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Tarik Cohen Is Still Salty About How Bears Win Ended

By
Erik Lambert
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tarik cohen and jordan howard

Tarik Cohen and Jordan Howard have become the backbone of the Chicago Bears offense. Those two literally carried the entire team on their backs in one of the most memorable upsets in recent team history. It really did look like a no-win scenario. The Bears had just gotten steamrolled by Tampa Bay the week before. They were 0-2 for the third-straight year. Their wide receiving corps was gutted by injuries. To top it off they faced an undefeated Pittsburgh team fresh of a conference championship appearance.

Oh and their quarterback Mike Glennon was nearly useless as a passer. How in the world could this team pull it off? With some classic Bears football. They played solid defense and fed their running backs in Cohen and Howard. In total the two would touch the ball 44 times. The wide receivers? Once.

Chicago fought, clawed and hammered their way into overtime where they would score the walk-off touchdown for an improbable 23-17 victory. It was hard to feel any emotion besides joy afterwards, but Cohen couldn’t help but express a tiny bit of frustration.

Tarik Cohen and Jordan Howard on who actually had winning TD

Most of it had to do with who scored the winning touchdown in overtime. For the moment it appeared as if Cohen did when he ran around and through the Steelers on a magnificent 73-yard dash for a touchdown. Unfortunately referees claimed he’d stepped out of bounds at the Steelers 37-yard line. Video replays were inconclusive and so the original call stood. A few plays later it was Howard scoring a 19-yard TD to put it away.

Afterwards Cohen couldn’t help but express firm belief that score belonged to him.

Even teammates after the game who saw replays had a hard time seeing how Cohen’s right foot touched the sideline on that play. In the end the final result was the same. Still Cohen has shown himself to be a competitor. He doesn’t like being cheated out of accolades he feels belonged to him. Especially by the referees. No doubt he’s going to use that as incentive for the next game.

Green Bay best get ready.

Marcus Cooper Wikipedia Page Suffers For His Botched Field Goal Return

By
Erik Lambert
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marcus cooper wikipedia

Chicago Bears fans can be an unforgiving lot sometimes. If it’s an injury that’s one thing. One thing they will never, ever excuse are straight up dumb plays that cost the team. For the longest time Chris Conte was the whipping boy for their sorrows. At last a new man was ready to step in as the Marcus Cooper Wikipedia page reflected.

The Bears cornerback had a rough day against Pittsburgh. He had penalty issues. A sure interception dropped right through his arms. By far the worst though was saved for the end of the first half. Chicago managed to block a Pittsburgh field goal attempt. Cooper had the ball land right in his hands with nothing but open grass ahead of him. It was a gift of a touchdown.

Then things got really, really stupid.

Marcus Cooper Wikipedia page soon paid the price

If there’s ever a point where an NFL player realized he done f**ked up, it’s when a fan takes the tedious time to go on Wikipedia and actually edit the information of a page. In this case some judicious man or woman used a small paragraph to chew him out for that play.

Listen it may go down as the most incompetent play of the past 10 years but all of Bears history? Boy that’s a tough field to top. Either way it’s hard to feel sorry for Cooper at this point. There’s been enough highlights over the years as educational video to warn against this sort of thing. It shouldn’t be this hard to learn.

Hang onto the ball until you’re absolutely certain you’ve crossed the goal line. Yes we know the NFL relaxed their rules on celebrating. Fans won’t care what sort of dance you were planning if you keeping making plays like this. Hell, they’re fine without any celebration at all. They’re more interested in the points.

Cooper should count himself lucky the Bears survived his gaffe anyway.

The Chicago Bears Just Beat Pittsburgh With a 1930s Offense

By
Erik Lambert
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chicago bears

The Pittsburgh Steelers were in the AFC championship last year. They were undefeated going into Soldier Field. The Chicago Bears haven’t been in a conference championship in seven years. They were winless going into the game. Everything about this matchup screamed that the Bears had no chance. The Steelers were loaded from top to bottom with young talent. Most importantly they owned an overwhelming advantage at quarterback.

Ben Roethlisberger has two rings, several Pro Bowls and every Steelers franchise passing record. Mike Glennon has a warrant out for his arrest. The crime? Robbing the Bears franchise of $18 million. Nothing about his play to this point has warranted even half that amount of money. Sunday was no different.

