Keys To The Game: Pittsburgh Steelers
November 8, 2021, 7:06 PM CST
It's Steelers day. We have not lost to this team in the time I have been alive. Hopefully we can keep that streak alive today. This is a must-win game, as you can basically write off our season if we drop to 3-6 with Baltimore, Arizona, Green Bay, and a Russell Wilson Seattle still to play. So, how will we be able to win? Let's get to the keys.
1. Monty-Herbert Dream Combo
David Montgomery is back after being activated off IR today. So he will get the bulk of the carries, but we cannot write off Herbert. Both will get a ton of carries, and I could see us getting 200+ total rush yards with Fields helping as well. Nagy likes to run the ball, so we will likely run on 1st and 2nd down a lot in this game.
2. Shut Down Najee Harris
Najee is a great running back. He is going to be the workhorse tonight. With Mack out again, we will need a big game out of Eddie Goldman to force Ben to throw, and force some sacks as well. But, we need to stop Najee first.
3. Adjust To The Loss Of Eddie
Eddie has been really great in coverage. He was well missed in the Niners game after he went down a couple plays in. So, we need some big performances from DHC, Tashaun Gipson, JJ, and Kindle Vildor. If they get the pass game going, it will very likely be a Steelers win tonight.
Score Prediction:
Steelers 17, Bears 21
Bears @ Steelers 2013
Refs Ruin Bears Comeback, Steelers Win 29-27
November 8, 2021, 10:46 PM CST
We came so close. Justin almost led his first career comeback to beat the Steelers. If the refs didn't exist, we actually would've. But alas, Tony Corrente ruined our hopes and dreams and we fell to Pittsburgh. This loss does move us closer to the end of the Matt Nagy era, potentially. Maybe a loss to the Ravens in a few weeks will end his spell here. But anyways, lets get into the recap, shall we.
We couldn't do anything on our first drive (typical of Nagy) and the Steelers would capitalize and score on a Najee Harris 10 yard run. A few drives later, Pat Freiermuth scored on a pass from Big Ben. Later in the half is when the officiating issues started after a Jimmy Graham touchdown was reversed because of an "illegal low block" that was actually legal. Santos would kick the field goal, then open up the second half with another field goal. Following this second field goal, Pat Freiermuth would catch his second touchdown of the game, which was followed by a Chris Boswell missed PAT. Then, Darnell Mooney would score on a Wildcat formation that resulted in Monty handing him the ball on an jet sweep that he would run 15 yards. Boswell would follow that up with a field goal, but on the next kickoff, Jakeem Grant fumbled. The Steelers and Bears couldn't do anything with their next possessions, however, the Bears would punt and Ray-Ray McCloud would fumble, resulting in DeAndre Houston-Carson returning the fumble back to the endzone. The next Steelers drive should've been over a lot sooner, however, the worst taunting call ever was called on Cassius Marsh. I'll put that into a future article since I don't want to make this one over 100,000 words, but to put it simply, Boswell would end up kicking a field goal after the worst call of the season. Justin wouldn't let that get to him though, as he completed a pass to Darnell Mooney to give the Bears their first lead of the night. The defense collapsed the next drive, as Boswell would hit a 40 yard field goal with 26 seconds left. All was not lost though, as Cairo Santos lined up for a 65 yard field goal with time expiring. He came up short, but, the Steelers lined up offside, but that call was also missed and we wound up losing.
I'll summarize the keys up simply, Monty got most of the carries and Herbert saw little action. We sort of contained Najee Harris, but the loss of Eddie we didn't really adjust too.
Bears MVP:
QB Justin Fields
Najee Harris tries to outrun Roquan
Keys To The Game: Baltimore Ravens
November 21, 2021, 10:15 AM CST
This is a do or die game for both our playoff hopes and Matt Nagy's tenure. A rumor surfaced yesterday that a blowout loss could signal the end of the Matt Nagy era, something many Bears fans want. We want our team to win though, and so does Matt, which is why he should follow these keys to keep his job for another week.
1. Run Early And Often
With Khalil Mack out for the season, its likely the Ravens will run the ball through our throats. To stop them, it will be tough, so we need to counter with a lot of running. Monty is fully healthy now, and Justin can move the ball with his legs to. It's going to be difficult, but running well could secure us a win.
