The Bear's Den: August 17, 2016

BEAR DOWN, CHICAGO BEARS, BEAR DOWN!!!!

BEARRRSSSS

Weaver: Bill Belichick raves about Bears G Kyle Long - Cover32 - Bill Belichick is not normally a guy you would look to for praise. The famously tight-lipped New England Patriots head coach is best known...

The Bernstein Brief: Bears Fighting An Uphill Battle - CBS Chicago - The Bears won't stop fighting and won't listen to their coach either.

Emma: Bears’ Bolstered Defensive Front Provides Versatility For Fangio - CBS Chicago - There are many options for Fangio to maximize his front seven.

Hub Arkush: Kevin White puts on a show in Bears-Patriots practice - Pro Football Weekly - Bears WRs White and Alshon Jeffery made big catches against the Patriots' secondary

Dickerson: John Fox denies Bears TE Zach Miller (concussion) suffered setback - ESPN - Chicago Bears TE Zach Miller (concussion) did not take part in a practice with the Patriots, but coach John Fox says there is "no new prognosis."

Perez: Bears without several key players on Day 2 of joint practices with Patriots - Bears Wire - The Chicago Bears continued their trend of key players missing practice today, with Danny Trevathan, Zach Miller and Eddie Royal all out

Mayer: Bears offense looks sharper on Day 2 - ChicagoBears.com - The Bears offense showed marked improvement in its second practice against the Patriots Tuesday, led by receivers Alshon Jeffery, Kevin White and Joshua Bellamy.

What we saw: Day 2 of Bears-Patriots joint training camp practice - Chicago Sun-Times - The Chicago Sun-Times’ Adam L. Jahns and Patrick Finley break down the Bears’ second joint practice Tuesday against the Patriots.

Finley: Back in New England, Bears' Akiem Hicks still brings 'juice' - Chicago Sun-Times - In a different universe, Akiem Hicks would be home this week

Jahns: Zach Miller, Eddie Royal remain sidelined by concussions - Chicago Sun-Times - The Bears veterans sat out the second day of joint practices with the Patriots.

Wiederer: Happily ever after? Martellus Bennett mum on his reunion with Bears - Chicago Tribune - The Patriots tight end again jawed with former Bears teammates on the practice field Tuesday but opted not to talk to the media for a second straight day.

Just realized this headline makes Bryan Stork sound like t

he ultimate badass. pic.twitter.com/nngPMeNGWG

— Zack Cox (@ZackCoxNESN) August 16, 2016

Mamola: Chicago Bears 5 Things To Watch For in Preseason Week 2 - NFL Spin Zone - After a disappointing performance in week one, the Chicago Bears hope for better results in their second preseason game of the year. Here are a few things to watch for on Thursday night.

Dickerson: Jeremy Langford's fantasy value may suffer due to Bears' RB options - ESPN - Jeremy Langford showed flashes of fantasy potential for the Chicago Bears during his rookie season, but a glut of backs will inhibit his value.

Perez: Jay Cutler on WR Marc Mariani, ‘He just makes catches’ - Bears Wire - Chicago Bears QB Jay Cutler had high praise for WR Marc Mariani after the team's joint practice with the New England Patriots

Jahns: Sorry Patriots, but John Fox wants his Bears to bite - Chicago Sun-Times - As a defense, the Bears want to play fast, physical and rough. They want to be animated and hostile.

Krinch: Tempers flare once again in Bears-Patriots joint practice - CSN Chicago - For the second straight day, tempers flared during a joint practice between the Bears and Patriots in Foxborough.

Hub Arkush: Chris and Kyle Long form impressive duo from talented NFL family - Pro Football Weekly - Practices between Bears and Patriots brought Long brothers together

Mayer: Mariani remains a key contributor - ChicagoBears.com - After helping to fill the void when injuries decimated the Bears' receiving corps last season, Marc Mariani has picked up this year right where he left off.

Martellus Bennett just blew past 50 reporters waiting to talk to him. Who'd been told he would talk. Weak

— Patrick Finley (@patrickfinley) August 16, 2016

Be wary of Alshon Jeffery - ESPN Video - Jerome Bettis thinks lingering issues will hurt Alshon Jeffery in fantasy football.

St. Clair: Aimee Boorman, Simone Biles' coach, defends Jay Cutler - Chicago Tribune - Jay Cutler may have his detractors, but Aimee Boorman – the Chicago native who coaches Olympic champion Simone Biles – isn’t among them.

Breaking down Day 2 of Bears-Patriots practice - Chicago Tribune - The Tribune's Rich Campbell with NESN's Rachel Holt and Zack Cox on Day 2 of the Bears-Patriots joint practice in Foxborough, Mass.

Photos: Bears-Patriots joint practices in New England - Chicago Tribune - Photos of the Bears and Patriots joint practices before the second preseason game of the season.

Wiederer: Akiem Hicks continues to thrive in return to New England - Chicago Tribune - Since Bears training camp began, no defender has been more active and productive than the fifth-year lineman. That trend has continued this week.

Perez: Jay Cutler says Alshon Jeffery is ‘not going to back down from anyone’ - Bears Wire - Chicago Bears QB Jay Cutler said WR Alshon Jeffery is not going to back down from anyone after the brawl that broke out with the Patriots

Williamson: Bears chairman intervenes in skirmish during joint practice with Patriots - The Comeback - During a practice on Monday between the Bears and Patriots, Alshon Jeffrey and Malcolm Butler got into a fight that was broken up by...George McCaskey?

POLISH SAUSAGE

Fantasy Football podcast: Adam Levitan talks DFS, strategy - Pro Football Weekly - One of the best in Fantasy Football gives his analysis, lessons learned along the way.

Mayer: McMichael reflects on year with Pats - ChicagoBears.com - Steve McMichael played 13 illustrious seasons with the Bears, but not before the Patriots cut him following his rookie year, calling him "the criminal element" in the NFL

KNOW THY ENEMY

Sessler: Christian Ponder signs with San Francisco 49ers - NFL.com - Former Vikings quarterback Christian Ponder, who hasn't thrown a pass since 2014, signed a one-year deal with the San Francisco 49ers on Tuesday, the team announced.

Check out the debut episode of T Formation Conversation hosted by our very own Lester A. Wiltfong Jr.

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