InternetFM.com

Hand Curated Radio

You are here: Home / Archives for Khalil Mack

Khalil Mack

The Sports Report – July 2019

by

with Packer Dave and Steve Leventhal

Dave and Steve are joined by Jeff Rich to discuss the start of training camps for the 2019 season NFL. We talk Green Bay Packers, Chicago Bears, Cleveland Browns, and Arizona Cardinals, and more. Also covered are updates on the Chicago White Sox, Chicago Cubs, and Milwaukee Brewers.

Featuring audio from Packer GM Brian Gutekunst, coach Matt LaFleur, along with Chicago Bears players Khalil Mack, Tarik Cohen, and Mitch Trubisky. Don’t miss cameos from Chris Berman and Bob Uecker.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 38:37 — 35.4MB) | Embed

Subscribe: Android | RSS

2019 Chicago Bears Open Training Camp

by

The 2019 NFL season in Chicago gets underway in earnest as Bears players began arriving at Olivet Nazarene University in Bourbonnais, Illinois.

Mitch Trubisky is looking ahead at 2019, but mindful of how 2018 ended. “We want to pick back up where we left off. At the same time we didn’t accomplish what we did last year because we were worried about expectations. Nobody expected us to do what we did last year. Now it’s flipped where there’s all these expectations. We have to do a good job of staying focused and blocking all that out, and doing exactly what we did last year to help us win those games. On top of that do even more, so we can accomplish more than we did last year. There’s a lot of work to be done.”

Cohen sports a Walter Payton jersey

Tarik Cohen described his approach to this season, “We hold ourselves to a higher standard now. The older guys that have been here who watched us go from last place to winning the division, know what it takes to have that success, and to have that work pay off in the regular season coming out of camp, so we’re all going to put our best foot forward. Help everybody that’s new to the team. Help the rookies, so we can achieve a higher goal this year.”

Trubisky insists he hasn’t even shown his best stuff yet. He wants to get rid of mistakes and “continue to make those good plays and being a consistent overall quarterback. Doing the little things like working hard and being a good teammate, and taking care of my brothers.”

Khalil Mack stressed that success starts in training camp. “It starts with camaraderie, and the focus, determination, and the will to win, ultimately. One game at a time, one week at a time. It’s going to be a long season.”

One of the biggest hurdles the team faced last year, was learning coach Matt Nagy’s offense. Having that behind them is big plus for 2019. “It allows us to go further within the details. It allows us to watch more film and install, and talk about every other thing. It allows us to accomplish a lot more throughout meetings. We are also allowed to add more. We can teach the new guys. As a quarterback, you want to master every part of it, so if you know a play insid out, you can teach it to someone else, then when you are on the field, you’re not thinking about it, you’re just playing ball.”

Hear comments from Mitch Trubisky, Tarik Cohen, and Khalil Mack

Photo Gallery

  • A Rolls pulls up
  • Tarik Cohen snaps a pic
  • It’s Taylor Gabriel
  • Cohen’s ride
  • Khalil Mack checks it out
  • Mack talks to the media
  • Cohen sports a Walter Payton jersey
  • Posing with Jarrett Payton
  • Mitch Trubisky at the mic

@radiomogul tags: Chicago Bears, training camp, Mitch Trubisky, Tarik Cohen, Khalil Mack

2019 Chicago Bears OTA’s – Part Deux

by

Khalil Mack and Mitch Trubisky were the story this week.

Last year, head coach Matt Nagy had to learn his new players, and the Chicago Bears in turn had to absorb his offensive scheme. In 2019, it is all about building on the success of the previous season.

coach Matt Nagy at OTA’s

Nagy talked about Trubisky’s growth. “He’s learning this offense. But now what he’s trying to do, is master it. Last year he learned it. This year he’s trying to really master it. He’s done a wonderful job right now at trying to get to some of the adjustment s we have withing the plays and the concepts and the schemes.” Nagy intimated that we would see that come to fruition in training camp and preseason games. He added, “He’s watching tape. He’s leading meetings. He’s vocal in the meetings that we have. He’s understanding that when we teach this offense that there’s different levels to it.”

When asked about having Mack for the entire offseason, Nagy commented, “It’s amazing how much he affected everybody (last year.) Now that he’s here, you get to see that he’s does things by his actions. He continues to do that. He shows some of these younger kids who want to be leaders. There’s different ways to do it, by showing up every day. By making plays.”

Khalil has been looking forward to the camaraderie, and getting a deep understanding of the defense early on. Unlike last year where, “having a one and a half weeks before the season wasn’t enough time to prepare.” As typical of his approach last season he vowed to let his play do the talking.