2. Throw It Deep
Today is a great day for a Justin passing breakout game. The Ravens are the worst pass defense in the NFL, so it is a great opportunity to take advantage of that and get Mooney involved a lot, especially with ARob out. Marquise Goodwin, Damiere Byrd, and practice squad flex Isaiah Coulter are all solid options for the deep ball. If Justin throws it deep we may have a chance.
3. Neutralize Lamar
Disclaimer, we don't even know if he's going to play. As I am writing this, the rumor is that he is not feeling himself and he may not play. In that case, Tyler Huntley would start. But for now, Lamar is the starter, and he's more vulnerable than we previously thought. If we can neutralize him, we may be able to stop the run and an explosive Ravens offense (who are also missing Marquise Brown).
Score Prediction:
Bears 24, Ravens 28
Bears vs Ravens HOF game 2018
Fire Nagy Chants At Soldier As Ravens Beat Bears 16-13
November 21, 2021, 4:26 PM CST
That was brutal. That should be the end of the Nagy era. How do you lose to Tyler Huntley? That is embarrassing. If Nagy is employed tomorrow I will be pissed. That was one of the worst offensive performances I have seen. Against the worst pass defenses in the NFL. I'm pissed and don't want to make a long article on this, so let's get into the recap.
The Ravens controlled scoring in the first half after a Santos rare missed field goal in the first quarter. Justin Tucker hit two field goals in the second quarter and the Ravens were up by 6 at half. But then, Andy Dalton had to come in for an injured Justin Fields, and he completed a bubble screen that Darnell Mooney took 60 yards to the house. Tucker would kick a field goal in the fourth to put the Ravens up by 2. On fourth down the next Bears drive, with the game on the line, Dalton completed a deep pass to Marquise Goodwin for a 49 yard touchdown. However, Kindle Vildor blew coverage the next drive, resulting in a Devonta Freeman touchdown run with 22 seconds left. There was no recovery from there, and Bears fans chanted "Fire Nagy" at Soldier Field.
How did the keys go? Well, we honestly didn't run too much in this game, with Monty only having 58 rush yards. Fields got hurt before he could take many deep shots and Lamar didn't play. So the keys were really ineffective in this one.
Bears MVPs:
Roquan Smith and Robert Quinn
Andy Dalton gets sacked vs Ravens
Keys To The Game: Detroit Lions
November 25, 2021, 11:24 AM CST
If we don't win this game, Nagy better be gone by tomorrow. This is a must win game. I know there was all the rumors and stuff going around on Tuesday but Nagy shut that down. You have to think he's going to coach his heart out to win this game. Although he will be without Fields for this one. So he will have to rely on Andy Dalton. How will they win? Let's find out.
1. Get The Run Game Going
The last time we played Detroit our run game was excellent until Monty got hurt. But even Damien Williams got involved. In order to best Detroit, our run game needs to be working, or else we could slip up and turn the ball over.
2. Darnell Mooney Must Have Another Big Game
Mooney had a big game with ARob out last week. So I expect him to have another one today. Hopefully with less drops this time too. But this could be the chance for Mooney to solidify himself as our future WR1.
3. Return Of Eddie Jackson Must Spark The Secondary
Eddie Jackson is active for today for the first time in 4 weeks. Eddie has been great in coverage this season, and we've slipped up without him. However, him returning could lead us to come away with a victory over Detroit while also getting a turnover or two as well.
Score Prediction:
Lions 14, Bears 24
Bears vs Lions Week 4
Santos' Kick As Clock Expires Snap Bears Losing Streak 16-14
November 25, 2021, 7:06 PM CST
Well, that was closer than I thought. I thought this would be a convincing game where we could regain momentum. Instead, it is a close win to the worst team in the NFL. This might have added more fuel to the Nagy fire train. The Fire Nagy chants are still ongoing. It won't stop. I think its safe to say barring us winning out and winning the Super Bowl, Nagy is gone after the season. I will do an article later this/next week detailing my personal candidates for head coach if we fire Nagy. But aside from Nagy, let's get into the recap.
