10 ideas after the Chicago Bears rallied for a victory within the first preseason recreation for brand spanking new coach Matt Eberflus, defeating the Kansas City Chiefs 19-14 on Saturday afternoon at Soldier Field.
1. What the Bears noticed from the Chiefs was exactly what they lengthy to grow to be.
Efficient. Dangerous. Rhythmic. Multiple. Chiefs coach Andy Reid zigged the place numerous veteran coaches are zagging in preseason. He ran his beginning offense out for the beginning of the sport and gave the group a collection. Not each coach performs front-line gamers in preseason, particularly irreplaceable veterans similar to quarterback Patrick Mahomes, tight finish Travis Kelce and the proficient group of Chiefs offensive linemen. Perhaps Reid believes revamping the passing recreation considerably after buying and selling vast receiver Tyreek Hill was a very good motive to present them a bit motion within the preseason opener. Maybe he figured they’ll have a greater likelihood of reaching full throttle in Week 1 with a gradual buildup via meaningless video games that expose star gamers to hazard.
Whatever the case, the Chiefs went proper via the Bears protection on an 11-play, 72-yard drive that took 5 minutes, 37 seconds and required them to transform solely two third downs. Mahomes capped the drive with an inside display screen to tight finish Blake Bell that went 5 yards for a landing. Yes, the Bears had been lacking some key gamers on protection as coach Matt Eberflus held 23 gamers out, together with defensive finish Robert Quinn and cornerback Kyler Gordon, and everybody is aware of linebacker Roquan Smith was not in uniform. More on Smith in a bit.
It was a crisp operation by an skilled offense with an skilled teaching employees, the sort of drive the Chiefs have carried out routinely in regular-season and postseason video games. Seeing it click on within the preseason opener wasn’t shocking, however the Bears haven’t had it occur in what looks as if eternally. I can’t inform you the final time the Bears had an opening-possession landing drive in a preseason opener. I haven’t seen one in 22 years, and checking the NFL web site and database for field scores, it hasn’t occurred since at the very least 2000. Data for preseason video games from 1999 and prior was not readily searchable.
That’s not a condemnation the place the Bears are at offensively with a quarterback in Year 2, a line that may have rising pains and a large receiver group that may look undermanned even when absolutely staffed — which it wasn’t for this recreation. Few individuals within the stadium might perceive the distinction between the offenses and rosters higher than first-year common supervisor Ryan Poles, who got here from Kansas City and frolicked visiting with longtime pals on the sector earlier than kickoff. There is also motive to imagine the Bears offense will look extra finely tuned the following time it’s at Soldier Field for the Week 1 opener towards the San Francisco 49ers on Sept. 11. Opening-possession touchdowns within the preseason don’t measure as much as opening-possession touchdowns or discipline objectives within the common season.
Fields made two terrific throws, the primary a lob down the left sideline to Darnell Mooney for 26 yards and the second a tightrope alongside the appropriate sideline to Tajae Sharpe for 19 yards. Sharpe did a nifty job of getting his ft down inbounds, and the offense was capable of simulate speeding to the road of scrimmage to get the following snap off earlier than an opposing coach may throw a problem flag.
Other than that, it was a slog for Fields and the primary workforce in 18 snaps. The Bears went three-and-punt on the primary collection, with Chris Jones beating proper guard Michael Schofield for a sack on third down when Fields may need had house to climb the pocket. The starters produced three first downs complete — two on the good throws — and three punts.
Fields mentioned the communication went nicely, which is a crucial facet with first-year offensive coordinator Luke Getsy, who was on the sideline whereas quarterbacks coach Andrew Janocko was within the coaches field. But progress finally must be measured by first downs and factors.
“I have a different mindset coming in this year,” Fields mentioned. “I’m way more comfortable, just being in the NFL this year and of course having played a year. We’re just going to keep working, keep stacking days and continue to get better at the small details each and every day.”
Even with an enormous quantity of development this season — and that could be unrealistic — the Bears nonetheless nonetheless going to be miles away from the juggernaut offense of the Chiefs. But should you don’t decide your self towards the most effective (or among the best), you’re not going about it the appropriate means. One of those years, maybe the Bears offense will march downfield and rating on the primary preseason possession. Sure, it wouldn’t imply a factor, nevertheless it ought to point out the workforce has apotent offense that’s on the brink of roll within the common season.
