The Bear’s Den, October 21, 2020

THE DAILY SPONGIE SPECIAL

BEARRRSSSS

Current and former teammates praise Bears DB Deandre Houston-Carson - BearsWire - Bears reserve safety DeAndre Houston-Carson has been instrumental in the Bears last two wins, and his teammates have nothing but respect.

Roster Moves: Chicago Bears sign LB Manti Te’o to practice squad - ChicagoBears.com - The Bears on Tuesday signed veteran linebacker Manti Te’o to their practice squad. The Notre Dame product has appeared in 62 NFL games with 48 starts over seven seasons with the Chargers (2013-16) and Saints (2019).

Chicago Bears rookie TD Cole Kmet’s mother ‘beyond thrilled’ to see son’s first NFL TD in person - ChicagoBears.com - Seeing her son catch his first NFL touchdown pass live and in-person Sunday in Charlotte was a once-in-a-lifetime experience that the mom of Bears tight end Cole Kmet will never forget.

Lunch With Larry: 10.20.20 - ChicagoBears.com - Bears Senior Writer Larry Mayer discusses the defense’s performance through six games, David Montgomery’s ability to catch the ball out of the backfield and the keys to a victory over the Rams next Monday night in his weekly Q&A with fans.

Chalk Talk: Why didn’t Alex Bars start at LG for the Chicago Bears against the Carolina Panthers? - ChicagoBears.com - Senior writer Larry Mayer discusses why the Bears started Rashaad Coward at left guard in Carolina, why the Bears passed the ball on a key third-down play in the final minutes and the last time the Bears didn’t return a kickoff in a game.

Bears sign LB Manti Te’o to practice squad - 670 The Score - The Bears have signed inside linebacker Manti Te’o to their practice squad, the team announced Tuesday. The 29-year-old Te’o was a standout at Notre Dame.

Emma: Despite problems, Bears in prime position - 670 The Score - At 5-1 and in first place in the NFC North, the Bears still have their fair share of concerns – as do a handful of contenders across the league this season.

Bears fans always find something to complain about - Chicago Sun-Times - The Bears’ flimsy winning has us complaining (as usual), but the rest of the NFL isn’t very convincing, either.

Chicago Bears sign Manti Te'o to practice squad - Chicago Tribune - The Chicago Bears signed linebacker Manti Te’o, the 2012 Heisman Trophy runner-up at Notre Dame, to their practice squad. The eighth-year NFL veteran has played for the San Diego Chargers and New Orleans Saints.

Chicago Bears: 3 observations from Week 6 win - Chicago Tribune - The rare moments when the Chicago Bears offense found rhythm and success in Sunday’s 23-16 road victory over the Carolina Panthers came when quarterback Nick Foles was operating a no-huddle attack.

Nick Foles: Reviewing Chicago Bears QB's Week 6 performance - Chicago Tribune - The Chicago Bears remain convinced their offense isn’t a lost cause but rather a work in progress. The belief is that a corner will be turned eventually. Still, the outside world has a few important and succinct questions: When? And how?

Despite Their Offensive Flaws, the Bears’ Defense Makes Chicago a Dangerous Team - Chicago Audible Blog - Chicago's elite defense is what makes the Bears dangerous.

Chicago Bears Fans Among Biggest Whiners In NFL, Survey Says – CBS Chicago - Fans of the Chicago Bears are among the biggest complainers in the National Football League, a new study has found.

NFL trade deadline: 13 players Bears may target, from John Ross to Abry Jones - RSN - The NFL trade deadline is two weeks from Tuesday, and the Bears might need to add a player or two to truly become contenders in the NFC.

Bears-Panthers grades: Straight A's for defense, clear F for offensive line - RSN - The Bears improved to 5-1 with a 23-16 win over the Carolina Panthers on Sunday, but it wasn't all pretty -- especially for the offensive line.

Could JuJu Smith-Schuster Be A Chicago Bear in 2021? - On Tap Sports Net - Pittsburgh Steelers’ wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster is set to become an unrestricted free agent after the conclusion of the 2020 season. While intriguing on the surface, the prospect of him landing with the Chicago Bears is a difficult one to fathom.

A Hidden Gem in Defensive Effort Bears Repeating - SI.com - With all due respect to both the Bears defense and Carolina running back Mike Davis, there is still much for Roquan Smith, Bilal Nichols and Co. to prove.

Bears’ Matt Nagy: Flag on Jaylon Johnson was a ‘close one’ - Chicago Sun-Times - Bears coach Matt Nagy was diplomatic Monday when asked about the 33-yard pass interference penalty on cornerback Jaylon Johnson.

Rams sign K Kai Forbath, ending his 11-day stay on Bears’ practice squad - Chicago Sun-Times - The Bears will likely go looking for another kicker unless Eddy Pineiro is ready to return.

Bears sign former Notre Dame standout LB Manti Te’o to practice squad - Chicago Sun-Times - Te’o, 29, has not been on a roster this season. He played three games for the Saints last season, getting 34 snaps.

Bears fans have earned the right to be skeptical - Chicago Sun-Times - Bears fans are skeptical about a 5-1 team because they’ve been conditioned to expect disappointment. The Bears have made the playoffs five times in the last 25 seasons.

POLISH SAUSAGE

Offensive Player Rankings, Week 7: Nine players who should be pursued via trade - NFL.com - Two weeks from the NFL trade deadline, David Carr reveals nine offensive players who should be pursued via trade. Plus, a rookie enters his top-15 player rankings for the first time this season.

NFL coach firings, hirings and openings 2020 - The latest rumors, buzz and everything we're hearing - ESPN - It's never too early for informed coaching buzz, or talk of buyout clauses, interim labels and coach-GM dysfunction. Here's what we've heard.

Unnamed Cowboys call out new coaching staff - ProFootballTalk - The Cowboys are in first place in the NFC East. The way things are going, however, that won’t last.

KNOW THINE ENEMY

What that bear’s doing: Panthers vs Bears lineman of the week - Cat Scratch Reader - The Panthers three game winning streak came to an end against the Bears in what was truly an odd game to watch.

Cheese Curds, 10/20: Where, oh where has the Packers’ pass rush gone? - Acme Packing Company - The Smiths look like anything but the powerful duo that they were a year ago.

NFC North Rundown, Week 6: Vikings continue to sink amid latest demoralizing loss - Acme Packing Company - The Packers weren’t the only team to suffer a disappointing defeat on Sunday.

Unbelievable! - Is it Time to Start Over? - Daily Norseman - BJ Reidell and Drew Mahowald offer their thoughts from the most recent Vikings loss.

Notes: Detroit Lions ‘salvaged season’ with win over Jaguars - Pride Of Detroit - Still plenty for the Lions to prove, but they bought themselves some time.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT ON WINDY CITY GRIDIRON

Salo: NFL Power Rankings Roundup - The Bears crack the Top-10 in a few rankings. - Windy City Gridiron - Does a 5-1 record speak for itself? Perusing through the NFL Power Rankings, it seems people still like to talk.

Infante: Bears sign linebacker Manti Te’o to practice squad - Windy City Gridiron - The former Notre Dame star has been added to give the Bears some defensive insurance.

THE RULES

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