and better when when you get a sack in and we get this w on a Sunday. Well, what do you think has changed most about the NFL and offense since you've been out of there? The offensive line play or the RPO attack of this modern day offense. Definitely think it's RPO attack

for sure. You know, it's so funny. You saw so much that in the collegiate level, and you never thought it would it would make its rein up was way up as much as it has into the into the professional level. But it has, and um, you know, professionals. You know, maybe it's because there's more college coaches coming up a cup the ranks, but you know they've you know,

taken the playbooks out of the college ranks. And then I think that's more of if I'm looking at it, that's more of the difference in the opensive play now now than when than when I played. All Right, we got a minute to go. Tell us about your new job, my friends, Sports and Entertainment Division, the leading global wealth manager in the world. You b s, you're part of that program. Now, you worked hard to get there. Tell

us about how's it going going good? Really? My my, my opportunity that I want to have with UBS is to make sure that we're getting in front of the clients and making sure that they're doing the right things with their money. You know, when I played, um, I didn't know much about my finances. I knew defenses, I knew offenses, and um I knew how to get to

the quarterback. But you know, when you have all this money in the bank and you have these you know, unscrupulous advisers coming at you, it's hard to know who's telling what. So I said, you know, let me team up with a very you know, one of the biggest firms in the world when it comes to private wealth

and people who do things the right way. And our goal is to one understand who these clients who are clients are who the players are, understand their families, and know that we want to make sure that this short term where we're making this money lasts for a long time and we can have it for a legacy. All Right. I recommend your first client is real to Dona Jay, because he's gonna be the wealthiest man in the world.

He's so brilliant guy. Hey, brilliant, brilliant Actually where well you know, I've got some some deals with him already as a partner on the side. But he's one of the smartest man that I'll know. He'll probably own half of Chicago before us. All over them. Wish we had more time with you. Let's catch up again while they Thank you so much. Thank you appreciate it. We're out of time, everybody. Joe Ostrowski coming up here next. This has been Bears on Access on Chicago Sports Radio six

seventy The Score. Good night, Thanks for listening to this Chicago Bears Network presentation of Bears All Access. Podcasts are available on Chicago Bears dot com and on iTunes, or download the official Bears mobile app. Bears all Access has been brought to you by IGS Energy and sponsored by Miller Litte