2. The growth of Justin Fields goes to be the most important storyline in a season filled with strikes.
Expect Poles to churn the roster constantly as he appears to be like for elements that match and discards ones that don’t. The Bears have to see if Fields may be the quarterback of the longer term, and it’s going to be a weekly problem and not using a ton of high-end expertise round him. No one will low cost that reality as he’s being evaluated, and there must be an understanding that statistical enchancment won’t occur with a transparent upward trajectory on a weekly foundation. I additionally would supply a warning to not make sweeping declarations from one week to the following. It’s a marathon, and there doesn’t should be a weekly and even month-to-month referendum on the quarterback. I’ve mentioned that earlier than, and it’s so true for a franchise that has been trying to find a solution on the place for the longest time. We should ought to know when the quarterback lastly has arrived, however how many individuals have declared that second within the final decade-plus solely to be fooled?
I requested a few eager NFL evaluators what could be sensible for Fields this season by way of development.
“I don’t want to get into cliches about incremental improvement, but I like how they are using him,” mentioned former Bears quarterback Jim Miller, the workforce’s preseason tv analyst. “I feel they’re going to reap the benefits of his talent units. They could have the RPO angle of the offense. They’re going to do a boatload of chili-roll stuff — play-action half-roll. They’re going to do numerous bootlegs. They will do some quarterback attracts, RPO affect, and they should run the ball nicely.
“Everybody understands all of the stuff that Bill Lazor got to later in the season last year, and I think they’re going to expand on that. I see the improvement he’s already made. His footwork? He’s really worked hard at that and he’s watched a lot of tape of other guys. Probably (Luke) Getsy gave him a lot of Green Bay stuff that he’s watched. His footwork is a lot better, even how he positions his feet. He’s more in balance to throw the ball. But the talent just oozes out of him. He’s so special. But they have to cater it to him. If you’re seeing incremental improvement every week where the turnovers are cut down, if you see him improve in situational play where he’s making his adjustments and getting better every single week, there is a lot to be excited about.”
Ross Tucker, who has a community of podcasts and does work for CBS Sports, Audacy and Westwood One, sees potential however believes Fields is short-handed after I requested what sort of development is sensible.
“I would say any type of improvement,” Tucker mentioned. “Any clear enchancment could be successful, particularly with how restricted they’re round him. I’m not going to place numbers on it, nevertheless it’s nearly like … we’ll be capable to see his command of the offense. How typically is he operating for his life versus how typically is he eliminating the ball shortly? That’s a giant, massive factor — how briskly is the ball getting out of his hand and the turnovers?
“If he doesn’t have a lot of turnovers and he is getting the ball out quick, I feel like that will be considered a success no matter what the team’s record is or the stats because they’re just not very good around him. You can make a strong argument that they have the worst receiving corps and the worst offensive line in the NFL. It’s almost … unconscionable that a first-round quarterback would be going into his second year and you could say that is what he is being surrounded by.”
Another subject is how this offense will higher assist Fields. Plenty of analysts have mentioned Fields is in a much better place with Getsy because the play caller than he was a 12 months in the past, that the scheme will make an enormous distinction. The roots of what Getsy does and the roots of what Matt Nagy (and Lazor) does hint again to Bill Walsh and the West Coast offense. Understanding that, how completely different are issues going to be for Fields?
“It’s a different emphasis,” Miller mentioned. “And there’s numerous carry-over. Andy Reid is West Coast however he’s about 70-30 move versus the run, and he’s sort of all the time been that means. This goes to be extra run-based, extra Rams model, extra Minnesota model. The 49ers (and) Kyle Shanahan, they use (fullback Kyle) Juszczyk so much, they do numerous 12 (one operating again, two vast receivers, two tight ends). Even look in Green Bay final 12 months — the Packers had been second within the NFL in 12 personnel.
