The Bears Lose But Are In Den, January 4, 2021

THE DAILY SPONGIE SPECIAL

BEARRRSSSS

Bears K Cairo Santos makes 27 straight to finish top kicking season in team history - Chicago Sun-Times - Santos was out of the league for almost a year before the Bears plucked him from free agency. Now he’s a star.

Top Bears Roquan Smith, Darnell Mooney in question for playoff game vs. Saints - Chicago Sun-Times - Both players left the Packers game with significant injuries and did not return.

Bears vs. Saints: 2021 NFL playoffs matchups, schedule for Wild Card - Chicago Sun-Times - The Bears will meet New Orleans in the playoffs next weekend after sneaking in thanks to the Cardinals’ Week 17 loss.

Bears lose to Packers but back their way into playoffs - Chicago Sun-Times - The strangest season in the 101-season history of the Bears isn’t over yet.

‘Playoffs by default’: Your best 3-word reviews from the Chicago Bears’ 35-16 loss to the Green Bay Packers - Chicago Tribune - The bad news for Chicago Bears fans is they lost to the Green Bay Packers on Sunday. The good news is the Bears are headed back to the playoffs. Here are fans’ three-word reviews to the game.

Week 17 recap: Chicago Bears lose to Green Bay Packers 35-16 but make playoffs - Chicago Tribune - The Chicago Bears wrapped up their regular season with a 35-16 loss to the Green Bay Packers at Soldier Field, but they made the playoffs for the second time in three years when the Los Angeles Rams beat the Arizona Cardinals.

Bears vs. Packers 3 takeaways: Matt Nagy, Mitch Trubisky head to NFL Playoffs - RSN - The Bears were blown out by the Packers but it didn’t matter: This team is going to the playoffs as the NFC No. 7 seed thanks to the Los Angeles’ Rams win over the Arizona Cardinals.

Report: Mitch Trubisky, Bears to wait for offseason to discuss future - RSN - Can’t put the cart before the horse.

Cairo Santos sets two Bears records for consecutive made field goals - RSN - Bears kicker Cairo Santos just set a franchise record for kicking field goals.

NFL Playoffs: Chicago Bears clinch postseason berth after Cardinals loss - RSN - They got by with a little help from their friends.

Mitch Trubisky joins Jay Cutler, Jim Harbaugh in Bears’ historic club - RSN - Bears quarterback Mitch Trubisky joined Jay Cutler and Jim Harbaugh in an exclusive club.

Game Recap: Chicago Bears make playoffs, will play New Orleans Saints despite Week 17 loss to Green Bay Packers - ChicagoBears.com - Despite losing to the Packers 35-16 Sunday at Soldier Field, the Bears secured the third and final wild card berth in the NFC playoffs by virtue of the Cardinals’ 18-7 loss to the Rams in Los Angeles.

Bernstein: Backing into playoffs is perfect for these Bears - 670 The Score - In a nearly perfect distillation of their entire 2020 season, the Bears picked themselves off the cold Soldier Field turf after yet another demoralizing defeat at the hands of the Packers on Sunday, only to learn that they’re a playoff team.

Packers roll past Bears, who still sneak into playoffs - 670 The Score - Aaron Rodgers threw for four touchdowns, breaking his franchise record for scoring passes in a season, and the Green Bay Packers clinched the No. 1 seed in the NFC by beating the playoff-bound Chicago Bears, 35-16, on Sunday.

Bears secure playoff berth as Cardinals fall to Rams - 670 The Score - Despite losing their regular-season finale to the Packers on Sunday, the Bears secured the No. 7 seed in the NFC playoff bracket when the Rams defeated the Cardinals. Chicago (8-8) will play at second-seeded New Orleans (12-4) in the wild-card round.

Bears-Packers podcast: Is postseason a good thing for the Bears? - Chicago Sun-Times - Will making the postseason be a positive for the Bears?

Three takeaways from Bears’ loss to Packers - Chicago Sun-Times - Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers’ 72-yard touchdown pass to Marquez Valdes-Scantling in the second quarter came after he noticed Bears defensive players looking unsure of themselves before the snap.

Despite loss, Mitch Trubisky ‘in a good mental space’ heading into playoffs - Chicago Sun-Times - Trubisky had the Bears in position to beat the Packers before faltering in the fourth quarter. ‘We’ve got to be able to finish games. A big part of that is my play. I’m confident in what we can do.”

Bears lose but make playoffs. Is there a Mirage Hotel in New Orleans? - Chicago Sun-Times - They’ll face the Saints after backing into the postseason.

NFL playoffs: Bears vs. Saints to kick off Sunday at 3:40 p.m. - Chicago Sun-Times - The Sunday game gives Saints RB Alvin Kamara the possibility of coming off the reserve/COVID-19 list to play.

Bears WR Allen Robinson closes 1,250-yard season with quiet game vs. Packers - Chicago Sun-Times - Robinson didn’t have a catch until three minutes left in the third quarter, but is one of three players in Bears history to top 1,100 yards in back-to-back seasons.

3 key moments from the Chicago Bears’ 35-16 loss to the Green Bay Packers, including Roquan Smith’s injury and the failed 4th-and-1 - Chicago Tribune - Before the Chicago Bears turn the page to their playoff game against New Orleans, here are three key moments from the loss to the Green Bay Packers — and what they might mean moving forward.