People can blame the wide receiver injuries all they want. Glennon is not good. His field vision is awful. The accuracy was once again erratic. It seemed like at some point during the game the Bears just got fed up with trying. How did they adjust? By dusting off a playbook they haven’t used since World War II.

1930s Chicago Bears would’ve loved this game plan

Glennon completed 15-of-22 passes on the afternoon. That doesn’t sound too bad until one hears it was for 101 yards. Seriously, a quarterback in 2017 threw for 101 yards. It was so depressing to watch especially since a wide receiver caught just one of those passes. Glennon had one touchdown and one interception on the day and he should’ve another pick late in the game.

Chicago clearly had seen enough by the start of overtime because the $18 million QB did not throw a single pass. Instead it was the real heroes of the day Jordan Howard and Tarik Cohen doing the heavy lifting. Not only did they combine for 216 yards rushing and two touchdowns. They were also the Bears’ two leading receivers. That is the state of things.

Seriously. The Bears just beat one of the premier franchises in the NFL without a quarterback. Isn’t that a surefire sign that this team is capable of being something more if they actually had somebody under center who could make some plays. Of course head coach John Fox won’t see it that way. He’ll insist the team is just fine with Glennon “managing” the game.

Glennon managed nothing. He was a passenger the whole way in this game. A witness to the fine roster GM Ryan Pace has built. All the while having no understanding of what to do with it. One completed pass to receiver. One. Do they honestly think Mitch Trubisky can’t do better than this?

Ben Zobrist Is Ready To End The St. Louis Cardinals Season

By
Gus
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PHOTO: Chicago Tribune

With the Chicago Cubs magic number down to two games, Cubs fans are beginning to brace themselves for another post season run which would be the team’s third straight appearance in the MLB playoffs.

With only seven games remaining in the regular season and the Cubs sitting on a comfortable 5.5 game lead in the division, the team finds themselves going into their last road series of the year in arguably the best place you could imagine when you’re on the cusp of clinching your second straight division title.

St. Louis.

The Cubs have absolutely owned the Cardinals for the past two and a half seasons posting a dominant record of 30-18 against the Cardinals since July 2015. I can’t imagine there are any Cardinals fans reading this article right now but if they are, I can guarantee you they just mumbled something to the effect of, “When you have 11 rings, then you can talk”, after they read their team’s W-L record against the Cubs.

The Cubs open up a four-game set against the Red Birds and with a win tomorrow, the Cardinals would be mathematically eliminated from the division. Eliminating the Cardinals does not mean the Cubs clinch but since the Cardinals and Brewers are still yet to play each other, it’d take a small miracle for the Cubs not to clinch at Busch Stadium. As exciting as it is for fans to think about the Cubs popping champagne in that dump of a city, there are a handful of players that are apparently just as excited.

The normally reserved second baseman Ben Zobrist shared his thoughts about clinching in St. Louis after the Cubs took three of four (and essentially buried) the other team in front of St. Louis — the Milwaukee Brewers.

Satisfying is an understatement.

It would only add to one of the best rivalries in professional sports and would undoubtedly spurn Cardinals fans to log onto twitter.com and spew illogical bullshit about winning rings in the 1930’s. That venting is a symptom from realizing their beloved Cardinals are no longer the team to beat in the NL Central and it appears it will stay that way for some time.

Hopefully they have a good selection of champagne in St. Louis (although my guess would be they only offer a whole bunch of Mumms.)

 

Here’s What We Learned During The Bears’ 23-17 Victory Over Steelers

By
Dhruv Koul
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(Erin Hooley / Chicago Tribune) Bears running back Jordan Howard and wide receiver Deonte Thompson celebrate after Howard scored the game-winning touchdown during overtime.

The Chicago Bears got their first win of the season and first September win under John Fox overall in a wild, and ultimately surprising, 23-17 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers at Soldier Field.

Playing with only four active wide receivers on the roster, the Bears got just enough scoring to upset a Steelers team that had every opportunity to steal this game despite being outplayed most of the day.

