The Bear’s Den, December 7, 2018

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

BEARRRSSSS

Can Bears put enough pressure on Goff on Sunday? - ESPN Video - Steve Young says the Bears have to bring heavy pressure to shut Jared Goff down in their matchup with the Rams on Sunday.

Wiedman: Bears-Rams matchup has familiar feel - Our Turf Football - OTFB’s Wanda Wiedman takes us back to the 1982 matchup between the Chicago Bears and the Los Angeles Rams.

Joniak: Matt Nagy, Bears Still Have Plenty To Learn About Each Other - 670 The Score - Matt Nagy feels he’s still finding out what his players like in a game plan.

Know Your Foe: Bears-Rams Storylines - 670 The Score - Danny Parkins of 670 and Randy Kerdoon of KNX 1070 previewed the game.

Emma: Battle Of Bears Defense, Rams Offense Brings Great Intrigue - 670 The Score - Can a great defense control an elite offense in this NFL? We may learn Sunday.

Householder: LA Rams vs Chicago Betting Picks & Analysis - Sports Bet Collective - Coming off a disappointing overtime loss, the Bears come off and face one of the best teams in the league in the Rams. For the Bears, it feels familiar with another stretch they had back in October when they went on the road and dropped a game they were favored in, in overtime, to the Dolphins and then came home and hosted the Patriots. They dropped both of those games but then didn’t lose again until last Sunday.

Stebbins: Bears tight end Trey Burton nominated for NFL Walter Payton Man of the Year Award - NBC Sports Chicago - The Bears announced that tight end Trey Burton is a nominee for the 2018 Walter Payton Man of the Year Award.

Mayer: Hicks TD reminds Thayer of Fridge mania - ChicagoBears.com - For former Bears guard and longtime radio analyst Tom Thayer, seeing 332-pound defensive tackle Akiem Hicks thunder into the end zone against the Giants conjured up special memories of William “Refrigerator” Perry.

Week 14 Key Matchups - ChicagoBears.com - When the Bears take on the Rams on Sunday, keep an eye out for these key matchups, including Roquan Smith against Todd Gurley.

Mayer: Bears auctioning game-day experience with Hester - ChicagoBears.com - Two lucky fans will have the opportunity to meet Bears legend Devin Hester before the Bears take on the Packers Dec. 16 at Soldier Field.

Mayer: Nagy pleased with how Trubisky looked in practice - ChicagoBears.com - After missing two games with a right shoulder injury, Bears quarterback Mitchell Trubisky not only practiced without restrictions Wednesday but showed that he appears ready to return to game action.

Neveau: Mitchell Trubisky Hopeful He Will Play vs. Rams Sunday - NBC Chicago - All signs are pointing to Chicago Bears quarterback Mitchell Trubisky being under center when the team takes on the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday Night Football.

Hoge’s 10 Bears Things: Trubisky Returns For Chicago’s Game Of The Year - WGN Radio - Perspective can be hard to keep throughout a 17-week football season and Sunday’s loss to the 4-8 New York Giants was not a catastrophic event. That is, unless the Bears let it become one.

Medina: The Secret to Mitch Trubisky's Success Was Simple - Let Him Do His Thing - Bleacher Nation - This all-hands-on-deck effort to build up Mitch Trubisky has been a long time coming.

Medina: Here's How the Bears Can Slow Down the Reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year This Sunday - Bleacher Nation - The Bears might need to get extra creative in order to slow down Aaron Donald.

Medina: Jarrett Payton Surprises Trey Burton with a "Walter Payton Man of the Year" Nomination (VIDEO) - Bleacher Nation - Trey Burton is turning catches and touchdowns into money raised for a good cause.

Rams at Bears preview: Hoge & Jahns podcast - Sun Times - Rams at Bears: Hoge and Jahns break down the Bears' matchup in Week 14.

Campbell: Similarities between Matt Nagy and Sean McVay hint at a budding rivalry between the Bears and Rams - Chicago Tribune - Bears coach Matt Nagy and Rams coach Sean McVay embody a combination of interpersonal skills and football intelligence that has helped reverse their team’s fortunes. Their competitiveness, compassion and passion set them apart, according to Bears quarterbacks coach Dave Ragone.

Campbell: Bears quarterback Mitch Trubisky expected to return Sunday against the Rams - 'He was throwing the ball strong' - Chicago Tribune - Bears quarterback Mitch Trubisky is expected to start Sunday night against the Rams after coach Matt Nagy was pleased by how Trubisky performed in Wednesday’s practice.

Kane: Trey Burton was supposed to throw on Bears’ ‘Oompa Loompa’ play, but Super Bowl memories gave him ‘crazy anxiety’ - Chicago Tribune - Trey Burton couldn’t sleep after the Bears installed a play similar to the Eagles' "Philly Special" before the Patriots game in October. Ultimately, the play was changed so Tarik Cohen would be called upon to throw the pass.

NBC’s Al Michaels on Bears-Rams: 'This game is going to have a lot of buzz' - Chicago Tribune - “This game is going to have a lot of buzz. The Rams are back. Chicago’s back," NBC's Al Michaels says of the Bears-Rams "Sunday Night Football" matchup. "The whole thing sets up really nicely. I’ve told a couple people the last couple days the game we have and they go, ‘Yeah!’”