“So I can see Cole Kmet and Ryan Griffin or James O’Shaughnessy being on the sector on the similar time. It will likely be extra run-based than what Andy Reid does, and he will get criticized for that all the time. He did that when he had Donovan McNabb, and although he had Brian Westbrook, he was 60-40 and now he’s in all probability 70-30.
“Nagy would have chucked it every down. He couldn’t control himself. No offense. I love the guy. You’ve got to do what is best to protect the young quarterback, whether it was Mitch (Trubisky) or this guy, and it’s got to be run-based first.”
A veteran personnel man additionally weighed in.
“There is only so much you can do with 11 guys on the field,” he mentioned. “The lineage of the 2 offenses — Nagy and Getsy — is comparable. The lineage says that this can be a good offense as a result of (Kyle) Shanahan, (Sean) McVay, (Matt) LaFleur, Arthur Smith, these guys have run offenses on this league which were very profitable with a very good run-pass combine. And they’ve run them, outdoors of Aaron Rodgers in Green Bay, with out dominant quarterbacks. Look, Sean McVay went to the Super Bowl with Jared Goff. So there’s no query the offensive system works.
“It’s extra about being a play-caller. Not an excellent caller however a wise play-caller. That needs to be the hope right here — that Getsy handles recreation conditions higher than Matt Nagy did from a play- calling perspective. … Also the teaching. It’s one factor to be an actual sharp play caller and an actual ahead thinker as a play caller, however the teaching issues. Is the quarterbacks coach bettering Justin Fields like Ken Dorsey did with Josh Allen in Buffalo? That’s the mannequin now. If you wish to take a look at a growth arc that went from a flatline to straight up, Ken Dorsey and Josh Allen in Buffalo is what you’re . He went from being a quarterback that persistently went outdoors of construction, struggled with accuracy, struggled with ball placement, struggled with choice making to being one of many high quarterbacks within the NFL in a really quick time. That is play calling — Brian Daboll was superb. … But Daboll is looking performs and Ken Dorsey is teaching the child. Your quarterback coach is so essential, and we don’t discuss it sufficient. You actually make them accountable for what they do each time they take a snap in observe and each time they do it within the recreation. It needs to be carried out accurately, and if it’s not, you retain working at it as a result of that may translate into him being higher. The offense is confirmed. Is the child getting higher from a basic standpoint? That’s the large factor. It’s onerous to say since you’re not in these place conferences.
“When I think about what Getsy is going to do with Fields, it’s got to be a heavily defined passing game where you give him clear and defined reads off of play-action and then you count on him to make some special plays on top of that because of his athletic traits. You’re not going to put him in 25 drop-back situations a game. That’s not good coaching. We saw Nagy try to do it last year, and it didn’t work. (Fields is) probably not at that level yet in terms of his experience as a pro quarterback to consistently read it out on drop-backs. So let’s define it for him. Let’s get him on the move. Let’s give him those clear and defined reads so he can get the ball out with timing and rhythm, and there are going to be situations where because he has rare physical tools for the position, he’s going to make some big plays outside the structure of the offense. You don’t want him doing that all the time but when necessary.”
3. Someone claiming to symbolize Roquan Smith has been contacting groups attempting to drum up commerce curiosity, Pro Football Talk reported.
The fifth-year linebacker despatched a press release Tuesday morning to NFL Media saying he wish to be traded, however this newest wrinkle can put a wedge (or a bigger wedge) between the workforce and the participant. The Bears should not believed to have granted Smith permission to hunt a commerce. It’s my understanding the PFT report is 100% on the cash, so at the very least you understand Smith is critical about eager to be traded. The longer the standoff performs out, it might appear the higher the probabilities are the Bears would take into account buying and selling him, which is one thing I might have put very, very low odds on when coaching camp opened. Poles, at his impromptu press briefing later Tuesday, indicated no need to buy Smith.
“There’s no real update on that front,” Poles mentioned Saturday on the Bears pregame present on WBBM-AM 780. “I’ll say it time and again: I really like the participant and what he’s carried out on the sector. This is a really distinctive state of affairs that we’re dealing with the most effective that we are able to.
“We hope to have him in a Chicago Bears uniform. Hopefully when we get through this game, we can come to some type of resolution.”