Mitch Trubisky at OTA’s

“It’s feels really great out there,” says Trubisky. “It’s a lot of fun to be back in Chicago, with the boys playing football again. Everyone’s on the same page. Everyone knows what they’re doing. Being year two in this offense. It’s a lot of fun going through it. Having fun executing it.” The third year QB was asked about the new acquisitions. “We got a ton of weapons on offense. It’s a lot of fun for a quarterback. We got a lot of talent around me in free agents we signed, that came in here and learned the offense. They picked it up real quickly. We continue to add great guys that contribute to our culture.” He went on to confirm Allen Robinson’s assessment that the team was way ahead of last year. “Everyone knows what they’re doing. We don’t have to spend a lot of time going in depth on each play, because we know most of the details. We’re helping the new guys, the rookies.”

Hear audio from Nagy, Mack, and Trubisky

Twitter: @radiomogul

2018 Bears Hold Off Vikings, Quickly Prepare for Detroit

by

The Willis Tower illuminated in Bears colors Sunday night. Photo by the author.

The 2018 Chicago Bears earned an enormous divisional win on Sunday night, defeating the Rams 25-20. Now, they look toward this Thanksgiving for a meeting with the Detroit Lions.

The Willis Tower was illuminated with blue and orange lights after the Bears added a crucial win against the presumptive NFC North favorites, a sign of the excitement this city has for its beloved Bears. The vibe around Chicago is just… different. The buzz is no longer negative. There’s an excitement radiating from anyone wearing their Bears gear. Fans at Soldier Field talk about the path to the playoffs, not who they want to draft in the top-10.

The Bears aren’t supposed to be here. Even after the Khalil Mack trade, a wildcard birth was still an optimist perspective. The Vikings were in the NFC Championship a year ago, led there by Case Keenum. Replace Keenum with Kirk Cousins, and you have a machine on offense. Who was going to take that down?

The Bears did.

Khalil Mack did Khalil Mack things, forcing and recovering a fumble by Dalvin Cook to put a boot on a promising Vikings’ drive. He also added a huge sack and lived in the Vikings’ backfield. Akiem Hicks destroyed the Vikings’ interior all night and collected six tackles, five tackles for loss and a sack. I’ll let you read that again. FIVE TACKLES FOR LOSS. Leonard Floyd consistently had his paw in Cousins’s face and continued his strong play against the run, making two tackles for loss.

“Man, it’s just the will to win,” Mack said. “Will to win. Everybody want to be in position to win the game and you see the DBs and the linebackers and everybody working together. And it’s a real special thing to be a part of.”

Chicago Bears coach Matt Nagy: SRN Broadcasting

The Vikings made it interesting late, but much of that was due to the defense the Bears were playing. They switched to a prevent-heavy defense in the fourth quarter, which freed things up for Minnesota underneath and let them eat up yards on short throws and check-downs. This was where they found offensive success. That push, however, was made much more difficult because of Parkey’s final field goal.

“Obviously it was a lot of fun,” Parkey said. “I had a great snap, great hold from my guys and I went out there and made the kick.”

The secondary came to play, and Eddie Jackson’s fourth-quarter pick-six put a bow on the defensive important. But, who had the real icing score? That would be Cody Parkey, who responded from his blunderous performance a week ago by going three-for-three, the final of which put the game officially out of reach for the Vikings. The Bears won 25-20 and answered a lot of questions about their legitimacy in the NFC landscape, but they have a game to play in less than 72 hours.

“We’re on to Detroit,” coach Matt Nagy said. “It’s a really quick turn around. It’s important, and we have a plan in place with our trainers and strength staff of nutrition, and sleep, and rest, and mentally and physically making sure they’re taken care of.”

Yes, the Bears square off with the Detroit Lions for the second time in less three weeks this Thanksgiving. The quick turn around was only made quicker by the flexing of their game against the Vikings to Sunday Night Football. 

“This one here, when you just play somebody a couple weeks ago,” Nagy said. “There’s that fine line between chasing the cat’s tail as to what you think they’re going to do, what you saw or they think you’re going to do this, so you do this so you do that. Again, just, for us, let’s control what we can control.”

The Lions present similar challenges as they did when the two squared off in their last matchup, only this time, Lions’ cornerback Darius Slay Jr. will be active. He is one of the better cornerbacks in the NFL when healthy, and will take advantage of any catchable ball near him. He fortifies a secondary that is fairly solid when he is in, and his presence will more than likely be a big difference between the Lions the Bears played and the Lions they will play.

