The Bear’s Den, December 21, 2017

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

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BEARRRSSSS

Dickerson: Chicago Bears cursed when favored under John Fox - ESPN - The Bears are rarely favorites under third-year coach John Fox, and when they are, it's rarely ever a good thing.

Stankevitz: Akiem Hicks on Pro Bowl snub - ‘It’s like telling a kid he ain’t getting no presents for Christmas’ - NBC Sports Chicago - Akiem Hicks was snubbed from the Pro Bowl and is merely a fourth alternate, which doesn't match how well he's played in 2017.

Kyle Long of Chicago Bears undergoes surgery to alleviate neck pain - ESPN - Bears guard Kyle Long has had surgery to alleviate neck pain, with the three-time Pro Bowl lineman tweeting a picture of himself and writing that he "crushed surgery today."

Hawley: Bears offensive lineman Kyle Long undergoes neck surgery on Tuesday - WGN-TV - When you are one of the faces of the franchises, any kind of Social Media post about surgery gets people a bit concerned. That includes a player who has already been placed on season-ending Injured Reserve for 2017. But as the team's "Man of the People.

Dannehy: Dave Toub Could Help Bears Follow Jags Model - Da Bears Blog - Fans wanting the Bears to follow the Rams model should prepare themselves for the fact that it isn’t that easy. What the Jaguars have done, however, could be replicated next year by hiring Dave Toub. The comparisons to the Rams are easy. An outgoing veteran head coach who appears to have lost his way, a young quarterback, stud running back and good defense. But is there a Sean McVay available for the Bears to hire?

DeWitt: Meet the Browns (with Jeff Lloyd of "Locked on Browns") - Da Bears Brothers - Listen as Da Bears Brothers get a firsthand scouting report on the (0-14) Cleveland Browns from the host of the "Locked on Browns" podcast Jeff Lloyd.

Twitter: Bears’ pride is in jeopardy with matchup against Browns - Moreano - Although the Bears have had many low points in the season, losing to the Browns on Christmas Eve would be on top of that long list of disappointments.

SportsTalk Live Podcast: Should Bears make Jeff Fisher their next head coach? - NBC Sports Chicago - In the latest SportsTalk Live Podcast, the panel debates if the Bears should make Jeff Fisher their next head coach.

Emma: Stronger Together - Zach Miller, Alex Ruiz Are Side By Side - CBS Chicago - The Bears' Miller and a 16-year-old quarterback from California were linked through different fates but the same spirits.

Cox: Bears left out of 2018 Pro Bowl - Bears Wire - No Chicago Bears players were voted into the 2018 Pro Bowl.

Bears part of new Chicago Sports Alliance - ChicagoBears.com - Five of Chicago’s pro sports teams are joining together to work on a vital social issue, lending their broad reach and resources in support of solutions to decrease violence in the city.

Mayer: Four Bears named Pro Bowl alternates - ChicagoBears.com - Running back Jordan Howard was among four Bears players who were voted as alternates to the NFC squad in the Pro Bowl Jan. 28 in Orlando.

Mayer: Bears put McPhee on injured reserve - ChicagoBears.com - The Bears on Wednesday placed outside linebacker Pernell McPhee on injured reserve with a shoulder injury. McPhee becomes the 15th player on the Bears IR list.

Mayer: Bears begin preparing to host Browns - ChicagoBears.com - Four days after their 20-10 loss to the Lions in Detroit, the Bears return to the practice field Wednesday to begin preparing for Sunday’s home finale against the Cleveland Browns.

LeGere: Chicago Bears place linebacker McPhee on injured reserve - Daily Herald - The Chicago Bears will be without outside linebacker Pernell McPhee for the final two games of their NFL season after he was placed on injured reserve Wednesday with a shoulder injury.

Andracki: Kyle Long channels 'Terminator' as he runs down crazy injury history - NBC Sports Chicago - I'll be back. Just hours before the Bears placed yet another player (Pernell McPhee) on injured reserve, Pro Bowl offensive lineman Kyle Long took to Twitter to share with fans his crazy injury history.He also channeled his inner Arnold as he vowed to return. It all started when Long Tweeted out a photo of him giving the thumbs-up from a hospital bed with a neck brace on Tuesday night.