I nonetheless imagine the workforce and Smith will work one thing out as a result of extra commerce requests pop up as a negotiating tactic than an precise precursor to a commerce. But this case has grow to be an unneeded distraction for a workforce with greater than sufficient questions as Poles and Eberflus attempt to settle into their roles. Smith was on the sector through the recreation Saturday however didn’t take part in warm-ups as his “hold-in” continues.
Eventually, the Bears and Smith should arrive at considered one of three outcomes:
- The workforce and participant, who just isn’t registered with the NFLPA as having an official agent, come to phrases on a contract.
- Smith determines that he wants to start out making ready for a season that he can’t afford to sit down out and joins his teammates on the observe discipline whereas contract negotiations proceed or finish.
- Poles reaches the purpose at which he decides Smith desires extra money than the Bears wish to pay and declares he desires gamers who wish to be at Halas Hall, doubtless deciding that Smith in all probability isn’t the distinction between a six-win season and a nine-win season in 2022. Or one thing alongside these traces. In that case, Poles would transfer to discover a commerce companion and add some draft capital for 2023 when he might want to fill key spots on either side of the ball.
One of the important thing components in play right here is positional worth. Smith is an off-the-ball linebacker, and when you might make the case it’s a key place in Eberflus’ Cover-2 scheme, the spot has not seen big development by way of contracts. That is a motive stack linebackers hardly ever are chosen within the top-10 picks within the draft. That’s the higher echelon numerous soccer insiders will inform you is reserved for gamers who rating touchdowns — quarterbacks and elite vast receivers) — and cease touchdowns — move rushers and cornerbacks. Premium left tackles might be added into that grouping, too, as a result of they’re thought of important for scoring touchdowns.
In the final 10 drafts, solely 5 stack linebackers have been drafted within the high 10:
- 2020 Isaiah Simmons, Arizona Cardinals, eighth total
- 2019 Devin White, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, fifth
- 2019 Devin Bush, Pittsburgh Steelers, tenth
- 2018 Roquan Smith, Bears, eighth
- 2014 Anthony Barr, Minnesota Vikings, ninth
Pay for the place has been stagnant. Luke Kuechly, the retired Carolina Panthers star, was the highest earner for a very long time. Now Shaqullie Leonard of the Indianapolis Colts and Fred Warner of the San Francisco 49ers are on the high of the pay scale. Leonard averages $19.7 million per season and Warner is at $19.045 million, means forward of Smith, who will earn $9.735 million within the fifth-year possibility of his contract. Leonard and Warner had been drafted behind Smith in 2018 however weren’t first-round picks, so that they didn’t have fifth-year choices and had been capable of get to the negotiating desk sooner. Smith can preserve that as a result of he’s subsequent, he needs to be the brand new high earner. That’s the way it has labored for the vast receiver market — a rush of gamers have signed new contracts averaging greater than $20 million per season.
Negotiations can also get slowed down if the Bears don’t imagine Smith, who is very expert and could be at his greatest in Eberflus’ scheme, is in the identical vary as Leonard and Warner.
“I think this could be an evaluation problem,” one veteran agent mentioned. “They haven’t convinced him he is not a great player. And that is hard to do. Roquan has every right to believe he should be the highest-paid linebacker, just as the Bears do to believe he should be somewhere below that. When there isn’t an agent involved to act as a buffer in these talks, it gets a little messier.”
Where does it go from right here? I’d guess high greenback Poles would like to discover a decision earlier than the workforce performs once more Thursday night time in Seattle, when the dilemma might be a featured subject on the nationwide broadcast on ESPN. Reasonable? Doable? Who is aware of?
“I’m curious where their number is for Roquan,” one personnel man mentioned. “Linebacker isn’t a place you actually wish to throw big cash at. You get hamstrung generally if you wish to maintain your personal from a tradition standpoint. But if he (Poles) just isn’t in love with the man, it could be a shrewd transfer to at the very least see what might be on the market for him. Only factor I might say is, if that’s the case, they’d have gotten out in entrance of this and made it appear to be they had been driving it, not Roquan. It simply appears to be like like a large number.
