AZ54

I have mirrored an iPhone, Macbook, and iMac screen to my TV via WiFi with no issues. Some TVs will need a WiFi adapter to do that but my Sony has the software built in. The picture quality isn't HD perfection but it's still pretty good and far better than watching a game on a computer screen. Using a VPN sourced from the Chicago area might get you the live local games but some streaming services disallow all VPN connections. The other way companies check is to match the zip code from the billing credit card and consider that your local area. Get a burner credit card with a Chicago area billing address and your set. Maybe someone knows what NFL+ does to determine your "local market". "Local games are the games that are available on TV in your market."

Some good insight on the team from the coach plus it was nice to see Kyle. It's obvious now why we went after Kyler Gordon first last year. Scheme fit at NB.

I got this wrong. Dexter is clearly moving into our 3-tech after expecting him to focus on NT. Judging by how often he's in Justin Fields' face he might be a starter before the end of the year. OTOH I expected Pickens would be the 3-tech but now he's doing nothing but NT. Travis Bell is also getting snaps at 3-tech. Pickens has been relatively quiet in camp so far. Given the performance trends right now I expect in week 1 it'll be the top 3 (Billings, Jones, and Dexter) getting the vast majority of the snaps. Dexter might split time at 3-tech/NT. He only slid over to focus on 3-tech a little more than a week ago, maybe 2 weeks at most. If he continues to become dominant at 3-tech and keeps blowing up plays like he did again today they won't waste his energy at NT. We all know the 3-tech is the little engine that makes this D work well. Week 1 is very important. By the end of preseason I expect they'll start hiding him (i.e. less preseason snaps or maybe some NT snaps) so the Packers have less of an idea what's headed their way. https://www.si.com/nfl/bears/news/zacch-pickens-steered-toward-nose-tackle

Might be worth starting a separate thread so people can list what they do to watch games and we can see all options. I still run Dish Network w/ NFL Network and Redzone (which I rarely use) but that's more for the TV from Spain we need to keep my wife happy. In recent years my son has always found Sunday Ticket cheap on the college student plan. This year Google got rid of that and is forcing everyone to full price plans. We're not yet sure what we'll be doing but I'll be doing something to find my Bears game even if I go back to watching them in a bar. FWIW in a pinch I've always been able to find a decent enough "broadcast" feed on Reddit although they often tend to drop out and have to rejoin.

I like Stevenson's moxie too. Just don't get too handsy and get penalties. It's football like any good sport there is always a bit of mixing it up.

His little scuffle with Tyrique Stevenson where he put the DB on the ground likely tweaked it a bit. I think on his next rep is where he pulled up on the route. We don't need injuries but we do need some offensive players bringing the competitive fire. Claypool has helped with that. Hopefully just a couple weeks of rest and he's back at practice. Just saw this from the HC and he seems to sense that his team needs that fire: https://bearswire.usatoday.com/lists/bears-training-camp-takeaways-day-12-justin-fields-darnell-mooney-darnell-wright/ Matt Eberflus didn’t seem to have a problem with Claypool’s chirping. “As long as it doesn’t lead to penalties or lack of execution,” Eberflus said. “If you can keep your focus and that’s how you do it and you don’t fight, that’s how I look at it.”

It seems to have taken him 2 weeks to adjust to the NFL. This doesn't mean he's complete but that's a short ramp up in practices against our players. Now carry it forward in games but that learning curve is nice to see and hopefully he's playing well early in the year. Getting less press has been Braxton Jones starting to show improvement in handling the power rush. Not that he's a power rusher but Jones pancaked Ngakoue earlier today. Maybe he's finally learning how to use those long arms properly. https://bearswire.usatoday.com/lists/bears-training-camp-day-12-justin-fields-darnell-wright-dj-moore/

After listening to his press conference yesterday I'm even more of a fan of Gervon Dexter. Class act, humble but confident in what he believes he can do, and he's putting in the work. He was open about the work he's doing to improve his "get off" but feels that our scheme is more of a natural fit for him versus what he did in college. Today he's in the backfield wrecking a bunch of plays.

Pretty sure he has enough money to raise them wherever he chooses. Keep him on speed dial if needed.

I was hoping Szmyt could at least push Santos better than that. Depth chart has already been updated from the earlier release. Roschon moved up to 3rd string RB. WR now has 3 slots (versus where I saw 2 before) with Moore/Mooney/Claypool all listed as starters. Velus, Scott, ESB round out the top 6. There's a long way to go and injuries could be playing a part of this. For sure Gipson and Vildor are on the way outside looking in. https://www.chicagobears.com/team/depth-chart

First depth chart and there are a couple things worth noting. First Kindle Vildor is way down the depth chart...like way down. At OT Kellen Diesch flirted with a backup role at OT but is now behind Borom and some guy I never heard of ..Aviante Collins. At OG Leatherwood is staying in the mix with Carter for a backup OG role. At WR Velus is behind Pettis and Scott but he's also listed first team KR/PR. At DE DomRob is listed as 2nd string and Terrell Lewis 3rd. Trevis Gipson has fallen into the 'other' category. https://bearswire.usatoday.com/lists/chicago-bears-depth-chart-ahead-of-preseason-opener-2023/