The first quarter was all Lions as Josh Reynolds would cap off a solid drive with a 39 yard touchdown reception. The Bears would score early in the second quarter with a Santos 28 yard field goal. A few drives later, and Andy Dalton led us on a two play, 69 yard drive with a dep shot to Darnell Mooney and a 17 yard touchdown catch by Jimmy Graham (first of season for Graham) to put the Bears on top 10-7. Santos would hit a 43 yarder as time expired in the half. Before the half ended though, Trevis Gipson made a big play by Peanut Punching the ball out of Jared Goff's hands while Robert Quinn was taking him down. Trevis has been an under the radar player through these games that Khalil Mack has been out. Santos would wind up missing a 53 yard kick on our first second half drive. A couple of drives later, and Jared Goff led the Lions downfield, scoring on a TJ Hockenson touchdown to reclaim the lead. After a bunch of Lions penalties their next drive, they would punt to us with 8:30 left on the clock. From there, Dalton was able to waste all of that time, Cairo Santos would hit a 28 yard field goal to end the game, a drive that was controversial with a back-to-back timeout penalty, and some Bears fans being upset with Nagy's decision to kneel instead of going for the touchdown. Nonetheless, a win is a win.
So how did the keys go? Well, the run game was once again snuffed out. Detroit has not been too bad against the run this season. But I did expect a better game out of Montgomery. Mooney had another career game though, as he surely looks like he has the potential to become our WR1. However, I would like someone that can make contested catches in that role. Lastly, the secondary still wasn't great, as Artie Burns got burnt on a play early in the game (he did make a play later though).
Bears MVP:
OLB Trevis Gipson
Darnell Mooney catches a pass vs Detroit
Keys To The Game: Arizona Cardinals
December 5, 2021, 11:25 AM CST
The Bears under Andy Dalton will face off against the best team in the NFL, with Kyler Murray and Deandre Hopkins back as well. This is either going to be a blowout or a win for us. There is no in-between. Obviously, we want to win. But how can we beat this Cardinals team? If they follow my keys they may have a chance.
1. Run The Ball, A Lot
Its a weather game at Soldier Field. So expect a lot of running from both sides. We need David Montgomery to have a big game, because we need it desperately to beat Arizona. I'd say Herbert needs more carries as well, mix things up on the Cardinals and keep them guessing. Maybe the return of Teven Jenkins will help the run game as well.
2. Hot Rod Is Back
Also included on the roster moves yesterday was the flexing of Rodney Adams from the practice squad. While Mooney is due for another big game, Adams should get time as well. He was a preseason favorite, so maybe he can get another touchdown like the one Dalton threw him against the Bills.
3. Roquan Is Active, He Is Key
Roquan Smith's availability was a question coming into this game. But, he is active for this game. His hamstring may be a question still, because what if it worsens in this game? He is the key to stopping Kyler Murray's run though. If he can remain healthy, we may have a shot to stop their offense.
Score Prediction:
Bears 13, Cardinals 31
Bears @ Cardinals 2018
Dalton Throws 4 Picks As Bears Lose 33-22 To Cardinals
December 5, 2021, 4:43 PM CST
I barely watched this game if I'm being honest. I knew from the start we had no chance. This is actually the second time we lost by this score this season by the way. The other was the 49ers game, where we had a chance unlike this one. Let me start by asking why Nagy thought they could win 10 games with Dalton? I mean, was that a joke. He wasn't bad against the Lions, Ravens, Bengals, and Rams, but this game was a nightmare. 4 picks. Now granted, weather was a factor. Kmet should've caught the one. But the other two are inexcusable. An overthrow and literally handing the ball to the d-lineman. I need to get this pain over with, I'll start with the recap.
We got the ball first, and Dalton immediately threw an interception. We almost got a fourth down stop, but Deandre Hopkins, in his first game back, somehow made a catch for the game-opening score. Dalton would be picked the next drive, this one not being his fault as Cole Kmet dropped an easy catch into the hands of Budda Baker. The Cardinals would score on a Kyler Murray rushing touchdown. This game really was the David Montgomery "I'm Back" game, as the next drive he would get his first score since Week 4. The Cardinals would then take it downfield and score on a James Connor receiving touchdown that Xavier Crawford should've stopped, but he made no effort to tackle Connor. The Cardinals would take it into halftime up 21-7. They would get a field goal to open the second half, but the Bears would respond with a Jimmy Graham touchdown catch. With a chance down by 10, and us driving after a Cardinals roughing the punter penalty, Dalton would throw another interception, this one to Byron Murphy. The Cardinals would be held to a field goal thanks to a stop by Eddie Jackson on the one yard line and a goal-line stand. Dalton would then be picked off again on a screen, and the Cardinals would score on a Murray run. The Bears responded with Jakeem Grant's first Bears touchdown, a Jimmy Graham two-point conversion, and then they would end the ballgame.
