The Bear’s Den, December 23, 2017

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

Mozilla FireFox Web Browser - The official browser of the last weeks of the 2017 Chicago Bears season.

BEARRRSSSS

Players to watch: Bears-Browns - ChicagoBears.com - Larry Mayer and Eli Kaberon of ChicagoBears.com discuss the Bears players they'll be watching on both sides of the ball in Sunday’s home game against the Cleveland Browns.

LeGere: Picks again not aplenty for Chicago Bears - Daily Herald - The Chicago Bears' lack of pass pilfering this year is nothing new. In 2015, they set a franchise low with just 8 interceptions and then tied that record for futility last year. Unless they suddenly develop a knack for larceny, the Bears will set another new low this year, since they have just 6.

Game Preview: How the Chicago Bears Can Beat the Cleveland Browns - Da Bears Brothers - In their weekly game preview, Da Bears Brothers explain in full how the Bears can beat the winless Cleveland Browns on Christmas Eve.

The Bears need more than just a win vs. Browns this week | NBC Sports Chicago - The Bears need to find a way to impose their will this week against the Browns. But will they? Ken's Note: The Bears need to announce their presence with authority? Wrong movie, that's the one about Durham, not Cleveland.

Baffoe: Root For The Cleveland Browns On Sunday - CBS Chicago - The Bears losing to the Browns would be great fodder for sardonic sad sacks, to say nothing of helping the draft slot. Ken's Note: If I were a Bears player, I would never speak to Tim Baffoe again... good way to lose sources in the locker room.

The Pick Is In: Bears-Browns - ChicagoBears.com - National NFL analysts have made their Week 16 picks as the Bears return home to host the Cleveland Browns on Christmas Eve.

Hughes: A Look at the QB Situations of the Potentially-Available Head Coaching Gigs - Da Bears Blog - The question I’ve been asked most since getting to Chicago: “Do you think Trubisky will be a positive when looking for a new coach?” My answer each time has been a definitive yes because I truly believe it will. But I decided that, instead of leaning on my gut, to poll my two pals in the league on the question, factoring in all of the potentially-available gigs and their quarterback situation. I’ve grouped the teams into categories.

SUN TIMES

Jahns: Vic Fangio - Bears’ defense is in “good shape” moving forward - But with two games remaining, the Bears still rank eighth in total defense – and that’s despite having one of the toughest schedules this season.

Potash: Misfortune, penalties adding up for Bears’ special-teams units - It’s been that kind of season for the Bears’ special-teams. Kind of a wacky season, with the three longest returns marred by some some kind of error.

Finley: Four Bears questions -John Fox’s pet monkey, Mitch’s Browns ties & more - John Fox’s mom named her Gidget, after the television character. She wore diapers and ate grapes and was part of the family for three years.

Jahns: What QB changes meant to Bears compared to Browns - Adam L. Jahns’ “Inside the Huddle” column runs in game-day editions of the Chicago Sun-Times.

CHICAGO TRIBUNE

Wiederer: Bears coach John Fox once had a pet monkey named Gidget - It’s Week 16. The Bears remain in last place in the NFC North. And their contest Sunday at Soldier Field against the Browns will feature two teams with a combined 4-24 record. We could X and O that Christmas Eve matchup to death if we really wanted. But there was a much lighter topic to address...

Kane, Campbell, Wiederer & Biggs: Can Bears avoid the embarrassment of losing to the winless Browns? - Storylines, key matchups, predictions and more for the Bears vs. Browns game Sunday at Soldier Field in Chicago. Weather forecast: High of 27 with a chance of light snow.

Campbell: Through successes and mistakes, Mitch Trubisky's steadiness fuels development - This is a tale of two throws. One interception, one completion. One bad, one good. Down, then up. A football roller coaster, typical of any rookie’s season and by now familiar to Bears quarterback Mitchell Trubisky.

Rosenbloom: John Fox’s laughable answer sounds like a guy sucking up to his boss to keep his job - Ken’s Note: I wonder how Rosenbloom knows all about sucking up to a boss to keep his job when an employee’s work performance sucks?

POLISH SAUSAGE

McManus: Eagles' John DeFilippo, Jim Schwartz head coach candidates - ESPN - The timing always is awkward, but several Eagles assistants figure to be in line for interviews during the team's first-round bye week.

KNOW THY ENEMY

NFL Minute: Browns could get first win of season against Bears in Week 16 - Browns Wire - Here's Tim Benz to break down the chances of the Browns getting their first win of the season against the Bears in Week 16.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT ON WINDY CITY GRIDIRON

Pokorny & Infante: Chicago Bears - Our Q&A with Windy City Gridiron - Dawgs By Nature - We ask about Mitch Trubisky, John Fox, the team’s formations on offense, and more.

Wiltfong & Pokorny: 5 Questions with Dawgs By Nature - “The Bears are doomed on Christmas Eve” - Windy City Gridiron - The Chicago Bears are hosting the Cleveland Browns on Sunday, so I caught up with Chris Pokorny, the Executive Editor of SB Nation's Dawgs By Nature, to get the skinny on the Browns.

Link: Chicago Bears versus Cleveland Browns Preview - What to Watch For - Windy City Gridiron - The Browns invade Soldier Field (insert joke here)

Wiltfong's Chicago Bears Injury Report: Josh Sitton doubtful, 3 others questionable - Windy City Gridiron - Here’s the full injury report for the Bears and Browns game on Christmas Eve.

FANPOSTS

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

Windy City Gridiron Community Guidelines - SBNation.com - We strive to make our communities open and inclusive to sports fans of all backgrounds. The following is not permitted in comments, FanPosts, usernames or anywhere else in an SB Nation community: Comments, FanPosts or usernames that are intolerant or prejudiced; racial or other offensive epithets; Personal attacks or threats on community members; Gendered insults of any kind; Trolling; Click link for full information.

The Bear’s Den Specific Guidelines – The Bear’s Den is a place for Chicago Bears fans to discuss Chicago Bears football, related NFL stories, and general football talk. It is NOT a place to discuss religion or politics or post political pictures or memes, and any posts that do this will be deleted and the poster will be admonished. We do not allow comments posted where the apparent attempt is to cause confrontation in the community. We do not allow gender-directed humor or sexual assault jokes. The staff of WCG are the sole arbiters of what constitutes “apparent attempt to cause confrontation”. We do not allow the “calling out” of other members in any way, shape or form. Posts that do this will be deleted on sight. Bottom line, it’s fine to debate about football, but personal jabs and insults are strictly prohibited. Additionally, if you keep beating the same dead horse over and over and fail to heed a moderator’s warning to stop, you will be banned.

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