Da Bears

[purplefaithful]

ABOUT THE BEARS
• The Bears (4-9) blew a 24-14 lead to Green Bay on Monday night, giving up four passing touchdowns to Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers. Bears rookie quarterback Justin Fields also threw a pick-six in the 45-30 loss. Chicago has since isolated 10 players and multiple coaches on the reserve/COVID-19 list, including receiver Allen Robinson and nose tackle Eddie Goldman.
• A once-vaunted Bears defense is allowing 25.5 points per game, which would be its worst finish since the 2014 season. Edge rusher Khalil Mack and linebacker Danny Trevathan are on injured reserve. Defensive tackle Akiem Hicks hasn't played since Nov. 8. Linebacker Roquan Smith aggravated a hamstring injury against Green Bay.
• But second-year cornerback Jaylon Johnson has continued to be productive, covering Packers receiver Davante Adams well last week before Green Bay moved its star weapon away from him. Johnson, drafted 50th overall in 2020, has nine deflections, a pick and a forced fumble in 13 starts.
• Running back David Montgomery and receiver Darnell Mooney have been Chicago's top threats on offense. Montgomery leads the Bears with 801 yards from scrimmage despite missing four games to a knee injury earlier this season. Mooney brings speed, with 12 of his 52 catches going for at least 20 yards.
PLAYER SPOTLIGHT | QB Justin Fields 
• Fields, the 11th overall pick out of Ohio State, has brought his elusive style to the pros. But he's been easy to pin down so far. Entering his 10th start on Monday night, Fields has five touchdowns (one rushing) and 11 turnovers in his past five games. A new blindside blocker entered when rookie Teven Jenkins replaced the injured Jason Peters last week.
• Only three quarterbacks — the Ravens' Lamar Jackson, the Eagles' Jalen Hurts and the Bills' Josh Allen — have more rushing yards than Fields' 385. But most of Fields' 65 carries have come while scrambling on passing plays, according to Pro Football Focus. He's dangerous when a play breaks down, but he isn't featured in many designed runs.
• Fields on challenges of practices being limited to walkthroughs: "Not seeing the play live. You can walk through it, but it's not the same without repping it live. That's the biggest difference, really. Walkthrough reps, that's the only thing you can do, and talk about the play."
• Fields on Jenkins: "Tev wanted to play better than what he did, but of course that being his first game, he's not going to be perfect. I just told him everything will be fine. You just have to look in retrospect. My first start, I had 1 net passing yard. It's going to get better."
COACH SPEAK | Matt Nagy 
• Nagy is in his fourth season as Bears head coach with a 32-29 record (.525) in the regular season and 0-2 in two playoff appearances. Last season, he handed off offensive play-calling duties to coordinator Bill Lazor, who has continued to call plays this season.
• But Nagy could be handling offensive play calls and more on Monday night. All three Bears coordinators, including Lazor, tested positive for COVID-19 this week and may not be cleared to coach against the Vikings.
• Nagy, who tested positive for COVID in late October, on preparing without three coordinators: "They have to Zoom [videoconference], which is what I did [in October]. At practice, they're not there. So it just creates a little bit more for you as far as a backup plan, whether that's game day or at practice or meetings. We're not the only team or league going through this."
• Nagy on the team's COVID-related absences piling up: "You got to understand this is the world we live in right now. These are the rules we have to play by. Everybody has to know that any given moment, you got to be ready. It's a next-man-up mentality, not just for players but for coaches, too."Week 2: In a 34-33 loss at Arizona, both touchdown passes to Adam Thielen gave the Vikings a lead. Cousins also went 5-for-7 for 49 yards to set Joseph up for a 37-yard field goal, which Joseph missed as time expired. Cousins had three touchdown passes, no turnovers and a 122.4 passer rating.
https://www.startribune.com/bears-scouti...600128115/

[Guest]

Bears QB Justin Fields "looks to be a great player," Vikings' Kirk Cousins saysThe Chicago rookie has a strong arm and speedy legs, though sacks and turnovers have held him back as he learns the position.

Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins has grown familiar with the NFC North's current crop of passers, a divisional landscape evolving with the position itself.
Cousins said he always watches alot of the Packers' Aaron Rodgers, but this year's film sessions to scout opposing defenses often include the division's newcomers, the Lions' Jared Goff and the Bears' Justin Fields, who will make his 10th NFL start on Monday night against the Vikings. Cousins, a 33-year-old Pro Bowl pocket passer, has seen why Fields, the elusive 22-year-old, was worth two first-round picks for the Bears in a draft-day trade this spring.
"Super talented," Cousins said. "You can see the arm strength; you can see the athleticism. He looks to be a great player."
Fields' blurry legs and rocket arm raise the tide of young, slippery NFL quarterbacks changing how the position is played. The Vikings defense is familiar, having seen varying mobile styles already this season in the Cardinals' Kyler Murray, Chargers' Justin Herbert and Ravens' Lamar Jackson.
But at this crossroad of quarterbacking styles, Cousins still arrives at Soldier Field with the upper hand. Yes, he is 1-4 against the Bears with Minnesota, but Cousins has the Vikings' fourth-ranked offense moving in a way that remains elusive for the 31st-ranked Bears.
Sacks and turnovers have weighed down Fields. Coach Mike Zimmer's defense can upend the mistake-prone rookie, as long as they keep him pinned. Zimmer said he's wary of Fields scrambling, especially in late-half spots when coverage retreats, and the Vikings have surrendered a league-worst 69 points inside the two-minute warning before halftime.
"His legs [are] always a concern," Zimmer said. "You get bottled up and next thing you know, he's out and in space and you got guys spread out all over the place, and you have to make a tough tackle on an open-field runner who is a really good athlete."
A dynamic work in progress
Development is a matter of feel for Fields, who during a recent Sunday night in Green Bay flashed the highs and lows of learning on the job. He appeared taller than his listed 6-3 when he calmly lobbed a 19-yard ball to Bears receiver Darnell Mooney despite a Packers defensive lineman getting a free run at him.
During a two-minute drill before halftime, Fields scrambled up the middle for 20 of his 74 rushing yards to set up a field goal and Chicago's 27-21 lead. Most of Fields' rushing attempts this season have been scrambles, not designed runs, as the Bears keep focus on his arm. He has thrown six touchdown passes to 10 interceptions this season, but Fields told Chicago reporters this week he tracks progress in more nuanced ways.
"How you feel when you're out on the field," he said. "How comfortable do you feel running these plays? And literally each and every week, I feel more and more comfortable just with the whole dynamic of a play, knowing where my answers are."
Fields thought he had the answer when he locked onto Mooney in the flat. Packers cornerback Rasul Douglas read Fields' eyes and jumped the short route, finishing the interception with a 55-yard run to the end zone. Earlier in the first half, Fields said he should've been more patient when he rushed a contested pass to tight end Cole Kmet while receiver Allen Robinson became uncovered in the back of the end zone on third and goal.
"When you haven't had time to truly master your own scheme and know where all the bones are buried, then when you get multiple [defensive] looks, it can be challenging," Cousins said.
"For me, the more I played," he added, "the more I was able to understand where the bones are buried on different plays and different looks, then you can really react and play instinctively instead of having to think. That takes time."
'Get in his head a little' 
This Vikings defense remains vulnerable, ranking 29th in yards allowed, but Zimmer and his coaching staff have maintained an effective pass rush despite missing key edge rushers. Danielle Hunter and Everson Griffen haven't played together since Oct. 31.
Defensive tackle Dalvin Tomlinson said the Vikings don't have to necessarily add to a league-leading 41 sacks to fluster Fields. They want to "get in his head" however possible. It's no coincidence that Pro Football Focus' three worst passer ratings under pressure this season are from rookies: the Jets' Zach Wilson (41.4), Fields (38.7) and the Jaguars' Trevor Lawrence (37.4).
"We have to affect him throughout the whole game," Tomlinson said, "whether that's batting the ball down, or being in his face when he has to throw, and just get in his head a little bit."
The Vikings defense has also been mistake-prone, surrendering the kind of big passing plays that helped the Steelers claw back from a 29-0 hole. Co-defensive coordinator Adam Zimmer has implored his defensive backs to keep eyes on Bears receivers and not Fields.
"We've peeked in the backfield a few too many times," Adam Zimmer said. "If he starts scrambling around and you look in the backfield, you're losing your guy."
Muddying those reads, whether by mixing up coverages or disguises before the snap, has also been an emphasis as the Vikings try to leverage Fields' inexperience against him.
"That's the key [against] young quarterbacks," cornerback Patrick Peterson said. "Just try to make it as dirty as possible for him, because obviously you don't see as many fire zones in college football. You don't see many zone pressures on the college level."
https://www.startribune.com/vikings-bear...600128672/

[Guest]

Line is up to 6.5 in Chicago!

The Bears are decimated and a bottom football team in all stats even before all the injuries/covid- off/def 
Darrisaw is back on our OL and another rookie Bynum is back in the secondary.
Cook, Kendricks are a go with Theilan questionable.  

On paper, everything points to an easy Viking victory but we suck in Chicago and we all know how well we play when it looks like an easy game vs a young QB/Backup.
First time vs Fields, who has been OK overall IMO.  
I do think we cruise to victory in this game with some garbage time stats for Fields.
I'll be keying on our young players like Darrisaw, Bynum, Watts


"Chicago placed cornerback Jaylon Johnson and safety Tashaun Gipson on the reserve/COVID-19 list, further depleting their already short-handed roster for Monday night’s game.
With the addition of Johnson and Gipson, the Bears have 14 players on the list. That includes their entire starting secondary; cornerbacks Johnson and Artie Burns, safeties Gipson and Eddie Jackson and nickel Duke Shelley.
Due to a season of inconsistent play, the Vikings find themselves in a must-win position to keep their playoff hopes alive. With Justin Jefferson on an absurd pace in his sophomore season, this might be just the opportunity the Vikings need to break away from the style of football that has plagued them in the Windy City for years.
Minnesota is dealing with their own depth issues. Adam Thielen is still undecided for Monday night with a high ankle sprain and two of their depth receivers will miss the game due to COVID. Still, an already struggling defense missing nearly their entire secondary is the perfect opportunity for Kirk Cousins and Company to put up a ton of points and put this game away early. If they fail to do so, Vikings fans might find themselves watching what feels like a rerun of gut wrenching Chicago games of the past."

