The Bear’s Den, December 25, 2021

THE DAILY SPONGIE SPECIAL

BEARRRSSSS

Billy Napier’s next hiring wave at Florida targets NFL assistants with winning college connections - The Athletic - Napier is seeking to bring aboard Chris Rumph from the Chicago Bears, Karl Scott from the Minnesota Vikings and Eric Henderson of the Los Angeles Rams on the defensive side.

Chicago Bears Headed for Major Organizational Changes - Bleacher Report - Adam Jahns of The Athletic reported no one—ranging from team president Ted Phillips to general manager Ryan Pace to head coach Matt Nagy—is safe after a disappointing 2021 campaign.

Bears Matchup Flashback: A Prince Became a King - On Tap Sports Net - The Bears and Seahawks last battled three years ago. Here’s what happened in that Monday night showdown between playoff-bound teams.

Germain Ifedi has no regrets for pushing incident - Sports Illustrated Chicago Bears - “In that moment, in any moment, down 14 and you’re trying to move the ball, we hadn’t been finishing drives at that point,” Ifedi said. “You get behind the sticks and there are no plays on the playbook that can account for second-and-22 and third-and-15.”

Here’s Where Chicago Bears Would Be with Russell Wilson at QB - Sports Illustrated Chicago Bears - What would have happened if the trade the Bears made for a quarterback had not been to move up on draft day for Justin Fields but instead had been for Russell Wilson?

Nick Foles to start vs. Seahawks, Justin Fields hurt - NBC Sports Chicago - Matt Nagy announced that Justin Fields is managing pain from his ankle injury, which kept him out of practice on Thursday and Friday.

Nick Foles To Start For Bears Against Seahawks - On Tap Sports Net - The Chicago Bears made Nick Foles the starting quarterback for Week 16 vs. the Seahawks as Justin Fields deals with an ankle injury.

Bears Announce Irvin, Ifedi, O’Donnell as Captains vs. Seahawks - On Tap Sports Net - Bruce Irvin, Germain Ifedi, and Pat O’Donnell will serve as Chicago Bears’ captains for their Week 16 game against the Seattle Seahawks.

Nick Foles to make first start of season against Seahawks - WGN-TV - Andy Dalton returned from the COVID-19 list this week but is dealing with a groin injury, leaving Foles to see his first action of this season and his first start since Week 10 last year.

Nick Foles to start in place of injured Justin Fields vs. Seahawks - ChicagoBears.com - With rookie quarterback Justin Fields held out of practice Friday for a second straight day due to an ankle injury, Bears coach Matt Nagy announced that veteran Nick Foles will start Sunday in Seattle.

The Pick Is In: Bears at Seahawks - ChicagoBears.com - Local and national NFL analysts make their pick for Sunday’s Week 16 matchup between the Bears and Seahawks in Seattle. Keep track of their weekly record here on ChicagoBears.com.

Chalk Talk: What is best trade in Bears history? - ChicagoBears.com - Senior writer Larry Mayer discusses the best trade in Bears history, if Damiere Byrd will return punts if Jakeem Grant can’t play Sunday in Seattle and the latest regular season finale the Bears have played.

Nick Foles to start for Chicago Bears vs. Seattle Seahawks - Chicago Tribune - Chicago Bears quarterback Nick Foles will start Sunday against the Seattle Seahawks at Lumen Field as rookie Justin Fields continues to deal with an ankle injury.

Potash: Jakeem Grant out vs. Seahawks - Chicago Sun-Times - The Pro Bowl kick returner suffered a concussion against the Vikings. DL Bilal Nichols activated from the reserve/COVID-19 list. Germain Ifedi to start at right tackle.

Rookie Teven Jenkins on skirmish: ‘All that did was hurt’ the Bears - Chicago Sun-Times - Considering he plays maybe the second-most important position on the offense, Jenkins’ development — both the rest of the season and beyond — is critical to the future of the franchise.

POLISH SAUSAGE

Cleveland Browns’ Baker Mayfield activated off reserve/COVID-19 list - ESPN - The Cleveland Browns have activated quarterback Baker Mayfield off the reserve/COVID-19 list, officially clearing the way for him to play Saturday against the Green Bay Packers.

Washington DB Deshazor Everett involved in car crash, taken to hospital - NFL.com - A passenger in a vehicle driven by Washington Football Team defensive back Deshazor Everett was killed in a single-car crash Thursday night, the Loudon County (Va.) Sheriff’s Office confirmed to NFL.com.

KNOW THINE ENEMY

Previewing Bears at Seahawks: 5 Qs and 5 As with Windy City Gridiron - Field Gulls - It’s Christmas Eve, and for the Seattle Seahawks the 2021 holiday season comes without the merry cheer of looking ahead to who the Hawks will lose to in the Wild Card round of the playoffs.

Seahawks Travis Homer, Pier Olivier-Lestage Activated off COVID List - Field Gulls - The Seattle Seahawks continue to get healthier ahead of Sunday’s home game against the Chicago Bears.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT ON WINDY CITY GRIDIRON

Bears Over Beers: Is this the End for Russ and Seattle? - Windy City Gridiron - Brandan Shulze of Field Gulls joins the guys to talk Russell Wilson, Pete Carroll, and all things Seahawks.

Wiltfong: Are you seeing growth from Justin Fields? - Windy City Gridiron - Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NFL. Each week, we send out questions to the most plugged-in Chicago Bears fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to join Reacts.

Infante: Bears to start Nick Foles at QB vs. Seahawks - Windy City Gridiron - Foles will play in his first game of the 2021 season with both Fields and Dalton injured.

Wiltfong's Bears vs Seahawks Injury Report: Jason Peters out, Justin Fields questionable - Windy City Gridiron - It’s an unexpected injury report from the Bears this week!

Householder's Betting the Chicago Bears: Spread, total, odds - Windy City Gridiron - The Bears hit the road to play a struggling Seahawks squad but are once again big underdogs

THE RULES

Windy City Gridiron Community Guidelines - SBNation.com - We strive to make our communities open and inclusive to sports fans of all backgrounds. The following is not permitted in comments. No personal attacks, politics, gender based insults of any kind, racial insults, etc.

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.

Click on our names to follow us on Twitter: Jeff Berckes; Patti Curl; Eric Christopher Duerrwaechter; Kev H; Sam Householder; Jacob Infante; Aaron Lemming; Ken Mitchell; Jack R Salo; Steven Schweickert; Jack Silverstein; EJ Snyder; Lester Wiltfong, Jr.; Will Robinson II; Robert Schmitz; T.J. Starman; Robert Zeglinski; Bill Zimmerman; Like WCG on Facebook.