“You don’t know what they had, you know, prep-wise going into that game a couple weeks ago,” Nagy pointed out. “Did they load it up on the front end and then whatever they have leftover they go with so that’s completely new plays? Or is it similar concepts that they liked and changed in the personnel/formations?”

Kerryon Johnson has provided a rushing element the Lions have not had in the Matthew Stafford-era, but he may be out with an ankle injury this Thursday. Though he was largely nullified the last time these teams played, 14 rushes for only 51 yards, his absence makes the Lions’ offense that much less dynamic. LeGarrette Blount and Theo Riddick will get the bulk of the carries, each presenting their own skillset. Blount is the downhill, physical runner, while Riddick is more of an elusive receiving back.

“(Johnson) was really starting to come on… as an effective runner,” Nagy said. “But they have great runners back there and I know Theo Riddick and those guys will be- they’re good football players, good running backs. So, whether or not Kerryon Johnson plays, we’ll see, but they got good players there and they showed it against Carolina.”

Mitch Trubisky threw for 355 yards and three touchdowns against the Lions in a dominant 34-22 victory. They don’t have to deviate very far from their last gameplan to take a victory over an inferior opponent. There is, however, the possibility he does not play on Thursday, due to a recently injured right shoulder. Backup QB and nine-year veteran Chase Daniel will get the start if Trubisky is unable to go.

“[I am] really prepared,” Daniel said. “This week is a little bit different just cause it’s a short week. But I really haven’t changed the way I prepare. I prepare like a starter every week so, for me, it’s just another game,” he added.

Daniel was brought in largely because of his familiarity with Nagy’s offense, a system he has been in for much of his career.

“Nags and I go way back. He was my position coach for three years in Kansas City, obviously. And we stayed close for my time away in Kansas City. So, yeah, we have a great relationship. So, if it comes to that, you know, we trust each other pretty well so we know what each other likes and I think we’d just roll.”

“This is why you have a guy like Chase,” Nagy said. “You feel very comfortable with him. Chase understands. He’s been in this. He’s our oldest guy on the team. So, he’s got experience. Chase and I have a relationship, and a coach-player relationship going back to three years in Kansas City. I know Chase inside out, he knows me inside out.”

Regardless of who plays, the Bears’ defense is dominant enough to make it so they don’t have to light up the scoreboard to get the win. The gap between these teams is sizeable enough that a capable backup, as Daniel has been throughout his career, is enough to put the Bears in winning position, and to allow Bears fans to eat their turkey happy.

Follow on Twitter: @crbevins11 @radiomogul

Hear audio from Matt Nagy, Khalil Mack and Cody Parkey:

Monday Mulling: 2018 Chicago Bears dismantle Detroit Lions 34-22

by

The 2018 Chicago Bears dominated the Detroit Lions on Sunday, walking away with a 34-22 victory and a 6-3 record. They were excellent on offense and dominated on defense, furthering their case as serious playoff contenders.

Mitch-a-palooza

Bears QB Mitch Trubisky: SRN Broadcasting

The story of the game, and with many games, was quarterback Mitch Trubisky, who reached a career-high with 355 passing yards. He also tacked on four touchdowns, three through the air and one on a well-timed quarterback draw. Trubisky was dialed in from the first series, completing all five of his passes on the Bears’ tone-setting, 75-yard touchdown drive. Throughout the game, the offensive line gave him plenty of time to sit back, go through his progressions and deliver strikes to open receivers. He had struggled to hit wide open targets for much of the season, but he did so Sunday, showing the full potential of Matt Nagy’s offense when it is executed.

“I just felt really comfortable out there, thought the O-line played fantastic today, and we got open on the outsides and it was just me doing my job, sitting back there and getting the ball to the playmakers,” Trubisky said. “I put the ball where it needed to go and it’s all a credit to my teammates and the work we put in in practice.”

What really stood out wasn’t so much the eye-popping numbers as it was how he achieved them. Trubisky was in complete command of the offense. He made checks at the line of scrimmage, he displayed comfort in the pocket, and he threw with timing. Trubisky also knew where to go with the ball before the snap. An example of this was on Allen Robinson’s second touchdown.  Robinson, lined up in the slot, was one-on-one with the 5’9 Quandre Diggs, an immediate mismatch given Robinson’s separation ability, combined with his 6’3, 209-pound frame. Detroit had no linebackers in the middle of the field, meaning any ball thrown in that vicinity had a chance at a big play. Trubisky identified this, and knew that such was an inevitability if Robinson was able to separate from Diggs on a slant route, which he did. Trubisky delivered the ball and Robinson was off to the races for a 26-yard touchdown. It is important to look for signs of growth when evaluating Trubisky, and this was a perfect example.