So how did the keys go? Well, Monty announced his full return, rushing for 90 yards on 21 carries and a touchdown. Khalil Herbert carried 4 times for 16 yards as well. Rodney Adams was targeted once, which he would drop. And Roquan played a solid game, overall it was not enough though.
Bears MVP:
RB David Montgomery
Andy Dalton runs from Chandler Jones
Keys To The Game: Green Bay Packers
December 12, 2021, 10:43 AM CST
Some would say this game is meaningless. Others would say this game is the most important of the season. I am leaning towards the latter. We have a strong chance to win out if we can take down our bitter rivals, the Green Bay Packers. This would likely get us into a playoff spot, meaning this game would be the most important of the season. But how can we take out our bitter rivals? Here are my keys to beating them.
1. Return Of Fields Motivates The Team
Andy Dalton threw 4 picks last week, resulting in a loss to the Cardinals. After missing the past 2 games with cracked ribs, Justin Fields has returned. Remember, Fields said earlier in the year that the rivalry will be back on our side soon. With this motivation, I think that turnaround starts today.
2. ARob Is Also Back, Bounce Back Game?
After missing the last few games with an ankle injury, Allen Robinson is back to face the Packers. Now, ARob has not had a great season this year, leaving many to believe he will be gone after the year. However, ARob can still salvage his season and free agent stock, and with a bounce back against Green Bay, a big stretch could be coming soon from him.
3. Possibility Of Beating Aaron Rodgers In His Last Game Vs Bears As A Packer
Many speculate that Aaron Rodgers is leaving Green Bay after this season. Great news for Bears fans. Now we juggle with the possibility of finally getting our revenge, and sending him out of this rivalry with a win. Will that happen? Probably not. But hey, if the defense can do its job, it might be enough to pull off a shock upset.
Score Prediction:
Packers 34, Bears 20
Bears vs Packers Week 6
Bears Fall 45-30 To Packers After Solid First Half
December 12, 2021, 10:42 PM CST
That game sucked. A 27-21 halftime lead squandered in the second half. There was some bad reffing, but not enough to fix this game. Jaylon Johnson looked really good though. He kept Davante Adams in check. Unfortunately, the rest of our cornerback room is not as good, as we let up 45 points to the Packers. I don't want to go too in depth into this game, so lets get into the recap.
We actually led after the first quarter thanks to a Cairo Santos 23 yard chip shot. Jakeem Grant would get the first touchdown of the game on a 46 yard reception. Green Bay would respond unfortunately, as Allen Lazard would catch a touchdown, and then Rasul Douglas had a pick six. We would respond thanks to a Damiere Byrd 54 yard reception. Then, right before half, Jakeem Grant would bring a punt 97 yards to the house, which was the first punt return touchdown in the NFL this season. Green Bay would score after Xavier Crawford blew coverage on Davante Adams, but Ice Cairo would put us up 6 at half with a 44 yard kick. However, Green Bay would take over in the second half, scoring 24 unanswered thanks to 2 Aaron Jones touchdowns, a field goal, and a Davante Adams score. We would pull it back to 2 scores with a Santos field goal. We actually got the onside kick and scored it, but the rules are when an onside kick is recovered by the kicking team, the ball is down. So that's how the game ended.
Fields return did motivate the team for one half, but we threw it away. ARob had 2 receptions for 14 yards, and we did not beat Rodgers. So the Keys did not go too well.
Bears MVP:
WR/PR Jakeem Grant
Jakeem Grant scores a Punt Return TD vs Green Bay
Keys To The Game: Minnesota Vikings
December 20, 2021, 6:43 PM CST
Its Vikings day, and a chance to spoil their playoff hopes along with it. However, the entire team is out with Covid. Not the entire team, its an exaggeration, but a lot of our key contributors are out. So this is a game where we will see a lot of development, as Thomas Graham, Dazz Newsome, and others have been promoted from the practice squad. If we want any chance to beat the Vikings, we must follow these keys.
1. David Montgomery Show
One of the few main players without Covid is David Montgomery, who seems to do well against the Vikings. I expect Monty to have a great game today, carrying the team to our result, win or lose.
2. Robert Quinn Needs A Big Game
Just a few minutes ago (at the time of writing), Robert Quinn was named to the Pro Bowl roster (along with Jakeem Grant). Well deserved for Quinn. In order to win, he needs to shut down Kirk Cousins and Dalvin Cook. He should get help with Cook thanks to the return of Akiem Hicks.
