The Bear’s Den, August 11, 2018

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

BEARRRSSSS / DRAFT / FREE AGENCY

Haugh: First glimpse of Mitch Trubisky a good reminder that nobody has more to prove in 2018 - Chicago Tribune - Questions still outnumber answers on the ballyhooed Bears offense. And maybe so much anticipation surrounds Mitch Trubisky’s every move because nobody can guarantee yet he can play at a level commensurate with the confidence the franchise has placed in him.

Rosenbloom: We waited 8 months for the Bears offense to show us that? - Chicago Tribune - Mitch Trubisky and the Bears alleged first-string offense exited the game after two series with a . grand total of minus-1 net yards. But they're healthy. That’s the default setting when you look lousy. But if you’re going to play them at all, then play them until they don’t look lousy. Ken's Note: Either one particular writer at the Tribune really is a complete idiot or he's a masterful actor amazingly adept at portraying a complete idiot on the internet. I'm leaning towards the former.

Wiederer: What's worse than the grind of Bears training camp? For Akiem Hicks, it was being a cart-getter at WinCo Foods - Chicago Tribune - The Bears will complete their final training camp practice Sunday in Bourbonnais. Still, there are worse things than the grind of football practice. Akiem Hicks, Javon Wims, Taylor Gabriel, Cody Whitehair, Prince Amukamara and others remember their worst jobs.

Finley: Bears game a minder they're missing Roquan Smith - Chicago Sun-Times - For all the preseason worrying about Smith’s contract, Thursday marked the first tangible, in-game proof that the Bears need Roquan Smith in camp.

Morrissey: Bears looking for leadership from Mitch Trubisky; let's see talent first - Chicago Sun-Times - Being a good quarterback is what matters. Leadership is nice. Performance is everything. Be good first, lead later. Not the other way around.

Jahns: Matt Nagy's RPOs are a good test for Bears defense - Chicago Sun-Times - Members of the Bears defense believe they'll benefit from facing the run-pass options of coach Matt Nagy's offense every day in practice.

Finley: Bears WR Kevin White - 'Easiest plays can be the hardest' - Chicago Sun-Times - Kevin White is notoriously hard on himself. Dropping a pass in the first game of the most important preseason of his life was a bad start.

Potash: Bears Akiem Hicks, Leonard Floyd anchor starting defense vs. Bengals - Chicago Sun-Times - Hicks and Floyd were noticeably effective and did nothing to dampen training camp indications that both are on pace for a productive season.

Zeglinski: Bears-Bengals winners and losers - ‘It’s gotta be better’ – The Rock River Times - The Bears’ starting offense had eight plays in Paul Brown stadium. Eight plays that went for a net loss of negative 12 yards, including a 10-yard holding penalty on Cody Whitehair and a drop by Kevin White on a crucial third down. Though, the Bears did still get a first down on the drop: if only because of a roughing the passer on Trubisky by Cincinnati’s Carlos Dunlap.

Hoge and Jahns, Episode 165: Bears-Bengals Thoughts, Reaction - WGN Radio - Thoughts on Thursday night’s game in Cincinnati. Mike Heller, who hosts sports radio shows in Milwaukee and Madison, joins Hoge and Jahns to preview the Packers. And the guys go off on the Roquan Smith situation.

Andy Dalton Shines as Cincinnati Bengals Beat Chicago Bears - NBC Chicago - Andy Dalton made the Bengals' new offense look like a comfortable fit, as he threw a pair of touchdown passes during a 30-27 victory over the Chicago Bears on Thursday night at half-empty Paul Brown Stadium.

Stankevitz: How five key Bears position battles are playing out during training camp - NBC Sports Chicago - Beyond battles to start along the offensive and defensive lines, the Bears have a few other important competitions for roster spots that are coming into focus.

Stankevitz: Why Mitch Trubisky wasn't willing to write off the Bears' sloppiness in Cincinnati - NBC Sports Chicago - Mitch Trubisky wasn't willing to write off Thursday's offensive sloppiness as being due to it being his and the first-team offense's first preseason game of 2018.

Mullin's Takeaways from Bears loss to Bengals: A little Mitch, O-line flux, and paging Kevin White and a pass rush - NBC Sports Chicago - Mitchell Trubisky took only 10 snaps, Kevin White is failing to make an impression and finding the lineup for the O-line.

Chicago Bears-Cincinnati Bengals Postgame Show: Tight Ends, James Daniels Excel in Second Preseason Game - The Bears Brothers Podcast - In this episode, Da Bears Brothers break down all of the action that unfolded Thursday night between the Chicago Bears and Cincinnati Bengals.

LeGere: Winners, losers in Bears preseason loss to Bengals - Daily Herald - In the run-up to his team's second preseason contest Thursday night, Bears coach Matt Nagy cautioned against reading too much into any preseason game, especially the matchup in Cincinnati against the Bengals, who were playing their first game.

Nabors' 3 and out: What worked, what didn't in Bears' preseason loss to Bengals - Daily Herald - Pro Football Weekly's Kyle Nabors breaks down the Chicago Bears' preseason loss to the Cincinnati Bengals.

Campbell: 5 observations from re-watching the Bears-Bengals exhibition game - Chicago Tribune - The Bears first-stringers were outplayed on both sides of the ball in their exhibition debut against the Bengals on Thursday. Yes, they were missing key contributors and did not game plan, but the same applied to the opponent.