The Bears are 1-2 and will be no worse than one game out of first place in the NFC North at the end of this week. Here’s what we learned about the Bears during their first win of the season:

Defense

  1. The Steelers just missed making a loud statement on their first offensive snap. Martavis Bryant got behind the defense Ben Roethlisberger’s pass just bounced off his fingers. That should have been an easy touchdown to take control early. Luckily the Bears straightened themselves out after that.
  1. The run defense did just fine against arguably the best running back in the NFL. Le’Veon Bell ran for just 61 yards on 15 carries, and the Steelers finished with 70 yards on the ground overall. Good tackling by the linebackers in the run game certainly helped.
  1. I don’t understand why Vic Fangio drops Leonard Floyd into coverage so often. I get it for certain plays. But Floyd is supposed to be your best pass rusher. Let him get after the QB, please. Especially next week against Aaron Rodgers.
  1. Kyle Fuller might be the Bears’ best cornerback right now. It’s pretty crazy to think about given how last year went, but he was great in coverage – especially on a crucial third down late in the fourth quarter where he tipped a pass intended for Antonio Brown. Securing some interceptions is the next step.
  1. Marcus Cooper, despite an idiotic play on special teams at the end of the first half (more on that later), played very well overall. He must finish plays (he dropped a potential INT in the third quarter), but he helped contain the Steelers passing attack.
  1. Welcome to the Bears, Prince Amukamara. He broke up a potential TD pass in the end zone as part of his debut.
  1. Hello, Pernell McPhee! Good to see him get a sack on a critical third down.

Offense

  1. Jordan Howard, what a performance. He was unstoppable, running hard and punishing tacklers all game long. That too, playing with a bum right shoulder. A heroic performance for the Bears’ hero, winning the game on a 19-yard run in overtime. He looked like 2016 Jordan Howard today. That’s a great sign. Now let’s hope that shoulder heals quickly.
  1. Also, Tarik Cohen. What a football player. He is by far the Bears’ best weapon on offense, and he is ridiculously fun to watch. A couple plays before Howard’s winner, Cohen lit up Soldier Field with one of the more incredible runs of the season, temporarily setting off a celebration until they ruled him out of bounds. I don’t think they got that call right, but it was a joy to watch regardless.
  1. Mike Glennon continues to suck. I don’t mean to beat a dead horse, but he continues to suck. No thanks to Glennon, the Bears built a lead, and eventually coughed it up because Glennon contributed to a stagnant offense. And a turnover. As I wrote last week, the entire point of Glennon is no turnovers, and that still isn’t enough. He is an anchor. The Bears have a real shot at a salvageable season. You just need a real quarterback. You might have one in Trubisky. Find out. Play the kid, damn it.

  1. The offensive line played a solid game, despite losing Josh Sitton before the game and Hroniss Grasu during it. They helped the Bears run for over 200 yards against the Steelers when everyone in the building, at home, and on the Moon knew Chicago would run the ball all day. Impressive performance.
  1. Drops continue to plague this team. Despite his many flaws, Glennon did throw a few good balls that should have been caught. When the suboptimal quarterback finally does give you a chance, these pass-catchers must capitalize.

Special Teams

  1. I’ll just leave this here to describe the Marcus Cooper blocked field-goal return at the end of the first half. I don’t think anything else needs to be said.

  1. Connor Barth missed a field goal that could have put the Bears up 10 early after a big strip-sack of Roethlisberger. It was only Barth’s first miss of the year, but this team needs to capitalize on chances to pile on. They don’t get many.
  1. Roy Robertson-Harris wiped out an incredible punt return by Tarik Cohen with a penalty before the Bears’ final drive of regulation. The return would have given Chicago amazing field position to try to win it in regulation itself, but the penalty cost them 38 yards. Ouch.

Up Next

The Bears are just one game out of first in the NFC North with a Thursday Night showdown against the Green Bay Packers coming up at Lambeau Field. Laugh if you will, but the Packers don’t look great, and it’s a short week. The Bears have a team that can compete. But unfortunately, they have a quarterback that will kill any chance of progress. Chicago’s defense runs out of gas late thanks to overuse.

Early Prediction: Packers 29, Bears 10

VIDEO: Marcus Cooper Gives Up Sure TD By Showboating Before End Zone

By
Erik Lambert
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marcus cooper

The Chicago Bears signed cornerback Marcus Cooper because they felt he could deliver some big plays for them on defense. As irony would have it, his first big on came on special teams. Unfortunately as has become common place with this team, a moment of sheer stupidity found him a way to screw it up.

A blocked field goal by the Bears landed right in the hands of Cooper who seemed to have clear sailing to the end zone. Then, about 10 yards short, he started to slow down. No doubt wondering how he’d celebrate. Sure enough karma and Steelers tight end Vance McDonald caught up to him and he was stripped of the ball right before the end zone.