3. Youth Development In The Secondary
With many of our secondary players out with Covid (including Jaylon Johnson), Thomas Graham has been promoted to the active roster. Today is a huge day for him, he is starting in his NFL debut and should get a lot of targets because of Justin Jefferson and Adam Theilen. If he holds his own, we could have a future star at corner who could solve our problems there.
Score Prediction:
Bears 23, Vikings 26
Bears @ Vikings 2020
Offense Can't Score, Bears Lose 17-9
December 20, 2021, 10:40 PM CST
What was that. Offensively I mean. The defense did surprisingly great. The secondary held its own somehow. Thomas Graham played amazing, making many wonder why he was on the practice squad this entire season. Oh yeah, Akiem Hicks returned with fire, owning the Vikings as usual. However, the offense couldn't score when they got close. If they made a field goal every time they hit the 30 yard line of Minnesota, they would've won. Instead, we lost. Let's get into the recap.
The first score of the game was a Justin Jefferson 12 yard catch. The Vikings would get a Greg Joseph 37 yard kick, with the Bears responding with a 34 yard kick of their own to make it 10-3. Ihmir Smith-Marsette would catch a touchdown for Minnesota to make it 17-3. Kirk Cousins would only have 87 passing yards against this "practice squad secondary." Even Marqui Christian played well. Despite their chances, the Bears were unable to capitalize until the last play of the game, when Justin Fields connected a 19 yard pass to Jesper Horstead.
With the loss, the Bears have been eliminated from postseason contention.
So how did they keys go? Monty only had 18 carries for 60 yards. Robert Quinn had a couple of sacks, but the story on the D-line was Akiem Hicks, who had 2 sacks and shut down Dalvin Cook in his return. Lastly, the secondary held up, as Thomas Graham showed flashes of being great. Even Marqui Christian and Kindle Vildor played well to an extent.
Bears MVPs:
Akiem Hicks and Thomas Graham
Justin Jefferson catches a TD vs our Bears
Keys To The Game: Seattle Seahawks
December 26, 2021, 3:00 PM CST
This is going to be the most boring game of football of all time. A snowstorm game between two terrible offenses. Did I mention Nick Foles is starting for the Bears? If we want any chance of taking the victory today, we must follow my keys to victory.
1. Run The Ball
There's really nothing we can do, as a snowstorm combined with Nick Foles leads to a bad passing game. So we need to get Monty, Herbert, and even Williams going if we want to win this game.
2. Robert Quinn Legacy Game
This is the perfect combination of conditions for Robert Quinn to break the all-time Bears sack record. All he needs is two sacks. Two sacks on Russell Wilson and he will beat Richard Dent's record of 17.5 sacks. Hopefully this can be the one positive we have today.
3. Thomas Graham Breakout
Following last weeks great performance, Thomas Graham should be a starter today, not Vildor, Burns, or Shelley. Alas, he is with the 2s in pregame warmups. Hopefully he does play a major role in the defense today and maybe gets a pick on Russell Wilson.
Score Prediction:
Seahawks 13, Bears 10
Bears vs Seahawks 2018
Foles Leads Comeback, Bears Win 25-24
December 26, 2021, 7:36 PM CST
Wow, what a game that was. For a long time, I was prepared to turn the game off. I had absolutely zero expectations coming in. And to be fair, the first half was proving me right. After Thomas Graham got burned by DK Metcalf for a 41 yard touchdown I thought there was no coming back from that. No, instead Graham allowed just 2 more catches for 12 yards total, and the Bears would later win. So yeah, bounceback. Graham will be the focal point of my next article by the way so stay tuned. Anyways, I will recap this snowy game.
As I mentioned, DK Metcalf caught a 41 yard pass for a score for Seattle. After some questionable playcalling inside the 5 on the next Bears drive, we would finally score in the second quarter on a David Montgomery run. The Seahawks would then score twice, thanks to Rashaad Penny and a Jason Myers field goal. We would score in the third quarter with a Khalil Herbert 20 yard touchdown run, but Seattle quickly responded with a 24 yard pass to Gerald Everett. Then, Prime Nick Foles returned and delivered a fourth quarter comeback, starting with a field goal by Ice Cairo, getting a little lucky when Seattle missed a kick after we turned the ball over on downs, and finally, a long touchdown drive courtesy of a Jimmy Graham 15 yard Prime Calvin Johnson like catch. On the two point conversion (pictured), Damiere Byrd somehow came down with the ball on a Randy Moss like catch to give the Bears the late lead. After shutting down the Seahawks, Foles would kneel and the Bears would win.
