The Bear’s Den, November 23, 2021

THE DAILY SPONGIE SPECIAL

BEARRRSSSS

Bears’ Roquan Smith: ‘I know when I go out, I’m the best player’ - RSN - Matt Nagy’s top inside linebacker is making a case to be First-Team All-Pro this year, but he doesn’t care about the accolades.

Report: Andy Dalton Expected to Resume QB1 Duties on Thanksgiving in Place of an Injured Justin Fields - Bleacher Nation - Andy Dalton is set to be back in the saddle as the Chicago Bears’ QB1, taking the place of an injured Justin Fields on Thanksgiving.

Bears at Lions Thanksgiving Game Preview, Vol. I: Establishing QB Tiers for Christmas Movies - Da Bears Blog - But I’m not even sure what it is I’m liking this week. If Justin Fields doesn’t play, there is nothing to be gained on Thursday. But it’s Thanksgiving. And it’s football. And we’ll all be watching…I think.

Bears’ Akiem Hicks, Allen Robinson still sidelined - 670 The Score - The Bears could again be without several key players against the Lions on Thanksgiving Day on Thursday.

Emma’s observations: Bears poorly prepared, coached in loss - 670 The Score - The Bears suffered another pitiful loss Sunday in an increasingly disappointing season, squandering a late lead and losing 16-13 to the Ravens.

Bears need to fire Matt Nagy, Ryan Pace after Lions game, regardless of outcome - Chicago Sun-Times - It’s time for the Bears to move on — and not because a coaching change will spark them to a winning streak. It doesn’t matter for the playoffs. It matters for dignity and standards.

Bears QB Justin Fields could start (wink, wink) vs. Lions - Chicago Sun-Times - It defies logic that Fields would play against the winless Lions four days after leaving a game with a rib injury. But coach Matt Nagy wasn’t ready to commit to logical choice Andy Dalton yet.

Bears film study: Kindle Vildor torched, defense breaks down on final drive - Chicago Sun-Times - Ravens quarterback Tyler Huntley picked on Vildor, as other teams have in recent weeks.

Justin Fields: Chicago Bears evaluating QB's pain level - Chicago Tribune - Chicago Bears coach Matt Nagy didn't provide an update on Justin Fields' rib injury, but it might be more prudent to start Andy Dalton in the short week.

Brad Biggs' 10 thoughts on the Chicago Bears in Week 11 - Chicago Tribune - The Chicago Bears caught a big break when MVP candidate Lamar Jackson was too sick to play Sunday. But facing Baltimore Ravens backup QB Tyler Huntley in his first NFL start turned into a disaster when Matt Nagy's offense was bad once again and Justin Fields was knocked out with a rib injury.

Bears Monday Rewind: Justin Fields’ status, Roquan Smith’s performance, more questions on offense – The Athletic - Justin Fields was still undergoing tests Monday as the Bears look back at a game during which the offense struggled and defense collapsed.

Bears fans react to report that players want Matt Nagy fired - Bears Wire - Bears fans, and now reportedly players, are done with Matt Nagy.

Bears vs. Ravens: Takeaways from Chicago’s disheartening loss - Bears Wire - This game was the Bears' for the taking, and they blew it. Our takeaways from Sunday's loss to the Ravens.

Bears' Jaylon Johnson: Time for talk amid losing streak is over - RSN - Matt Nagy's team is reeling after their latest loss to the Ravens, but Johnson is done with pep talks.

If Bears fire Matt Nagy, here are five head coach candidates - RSN - Could Ryan Pace pull the plug on the Matt Nagy era midseason?

Bears injury report (sort of): DT Akiem Hicks, WR Allen Robinson still out - Chicago Sun-Times - The team didn’t practice Monday, but estimated a few players would’ve been out if they had.

Bears LB Roquan Smith’s ‘monster’ season among few bright spots in 2021 - Chicago Sun-Times - Smith did something unprecedented Sunday as he continued building a case for an enormous contract extension this offseason.

Bears QB Justin Fields could start (wink, wink) vs. Lions - Chicago Sun-Times - It defies logic that Fields would play against the winless Lions four days after leaving a game with a rib injury. But coach Matt Nagy wasn’t ready to commit to logical choice Andy Dalton yet.

POLISH SAUSAGE

Taysom Hill's potential quarterback pay hinges on throwing 224 passes per season - ProFootballTalk - So how will the Saints and Taysom Hill determine whether he’s paid as a quarterback or as a guy who plays some other position under his new hybrid deal that’s worth as little as $40 million and as much as $95 million? Per a source with knowledge of the situation, the magic number is 224.

KNOW THINE ENEMY

Matt LaFleur: Packers will “absolutely not” replace kicker Mason Crosby - ProFootballTalk - Packers kicker Mason Crosby is just 2-for-6 on field goals over the last three weeks, but his job is not in jeopardy.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT ON WINDY CITY GRIDIRON

Infante: Report - Bears players want Matt Nagy gone - Windy City Gridiron - The writing could be on the wall, and it could be just a matter of "when", not "if".

Wiltfong: Bears helping those with an entrepreneurial focus - Windy City Gridiron - Giving back to the community has been a core value of the Chicago Bears for a century, and through the Bears’ Community Relations Department and Bears Care, which is the team’s charitable arm, they...

Leming: 10 Bears takes after another miserable loss that may be the final nail in Matt Nagy’s coffin - Windy City Gridiron - The Chicago Bears are on a five-game losing streak for the second straight year. Somehow, Sunday’s loss at home to the Baltimore Ravens might have been their worst of the year. Where do the Bears go from here? All of that and more.

Wiltfong: Bears vs Ravens - Takeaways from the snap counts, stats, and more - Windy City Gridiron - Here’s the full playing time breakdown for the Bears, a spotlight of some individual stats, and also a few team statistics from Chicago in their 13 to 16 loss to the Baltimore Ravens.

Infante's Notes: Bears falter at home, lose to Ravens without Lamar Jackson - Windy City Gridiron - Yare yare daze.

THE RULES

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Windy City Gridiron Podcast Channel which includes Bear With Me from Robert Schmitz, Bears Over Beers featuring Jeff Berckes & EJ Snyder (their BOB YouTube Channel can be found here), Bears Banter hosted by Bill Zimmerman, Rule of 3 with R. Schmitz, Danny Meehan, and Brandon Robinson, Bear & Balanced from Jeff and Lester A. Wiltfong Jr., and T Formation Conversation from Lester; EJ also co-hosts The Bootleg Football Podcast with Brett Kollmann; R. Schmitz has a film breakdown show on YouTube titled Run Pass Opinion; Will Robinson II has his WhiskeyRanger YouTube channel, and Steven’s Streaming Twitch Channel from Steven Schweickert.

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