By the sheer grace of good fortune a penalty by the Steelers batting the ball out of the end zone gave Chicago a free play. After initially going for it, a penalty on Charles Leno Jr. forced them to settle for a field goal. It was a colossal string of mind-numbing mistakes that cost the Bears four crucial points. Against an offense like Pittsburgh, every point is precious.

This isn’t even counting a field goal missed by Connor Barth earlier in the game. It’s the latest sign of how undisciplined this team continues to play. That falls at the feet of head coach John Fox. Though they play hard for him, they also play sloppy and their schedule is set up with teams that afford few mistakes.

Jose Abreu Becomes Third Player In Major League History To Reach This Feat

By
Matt Enuco
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The Red Sox are pursuing Abreu with fierce determination.
Duane Burleson/Getty Images North America via Zimbio.

Jose Abreu can be considered disappointing in one regard: it took him too long to get here. Imagine what he could have done with three extra seasons?

Since defecting from Cuba, scarfing down a phony passport and joining the White Sox in 2014, Abreu has posted 25 or more home runs and 100 or more runs-batted-in in each of his first four major-league seasons, something only Joe DiMaggio and Albert Pujols have done. And if Abreu has his druthers he will complete his would-be Hall of Fame career in Chicago.

Abreu demured from the bright lights of individual accomplishment after the game saying, “Honestly, I don’t feel as happy as I wanted because we lost today,” Abreu said through interpreter Billy Russo. “Personally, it feels good to get this goal, this accomplishment. It’s very special for me, for my family, too.

Perhaps there is a hint of garden-variety humility in avoiding celebration, especially in a season lost to rebuilding, but the mystique of Abreu’s team-first attitude warms our hearts. His profuse gratitude to the White Sox organization for giving him the chance to make his dreams come true was on full display as he walked through the litany of teammates, coaches and family that share in his achievement.

But before Abreu cemented himself in history there was a conversation with his family.

“Every year after the season, I meet with my family and we review my season and my stats,” Abreu said. “Last year, when we had the meeting, I told them, ‘Next year, I’m gonna hit 30 homers, I’m gonna drive in at least 100,’ and I did it. … I was able to do it and that’s something that made me feel proud of myself and proud of my family, too. They have been the ones who have been supporting me through my whole career.”

One can hardly say that Abreu had a sub-par season in 2016 but he felt it was necessary to have a state-of-the-union conversation with his family after the season because he expected more from himself. This kind of pride is becoming endangered and perhaps Abreu has a better perspective on what it means to play Major League Baseball.

I favor the romantic side of baseball and prefer to believe in heroes rather than wolves in sheep’s clothing. In the week leading up to his historic achievement, Abreu had much to say about his future with the White Sox.

“This is my first team in the majors and I hope to be here for the rest of my career,” Abreu told Daryl Van Schouwen on Saturday before the White Sox game against the Tigers through interpreter, Billy Russo. “Because of all the things this team has done for me, how they have treated me. I really have a deep appreciation for this team and front office. And I feel comfortable here, they are like my family even though I left my family in Cuba. This is a family I gained here when I came to the U.S. and I want to be a part of this family forever.”

With the second phase of rebuilding a battered ball club, Abreu’s future with the South Siders is a mystery. Yet, after gathering two heralded Cuban prospects and using Abreu as a prop to lure them to Chicago it seems unlikely Yogi will be going anywhere. He is having one of his best seasons in 2017 posting his second-best ISO (.250) and BABIP (.333). Abreu might not be able to catch his Rookie of the Year statistics from 2014 but he is among a host of elite talent.

Abreu is one of five players to have 400-plus RBI over the past four seasons; more than Anthony Rizzo, Josh Donaldson and Mike Trout.

The thread between Dimaggio, Pujols and Abreu is long, so I decided to pile up a few trivia tidbits for the common fan.

…There’s still more…

Despite a slow week for the slugger, the White Sox have been white hot and Abreu has been the catalyst over posting 12 RBI the last two weeks. Abreu finished the first half of the season with 58 RBI while batting .299 and raised his average in the second half after legion trades vaporized a veteran lineup.

He is batting .322 after the All-Star break and a blazing .370 in September with a 1.166 OPS. Mal Tiempo as he is known among his teammates became the first Cuban-born major-league player to hit for the cycle on Sep. 9 and the sixth player in franchise history to accomplish the feat. And Abreu reached all this success while his family stared down hurricane Irma in Miami and Cuba.