Allen Robinson’s return

Despite missing two weeks with a groin injury, Allen Robinson reminded everyone why he was given a three-year, $42 million deal to come to Chicago. He caught six passes for 133 yards and two touchdowns, dominating any one-on-one matchup he was given.

“He made a huge impact,” Trubisky said of Robinson. “Obviously, all the catches he made and the touchdown catches, but he is just so hard to cover one-on-one, he’s another dynamic weapon for this offense and another guy to account for.”

He added, “He just knows how to use his body and run great routes that create separation and when the ball’s in the air it’s 12’s ball.

“Allen has a really good feel and a really good knack of beating press,” coach Matt Nagy said. “And you saw a couple guys who got up and tried to jam him and press him. And he’s been that way for, even in Jacksonville. That’s one of the things that stood out to me.”

Robinson’s size already makes him a difficult matchup, but his route-running ability allows him to work from the slot and take advantage of undersized corners. Any single coverage look Trubisky got let him know that Robinson would be open quickly. His route-running savviness can flip the cornerback’s hips to give him an opening on a slant, and he can turn a defender around on vertical routes. His strong hands allow him to haul in nearly anything in traffic, and he demonstrated what it looks like when all those tools are put together on Sunday.

Return of the Mack

Chicago Bears head coach Matt Nagy: SRN Braodcasting

In addition to Robinson, Mack had been inactive the past two weeks. After using that time to heal up, he came back in a big way against the Lions, totaling five tackles and two sacks. He came up huge to force a three-and-out when he came backside and stopped fullback Nick Bellore for no gain on a third-and-one. The Lions punted, and the Bears scored a touchdown on the ensuing drive.

Mack’s impact, while often seen on the stat sheet, also went beyond just numbers on Sunday. He faced double teams and took away any vertical tight end threat, as the position was often used to chip Mack and open up in the flats.

“They did a lot of different things,” Mack said. “They used a lot of chippers, they used a lot of different things, schematically, to kind of slow us down.”

His two sacks will what stick out, but the way Mack impacts the game is always worthy of discussion. The team had six sacks of Stafford and Mack is a big reason for that number, directly and indirectly. That impact will have to continue next week against a porous Minnesota Vikings offensive line to put the Bears in a winning position.

Doink!

If there are any negatives from Sunday, it was kicker Cody Parkey’s struggles. He hit the upright an astonishing four times, two extra points and two field goals.

“Everybody in this room has had a bad day,” Nagy pointed out Monday. “He wasn’t having a good day yesterday. There is a balance of being able to show trust to ‘Hey get back out there, kick one and make it and get back on track.’ And it didn’t happen yesterday.”

The plan moving forward is to roll with Parkey. Nagy quickly dismissed any notion of change after the game and cited Packers’ kicker Mason Crosby as someone who bounced back a week after struggling.

“You go back to a few weeks ago when Mason Crosby missed a few, you know for Green Bay. And then next week he ended up kicking a game-winner.”

The kicking position will be crucial if the Bears find themselves in the playoffs, and it could ultimately be the difference between the dance and another season short of the playoffs. There appears to be one vulnerability right now, but if Parkey can put it together, the 2018 Bears will be the most complete team the franchise has fielded in a while.

Follow on Twitter: @radiomogul @crbevins11

Hear audio from Matt Nagy, Mitch Trubisky and Khalil Mack

Bears vs Bucs 2018 Preview

by

updated Saturday 9/29, 3 pm CT

The 2018 Chicago Bears will face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers this Sunday in an attempt to extend their win streak to three games. Tampa Bay presents an interesting challenge, but it is one the Bears should be up to.

Stopping the Bucs’ receivers

 

The Buccaneers have one of the best receiving groups in the NFL. If winning 50-50 balls is an art, Mike Evans is Pablo Picasso. His combination of size, hands and body control makes him a matchup nightmare. Across him is DeSean Jackson, one of the best deep threats the NFL has had in the last decade. He has re-discovered his deep-ball ability with Ryan Fitzpatrick, compiling 312 yards already. O.J. Howard has blossomed into the tight end he was expected to be. They will pose a serious threat to a Bears’ secondary that will have a banged up Prince Amukamara. This will make establishing a strong pass rush all the more important, something the Bears’ defense has had no trouble with.