So how did the Keys go? We ran the ball 30 times, which was good for the early game. As conditions started to improve as the game progressed, we started to pass more, and our leading receiver wound up being my MVP for this week David Montgomery. Robert Quinn got a huge sack in the fourth quarter to put Seattle in the position where they missed the field goal. Quinn just needs one more sack to pass Richard Dent as Bears single-season sack record holder. Surely he can do it against Mike Glennon. Lastly, Graham did play really well following that early touchdown. I see a bright future with him and Jaylon Johnson in the secondary.
Bears MVP:
RB David Montgomery
Damiere Byrd makes clutch game-winning catch
Keys To The Game: New York Giants
January 2, 2022, 11:33 AM CST
Its the first game of 2022 for the Chicago Bears, and we have a chance to get the new year off to an undefeated start. A good chance at that. We are playing the New York Giants, a team sitting at 4-11 on the year and a team starting Mike Glennon at quarterback. The keys are pretty light this week, as we should be able to get through the Giants with ease.
1. Give Khalil Herbert More Carries
As the year is winding down, I think we should give Khalil Herbert more carries to help his development. He played pretty well when Monty was out, but he hasn't gotten much action since Monty's return. The touchdown last week showed some potential, and I think he should get more carries to help develop a dual-threat backfield with Monty and Herbert for next season.
2. Akiem Hicks Legacy Game
With the season coming to a close, and this being the last home game of the year, Akiem Hicks could very well be playing his final game in a Bears uniform at Soldier Field, as his contract is set to expire at the conclusion of the season. With that being said, I believe Hicks will put on a game to remember, leaving Bears fans with one last goodbye the right way.
3. Robert Quinn Sack Record
History could be made today. Robert Quinn sits just half a sack away from tying the Bears all-time sack record of 17.5 by Richard Dent. One full sack, and he has the record. He will be gunning for it all game, and I think he will get it. If he can string multiple sacks together, this should be an easy victory.
Score Prediction:
Bears 26, Giants 10
Bears vs Giants
Quinn Breaks Record, Bears Demolish Giants 29-3
January 2, 2022, 3:44 PM CST
The Bears just finished their demolition of the New York Giants. Records were broken along the way, as Robert Quinn topped Richard Dent's 17.5 single season Bears sack record. As a team, the Bears gave up 161 rush yards on 40 carries. On 11 attempts by Mike Glennon and the Giants, the Bears had them at -10 net passing yards. Mike Glennon fumbled 4 times in this game, and also threw 2 interceptions. Trevis Gipson led the way for the Bears, recording 2 sacks to bring his total to 6.5 on the season. He has been a great player for us this season, and is another one of Ryan Pace's draft steals.
We kicked the ball off to start the game. David Montgomery ran a touchdown in just 18 seconds into the game. So what happened? Well, the aforementioned Trevis Gipson hit and knocked the ball free from Mike Glennon, and Bilal Nichols brought it to the two yard line, where Monty would score the next play. Following a Glennon interception to Tashaun Gipson, the Bears would drive and would score on a 4th down pass to Darnell Mooney. Following some bad and boring offensive performances on 4 straight drives, Graham Gano would get the Giants on the board with a 38 yard field goal. The Bears would drive and kick a 21 yard field goal, and the next kickoff would be downed at the 5 thanks to some bad awareness. Thanks to bad refereeing, Eddie Jackson was robbed of a fumble recovery touchdown, but it didn't matter because Angelo Blackson (who had a good game quietly) would force a safety, which the Bears would use to end the half on a field goal. The final score of the game came on the first second half drive, as Monty ran yet another 2 yarder into the endzone. A couple of drives later Trevis Gipson would yet again get a strip sack. Unfortunately, Dalton threw a pick the next play. A couple of drives later Quinn would get his 18th sack of the season, the hundredth of his career, and break Richard Dent's single season sack record. Nagy even called a timeout to let the fans acknowledge and congratulate Quinn. After a Mike Glennon interception again, we would get the ball to 4th and 4 on the Giants 9, and instead of running like normal on the wildcat, he would throw an interception as he tried to hit Cole Kmet in the endzone. The game would end there, and the Bears moved to 6-10 on the season.