Abreu still has a few seasons left in him but imagine what it would have been like to witness Yogi swing his shillelagh in his prime?

Teryl Austin: A Chicago Bears 2018 Head Coach Profile

By
Erik Lambert
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chicago bears 2018 head coach
Credit: MLive

Background:

Possible Chicago Bears 2018 head coach Teryl Austin was born in Pennsylvania in 1965. Like many natives of that state he played his college ball at Pitt before joining the short-lived World League of American Football. After just one year he realized his chances in the pros as a player were too long and retired. He became a graduate assistant at Penn State. That’s where he met friend and future Detroit Lions head coach Jim Caldwell.

Austin would go on to various jobs at Wake Forest, Syracuse and Michigan before catching his first break as defensive backs coach with the Seattle Seahawks in 2003. Four years later he took the same job with the Arizona Cardinals. He got his first shot at defensive coordinator for Florida in 2010 but was gone after just one season.

He didn’t worry too much about it. The Baltimore Ravens quickly made him their secondary coach where he’d spend three seasons. Finally his old friend Caldwell came calling, aiming to make him defensive coordinator in Detroit. It’s the job he’s held since.

Qualifications:

One thing that becomes clear about Austin right away during his NFL tenure is success seems to follow him. In Seattle his defensive backs became one of the best groups in the league at producing turnovers. The Seahawks made the playoffs every year and reached the Super Bowl in 2005. His group delivered two big interceptions in the NFC championship.

In 2007 he pretty much repeated the same thing in Arizona. Under his direction Adrian Wilson, Antrel Rolle and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie all became Pro Bowlers. The Cardinals went to their first Super Bowl in team history in 2008. Following his brief stint at Florida, Austin painted his masterpiece as a defensive backs coach in Baltimore.

Not only did he get two Pro Bowls out of Ed Reed, who was well into his 30s by 2011 and 2012. He even got one out of Corey Graham, the former Chicago Bear. Baltimore went on to win the Super Bowl the latter year, his group delivering the only interception of that game.

Since joining the Lions, Austin has done some excellent work coordinating their defense. It ranked 3rd in points allowed his first year and 13th in 2016. So far this season they are 7th. This despite some rather pedestrian talent to work with outside of Ezekiel Ansah and Darius Slay. It’s a surefire sign that he knows how to get the most from the players he has.

Concerns:

Austin has only been a coordinator for four seasons and already is 52-years old. That’s a bit on the older side for a man getting his first head coaching opportunity. It begs the question of why he hasn’t been able to get hired by this point. Are there personality issues? Then there’s the matter of his strict defensive background.

The NFL these days is a league built entirely around the quarterback position. Teams tend to prefer hiring coaches who have at least some understanding of how to develop one. It’s why the vast majority of coaching hires are on the offensive side. In fairness the Bears can relate. Neither John Fox nor Lovie Smith could solve that puzzle.

Austin has strictly been a defensive backs coach and defensive coordinator since he got into coaching. He’s had zero hands-on lessons handling the other side of the ball. That’s troublesome for a lot of head coaches. It means they either have to have that natural instinct, or they need to hire a talented offensive coordinator to deal with it.

Connections:

The good news is that Austin, while having to wait a long time, is a well-traveled man. He’s coached for several teams just in the NFL over the past 14 years. This has enabled him to meet a lot of people in that time, many of them fellow coaches. Some of whom might have some talent worth exploiting. Keep in mind that Austin has coached for Seattle, Arizona and Baltimore. All three are considered among the NFL elites in terms of team building. Just the staff he’s assembled for the Lions defense is impressive.

Bill Sheridan coaches the linebackers and won a Super Bowl in 2007 with the Giants. Safeties coach Alan Williams spent nine years in Indianapolis from 2002 to 2011 where he won a Super Bowl. Corners coach Tony Oden helped the New Orleans Saints win the Super Bowl in 2009. One of the most overlooked qualities of a great coach is recognizing others who can do the job too. Austin seems to have that knack, at least on the defensive side.

Bottom Line:

It’s difficult not to like Teryl Austin. He’s experienced, accomplished and well-respected around the league. His prowess as a play caller is showcased by an ability to adapt his scheme to his players’ strengths. Doing more with less is the mark of any great coach. Austin proved he can do that consistently during his time in Detroit.

Another mark is having success at every stop along his journey. Austin left behind Pro Bowlers and Super Bowl runs with three different teams prior to his arrival with the Lions. He has a ring. What more must the guy do to get attention?

