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Ten Thoughts on the NFL: Chicago Bears and beyond

With no Chicago Bears on my tele this weekend, I got to settle in and just enjoy some stress free football watching for a change. Almost everyone I was rooting against won, and my fantasy team crapped the bed, but it was still a fun day of football. Check out my thoughts...

By Lester A. Wiltfong Jr.
Leon Halip

1) I tweeted this thought out yesterday (follow me @wiltfongjr btw), but all three of the Chicago Bears rivals have one player that I really enjoy watching play. The Detroit Lions have the freakishly athletic Calvin Johnson, who put on a show yesterday with 14 catches, 329 yards, and a TD. The Minnesota Vikings have "All Day" Adrian Peterson, who runs with an aggression that reminds me of Walter Payton. And then the Green Bay Packers have the player I consider the best quarterback playing the game today, Aaron Rodgers.

Even though I vehemently root against each of these other NFC North teams, I can appreciate the greatness of those three players.

2) If you missed any of the Dez Bryant temper tantrums yesterday, just go to your local supermarket and watch a pissed off toddler when Mommy says no to candy.

Bryant may think his acting like a demonstrative diva is a "positive", but you can bet his teammates and coaches see him as a grade A jackwaggon. Even if they don't publicly say that...

3) One more thought on that game, Matt Stafford calling for the spike, then jumping over his center for a touchdown was some real smart football. Or as Major League Baseball calls it, "bush-league".

4) I understand the NFL is trying to grow their brand, but is sending the now 0-8 Jacksonville Jaguars to London really the best way to do that?

5) They say good teams find a way to overcome injuries, so that makes the Atlanta Falcons a bad team then right?

6) One more on that game, how many teams would like a do-over last draft in regards to Cardinals nickle-back/free safety Tyrann Mathieu? The 3rd round pick is having a "rookie of the year" type season.

7) Two weeks ago the Philadelphia Eagles were 3-3 and their offense looked to be clicking on all cylinders. At that time, they were one of only four teams in the history of the NFL to gain over 400 yards in total offense in each of their 1st six games.

Since then, their offense has sputtered. In week seven, just three points and 278 yards of offense, then last week a mediocre 201 yards on offense with seven points.

So has poor QB play doomed them, or has the NFL caught up with their fast break offense?

8) For a while there I thought Washington was going to give the Broncos a serious fight and hand them their second loss in a row. They were up 21-7 in the 3rd, and clung to a seven point lead after three. But then the fourth quarter happened. Thirty one points later, Peyton Manning and company rolled to a 45-21 victory.

9) How's this for a bad day. Lose to your division rival, then get served with a grand jury subpoena following the game. Miami Dolphins center Mike Pouncey may not be in any trouble right now, but considering his ties to Aaron Hernandez, trouble could be on the horizon.

Hernendez, who is in prison after being indicted by a grand jury for murder, is also being investigated for gunrunning. It's being reported by Sports Illustrated that the authorities are interested in numerous transactions between Pouncey and Hernandez.

When ever I see a situation like this, I'm reminded of an old saying, 'you are a product of your environment'. You hang around trash long enough, you'll become trash.

10) For those you hoping for a change at safety for the Chicago Bears, that's not gonna happen.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>Trestman: Expect no depth chart changes at safety. Bears will stick with Major Wright and Chris Conte.</p>&mdash; Rich Campbell (@Rich_Campbell) <a href="https://twitter.com/Rich_Campbell/statuses/394874142505189376">October 28, 2013</a></blockquote>

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And you may not like it, but it's the right call. Neither Wright or Conte will ever be mistaken for former Chicago safety Mike Brown, but both are capable of playing well. Hopefully the front four will get some pressure this week, and stop the defensive backs from covering for 5, 6, 7 seconds.

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