Stankevitz: The six Bears most likely to make the 2019 Pro Bowl - NBC Sports Chicago - While the Bears didn't have anyone named to this season's initial Pro Bowl roster, there are a handful of players who could make strong arguments to head to Orlando in 2019.

Stankevitz: Akiem Hicks deserved the Pro Bowl, but missing it doesn't diminish his standout season - NBC Sports Chicago - Akiem Hicks played well enough to earn a Pro Bowl bid, but wasn't among the players named to the NFC roster on Tuesday night.

Emma: Stronger Together - Zach Miller, Alex Ruiz Are Side By Side - CBS Chicago - The Bears' Miller and a 16-year-old quarterback from California were linked through different fates but the same spirits.

Cox: Bears left out of 2018 Pro Bowl - Bears Wire - No Chicago Bears players were voted into the 2018 Pro Bowl.

SUN TIMES

Finley: Bears’ Pernell McPhee done for the season with a shoulder injury - Another Bears veteran will finish the season on injured reserve: outside linebacker Pernell McPhee, who suffered a shoulder injury Saturday.

Finley: Bears guard Kyle Long undergoes neck surgery - Kyle Long Tweeted a picture of himself wearing a neck brace in a hospital room late Tuesday, describing his operation as an “important procedure.”

Finley: Shut out - No Bears named to Pro Bowl roster - Akiem Hicks’ Pro Bowl goal was dealt a blow Tuesday, when he and the rest of the Bears were left off the NFC roster - at least on the first pass.

Jahns & Hoge: Forget the Browns, let’s discuss the Bears’ draft needs - The Chicago Sun-Times’ Adam L. Jahns and WGN Radio’s Adam Hoge have co-hosted a Bears podcast since the 2015 season.

Main: Chicago sports teams put up $1 million to fight city’s gun violence - Owners of the Bears, Blackhawks, Bulls, Cubs and White Sox partnered with the University of Chicago Crime Lab, which evaluates how to reduce crime.

Finley: Winless Browns and Deshone Kizer show perils of rushing rookie QB - The Bears were hesitant to expose rookie Mitch Trubisky to too much, too soon. The Browns weren’t with DeShone Kizer – and are paying the price.

CHICAGO TRIBUNE

Biggs: Pro Bowl shutout another reminder of Bears' critical shortage of playmakers - When the Bears hired John Fox nearly three years ago, he said he was more interested in having Super Bowl players than Pro Bowl players. The franchise was forced to settle for neither when the NFL announced the Pro Bowl rosters Tuesday night. It’s the third consecutive year the Bears have been shut out on Pro Bowl players at the initial announcement of the rosters. Obviously, the only way any of their players are going to Super Bowl LII is with a ticket.

Halas Hall Pass: Kyle Long undergoes neck surgery - Tribune writers Rich Campbell and Dan Wiederer discuss Kyle Long undergoing neck surgery and his accumulation of injuries the last two seasons.

Rosenbloom: Shoutout to Ryan Pace and John Fox, No Bears voted to Pro Bowl for 3rd straight year - For the third straight season of the Ryan Pace-John Fox administration, the Bears failed to produce a player voted to the Pro Bowl. Congrats on the consistency, guys. That’s a stunningly inept combination of failing to draft, sign and develop players, revealing the most savage indictment of a GM... Ken’s Note: Just because none were selected doesn’t mean we don’t have players performing at a Pro-Bowl level. Akiem Hicks and Jordan Howard come instantly to mind.

Biggs’ Bears Q&A: Can Mitch Trubisky attract an offensive-minded coach? Where is Ryan Pace? - Brad Biggs answers readers questions about Mitch Trubisky and the Chicago Bears.

Campbell: Kyle Long 'crushed' neck surgery on Tuesday - Bears offensive lineman Kyle Long underwent neck surgery Tuesday. A person with knowledge of the situation confirmed the surgery without providing more details. Long tweeted at 10 p.m.: “Crushed surgery today. Important procedure that will lead to much relief and success.”

Wiederer: Pernell McPhee the 15th Bears player placed on injured reserve this season - The Bears have officially placed Pernell McPhee on injured reserve, the latest health detour for the veteran outside linebacker. It’s also a continuation of the team’s ongoing injury woes with McPhee becoming the 15th member of the IR fraternity at Halas Hall, a group that also includes Leonard Floyd, Kyle Long, Willie Young, Jerrell Freeman, Kevin White, Cameron Meredith and Zach Miller.