So how did the Keys go? Well, Herbert only got 2 carries for 9 yards. We need to see more carries next week. Hicks only got 2 tackles, and really didn't have many big plays like against Minnesota 2 weeks ago. Lastly, Robert Quinn did in fact break the sack record in the fourth quarter. He almost got it earlier in the game, but just barely missed out on it.
Bears MVP:
OLB Trevis Gipson
Trevis Gipson sacks Mike Glennon
Keys To The Game: Minnesota Vikings
January 9, 2022, 11:24 AM CST
Today is very likely Matt Nagy's last day as Bears Head Coach. I expect him to use every trick play he's ever come up with in this one. Maybe this was the plan all season. On a meaningless last game of the season, go out and let all the players have fun, especially those who are playing their final game as part of the Chicago Bears. This includes Nagy, who will likely call a few plays today. Let's see what the keys are to this game and how we can finish the season on a three game winning streak.
1. Have Fun On Offense
When I say have fun, I mean use all of those trick plays that haven't been used, get guys who haven't been involved much onto the field, get Mooney his 71 yards to break 1,000 on the season. Just overall have fun with the playcalling, and go out in a good way.
2. Robert Quinn Legacy Game
Following TJ Watt's 4 sack game against Cleveland last week, Quinn now sits 3.5 behind him, and 4.5 behind the all-time record. I expect a Quinn legacy game to break the record and put TJ Watt in his place right behind Quinn.
3. Secondary Gets Many Takeaways
Interceptions have not been our strong point this season. We have 8 as a team. I am hoping that in this game, we can get a lot of interceptions and run up those stats. I am also hoping for an Eddie Jackson interception to anger the Eddie haters.
Score Prediction:
Vikings 19, Bears 23
Bears vs Vikings
Nagy Firing Looms As Bears Lose 31-17 To Vikings
January 9, 2022, 3:44 PM CST
The Matt Nagy era may be coming to an end after this game. After a good first half, the Bears fell apart and lost by 14. Now, we wait. Nagy likely won't be fired until tomorrow morning, as nothing was said to us in the press conference following the game. What is interesting is that he was not first to the podium, so he could have been meeting with McCaskey, Pace, and Phillips to discuss his future. For now, lets recap this game.
We started the game off with a good drive, a drive where we got 3 points thanks to a Cairo Santos field goal. For a while, it was a stalemate until we broke through with another Santos field goal. Damien Williams then caught a 23 yard touchdown pass, and ARob converted the two-point try. However, Minnesota quickly drove down the field and scored to end the half on a Greg Joseph 39 yard field goal. They started the second half off with a 44 yard touchdown pass to Ihmir Smith-Marsette, before Santos hit a field goal to make it 17-10 Chicago. Minnesota turned it up in the fourth however, as they scored on a 45 yard pass to Justin Jefferson, a 21 yard pass to KJ Osborn, and iced it with a Patrick Peterson 66 yard pick six.
Man this game. This game just proved everything we said before, everything needs to restart. Defensively maybe rework some things, as Desai led the Bears to Top 10 status this season. Maybe bring back Fangio in some sort of role, like maybe co-DC. Offensively, everything has to restart. It will be interesting to see what happens in these next few days.
In good news, Darnell Mooney passed 1,000 receiving yards this season. Mooney did not sound satisfied, as he said there is still a lot he has to show.
Bears MVP:
Darnell Mooney
Damien Williams scores vs Vikings
Rams End 2022 NFL Season With 23-20 Win Over Bengals
February 13, 2022, 9:37 PM CST
The NFL season has come to an end. The Rams have beaten the Bengals on home soil in Super Bowl 56, 23-20. It is the second year in a row where the host team have won the big game, following Tampa Bay's win against Kansas City last year. The game began with the Rams dominating, but the Bengals were quick to come back, taking a 20-16 lead into the fourth (after some bad officiating). On the last drive, the officials started to officiate, and the whole NFL watched and laughed at Eli Apple for choking on the Kupp touchdown. The Bengals O-Line faltered, Zac Taylor decided to have the playcalling abilities of Matt Nagy, and the Bengals were stopped on a Fourth and 1 from midfield to lose the Super Bowl. Thus concludes the worst officiated season in NFL history.
Cooper Kupp Catches The Game-Winning TD