Audio Mailbag: Should The Bears Make A Switch At Guard? (And More) - Da Bears Brothers Podcast - Da Bears Brothers provide another round of in-depth analysis on questions submitted by the fans in their weekly Audio Mailbag episode.

Stankevitz: Bears see Allen Robinson becoming a valuable weapon for playoff push - NBC Sports Chicago - The Bears are starting to trust Allen Robinson more in critical situations as the 2018 season hits crunch time in December.

Ellis: The LA Rams may have one of the league's great offenses, but it's a challenge the Bears' defense is ready for | NBC Sports Chicago - The Rams' high-octane offense has yet to be really stopped. Are the Bears up to the task?

Mullin: Bears-Rams shaping up as Smiths-vs-Grabowskis II? - NBC Sports Chicago - History usually does not repeat itself, but it could come awfully close for the Bears and Rams this season.

Stankevitz: How Tarik Cohen has grown into being the Bears' leading receiver - NBC Sports Chicago - Tarik Cohen leads the Bears in targets, receptions and receiving yards, the product of a smart, athletic player now having experience under his belt.

Potash: Bears’ defense in the spotlight vs. Gurley, Goff and Rams’ unstoppable offense - Chicago Sun-Times - It’s a challenge that would be daunting to most teams, but is embraced by a Bears defense that suddenly has something to prove.

Finley: Bears QB Mitch Trubisky on track to start - Sun Times - The next step: regaining the chemistry with his receivers that seemed lost, at times, in the two games that backup Chase Daniel started.

Jahns: Bears are getting what they wanted in WR Allen Robinson - Sun Times - Bears receiver Allen Robinson has 41 catches for 573 yards and four touchdowns this season.

Finley: Why Bears kicker Cody Parkey is best in NFL at onside kicks - Sun Times
Over the past three years, he’s converted six onside kicks — on only nine tries.

Bears predictions: Week 14 vs the Rams on ‘Sunday Night Football’ - Sun Times - The Sun-Times’ experts offer their picks for the Bears’ Week 14 game against the Rams:

Michele Tafoya has game, cold covered for NBC’s ‘Sunday Night Football’ - Sun Times - While the NFL is leaning toward offense, Tafoya said defense still can rule the day. She points to Donald and Mack being in discussion for league MVP.

POLISH SAUSAGE

Team statement says Alex Smith has “serious injury,” requests privacy – ProFootballTalk - Usually when a player has had surgery after an injury, the team or the player puts out a statement saying the surgery was "successful." The statement Washington released today about quarterback Alex Smith sounds much more ominous than that.

Alex Smith battling leg infection after surgery - NFL.com - NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported Thursday that Washington Redskins QB Alex Smith is battling an infection related to the surgery he underwent to repair a broken fibula and tibia.

NFL announces nominees for Walter Payton Man of Year award - NFL.com - The NFL announced today the 32 nominees for the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award presented by Nationwide

KNOW THY ENEMY

Mike McCarthy addressed players, coaches after firing - NFL.com - After his tenure in Green Bay came to an abrupt end last Sunday following a loss, Mike McCarthy was allowed to address the team for the sake of closure.

Detroit Lions Quarterly Report: Grading Detroit’s 3rd quarter of the season - Pride Of Detroit - More bad games as the team struggled in the third quarter of the season.

Increase in ‘three and out’ offensive drives a cause for concern - Daily Norseman - One of the main issues for the Vikings offense is the increase in three and out drives.

Packers place Kevin King on IR for the second straight season - Acme Packing Company - The Packers placed their top pick from 2017 and a backup running back on injured reserve and claimed Fadol Brown and Natrell Jamerson to replace them.

APC Week 14 NFL Picks: Packers-Falcons is just a shrug emoji - Acme Packing Company - ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT ON WINDY CITY GRIDIRON

Link: Trubisky is back to face Aaron Donald and the Rams - Windy City Gridiron - In Andrew’s latest edition of The Bears Link podcast he peeks back at the Giants game before looking ahead at the huge Sunday Nighter against the Rams.

Householder's Week 14 Game Preview: Chicago Bears vs. Los Angeles Rams - Windy City Gridiron - The Bears face another great opponent in prime time this Sunday Night!

Silversteen: The Prophecy is dead — long live The Prophecy - Windy City Gridiron - The loss to the Giants upended The Prophecy, but Jack M Silverstein sees a new hope ahead.

Infante: Vegas sees Khalil Mack as runner-up for Defensive Player of the Year - Windy City Gridiron - The Bears edge rusher has the second-best odds to win the coveted Defensive Player of the Year award.

Wiltfong: Trey Burton is the Bears’ nominee for the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award - Windy City Gridiron - Earlier today the NFL announced today the 32 nominees for the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award presented by Nationwide, and the Chicago Bears’ nominee is tight end Trey Burton.

WCG CONTRIBUTORS BEARS PODCASTS & STREAMS

2 Minute Drill - Website - iTunes - Andrew Link; Steven’s Streaming – Twitch – Steven Schweickert; T-Formation Conversation - Website - iTunes - Lester Wiltfong, Jr.; WCG Radio - Website - iTunes - Robert Zeglinski

THE RULES

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