“When I say out in front of it, I mean back in the spring. You don’t want him? Fine. Cut bait and get max value. Why keep him around in a total rebuild if that is the case? Maybe they really do want him and this whole thing has just kind of snowballed. But it’s tough to see the plan at this point. On top of all this, you have the ghost agent supposedly calling around. Who’s handling this?”
4. It was an fascinating recreation on the offensive line for the Bears, who made the choice to not play Riley Reiff.
Reiff has been with the starters at proper deal with for almost all of coaching camp. That choice was in all probability for 2 causes. First, they don’t wish to lose Reiff, their solely skilled deal with, in an exhibition recreation. Second, it gave them extra reps for an extended checklist of younger gamers they wish to take a look at.
Pulling rookie fifth-round decide Braxton Jones with the beginning offensive gamers after 18 snaps is a lifeless giveaway that he’s the Week 1 beginning left deal with. I assumed they could give Jones an prolonged look, perhaps via the primary half, simply to get him extra acclimated to the NFL. Nope. He got here out with the opposite starters, excluding proper deal with Larry Borom, which is a superb signal for Jones when projecting forward. Jones appeared the half, too, and didn’t appear overwhelmed with Frank Clark throughout from him.
Borom performed fairly nicely and even performed a collection early within the third quarter. He appears to be like to have a roster spot locked up, and I ponder if we’ll see any transferring elements in observe this week. Will the Bears take into account one of many youthful choices at proper guard? Michael Schofield was crushed by Chris Jones for a sack. Schofield has numerous expertise however he signed for the veteran minimal, and generally the cash tells you simply how dedicated a workforce is to a participant. It’s potential the Bears will proceed with Schofield locked in at proper guard, however control this spot.
Teven Jenkins noticed numerous motion at proper deal with and appeared rusty at instances. On one play, he dove on the ft of a Chiefs lineman and missed. He appeared a bit off in some move units. But he moved nicely, perhaps higher than I might have anticipated, and flashed at instances. He missed numerous camp with an undisclosed damage and nonetheless might be working his means again into form. If he’s higher Thursday towards the Seahawks, that might bode nicely, however he’s working his means up from the underside. The different younger linemen had a tough go of it, however guard Ja’ Tyre Carter’s athleticism stood out. He’s in all probability at the very least a 12 months away, however after seeing him play,it is smart why the Bears added him.
5. Matt Eberflus doubtless will likely be excited a few rookie class being given alternatives to compete for jobs and contribute.
Jones actually stood out at left deal with, as I discussed above, and powerful security Jaquan Brisker went from flashing on the observe discipline to doing it in a recreation with a move deflection (he needs had been an interception)and 4 tackles, together with one for a loss. He put a giant hit on Chiefs rookie vast receiver Skyy Moore too. He’s a bodily performer and shortly will emerge as a fan favourite.
“The tackling. Deflecting the ball,” Eberflus mentioned of Brisker. “He should have had maybe a takeaway or two. But he was high-energy. Man, he likes to hit. I really liked that aggressive style for him, how he’s playing.”
Running again Trestan Ebner, a sixth-round decide from Baylor, confirmed why he may be capable to contribute as a change-of-pace again. He was electrical within the open discipline on a 27-yard run, caught a 12-yard move for a landing from Trevor Siemian and had a 34-yard kickoff return. Ebner wants to point out a mastery of pass-protection abilities, however this offense is searching for guys who could make performs in house.
Undrafted rookie Jack Sanborn, who’s from Lake Zurich, had a day to recollect. He had an interception, fumble restoration, 5 tackles — together with one for a loss — and two stops on particular groups.
“We were playing Cover-2 and I made a decent break on the interception,” Sanborn mentioned. “I think there are some more plays I could have made. I was just happy to be out there. Do everything for the team. That is my mindset. Do whatever the team wants me to do.”
That included being on 4 phases in particular groups, which Sanborn is aware of could be his ticket to competing for a roster spot.
Safety Elijah Hicks had two tackles and made a cease on particular groups. He has moved nicely in observe and is one other younger participant to control. The Bears hope third-round decide Velus Jones is again in motion quickly. The vast receiver has missed concerning the final week with an unknown damage however is anticipated to contribute.
