The Bear’s Den, September 24, 2021

THE DAILY SPONGIE SPECIAL

BEARRRSSSS

Bears, Browns Week 3 picks from around the NFL - RSN - The defense’s incredible performance against the Bengals didn’t change many opinions on Matt Nagy’s team.

Bears Injury Report: Akiem Hicks and Tashaun Gipson Sr. Didn’t Practice (But Eddie Goldman Did) - Bleacher Nation - Eddie Goldman practicing on consecutive days feels like a good sign, even if he was participating with limitations.

Surprise! The Early Returns on the Bears’ Offensive Line are Really Good - Bleacher Nation - Through two weeks, the Bears have a handful of blockers who are THRIVING. It’s a surprise, to be sure. But a welcome one.

Week Three Game Preview, Volume I: How the Bears Beat the Browns - Da Bears Blog - The Bears have a rookie quarterback, making his first start on the road, against one of the league’s better teams. This is quite clearly an uphill climb.

Emma: Why Justin Fields has what it takes to be great - 670 The Score - Bears rookie quarterback Justin Fields will make his first NFL start Sunday in Cleveland, and he has displayed the traits and attitude that it will take to become a franchise savior.

670 staff predictions: Bears-Browns - 670 The Score - The Bears (1-1) visit the Cleveland Browns (1-1) at noon Sunday. Here are game predictions from our 670 The Score hosts, producers and writers.

Bears practice report: DT Akiem Hicks remains out with illness - Chicago Sun-Times - Additionally, DT Eddie Goldman still hasn’t practiced in full, and S Tashaun Gipson was out with a hamstring injury.

Bears’ Darnell Mooney: WRs must adjust to Justin Fields’ throws vs. Andy Dalton’s - Chicago Sun-Times - The full week of reps with Fields should help the Bears’ skill players get accustomed to the difference between Fields and Dalton.

Robert Quinn exceeds 2020 sack total in 2 games, but sees no reason to celebrate - Chicago Sun-Times - Quinn leads the team with 2.5 sacks, but says there’s a long way to go to prove himself.

NFL’s unfair, unrealistic, unnecessary taunting penalties befuddle Bears - Chicago Sun-Times - The Bears are devoting part of their week to making sure players abide by a rule that that doesn’t need to exist in the first place.

Teammates ready to follow Justin Fields’ lead - Chicago Sun-Times - The Bears have changed quarterbacks before, but Fields potential to alter the dynamic of the position and take the offense to another level has teammates eager to see what happens.

Nothing short of new stadium along the lake will keep Bears in Chicago, consultant says - Chicago Sun-Times - Chicagoan Marc Ganis has advised numerous NFL teams on their stadium financing and has closely followed the Bears stadium saga for decades, including past team flirtations with in Hoffman Estates and Gary, Ind.

Robert Quinn on surpassing 2020 sack total with Chicago Bears - Chicago Tribune - The Chicago Bears continued preparation for the Cleveland Browns on Thursday coming off a much improved defensive effort in which Robert Quinn got as many sacks as he did all last season.

Column: Justin Fields can keep job even after Andy Dalton returns - Chicago Tribune - A lot can happen between now and whenever Andy Dalton returns from his knee injury, and Matt Nagy provided more than enough to read between the lines: Justin Fields is competing against himself to maintain the starting job.

Lions Sign LB Josh Woods from the Bears' Practice Squad - On Tap Sports Net - The Lions are signing LB Josh Woods off the Bears' practice squad. Woods spent the first two plus years of his career with Chicago.

Bears’ Matt Nagy declares Andy Dalton starter when healthy and that’s OK - RSN - Matt Nagy named Justin Fields as the starter for Sunday's game against the Cleveland Browns while Andy Dalton is on the mend. But who will be take the number one spot when Dalton recovers?

Bears defense eagerly awaits return of Eddie Goldman in Week 3 - RSN - Matt Nagy's team still isn't playing at full force, but they've still managed to stifle opponents' rushing games.

POLISH SAUSAGE

Report: NFL satisfied that nine of 11 taunting penalties were correct calls - ProFootballTalk - Mike Jones of USA Today reports that a review by the league found only two of the penalties failed to meet the league’s criteria for taunting. Jones’ source would not reveal which two fouls were incorrect.

KNOW THINE ENEMY

Scouting the Browns’ Week 3 opponent: Chicago Bears - Our Q&A with Windy City Gridiron - Dawgs By Nature - We ask about the Bears’ quarterback situation now that Justin Fields is starting, the strength of their offensive line, where they might have a soft spot defensively, and more.

Cleveland Browns Odell Beckham Jr: “We’ll see” about playing on Sunday - Dawgs By Nature - Browns wide receiver says “everything feels good” as he continues his journey back from ACL injury.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT ON WINDY CITY GRIDIRON

WCG Weighs in on Bears’ Transition at QB - Part One - Windy City Gridiron - The crew gathers and discuss their thoughts on how the transition at QB has gone for the Chicago Bears.

Zimmerman: Danny Parkins believes Bears mishandled Justin Fields - Windy City Gridiron - Danny Parkins joins Bears Banter as Justin Fields gets ready for his first NFL start

Zeglinski: Windy City Gridiron picks Chicago Bears-Cleveland Browns - Windy City Gridiron - Football misery thy name is Cleveland and a lot of the time, Chicago.

Householder's Chicago Bears vs. Cleveland Browns 2021 NFL Week 3 Game Preview - Windy City Gridiron - Justin Fields’ first start comes against a team with high expectations and a lot of good players

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, Bears Banter hosted by Bill Zimmerman, Rule of 3 with R. Schmitz, Danny Meehan, and Brandon Robinson, and the occasional T Formation Conversation from Lester A. Wiltfong Jr.; 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.; Whiskey Ranger; Robert Schmitz; Robert Zeglinski; Bill Zimmerman; Like us on Facebook.