“They definitely have some weapons,” Khalil Mack said. “Talking about deep threats, yeah, you talking about Mike (Evans) and all those guys that they have over there man, it’s gonna be a challenge.”

Bears coach Matt Nagy. Photo: SRN Broadcasting

Amukamara has been ruled out of Sunday’s game. Undrafted rookie Kevin Toliver II will move up the depth chart. Given his ability to mirror quick route-runners and speed receivers, Bryce Callahan may line up on Jackson, pushing Toliver to the slot, but the two may also play interchangeably.  Toliver is ready for the challenge. “This is an opportunity for me to showcase my talents,” he says, “to show what I’ve been working on. I just have to execute the [game] plan. It’s a good challenge for me to see where I’m at. To see how I match up against the top offense in the league right now.”

“I was in Philadelphia when we drafted DeSean,” coach Matt Nagy said. “He’s underrated as a route-runner. He’s a phenomenal route-runner.”

“Then you got Mike Evans who… he’s so big he can beat you with his physical size. But yet, you saw he can go downfield and his ball skills are amazing.”

The pass-rush can eliminate those worries altogether. Whoever lines up under center will face a defense that leads the NFL with 14 sacks. If the Bears can speed up the quarterback’s internal clock and prevent the Bucs’ receivers from having the time to get deep, their defensive success will continue.

Speaking of the quarterback, who will start for Tampa Bay?

The Buccaneers are in an interesting situation. Ryan Fitzpatrick has thrown for over 400 yards in three straight games in place of a suspended Jameis Winston. Coach Dirk Koetter will have to weigh the conventional wisdom of playing the hot hand vs. playing the guy who is supposed to be the franchise quarterback. They present their own unique traits, but Khalil Mack thinks they may be more similar than people realize.

“The skill set difference is strangely kind of like the same in a sense. But you can see the experience on Fitzpatrick, his control at the line of scrimmage.

“Jameis, I played against him two years ago now, I feel like. But he has some of the same intangibles… it’s kind of different but it’s still similar in a weird way to me.”

“Obviously there’s tape this of what they’re doing this year with Ryan,” Nagy said. “And then there’s plenty of tape of previous years with Jameis. So, you know, Vic (Fangio) will have that all set. They’re both really good quarterbacks.”

Fitzpatrick was exposed against the Steelers in the first half of last week’s Monday Night game, but he nearly completed a 20-point comeback once he settled in. Winston is much more athletic than Fitzpatrick, so he is more likely to successfully escape a pass-rush. Whoever plays quarterback for Tampa Bay on Sunday won’t change who lines up across from them. The Bears’  pass-rush has been the best in the league, and the opposing quarterback won’t change that.

Red zone success

The troubles of the Bears’ offense have been spoken ad nauseam, but one of the biggest problems haunting them is their struggles in the red zone. Per TeamRankings.com, the Bears convert touchdowns on only 40% of red zone trips, 27th in the NFL.

Lots of things change in the red zone. There is less field to work with, so route concepts become more limited, which means fewer things for the defense to worry about. The run game also takes a hit because linebackers and safeties play closer to the line of scrimmage since they have less ground to cover.

“I think we can be more efficient [in the red zone]. More productive. And that, in turn, if you start getting touchdowns and helping your defense out and getting points on the board, then it’ll cover up some of the other stuff that gets magnified because we’re not producing points in the red zone,” Nagy said.

The Bears certainly have the weapons to succeed in the red zone; Trey Burton, Allen Robinson and Jordan Howard all have desired traits for their positions in the red-zone. It becomes a matter of execution and putting the ball in the right place at the right time.

Twitter: @crbevins11 @radiomogul

Hear audio from Matt Nagy, Mitch Trubisky and Khalil Mack

Monday mulling: 2018 Chicago Bears claw back in victory over Cardinals

by

The 2018 Chicago Bears scrapped away at the Arizona Cardinals and left State Farm Stadium with a 16-14 victory. It wasn’t always pretty, but they did what they needed to return to Chicago atop the NFC North.

The defense can be leaned on when needed

The Cardinals took advantage of an uncharacteristic Bears’ start in which the Bears’ defense allowed multiple broken plays that went for big yardage. After the Cardinals capitalized on good field position from a Mitch Trubisky fumble, the Bears’ defense locked in.

Matt Nagy discussed how he felt about the defense’s performance. “How were we going to respond as a team and as a unit?” he said. “When I say special, our guys and our coaches, they feel that right now. They feel that they can be in a different league of their own but it takes hard work. It can’t be something that you do for one quarter at a time. Really since the third and fourth quarter at Green Bay, they’ve been playing well.”