Kane: Kevin White’s mantra after his 1st Bears game in 11 monthsm- ‘Make the easy plays easy’ - Chicago Tribune - Kevin White didn’t appear downtrodden when talking about his short appearance in Thursday’s game. He was matter of fact, and certain he would get with Mitch Trubisky to correct a missed opportunity.

Eurich: James Daniels makes his case to play center - 247Sports - James Daniels may be getting closer to earning a starting job with the Chicago Bears.

Eurich: Kevin White squandered a chance to quiet doubters - 247Sports - Kevin White still has a lot to prove to the Chicago Bears.

Eurich: Mitch Trubisky calls out Bears offense in loss - 247Sports - Mitch Trubisky knows he and the first-team offense must do better.

Hughes: Bears vs. Bengals Practice Game: A Running Diary - Da Bears Blog - What follows will be a stream of consciousness blog, written in real time as I watch the the Bears and Bengals practice against each, in pads, with referees and paying fans. There will be no editing after the fact and, honestly, very little done while I’m writing.

Medina: Ryan Pace is Hoping to Keep the Roquan Smith Holdout Details Private - 247Sports - Bears GM Ryan Pace feels like a broken record when discussing the Roquan Smith situation.

Medina: It's Just One Game, But James Daniels Looked Like the Bears' Best Option at Center - 247Sports - James Daniels sure looked good at his natural position.

Cox: Kevin White on dropped pass vs. Bengals: ‘Those are routine plays’ - Bears Wire - Chicago Bears wide receiver Kevin White knows he can't drop passes like he did against the Cincinnati Bengals in the Week 1 preseason game.

Perez: Bears rookie James Daniels makes positive first impression vs. Bengals - 247Sports - Chicago Bears second-round pick James Daniels was a bright spot in the team's 30-27 preseason loss to the Bengals.

Perez: Bears OLB Leonard Floyd flashes pass-rushing upside in preseason debut - 247Sports - Chicago Bears OLB Leonard Floyd had a productive night in the team's 30-27 preseason loss to the Bengals.

Hoge’s 10 Bears Things: Leonard Floyd, Kevin White Going In Different Directions - WGN Radio - The preseason can be a frustrating game of patience. Everyone wants instant results, but there’s a reason the players are going through a slow, daily grind in training camp. Thursday night’s preseason game in Cincinnati was an example of the patience that is needed, not only for the Bears’ new offense as a whole, but for individual players as well.

Gabriel: Bears-Bengals Takeaways - 670 The Score - Adam Shaheen is displaying the physical traits that the Bears are enamored by.

Nazarip: Chicago Bears - 3 Bold Predictions for the 2018 NFL Season - NFLanalysis.net - The Chicago Bears have had a rough three seasons under Ryan Pace. This offseason, however, he did all he could to change things. Did he do enough?

Eurich: Chicago Bears predicted 53-man roster - 247Sports - The Chicago Bears 2018 roster is starting to take shape.

Leming: Bears stock watch: Who moved up, down vs. Bengals - 247Sports - We take a look at which players raised their stock and which players saw their stock drop following Thursday's preseason game against the Cincinnati Bengals.

POLISH SAUSAGE

Teddy Bridgewater throws his first touchdown pass in two years – ProFootballTalk - Don’t tell Teddy Bridgewater it was meaningless. The backup quarterback made his preseason debut with the Jets and, on his first series, threw his first touchdown pass since August 28, 2016. Running back Isaiah Crowell caught a short pass from Bridgewater and went 16 yards for the score.

Colts lose promising rookie WR Deon Cain to torn ACL - NFL.com - The Colts’ suspect wide-receiver depth took a severe hit in the preseason opener. Coach Frank Reich revealed that sixth-round draft pick Deon Cain is out for the season after tearing his ACL.

Redskins rookie RB Derrius Guice suffers torn ACL - NFL.com - Bad news for the Washington Redskins after their preseason opener. Rookie running back Derrius Guice tore his ACL, sources told NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport.

Missed games costing Khalil Mack $814K, Donald $405K - NFL.com - The penalty for skipping preseason games could be particularly costly for Khalil Mack and Aaron Donald, who enter the fifth-year option on their rookie contracts.

KNOW THY ENEMY

What should the Packers expect from WR Geronimo Allison? - Acme Packing Company - A look at the third-year receiver’s film shows skills that should make him a useful option in the Packers’ passing game this year.

Vikings kick preseason off against Denver - Daily Norseman - Here’s three key things to watch for on Saturday night.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT ON WINDY CITY GRIDIRON

Wiltfong: Mitchell Trubisky expects “better” from his “sloppy” offense - Windy City Gridiron - The Chicago Bears young starting quarterback didn’t hold back his frustrations with his offense.

Householder: NFL Preseason stock up, stock down Chicago Bears vs. Cincinnati Bengals - Windy City Gridiron - Which Bears shined, which ones dimmed during the second preseason game?

Wiltfong: Bears vs. Bengals game ball goes to James Daniels - Windy City Gridiron - The Bears lost another close preseason game, this time to the Cincinnati Bengals, but some young Bears continued to flash. This week’s game ball goes to Daniels.

Zeglinski's The Bear Pause: James Daniels bullies the Bengals and Adam Shaheen shines - Windy City Gridiron - Breaking down the best play of a special night for Daniels, the Bears’ big tight end, and more in a new series.

Leming's Chicago Bears vs. Cincinnati Bengals: Notes from the starters’ preseason debut - Windy City Gridiron - Couldn’t catch last night’s Bears game? Have no fear, Kyle Fuller and James Daniels are great. The rest, well ...

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

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