6. Players seen numerous variations in Eberflus’ first recreation.
Speakers and lights within the locker room had been arrange in a different way, vast receiver Darnell Mooney famous. The pregame stretching routine was utterly completely different from what the workforce was accustomed to beneath Matt Nagy. Everything has modified, and Eberflus is studying on the fly as a longtime defensive coordinator and place coach on that facet of the ball now in a task overseeing your entire operation.
“We talked about what we’re looking for in this game is, first of all, the game-day operation and how we did as a group,” Eberflus mentioned. “I used to be taking notes on the market so much at this time simply to ensure we get all the pieces cleaned up by way of the pregame operation, in-game operation and any postgame operation we now have (Sunday) as we undergo and consider these guys.
“We have a step-by-step process which we go through and again, there’s some things we’ve got to get cleaned up throughout the day that went on. And then really evaluating scheme in-game. Just an overarching view of it, the guys operated well. There were no pre-snap penalties, very few penalties at all. The biggest thing when you play a sport, any sport, you look at your individual responsibility and your individual performance and ‘how can I get better?’ So if you had 60 plays and you played great in 58 of those but, ‘Hey, two plays I’ve got to get better at something.’ We need to work on that this week in every single practice. They’re going to get with their coaches where I always say they partner together — coach-player, player-coach — to make our football team better. That’s truly a partnership and to me, that’s the big process we’re going through.”
It’s an fascinating takeaway from Eberflus, who’s hyperfocused on each element as he installs his system. But he’s additionally capable of maintain a wide-angle give attention to what issues when gamers return to Halas Hall for coaching camp observe Monday morning. How can every participant get higher, and what does the tape present they should enhance? Eberflus talks about specializing in particular person drills in observe, and that’s the place this comes into play for a younger roster within the developmental stage.
Did something catch the coach off guard together with his first time carrying the headset as the highest canine on the sideline? Surely he thought he ready for all the pieces.
“I didn’t realize how much you talk to the officials during the game,” he mentioned. “There’s a lot of conversations going on. Those guys did great. Those guys were with us the whole week. They educated our players and they did a phenomenal job educating the coaches sitting there in the positional meetings and talking to us. Really, we’re trying to learn. We’re trying to play an aggressive style and play it in a smart way. The only way to do that is if you learn and educate yourself on the rules.”
7. Don’t omit the hassle by punter Trenton Gill, the workforce’s seventh-round decide.
Long snapper and punter have been two positions which have had mainstays within the greater than 20 years I’ve coated the workforce. The overwhelming majority of punts have been made by three gamers within the final 21 seasons — Brad Maybard, Adam Podlesh and Pat O’Donnell. The Bears selected to maneuver on from the veteran O’Donnell and usher in a younger leg, and Gill carried out nicely.
He had seven punts, averaging 42.6 yards with a 36.4 internet, which ought to enhance when the workforce settles on a high protection unit. He landed three punts contained in the 20-yard line, had one touchback and an extended of 53 yards with some regular grasp time. His greatest kick was a 45-yarder with simply greater than two minutes remaining that pinned the Chiefs on their 3-yard line.
“It was great,” Gill mentioned. “I was super excited to get out and play in a game. I hope I showed the coaches and front-office people what I can do.”
Said veteran lengthy snapper Patrick Scales: “Great outing. I think my first snap was a little low, and he did a great job pinning them down there. He was very situationally aware, showed a lot of maturity. It was a great day for him.”
The Bears have proven religion in Gill by not carrying one other punter on the 90-man roster. Part of the reasonprobably is pushed by the very fact they wish to give the rookie a most quantity of alternatives in observe, nevertheless it’s additionally a optimistic signal even because the workforce has introduced in a few punters on tryouts, which isn’t uncommon at the moment of 12 months.
“I’m still competing with myself,” Gill mentioned. “I have been doing that since high school. Every day I am trying to compete with myself. I know there are a lot of people out there punting and I know every time they bring someone in, if I am worried about who they are bringing in next, I am not worrying about myself. That is the only way to get better.”