Well being an offensive coach it would seem. Brilliant as he is at coaching defensive football, the questions will linger about whether he can properly develop a quarterback. That is the test for every head coach, especially these days. One point worth making is he’s seen it done a number of times already.

He saw Mike Holmgren do it with Matt Hasselbeck in Seattle. He saw Todd Haley do it with Kurt Warner in Arizona and then Caldwell do it with Joe Flacco in Baltimore. Austin may not be an expert but he’s had some great teachers.

College Wide Receivers The Chicago Bears Are Targeting for 2018

By
Erik Lambert
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bears gm ryan pace

There will be plenty of work for Chicago Bears GM Ryan Pace going into 2018. It’s quite possible he may be hiring a new head coach. John Fox hasn’t won back-to-back games since 2015 and hasn’t won a game period since last December. The man is 9-25 running this franchise. He’s on his last legs with hope dwindling. Pace no doubt may already be thinking about the future. Of course it’s not just the head coach he’s focused on though.

Another big problem the Bears have is at the wide receiver position. In a word it’s decimated. Brandon Marshall was traded. Alshon Jeffery left in free agency. Cameron Meredith and Kevin White are done for the year with injuries. When Kendall Wright, Josh Bellamy and Deonte Thompson are the top three guys you have a serious problem.

With Mitch Trubisky right around the corner it’s imperative this team load up on weapons for the young quarterback to thrive. Odds are Pace will have designs on selecting a wide receiver early in the 2018 draft. It’s his good fortune that the class appears to have some considerable talent in play. So who will the Bears target?

Here are some names to watch carefully.

WR draft targets Bears GM Ryan Pace will pinpoint

Courtland Sutton (SMU)

People might scoff at the fact that Sutton comes out of SMU, which is a smaller program. Nothing compared to what it was in the early 1980s. However, they might be surprised to find out Pro Bowl receiver Emmanuel Sanders came from there. Sutton may be even more talented. At 6’3″ he has that coveted size teams like in receivers along with a good mix of speed and quickness.

He’s also a danger in the open field, demonstrating an ability to run after the catch. Not easy to tackle. To top it off he’s demonstrated on several occasions to be a major threat in the red zone. In three seasons he has 136 catches for 2,313 yards and 24 touchdowns.

Calvin Ridley (Alabama)

Many are calling him the next Amari Cooper. Watch Ridley for a few minutes and it’s easy to see why. Like his fellow Alabama alum, the kid has decent size at 6’1″ to go along with game-breaking speed and quickness. He creates matchup problems for a secondary, especially in the hands of a creative offensive play caller.

The reason he hasn’t achieved the same results as Cooper to this point is largely the Alabama quarterback issues. After having Jake Coker for a year in 2015, during which he had over 1,000 yards, he’s been saddled with Jalen Hurts who is far from a polished passer. Hopefully the Bears will overlook that because Ridley can play.

Equanimeous St. Brown (Notre Dame)

Pace deserved some criticism for drafting Kevin White. Not because of the injuries or the talent. He had no control over the former and everybody agreed about the latter. The problem was he spent a top 10 pick on a player who was a project in terms of readiness. His route running was as raw as could be. Smart money says the GM will show he learned that lesson well.

St. Brown will be a prime target not only because he’s every bit of 6’4″ with long arms and the speed to create separation. What sets him apart from a lot of receivers in this upcoming class is his route running. He’s already fairly polished in that regard, able to get in and out of his breaks without losing acceleration. It’s a big reason he’s averaging 16.2 yards per catch in college.

Christian Kirk (Texas A&M)

Another wide receiver saddled with QB issues. Kirk is being considered by many as a downsized version of Odell Beckham Jr. Though just 5’11” the kid is electric on the field. He’s got quickness, agility and speed for days. In 2016 alone he had 968 receiving yards, 282 punt return yards and scored 12 touchdowns. Three of those were returns.

Suffice to say the kid makes things happen with the ball in his hands. Of course the big question will be can he get himself open against physical NFL defensive backs. He’s got route running prowess and the fact UCLA sent double coverage at him all night earlier this year is a surefire sign of respect.

James Washington (Oklahoma State)

Stop if you’ve heard the phrase, “Plays bigger than he is” before. That is the definition of Washington. He’s not small in any respects at 6’0″ but he plays like he’s 6’5″. Put the ball up in the air and it doesn’t matter who’s covering him or how many defenders. He will find a way to come down with it because that ball belongs to him.