[Guest]

My inner viking fan is waiting for a Fields 83 yard highlight reel scramble with 10 seconds remaining to win the game...And pretty much dagger the Vikings dim post season aspirations. 

[Guest]

Way to early take on some first round QB's:

As someone (and maybe the only one) who advocated for us to move up for Fields when he was available past pick 10, I must admit Feilds has not looked as good as I expected.  Of course, now that I said that he will probably shred us.  

I am not saying I don't think he is a potential franchise QB for Chicago but my expectations for him were higher than his performance to date and I hope that doesn't change now

I was in Love with Zack Wilson and he has been bad with a very bad team.  I have watched a good amount of the Jets/Wilson/Saleh as HC.  The HC job for Saleh has been a huge learning curve for him.  His background is defense and they stink on defense and are worse on offense with, I think, a first time OC???  Wilson has no OL and no weapons and even when he had healthy WR's etc he has looked bad.  I hope for Wilson's sake that they can build around him and develop him properly I think he has huge potential but he clearly went to the worst situation...even worse than Lawrence IMO.  

I was also someone, at the time, who would not have taken Mac Jones and was thrilled (after not moving up for Feilds) that we were able to move down and still get Darrisaw (plus Mond/Wyatt) who I also loved for us at LT.  

[Guest]

@minny65 said:
Way to early take on some first round QB's:

As someone (and maybe the only one) who advocated for us to move up for Fields when he was available past pick 10, I must admit Feilds has not looked as good as I expected.  Of course, now that I said that he will probably shred us.  

I am not saying I don't think he is a potential franchise QB for Chicago but my expectations for him were higher than his performance to date and I hope that doesn't change now

I was in Love with Zack Wilson and he has been bad with a very bad team.  I have watched a good amount of the Jets/Wilson/Saleh as HC.  The HC job for Saleh has been a huge learning curve for him.  His background is defense and they stink on defense and are worse on offense with, I think, a first time OC???  Wilson has no OL and no weapons and even when he had healthy WR's etc he has looked bad.  I hope for Wilson's sake that they can build around him and develop him properly I think he has huge potential but he clearly went to the worst situation...even worse than Lawrence IMO.  

I was also someone, at the time, who would not have taken Mac Jones and was thrilled (after not moving up for Feilds) that we were able to move down and still get Darrisaw (plus Mond/Wyatt) who I also loved for us at LT.  

Jets = Dumpster Fire. Jags = Dumpster Fire. Bears = Dumpster Fire. So hard to gauge rookie qb's for any of those teams at this point. We will see how they progress

[Guest]

@Hawkvike25 said:

@minny65 said:
Way to early take on some first round QB's:

As someone (and maybe the only one) who advocated for us to move up for Fields when he was available past pick 10, I must admit Feilds has not looked as good as I expected.  Of course, now that I said that he will probably shred us.  

I am not saying I don't think he is a potential franchise QB for Chicago but my expectations for him were higher than his performance to date and I hope that doesn't change now

I was in Love with Zack Wilson and he has been bad with a very bad team.  I have watched a good amount of the Jets/Wilson/Saleh as HC.  The HC job for Saleh has been a huge learning curve for him.  His background is defense and they stink on defense and are worse on offense with, I think, a first time OC???  Wilson has no OL and no weapons and even when he had healthy WR's etc he has looked bad.  I hope for Wilson's sake that they can build around him and develop him properly I think he has huge potential but he clearly went to the worst situation...even worse than Lawrence IMO.  

I was also someone, at the time, who would not have taken Mac Jones and was thrilled (after not moving up for Feilds) that we were able to move down and still get Darrisaw (plus Mond/Wyatt) who I also loved for us at LT.  

Jets = Dumpster Fire. Jags = Dumpster Fire. Bears = Dumpster Fire. So hard to gauge rookie qb's for any of those teams at this point. We will see how they progress

Yes.

But of those 3 teams I thought Fields and the Bears were the better situation/better team.  But they have been awful this year and I think Nagy is gone.  I think we are going to win fairly easily tonight.  

[Guest]

What would the excuse be to NOT win tonight??

https://twitter.com/AdamSchefter/status/...7033845760

[Guest]

@StickyBun said:
What would the excuse be to NOT win tonight??

https://twitter.com/AdamSchefter/status/...7033845760

That we are the Minnesota Vikings and this type of stuff always happens to the Vikings?

[Guest]

@Hawkvike25 said:

@StickyBun said:
What would the excuse be to NOT win tonight??

https://twitter.com/AdamSchefter/status/...7033845760

That we are the Minnesota Vikings and this type of stuff always happens to the Vikings?

Can't even argue.