Before I write about the current Bears, let me take a quick moment to honor a man who I believe is one of the most underrated players in NFL history, Gale Sayers, who passed away Tuesday after a lengthy battle with dementia.
Sayers, as most of us know, was a Hall of Fame Running Back and Kick Returner for our beloved Chicago Bears during the mid-to-late ’60s. Forever labeled with one of my favorite and most badass nicknames I have ever heard, the “Kansas Comet,” he lived up to every bit of it throughout his playing career. So you might be wondering, “Nolan, even though he is Hall of Famer, all-time great, had his #40 retired by the Bears, and a wide variety of other accomplishments, why would I say he is underrated? Two reasons: 1) He only played seven professional seasons, and 2) He will always hidden under the shadow of fellow Running Back legend, Walter Payton.
Despite his success and accomplishments, Sayers was bombarded with injuries left and right throughout his career, forcing him to only playing seven seasons and 68 total games, eventually having to retire early. He would fight these injuries and lose playing time because of it, yet he would still find a way to become an electrifying force on the field. Only one could imagine if he had a healthier, longer-lasting career. Also, no matter how electrifying and recognizable he was, he will always be the second greatest Running Back in Chicago Bears history. Do not be fooled: “Sweetness” deserved every bit of credit for earning that honor, but Sayers becomes somewhat of an afterthought, especially with younger generations like mine. An instance like that just proves how strong the Running Back legacy of the Chicago Bears truly is.
Gale Sayers, Holding Up His Famous Jersey After It Was Officially Retired That Night In 1994
(Credit: Times Leader)
I believe Sayers will always be underrated for the reasons above, but that does not mean he was not a legend and beloved by the NFL community. His impact on and off the field will forever be remembered by fans everywhere. I have never seen the man play, of course, but boy, would I have loved to see that comet fly. Rest in peace, Gale Sayers.
Now it is time to give my recap of the Bears win over the New York Giants and preview their upcoming contest against the Atlanta Falcons.
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Yet Another Lucky Win
The first half went nearly perfect with the Bears, as I come back from work to see QB Mitch Trubisky looking phenomenal and picking up right where he left off v.s. Detroit. Running Back David Montgomery nearly lived up to my prediction last week and had himself a great game. And the defense was holding up against the eventual Saquon Barkley-less Giants offense. A 17-0 lead at halftime appeared to be a potential path toward a higher quality victory.
Sadly, that was not the case. Trubisky and the offense did not score a single point in the second half, and the defense allowed 13 unanswered points. This allowed the Giants to stroll down the field and enter red zone territory with only seconds left on the clock in the 4th quarter. A potential blowout turned out to be an intense, down-to-the-wire game, but the Giants failed to score again and resulted in a fortunate Bears victory.
Thankfully, the Bears are 2-0, but the uncertainty of what the team truly is so far is well present. We cannot afford to keep up the inconsistency and have our games decided on the final plays of the game. In no way whatsoever do they belong in the conversation of other 2-0 teams, such as the Green Bay Packers, so far. The team has to fix several issues and play more consistently for me to feel truly comfortable with them.
On The Other Hand, A Win Is A Win
Despite their struggles, there are plenty of positives with the Bears. Hell, they are 2-0! It is no reason to get carried away with them, especially since we defeated two porous teams, but we will gladly take an undefeated start to begin the year.
As previously mentioned, Trubisky had himself a fantastic first half and has been showing signs of improvement so far, which is precisely what we needed to see. Now it is a matter of pushing those improvements and being consistent through all four quarters. We also were able to see what the presence of Outside Linebacker Robert Quinn would accomplish on the field, as he, fellow Linebacker Khalil Mack, and Defensive End Akiem Hicks were able to each gather up sacks throughout the game.
Giants QB Daniel Jones, Getting Eaten Alive By The Bears Pass Rush Last Week
(Credit: Bears Wire - USA Today)
My favorite part of the game, however, was David Montgomery having nearly 20 touches, 5.1 yards per carry, and a receiving TD. In both contests this year, he was an integral part of the team’s victories, but we know he could use even more touches. I am a believer that Monty can be a true bell-cow of a Running Back. Now, Coach Matt Nagy and the Bears must accelerate his development, utilize him properly, and have him continue to put up even more significant numbers than what we are already witnessing. He is out there proving himself, so keep feeding the man.
Again, media and fans alike (including myself) can complain all they want about the questionable 2-0 start, and rightfully so. However, wins are wins at the end of the day, and we must not take it for granted whatsoever.
The State Of The Opponent: Atlanta Falcons
I am sorry Falcons fans, I do not know how you stay sane (assuming you actually are in the first place).