Washington will be pigeonholed by a lot of a people as a deep threat. Sure because he’s shorter and fast that’s bound to happen. Of course it’s not the case. He does a lot more than just run the vertical route. Many a time he’s shown an ability to go over the middle and make those tough catches for first downs. His 165 catches and 29 touchdowns prove that much.

Simmie Cobbs Jr. (Indiana)

Missing 2016 with injury, a lot of people weren’t sure what to make of Simmie Cobbs. On tape they saw a talented 6’4″ receiver who knew exactly how to use his big body to maximum advantage. Never mind his underrated route running that allowed him to consistently beat cornerbacks off the line. He showed that in 2015 but an ankle injury stunted his progress last year.

Seems the rust factor wasn’t an issue though. Cobbs picked up right where he left off by dominating Ohio State for 149 yards and a touchdown in the season opener. That’s proof positive he could own future NFL defensive backs in a high-stakes contest. Now imagine what happens when he gets a real quarterback.

Fascinating Facts You Didn’t Know About Bears vs. Steelers

By
Erik Lambert
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bears vs. steelers
Credit: IGN

The Bears vs. Steelers rivalry isn’t exactly one at the high end of NFL lore. That’s not surprising. For most of their existence the two teams have spent their years in different conferences, so the encounters are often once every four years. It’s hard to build any sort of heat between two franchises that way. At the same time that doesn’t mean there aren’t some fascinating tidbits to explore. Here are a few examples.

Pittsburgh is 1-12 playing in Chicago

The series is a rather remarkable one in terms of head-to-head encounters. Pittsburgh has owned the Super Bowl era with six championships since 1974. However, it’s the Bears who have owned them. Chicago leads the series by a comfortable 18-7-1 margin. Much of that domination coming courtesy of their home field. The Steelers have always had problems playing in Chicago, going an ugly 1-12 during their visits there. Their lone victory came in 1995 when they escaped with a 37-34 win in overtime.

The series has featured four shutouts, all by the Bears

By far the biggest trademark of both franchises has been their legacy of defense. The hottest debate between the two is who had the greatest defense ever. Was it the Steel Curtain of the 1970s led by Joe Green, Jack Lambert and Mel Blount? Or was it the “46” defense of the 1980s led by Dan Hampton, Richard Dent and Mike Singletary.

Well if a defensive legacy is based on numbers, then the title belongs in Chicago. Four times in their 26 meeting has a team been shut out. All four of those times it was the Bears doing it to the Steelers. Not only that, but all four were in Pittsburgh.

Jay Cutler won his first game as a Bear against them

The longest-tenured quarterback of the modern era for Chicago was Jay Cutler. He was their unquestioned starter for eight seasons. Most remember his last victory over the Vikings on Halloween night, but they sometimes forget his first. Yep, that came during the Steelers’ most recent visit to Chicago way back in 2009.

They were defending Super Bowl champions while the Bears were coming off a brutal 21-15 loss to Green Bay. Undeterred, Cutler engineered some late-game magic to upset the champs 17-14 for his first victory as a Bear.

The Bears plucked some Hall of Fame players from Pittsburgh

One thing about the city of Pittsburgh? It’s always been a giving place, especially in terms of talent to the NFL. There have been many natives from there who went on to have great careers. The most famous of course is probably quarterback Dan Marino. What Chicago fans may not know is that town has also been a regular supply line of great players to the Bears franchise as well.

Three names stand out the most. Stan Jones became a Hall of Fame offensive lineman for them in the 1950s and ’60s. Jimbo Covert was left tackle for them in the 1980s and member of the All-Decade team. Easily the most famous though was iconic tight end and Bears head coach Mike Ditka.

The Steelers traded Chicago the draft pick that became Dick Butkus

Last but certainly not least is one of the rare instances the two teams did business together. Back in the 1960s the NFL was in the middle of a war against the upstart American Football League. This ushered in an era of aggressive business where teams often made deals with each other based on what was best for the league rather than just the teams.

In 1964 the Bears surrendered their second and fourth round picks in exchange for the Steelers’ first rounder in 1965. As luck would have it that pick became the #3 overall that year. With it head coach and team owner George Halas decided to infuse his defense with some young blood in the guise of Illinois linebacker Richard Marvin Butkus.

He would go on to become the most feared man in football history, the great Dick Butkus.

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