Bears coach Matt Nagy. Photo: SRN Broadcasting

The Bears’ defense did not allow any further scoring throughout the game and forced three turnovers by Sam Bradford, eventually forcing a change at quarterback. Rookie Josh Rosen did not fare much better when he was thrown to the wolves for a four-minute drill. The Bears’ pass rush did what it had done all day and made Rosen’s life miserable, tacking on a sack and taking away an interception.

The pass rush continued its dominance this week, with Khalil Mack stuffing the stat sheet with two sacks, five tackles and a forced fumble. Sherrick McMannis and Akiem Hicks each added a sack of their own to finish the Bears’ day with four. What really stood out was the Bears’ secondary taking advantage of the pressure created upfront. Bradford and Rosen each had very little time to set their feet in the pocket and it resulted in bad balls primed for interceptions. On a 3rd and nine in the third quarter, Eddie Jackson played an overthrown ball perfectly and the Bears scored a touchdown. Later in the quarter, the rush forced Bradford out of the pocket, eliminating his vision to one side of the field. He forced a ball into double coverage for a McManus interception that led to a Bears field goal.

Long drives paid off

The Bears had three plays that lasted over ten drives. The longest drive for the Cardinals lasted eight plays, and it ended with an interception. Trubisky took shots down the field but was unable to convert, making chunk plays hard to come by. They didn’t need the big plays though. The offense moved the ball methodically all day, and that led to their defense staying fresh and the Cardinals’ wearing down. The Bears had over 36 minutes of possession time compared to the Cardinals’ 22. Their offense had 21 first downs while the Cardinals only had 13. They ate away at the clock with the short game and scored just enough points to secure the victory.

“I felt that I got my rhythm and we just need to continue to connect when we go deep. Take what they give us underneath and move the chains.,” Mitch Trubisky said postgame. “We did a good moving the football, getting first downs and controlling the ball.”

There are plenty of things for Trubisky to clean up, particularly his deep ball accuracy and recognizing blitzes before they come. There is an unfair expectation, especially with the success of Patrick Mahomes, for Trubisky to light the world on fire in his first season in a new offense. Sunday was a great chance to do so, but it wasn’t meant to be. The story on Trubisky is very incomplete, and any declarations of his future standing in the NFL should still be reeled in. At the end of the day, the Bears got the victory.

A comeback is never a bad thing

 

Bears quarterback Mitch Trubisky: SRN Broadcasting

It’s obvious the Bears got off to a very concerning start against the Cardinals. A two-touchdown deficit had been a rarity with the level of play at which defense has been all year. It is also telling, however, that the defense clamped down so quickly and kept the Cardinals from any possible momentum. Sam Bradford can be a dangerous quarterback when he sets into a rhythm, and the Bears’ defense kept him from doing so, while the offense kept him off the field entirely. The offense will hopefully pick up the pace, and Trubisky expressed confidence in that possibility, saying, “It feels close. We are right there and the great thing about it is we find ways to get W’s as a team. We know we are not even close to where we want to be on offense. I am really tough on myself and I know I can play a lot better. but the defense is good enough to give the time to reach that point.”

Nagy discussed the impact the defense has on the offense’s ability to grow within the system, saying, “It’s huge. They mean everything. Right now, they understand that. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to realize we’re winning games because of our defense, but that doesn’t mean our offense isn’t a huge part of the score, or special teams.” As the old saying goes, a win’s a win, and the Bears are in first place of the NFC North for the first time since five years.

Twitter: @crbevins11 @radiomogul

 

The Sports Report – September 11, 2018

by

with Packer Dave, Steve Leventhal, and John Poulter

Join us on the Sports Report as Andy Dorf along with our special guest Patrick Finley of the Chicago Sun Times, discuss the Chicago Bears – Green Bay Packers season opening game. Aaron Rogers’ amazing comeback was one of several headlines on the first weekend of the 2018 NFL season. As was the arrival of former Defensive Player of the Year Khalil Mack in a Bears uniform. John also talks about the current Cubs-Brewers series and the playoff races in the National League. Lastly, Steve and John discuss some of the big matchups in English soccer this weekend.

Don’t miss cameos from Bob Uecker and Chris Berman, plus interviews from Mike McCarthy, Aaron Rogers, Randall Cobb, Matt Nagy, Mitch Trubisky, Pete Carroll, and Minnesota coach Mike Zimmer.