How does a team with an array of talent, especially on offense with a great QB in Matt Ryan and super-human Wide Receiver Julio Jones, not win most of their ball games? Is it Head Coach Dan Quinn? Is it playing in a division with the New Orleans Saints? It could be all of the above, but there are hardly any excuses (other than injuries) to justify them not having deep playoff runs (let alone make the playoffs). 2020 was the first time I did not believe the Falcons would make the playoffs in quite some time, so I am not expecting them to make much noise this year. But that did not stop them from already becoming an embarrassment right out of the gate.
Losing to the Seahawks while giving up 38 points is no surprise and can be justifiable. On the other hand, losing to the Cowboys despite scoring 39 points on your own and having a 20-0 lead in the first quarter is merely unacceptable. But hey, the Falcons are used to blowing large leads, so Dan Quinn and company were able to use their prior experience to accomplish another humiliating task. Now, the Falcons are 0-2, Quinn’s leash is only becoming shorter, and the team already appears doomed.
Falcons' Mascot, Freddie, Representing All Of The Falcons' Fan Base So Far
(Credit: The Falconholic)
The only bright side for the Falcons is the fact that they are racking up points: Matt Ryan has been one of the leagues best passers so far, Wide Receiver Calvin Ridley is off to a historic start, fellow Wide Receiver Russell Gage has become a genuine surprise, and Running Back Todd Gurley is holding up (so far) and receiving a large workload. Did you notice that I was missing someone? Well, of course you did; that would be that super-human Wide Receiver I was talking about earlier: Julio Jones.
Week 1 saw Jones rack up a typical performance of his by grabbing nine receptions for 157 yards. However, Week 2 saw him banged up with a hamstring injury, limiting him to two receptions for only 24 yards. His Week 3 status (as of now) is unclear, thanks to not participating in practice all week. Jones has played with injuries, big or small, throughout his career, nothing new in that department. However, the threat of him not suiting up this Sunday appears legit and could cause a significant shift in the outlook of the game. The Falcons defense offers hardly any hope of success, so they need any bit of help from their powerful offense that they can get.
The State Of The Bears
The Bears enter Week 3 in hopes of continuing their intriguing 2-0 start. Thankfully, unlike nearly the rest of the NFL, the Bears have avoided the harsh injury bug (I assure you I am knocked on wood when I typed that) up to date. Their only exception is Nose Tackle John Jenkins, who landed himself a spot on Injury Reserve with a torn thumb ligament.
Jenkins, a fine backup, was forced to back up Bilal Nichols, a Defensive End who was moved to fill the large void left by originally starting Nose Tackle Eddie Goldman, as he decided to sit out the season due to Coronavirus concerns. Having a plethora of surrounding talent on the defensive side of the ball will mask the loss of Goldman to certain extents, but a player of his caliber is certainly missed (and will be for the remainder of the season). So we already lost our quality starter before the season began, then we lost the man that was supposed to provide quality depth in Jenkins, and now we are down to Daniel McCullers, a Nose Tackle that was signed off the Pittsburgh Steelers, to back up Nichols. Nose Tackle is not the most pressing need on the team, but depth anywhere is important, and they certainly look bleak at that spot and would be completely screwed if Nichols potentially goes down.
New Bears NT Daniel McCullers, Getting His Hands On Someone That Bears Fans Hope He Can Get Again
(Credit: Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)
Otherwise, the team looks healthy and solidified heading into Atlanta. What I (and the rest of Bears Nation) would like to see, however, is more Allen Robinson action on the field. Besides a few spectacular catches, the Wide receiver has had a poor start to the 2020 campaign. He has not been able to take advantage of light matchups within the first two weeks, but will get another chance to put up significant numbers against another weak defense in the Falcons. We have been talking much more about his contract drama rather than his production so far, and that has to change. I expect Trubisky to connect with his top target far and often this Sunday and finally see the A-Rob we all know and love.
My Preseason Prediction For This Game: Falcons win
My Pick Now: If Julio Jones plays, Falcons win. If not, Bears win
Final Score: If Julio Jones plays, 31 Falcons - 18 Bears. If not, Bears 21 - 20 Falcons
Originally, I believed the Falcons offense would be far too much for the Bears defense to handle, resulting in a fine Falcons win. However, given the injury status of Jones, I am facing a complicated decision. So I decided to base my prediction on whether or not Jones suits up. If he does not suit up, I believe we will see ourselves in yet another intense contest. In this instance, I will give the Bears the victory nod.
This is clearly a game that the Bears can win, and being able to further shatter the hopes of the vulnerable Falcons ball club is an enticing possibility. But I would be lying if I said I was not stuck on who I believed would win. Fans everywhere will be glued to their phones and TV’s while trying to stay updated with the status of Julio Jones, as his presence alone could make or break the entire game.
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