It will likely be fascinating to see how Gill does within the common season. He might be the following punter to stay round for a very long time after O’Donnell’s eight-year stint.
8. One query I’ve for particular groups is who Bears are going to make use of do as a punt returner.
They had an electrical one final season in Jakeem Grant, and Tarik Cohen was pretty much as good because it will get earlier than his ugly knee damage. Devin Hester was the most effective to ever do it. Dazz Newsome muffed his first and solely alternative Saturday, which doesn’t bode nicely for him. Securing the soccer is the No. 1 job. Chris Finke didn’t do so much with two probabilities, and Dante Pettis had three honest catches.
Perhaps rookie Velus Jones will emerge on this position. He’s a possible kickoff returner as nicely, however the Bears may need him to give attention to the offense. This appears to be like like a very good query for particular groups coordinator Richard Hightower, and it will likely be fascinating to see what the workforce does Thursday in Seattle and if Jones figures within the combine when he’s again at observe.
9. Television views and nonetheless pictures of the Soldier Field grass didn’t look good.
Aesthetically it was a large number and renewed criticism of the workforce and the Chicago Park District, which maintains the stadium. Plenty of observers had been distraught after the sport, and Chiefs coach Andy Reid mentioned it was higher than his highschool discipline — however not by so much.
Quarterback Justin Fields mentioned it was higher than when the workforce practiced on the stadium Tuesday, simply after the current Elton John live performance. The grass the place the stage for the live performance was had been changed. Brown spots look misplaced on an NFL discipline, however the league handed the floor as being secure through the week and earlier than kickoff.
Three concert events are scheduled on the stadium beforethe Sept. 11 season opener towards the 49ers: the Red Hot Chili Peppers (Friday), Bad Bunny (Saturday) and Rammstein (Sept. 3). The floor will likely be changed after the Rammstein live performance, so each blade of grass you see for the 49ers recreation will likely be new. This was deliberate, and the view needs to be considerably higher in Week 1 than it was Saturday.
I can also inform you this: The Soldier Field taking part in floor has been is so much higher and drawn so much fewer complaints in recent times for the reason that workforce switched to a grass farm in New Jersey and away from one it was utilizing in Illinois. The sod now used, grown at Tuckahoe Turf Farms in Hammonton, N.J., has much less clay and extra sand, one motive why you noticed sand on the sector through the recreation. It’s there for a motive, and the taking part in floor is considerably higher than it was when gamers, former kicker Robbie Gould included, would degree complaints about it.
Barring a catastrophe between the Rammstein present and the opener, this will likely be a non-story very quickly and in addition has nothing to do with the workforce’s need to maneuver to Arlington Heights. The Bears wish to personal a stadium for income causes in a constructing they’ll maintain concert events and different non-football occasions (and money in on these occasions). The Chicago Park District has needed for the longest time to put in a man-made floor at Soldier Field. The Bears desire to play on pure grass. It’s the workforce’s name.
10. The fast turnaround earlier than Thursday’s recreation towards the Seahawks in Seattle isn’t perfect.
It provides the Bears solely Monday and Tuesday to observe at Halas Hall after which requires the farthest journey of the season. It’s one motive the they weren’t capable of finding a match for a joint observe with one other workforce. It will present the Bears with additional time earlier than the preseason finale in Cleveland on Aug. 28, however I guess the Bears would have most well-liked a extra common week with 4 practices between video games.
10a. It will likely be very fascinating to see if rookie cornerback Kyler Gordon practices this week. He has missed greater than half of camp and sat out a very good chunk of the offseason program. I’m certain the Bears are being cautious with him, and the guess could be it’s he has a soft-tissue damage. Gordon wants time on the grass, as Matt Eberflus says, to be a significant contributor.
10b. Nice recreation for veteran linebacker Matt Adams, who had a team-high seven tackles. He not solely appears to be like just like the starter on the robust facet within the base protection but additionally the highest backup if one is required.
10c. Scouts from six NFL groups — the Green Bay Packers, Los Angeles Chargers, Los Angeles Rams, Minnesota Vikings, New York Giants and San Francisco 49ers — had been on the recreation. The XFL and CFL additionally had been represented.
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Source: www.bostonherald.com