Mulligan: In need of complete culture change, Bears must find their John McDonough - There’s a uniformity to the constant change at Halas Hall, and we’re not talking about players in navy blue. The dress code for leaders in Lake Forest seems to include red noses, fright wigs and oversized shoes. The public imagines George, Ted, Ryan and Foxy pulling up in a car, hopping out and chasing one another around with soda bottles, confetti buckets and the occasional whipped-cream pie. Let’s get to work, guys.

KNOW THY ENEMY

Reisman: Detroit Lions CB Darius Slay named Week 15 NFC Defensive Player of the Week - Pride Of Detroit - Slay earned this award for the second time in his career after his two-interception performance vs. the Bears.

Wednesday Walkthroughs: What one thing would we change about the Packers’ season? - Acme Packing Company - We asked the APC writers what they’d change about the 2017 season (beside the obvious).

Bergman: Browns GM John Dorsey takes back 'real players' jab - NFL.com - One week after implying that the previous Browns regime had failed in acquiring "real players," newly christened Browns general manager John Dorsey walked back that assessment.

Silverstein: Aaron Rodgers suppressing Packers' run game - Milwaukee Journal Sentinel - If the Carolina game doesn’t illuminate why the Packers never are going to get the most yards possible from their running game, few others will.

Brinson: New Browns GM blasts old regime 'They didn't get real players,' everyone on notice - Everyone who knows John Dorsey will tell you he is a football guy. A hardcore scout at heart who doesn't mince his words; it may even be part of the reason he found himself out in Kansas City despite a successful run as Andy Reid's general manager. Dorsey is now with the Browns and he continues not to mince his words.

Hodekiewicz: Packers aren't used to this - Packers.com - The atmosphere was a complete 180-degree turn from last week when the locker room was beaming with the anticipation of Aaron Rodgers’ return. While the two-time MVP quarterback had his moments on Sunday against Carolina, the Packers ultimately fell short in a 31-24 road defeat to the Panthers. As the Packers ready for the NFC North champion Minnesota Vikings, players who have grown accustomed to postseason football were still coming to terms with the fact Saturday night’s game at Lambeau Field will be the last home game they’ll play this season.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT ON WINDY CITY GRIDIRON

Zeglinski: Mitch Trubisky and "arguably his best (uneven) game" vs. the Lions. Anatomy of a play(s) - Windy City Gridiron - The rookie quarterback had what one would call a typical inexperienced performance Saturday night. Some flash. Some glaring blemishes. Plenty to learn from.

Wiltfong: The Chicago Bears’ Comeback Player of the year is Kyle Fuller - Windy City Gridiron - Fuller has been one of the best stories of the year for the Bears.

Wiltfong: Chicago Bears place Pernell McPhee on injured reserve - Windy City Gridiron - The season ending injured reserve list for the Chicago Bears just keeps growing. The latest is outside linebacker Pernell McPhee, who left the game on Saturday in Detroit with a right shoulder...

Wiltfong: The Chicago Bears are trying to kill my hope - Windy City Gridiron - In Lester’s latest T Formation Conversation podcast he discusses where the hope is for Chicago Bears’ fans.

Sunderbruch: It’s All Jay Cutler’s Fault - Windy City Gridiron
Bears fans thought the horror was over. They thought they had seen the last of the nightmare. What they didn’t understand was that there are some terrors that can’t simply be waived.

FANPOSTS

Roman F: Why Aren't Our Young Players Improving? - Windy City Gridiron - Eddie Goldman was supposed to be a star by now. Something that occurred to me lately, and I figure there might be other Bears fans who might want to discuss this. Lovie Smith used to say, and...

Bortherjongrey: OLB perfect storm - Windy City Gridiron - In looking forward to the offseason and hopefully the end of the rebuild/ being competetive I've been reading complaints about Arden Key being dropped into coverage too much for a star pass...

FanPosts - Recent - Windy City Gridiron - Here's a link to our FanPost section, where YOU have the opportunity to contribute to Windy City Gridiron. Take a few minutes and write a post about what you are thinking about regarding the Chicago Bears, and there's a chance it will be linked right here in the Den.

THE RULES

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