@patrickfinley @internetFM

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 45:02 — 41.2MB) | Embed

Subscribe: Android | RSS

Monday takeaways from 2018 Bears loss at Packers

by

The 2018 Chicago Bears took a heart-breaking loss to Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers Sunday night, failing to capitalize on a 20-0 halftime advantage at Lambeau Field. After a day to breathe and be upset about the heart-crushing events that transpired at the hands of Rodgers, there are plenty of things to take away, both positive and negative.

Bears defensive end Khalil Mack: SRN Broadcasting

The best days are ahead for the defense

If you thought the Bears’ defense looked good at times on Sunday Night Football, buckle up because that was an incomplete product. Even for someone as dominant as Khalil Mack, it is hard to expect him to be game ready with only a week of practice under his belt, particularly in a scheme as complex as Vic Fangio’s. He had a sack, a forced fumble, an interception and a touchdown, all in a rip roaring first half. Then Mack’s impact quieted down. Once he is fully immersed in Fangio’s scheme, he will become even more dangerous. Additionally, Roquan Smith played only eight snaps, minimizing his potential impact. A player as talented as Smith will only elevate the overall defense. Beyond those two, however, the defense still played admirably, getting key contributions from Akiem Hicks and Roy Robertson-Harris, the ladder of whom has made a strong case to be a focal-point player. For a unit as young as they are, the arrow is pointing up, but finishing games will be one of the keys for the Bears to win.

The offense is still a work in progress

Bears quarterback Mitch Trubisky: SRN Broadcasting

Like the defense, the Bears’ offense came roaring out of the gates, keeping the Packers’ defense on its toes with motion all over the field, exotic formations and varying degrees of deception. Mitch Trubisky looked comfortable, his receivers were getting open and the threat of Jordan Howard and Tarik Cohen in the backfield made it all the easier to move the ball. Then, the offense sputtered in the second half, only scoring six points and failing to sustain any drives until the end of the game.

Quarterbacks coach Dave Ragone offered insight on Trubisky’s performance, saying, “Again, this is a process for him. There’s things that don’t show up on the box score that he did really well, that he didn’t do last year.” He then expanded on what those improvements were, citing Trubisky’s mental improvements such as commanding the huddle, making his pre-snap reads and protections.

The aggression simply wasn’t as present in the second half as it was in the first, and Nagy accepted some of that responsibility the day after, saying, “We ran two screens on back-to-back plays. I didn’t like those calls.” Lots of little things ultimately compiled into an offense that couldn’t get going in the second half, but the first half certainly leaves positives to be taken away. Trubisky looked very sharp, going through his reads quickly and decisively and making plays happen with his feet. Jordan Howard was catching balls, Allen Robinson was making leaping catches and they carried themselves with a swagger that was noticeable. Execution is the name of the game moving forward; there were plenty of chances to extend the lead in the second half and put the nail in Green Bay’s coffin. We caught a glimpse of just how dangerous this offense can be if they stay on schedule and they run the system the way it’s supposed to run and if they can clean up the little things in the future, they could be something to watch.

Putting things into perspective

There is no doubt night’s loss absolutely stung. The win was right there, and it literally slipped through Kyle Fuller’s hands as Aaron Rodgers swiped it at the last minute, yet again. These are not meant to be excuses, but it’s still important to remember a few things. The obvious is that Rodgers is a transcendent talent, the likes of which does not exist anywhere else in football. If he is in the game, the Packers will always have a chance, and the Bears are no exception to that.

Additionally, it’s important to remember that this is an extremely young team with a rookie head coach. Nagy’s script plays were perfect, as they should be given how much time he had to prepare them. Things get different once the game starts and you have to make decisions on the fly. As he learns to tweak his game plan, and to keep his foot on the gas pedal, as his former colleague Doug Pederson did, games like last night will be a thing of the past. The team is made up of many players in their mid-20s, most of whom haven’t experienced playing with big a lead in the NFL. Sunday night was a big step forward, and despite the end result, the Bears surprised a lot of people. They should be in good position if they learn from their mistakes and apply them to executing in the future.

Chicago Bears at Green Bay Packers 2018 Preview

by

Bears coach Matt Nagy photo: SRN Broadcasting

Football is back! The grueling months of off-season speculation, predictions, controversies and stories that simply won’t go away, have finally come to an end. So, when Chicago Bears fans hear the iconic trumpets of NBC’s presentation of “Sunday Night Football,” an all-too unfamiliar feeling of optimism will accompany their excitement. A whirlwind off-season, capped off with the trade for Khalil Mack, will finally come to fruition this Sunday when the Bears travel up North to face their long-time rivals, the Green Bay Packers. This past spring and summer have been the most active for the Monsters of the Midway in a very long time, and expectations haven’t been this high in quite some time. With that, here is what to watch out for in the Bears’ season opener.