Who did we cut? Chase Allen was let go in a swap with Lewis. Now we add this guy? If he was better than Chase we'd have kept him after minicamp. Although I have to say after watching this I think he's got better tools than Allen. Nothing high end but his size with a year in the system could yield a decent 3rd TE. His blocking technique is often poor where he gets out over his skis too far but that can be improved. His agility to turn around on the move and adjust to the ball is pretty good for someone 6'6" tall. As always these are highlights, and against low level competition, so we don't get to see dropped passes and missed blocks. I'd say he has a shot at the practice squad.

PJ Walker is not very good. For a team that’s been searching for QB1 forever I’m not going to worry about QB2.

I think Scott makes the 53 for sure but if he keeps dropping passes and punts like he did today and yesterday we won’t see much of him. Safety depth is interesting and not in a good way IMO. I expected more from Kendall Williamson but he’s been very quiet so far. Hicks is just an average athlete but seems to be assignment sound. That’s the type of emergency player I’d prefer to keep on a practice squad. The door is wide open for Trahan or anyone to earn a spot behind our starters. CB top 5, appear to be set. Blackwell was a special teams stud in coverage last year so I expect he is #5 and makes the 53. You could call him #6 if you prefer. If we keep 6 I can’t guess who it will be other than, barring injury, I doubt it is Vildor. Overall I think Adam is spot on This year I feel like most positions will be good and have one good backup except safety and OT. Adding Ngakoue fixed that concern at DE. I think one or maybe two of DRob or Lewis emerge there. Green will likely be what he’s always been - a backup level player. There is a lot of competition in the bottom 10-15 players competing for the 53 which will make the preseason worth watching, at least for me. Maybe next year we can cut that number in half.

Nobody missed

Just a solid blocker... and that's a good thing. He's still got sticky hands if needed.

Some insight on what we'll see on Sundays. This kind of matches what I suspected were the concerns with him. I don't regret the signing at all and I know he'll help us quite a bit because we simply didn't have this skillset at all. Of course he has to be playing the run on some early downs but I think we'd be best off to keep his rep count down. I think I read somewhere that in recent years he's taken up to 80% of the snaps. I'd rather see him in the 50-60% range. Keep him fresh so even on run plays he has more energy to fend off the big boys or chase plays down from the backside. Then of course take full advantage of his skills on passing downs. I'd especially like to see him get less snaps early in a game and be available more in the 4th quarter when you need a big play to close out the game.

I'm surprised at how small he is. This is not Poles type of edge player at 6'2", 32 1/2" arms, and just 246lbs. Obviously he has sack production but that really explains some of the run defense issues and his inconsistencies in the pass rush where he only has an 11% win rate. Also likely explains the Bears desire to stay away from a multiyear deal. Players who have to rely on quickness in the trenches struggle as they get older. All other DEs on our team are at least 6'4" 260lbs with the exception of DomRob who is 6'5" 253lbs with 33 1/4" arms. Eberflus can say he's an every down player and to a some extent that might be true over the course of a game but everyone knows that isn't what he was brought here to do. They may also want to say that to justify the money and his fit in the locker room. I'll be curious to see how he's used. At least this one gap scheme fits his quickness skillset well. On a run down he needs to get upfield to set the edge... but then has to hold the containment. Can he hold it and squeeze the play inside well enough?

If true, that's good enough for me. Yet that makes me even more curious why we wouldn't give him a multiyear deal considering all the cap space we had. Was his asking price simply that high?

One thing I was concerned with is the culture of the team and a young defense. We’ve seen over the first week that we have leaders in Walker and Justin Jones. In the middle you have Edmunds and Edwards. DBs are taking off with Brisker and Gordon but still anchored by BoJack. We have enough that nobody is looking at Ngakoue as a role model.

He’s been decent in recent years but what does he have left in the tank? He knows the base offense so should be up to speed quickly. At least preseason games got a bit more interesting.

Goodbye Trevis Gipson.

Maybe but if the backup isn't doing so well the starter will know how much leverage he has with the team. In Jaylon Johnson's case he knows there are 2 good young CBs vying for one starting job opposite him. Does the club re-sign Jaylon for big $ now or wait and see how the rookies do early in the season? If Vildor was still holding onto the starting spot then Jaylon (and the team) might be thinking differently.

Love it! Interception and the celebration. Every good defense needs some swagger and an identity. Ours is starting to build. Velus took a handoff from the backfield today. It’s early in camp too. If that was going to be in the playbook I figured we’d hold that look until the private practices. It’s year two in the offense and WR are moving all over the place, slot, wide, strong side, weak side. It’s going to be tougher for a defense to guess plays going off personnel in the huddle. Àlex leatherwood seems to be gaining ground in the competition for backup OG and appears to be ahead of Carter now.

Y’all know this made me smile.