Chicago Bears playoff game will be on Nickelodeon - Chicago Tribune - NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell is trying to come up with new ways to make pro football appeal to young people. One of them is to allow — perhaps even encourage — CBS to produce an alternate version of the Chicago Bears-New Orleans Saints wild-card game on corporate cousin Nickelodeon.

Column: Chicago Bears back into playoffs in bizarre 2020 season - Chicago Tribune - The Chicago Bears stumbled across the finish line of a bizarre regular season with a lopsided loss to the Green Bay Packers. And thanks to the Los Angeles Rams’ win over the Arizona Cardinals, they somehow have made it to the playoffs.

Can the Bears defense stop the Saints? – The Athletic - The Bears defense didn’t have many answers for Packers QB Aaron Rodgers.

Bears’ playoff bid impressive even though issues remain – The Athletic - Bears’ second playoff bid in three seasons is still impressive despite the team’s big-picture issues.

Bears’ latest playoff berth still worth celebrating – The Athletic - The Bears are in the playoffs, and that’s not nothing.

Chicago Bears - Green Bay Packers Postgame Show: Bears Continue to Have No Answer for Aaron Rodgers (But They Made the Playoffs Anyways) - Chicago Audible Podcast - Listen as the guys recap the Chicago Bears 35-16 loss to the Green Bay Packers in the regular-season finale.

POLISH SAUSAGE

Sam Sloman’s FG off upright on last play wins AFC South title for Titans - ProFootballTalk - Derrick Henry did the heavy lifting, but it was A.J. Brown who made the play of the day to save the AFC South title for Titans.

Rams clinch postseason berth with 18-7 victory over Cardinals - ProFootballTalk - Los Angeles beat the Arizona 18-7 on Sunday to finish with a 10-6 record. The Rams have reached the postseason in three of Sean McVay’s first four seasons as head coach.

Dolphins will pick third in 2021 NFL Draft thanks to Laremy Tunsil trade - ProFootballTalk - The Dolphins didn’t get the on-field results that they needed to make the playoffs, but they did have one thing go their way.

Seahawks defeat 49ers, end up as No. 3 seed in NFC - ProFootballTalk - The Seahawks entered Sunday with an outside shot at securing home-field advantage as the NFC’s No. 1 seed.

Titans RB Derrick Henry rushes for 2,000 yards in division-clinching win - NFL.com - Derrick Henry ran roughshod over the Houston Texans on Sunday to become the eighth player in NFL history to rush for 2,000 yards in a season.

Jets fire coach Adam Gase after winning nine games in two seasons, starting 0-13 in 2020 - CBSSports.com - New York made the move official on Sunday night

Cam Newton, Patriots expected to part ways this offseason after one year together, per report - CBSSports.com - New England will apparently be looking for a new QB this offseason

KNOW THINE ENEMY

Packers clinch No. 1 seed in NFC; Rams, Bears also get playoff spots - NFL.com - On the strength of the Rams’ win over the Cardinals on Sunday, the Rams are back in the playoffs and the Bears are, too.

Lions players blast officiating after game: ‘One of the worst calls I’ve ever seen’ - Pride Of Detroit - Lions players were not happy with the way their season finale was officiated.

Matthew Stafford mum on his future with the Detroit Lions - Pride Of Detroit - Stafford said he’ll defer decisions to ‘some other date.’

VIDEO: Detroit Lions screwed by two awful calls, including baffling roughing penalty - Pride Of Detroit - Just when you thought the refs couldn’t get worse.

Vikings 2021 opponents officially set - Daily Norseman - We know who the purple will play next season

Justin Jefferson sets new NFL rookie receiving yardage record - Daily Norseman - The Vikings managed to get him there

2021 NFL schedule: Detroit Lions’ opponents set - Pride Of Detroit - A look at the Lions’ 16 17 opponents for 2021.

Cardinals’ playoff hopes ankle-tackled by the Rams and end the season - Revenge of the Birds - The Cardinals lost Kyler Murray, a playoff spot and perhaps confidence in their direction all to a backup quarterback on what was the final Sunday of the 2020 season

Arizona Cardinals playoff hopes crumble early in loss to Los Angeles Rams - Revenge of the Birds - Arizona Cardinals hopes crumbled early in the game with Kyler Murray’s ankle injury. It left a huge hole on the offense and the Cardinals defense continues to struggle against young quarterbacks...

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT ON WINDY CITY GRIDIRON

Curl: Chicago Bears rise towards the challenge of a crucial rivalry matchup against Green Bay Packers... fall short - Windy City Gridiron - It was the biggest game of the Bears season. They played hard. They didn’t win.

Wiltfong: Bears back into the playoffs thanks to the Rams - Windy City Gridiron - Despite their 35 to 16 loss to the Green Bay Packers, the Chicago Bears are postseason bound for the second time in the last three seasons. Thanks to the Los Angeles Rams beating the Arizona...

Salo’s Windy City Gridiron Saturday Spotlight: Khalil Mack - Windy City Gridiron - Throughout the 2020 NFL season, we’ll spotlight a Bears player in a weekly column. This week, we’ll take an in-depth look at linebacker Khalil Mack

THE RULES

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