When superstars collide

Aaron Rodgers, for years now, and before him, Brett Favre, have seemingly been the only superstars on the field when the Bears and Packers squared off, impacting the game in more ways than most can conceive. Sunday, Chicago will ride into Green Bay flexing some star power of their own with Khalil Mack.

Rodgers and Mack have faced off before, back in 2015 when Mack had just begun to insert himself amongst the league’s best. Mack left his impact on the game with one sack and a pressure that resulted in an interception, but the Packers went on to win 30-20. The past is the past though, and the two are better (and richer) now than they were then.

Mack and Rodgers have similar impacts on both sides of the ball in that they make everyone around them better. Rodgers’s elusiveness and ability to sense the rush make him nearly impossible to bring down, leading to extended plays, busted coverage and, therefore, big plays for his receivers. He’ll quickly identify his hot routes to shred a blitzing defense, and he can fit the ball into any window to the point that his receivers just have to hold on.

“[Rodgers] is pretty much as special as they get at that position,” said head coach Matt Nagy this week. “He makes plays that just so many quarterbacks can’t make and that’s a huge weapon.”

Mack, on the other hand, creates his own dilemmas for offenses. He can beat any offensive tackle one-on-one with speed, power or technique. Bryan Bulaga will be put to the test against him, and even he, one of the game’s best tackles, will have his hands full. Mack will still demand double and sometimes triple teams, which will result in the likes of Akiem Hicks and Leonard Floyd facing single-blocks. “Definitely adding a guy as good as him will definitely boost your overall defense,” Floyd said on Mack’s impact. Hicks is also keenly aware of the difference Mack can make, saying, “He’s the type of player that makes everybody’s job easier… wherever he is, he just makes everybody’s job easier because he’s such a threat.”

If Mack and the rest of the Bears’ defensive line can collapse the pocket and contain Rodgers, bad balls should be available for the Bears’ secondary to take advantage of.

New faces– everywhere

Ryan Pace had quite a busy offseason, completely re-tooling the offense with the additions of Allen Robinson, Taylor Gabriel and Trey Burton. The team traded up for Anthony Miller in the second round of the 2018 NFL draft, and should see plenty of reps himself. Most importantly, Matt Nagy takes over as head coach and his new-look offense for which he calls the plays will be in the spotlight Sunday. Defensively, Mack is the obvious new arrival, but first-round pick Roquan Smith will also see plenty of action, especially after practicing full-speed this week following a hamstring injury.

The Bears are not alone in their makeover, however. Green Bay completely revamped its coaching staff, bringing in Joe Philbin and Mike Pettine to coordinate the offense and defense, respectively. Nagy spoke on facing Pettine’s defense, saying, “He’s always had an aggressive mentality. He’s very creative. He does a lot of great things and he can disguise what he does. He does it really well.” He added, “I respect that. I think that when you’re able to get your guys to play fast like he does by doing such creative things, it can make it hard on the offense.”

Green Bay also added Jimmy Graham, who should get his fair share of targets and remains a red zone nightmare. Their secondary was also rebuilt, as Jaire Alexander and Josh Jackson, their first two picks of the 2018 draft, will join second-year corner Kevin King in their cornerback room to bring stability in their secondary.

 

The offense of the future is here

As mentioned, Nagy’s offense will be on full display Sunday night in his first regular season game as a head coach. The preseason offered brief glimpses into how the offense may be run, but it won’t compare to what will be shown Sunday night. We will see how a gadget back like Tarik Cohen will be used this season and in the future and how Nagy plans to incorporate the speed of Taylor Gabriel.

“It just gives a different element,” said Gabriel, referring to the speed of he and Cohen. “Playmaking ability, being able to make a play anywhere on the field. And to not just have one but two, that brings a different element to the offense.”  Cohen added, “You always got to think about the deep threat when both of us are on the field. That makes it even harder for the defense to know where the deep threat is coming from.”

Robinson’s big-play ability will hopefully be tested, and just how important Burton is to this offense should also be put on display. Most importantly, we will finally see what Trubisky looks like in this offense. It most likely won’t be a perfect product right off the bat, but the key to success this season will be Trubisky taking control of this offense and making it work how it’s supposed to.

Twitter: @crbevins11

Hear audio from Matt Nagy, Roquan Smith, Mitch Trubisky and Anthony Miller from Wednesday and Thursday’s practices: