WEBVTT - Nichols talks MNF | All Access 0:00:00.400 --> 0:00:03.800 The following is a presentation of the Chicago Bears Network 0:00:03.920 --> 0:00:07.840 and Chicago Bears dot Com. Download the Chicago Bears official 0:00:07.880 --> 0:00:10.840 mobile app for up to the minute Bears content every 0:00:10.960 --> 0:00:15.520 day and now welcome to Bears All Access. You're All 0:00:15.560 --> 0:00:20.279 Access passing to Chicago Bears football. Bears All Access is 0:00:20.280 --> 0:00:24.279 brought to you by IGS Energy and sponsored by Athletical 0:00:24.280 --> 0:00:28.880 Physical Therapy and CDW. Let's trying to slide out of 0:00:28.920 --> 0:00:31.480 a three game skid and four out of six when 0:00:31.480 --> 0:00:35.200 they great the Minnesota Vikings on Monday Night football Soldier Field. 0:00:35.200 --> 0:00:37.920 They've had great success against them, the Vikings just four 0:00:37.960 --> 0:00:40.280 and sixteen of the last twenty trips in two thousand 0:00:40.479 --> 0:00:43.639 to Soldier Field and Mike Zimmer six and six as 0:00:43.640 --> 0:00:45.720 a head coach against the Bears. Good even everybody. I'm 0:00:45.760 --> 0:00:48.600 Jeff Johnny Aclamer broadcast partner Tom There from News Radio 0:00:48.680 --> 0:00:52.200 seven eighty at one oh five point at FMWBBM. Welcome 0:00:52.200 --> 0:00:55.000 into the programmer, brought to you by IGS Energy, with 0:00:55.040 --> 0:00:58.480 our producer Tonight Julio ross Ass in the score studios. 0:00:58.480 --> 0:01:00.640 We got producers Jordan Tredup and Den really helping us 0:01:00.640 --> 0:01:02.560 out as well. Tom. How you doing and you know, 0:01:02.600 --> 0:01:04.720 I'm looking at this thing and a lot of questions 0:01:04.720 --> 0:01:08.440 today and on the news conferences, the zoom calls about 0:01:08.480 --> 0:01:12.280 getting things turned around immediately. Otherwise you're at a critical 0:01:12.319 --> 0:01:15.520 breaking point and you heard nothing of a positivity about 0:01:15.560 --> 0:01:17.319 where they're at, though, because if you look at it 0:01:17.360 --> 0:01:20.080 any other way, it could implode. But man, Naggie, Nick 0:01:20.120 --> 0:01:24.520 Foles being positive, Yeah, you know, I think Nick carries 0:01:24.560 --> 0:01:28.400 himself professionally and positively. But and that's something that could 0:01:28.440 --> 0:01:31.360 click at any moment. So if you take this football 0:01:31.400 --> 0:01:33.039 and you look at it on from the offensive side 0:01:33.080 --> 0:01:35.640 of the ball, and you just cure a couple of 0:01:35.640 --> 0:01:37.800 the problems that have been haunting them the last couple 0:01:37.840 --> 0:01:40.360 of weeks, it could be a completely different offensive team 0:01:40.400 --> 0:01:43.320 on the field. And I think when you're complimented by 0:01:43.360 --> 0:01:46.360 the defense and the type of power and showcase ability 0:01:46.400 --> 0:01:50.840 they have, I think this is the perfect opponent for 0:01:51.040 --> 0:01:53.680 the Bears the face on a Monday night in front 0:01:53.680 --> 0:01:57.559 of a national TV audience, Because if you're really gonna 0:01:57.600 --> 0:01:59.800 get this thing turned around and you're gonna get it 0:01:59.800 --> 0:02:02.560 back in a direction that people think that you have 0:02:02.600 --> 0:02:05.440 a team is capable of something, it's gonna be about 0:02:06.280 --> 0:02:10.639 beating the Minnesota Vikings convincingly on Monday Night Football, showing 0:02:10.720 --> 0:02:12.679 some growth on the offensive side of the ball, but 0:02:12.840 --> 0:02:15.800 show their devastating defense. Coming up on our program and 0:02:15.960 --> 0:02:18.160 moments at six ten, we joined by a local product, 0:02:18.200 --> 0:02:20.920 Pete Bursch. He is the longtime analyst of the Minnesota 0:02:21.000 --> 0:02:23.359 Vikings and their radio networking. At six thirty, were joined 0:02:23.400 --> 0:02:25.800 by a defensive lineman, but Al Nichols. Also gonna hear 0:02:25.800 --> 0:02:29.440 from Cairo Santos tonight the Birthday Boy today, Tommy, He's 0:02:29.880 --> 0:02:33.200 celebrating his birthday. He'll be our feature on Game Day 0:02:33.240 --> 0:02:36.160 Live on Sunday morning at ten thirty on Fox thirty two. 0:02:36.160 --> 0:02:39.519 Shot Buddy Luke Canellis's let's handle some of the news 0:02:39.560 --> 0:02:42.720 of the day, tom So. Safety Dion Bush activated from 0:02:42.760 --> 0:02:45.400 the reserve COVID nineteen list. He's missed a couple of 0:02:45.440 --> 0:02:47.839 games this year, so I'm sure it shocked him that 0:02:48.360 --> 0:02:51.280 he could not play last week and then had to 0:02:51.320 --> 0:02:53.280 find his way back to Chicago by a car. The 0:02:53.320 --> 0:02:56.000 Bear set that up for him. So again, some of 0:02:56.000 --> 0:03:01.280 the issues that COVID nineteen is creating. Yeah, I mean, 0:03:01.360 --> 0:03:03.560 it is amazing nowadays when you have to send a 0:03:03.560 --> 0:03:05.840 player home in a car by himself, so he doesn't 0:03:05.880 --> 0:03:08.080 infect the rest of his teammates. But it is a 0:03:08.080 --> 0:03:10.440 safety measure that you got to take in every one 0:03:10.480 --> 0:03:13.799 of these players and assistant coaches and position coaches, they 0:03:13.840 --> 0:03:17.240 all are in an understanding of that. So I think 0:03:17.280 --> 0:03:19.560 Deon Bush has showed up a lot this season, and 0:03:19.600 --> 0:03:21.680 I hope he gets an opportunity to get back on 0:03:21.720 --> 0:03:24.160 the field because you know, even last week, when you 0:03:24.200 --> 0:03:26.760 watch the punt team and you think of the flyers, 0:03:26.800 --> 0:03:31.120 you know Cordarrell Patterson is ever present, but it's always 0:03:31.120 --> 0:03:33.880 that fighting for attention on the other side. So if 0:03:33.919 --> 0:03:35.640 he does get back in there, I think it will 0:03:35.680 --> 0:03:38.839 be a positive for the defense and the special team, 0:03:39.000 --> 0:03:41.839 especially with Sheriff McManus. He didn't practice today because he's 0:03:41.880 --> 0:03:44.040 got an injury as well. A bunch of injuries on 0:03:44.080 --> 0:03:47.880 this team right now. Long guys, Yeah, long injury report. 0:03:47.960 --> 0:03:51.440 So Sherek injured his hand in the game. Also, I'm 0:03:51.440 --> 0:03:54.200 going to add that Dion it was not known that 0:03:54.240 --> 0:03:56.920 he had COVID. He was exposed to somebody outside the organization. 0:03:57.040 --> 0:04:00.720 Precautionary measure, Roy Robertson, Harris Tom. We had high hopes 0:04:00.720 --> 0:04:04.120 for a big year for Roy Rob. Restricted free agent, 0:04:04.160 --> 0:04:06.080 the Bears to reinvest it in this year, but he'll 0:04:06.120 --> 0:04:07.720 be a free agent after the season. He goes on 0:04:07.840 --> 0:04:13.320 injured reserve. Had shoulder surgery reportedly yesterday. Yes, well, you know, 0:04:13.360 --> 0:04:15.600 he's a weight room guy, he's a Jim rat. He's 0:04:15.640 --> 0:04:17.599 totally committed to what you got to do in the 0:04:17.680 --> 0:04:21.760 sport to try to, you know, extend your career. And 0:04:21.880 --> 0:04:24.279 so what Roy Rob has done in the early portions 0:04:24.320 --> 0:04:27.800 of his career about changing positions up and down, gaining weight, 0:04:27.880 --> 0:04:30.479 losing weight. Now he's kind of found a home as 0:04:30.480 --> 0:04:33.599 a defensive lineman. You know, I do think he's got 0:04:33.600 --> 0:04:36.240 a bright future in the NFL. But now the next 0:04:36.320 --> 0:04:39.640 couple months will be about rehab. So Sam Mustafer and 0:04:40.000 --> 0:04:43.040 Jason Spriggs both missing practice with knees today. Now, some 0:04:43.120 --> 0:04:45.840 of the popular thinking was that Spriggs, who's now off 0:04:45.839 --> 0:04:48.400 of the COVID list, might be able to come back 0:04:48.440 --> 0:04:51.080 to the offensive line and move in at right tackle. 0:04:51.200 --> 0:04:53.719 Reset the offensive line a little bit. Would you say 0:04:53.760 --> 0:04:56.480 that still up in the air. Well, No, I think 0:04:56.520 --> 0:04:58.480 if he's healthy, he's ready to play, you know, because 0:04:58.520 --> 0:05:00.640 he finished the game a couple of weeks ago when 0:05:00.640 --> 0:05:02.680 he did have an interruption for a couple of plays, 0:05:02.680 --> 0:05:04.719 and he came in and played pretty well. And then 0:05:04.760 --> 0:05:06.960 you can move or Shad Coward back to the left 0:05:07.000 --> 0:05:10.960 guard position and have a lot of your normal pieces 0:05:11.000 --> 0:05:15.359 in place. But I think the center position either Alex Barr, 0:05:15.440 --> 0:05:17.839 Sam Mustafer or I don't even know the status of 0:05:17.880 --> 0:05:20.240 Cody White here yet right he's still on the COVID 0:05:20.320 --> 0:05:24.160 nineteen reservelest. Same story for Lachavias Simmons. Rest days today 0:05:24.200 --> 0:05:27.080 for Jimmy Graham, Ackem Hicks and Danny Travathan, that's been normal. 0:05:27.520 --> 0:05:31.000 A rob with a knee, roquand back mingo shoulder to 0:05:31.040 --> 0:05:33.440 Sean Gibson foot they were limited today. I don't think 0:05:33.440 --> 0:05:35.360 there's anything to worry about there, but a lot of 0:05:35.400 --> 0:05:38.640 conversation about David Montgomery Tom he's in the concussion protocol, 0:05:38.680 --> 0:05:41.200 that's in the league's hands. Frankly, when he gets cleared 0:05:41.200 --> 0:05:44.160 to return. Short of his return, you're hearing a lot 0:05:44.160 --> 0:05:46.400 of questions being asked about Lamar Miller because that's a 0:05:46.480 --> 0:05:48.800 veteran of note on the practice squad right now, a 0:05:48.839 --> 0:05:51.280 couple of one thousand yards seasons one in Miami, when 0:05:51.279 --> 0:05:54.000 Bill Lazier was there as an assistant and one in 0:05:54.080 --> 0:05:57.080 Houston when his current running back coach, Charles London coached 0:05:57.160 --> 0:05:59.679 him for two years. It is an intriguing option should 0:05:59.680 --> 0:06:02.880 something not be right with David Right. There's a lot 0:06:02.920 --> 0:06:05.839 of similarities to Lamar and to David Montgomery when you 0:06:05.880 --> 0:06:08.359 look at their body style, but there's a big difference 0:06:08.400 --> 0:06:11.240 with Ryan All. So I do think if they if 0:06:11.320 --> 0:06:13.760 David Montgomery is not able to answer the bell on 0:06:13.839 --> 0:06:17.520 Monday night, then I it's got to be a backfield 0:06:17.560 --> 0:06:20.680 that Ryan All. He really he I think the line 0:06:20.720 --> 0:06:23.599 starts behind him, and then you have Cordallard, Patterson, Lamar 0:06:23.640 --> 0:06:26.760 Miller and R Tavis Pierres. So there's a long list 0:06:26.800 --> 0:06:30.479 of guys. But to me, I'm still intrigued by what 0:06:30.960 --> 0:06:33.520 Ryan All could offer a team if he was offered 0:06:34.279 --> 0:06:37.119 a significant amount of snaps. Right not getting any carries, 0:06:37.240 --> 0:06:38.880 got a few pass catches, but we know he's a 0:06:38.960 --> 0:06:41.240 north south runner town We've always liked him. He does 0:06:41.279 --> 0:06:44.120 have breakaway ability as well. We'll continue to break things down. 0:06:44.120 --> 0:06:46.360 Look at the Minnesota Vikings, a team that has gone 0:06:46.360 --> 0:06:48.880 in the division and knocked off a couple of opponents. 0:06:48.880 --> 0:06:51.080 So They've got some juice right now. The two game 0:06:51.080 --> 0:06:52.960 winning Street coming to Soldier Field will break it down 0:06:52.960 --> 0:06:57.320 with Beat Bursach, the veteran analyst of the Vikkings Radio Network. 0:06:57.400 --> 0:07:00.520 It's all coming up next here on Bearzo Access brought 0:07:00.520 --> 0:07:02.920 to you by IGS Energy at Chicago Sports Radio six 0:07:03.000 --> 0:07:07.960 seventy The Score. Welcome back to Bears All Access brought 0:07:08.000 --> 0:07:10.360 to you by IGS Energy. Choose clean energy for your 0:07:10.360 --> 0:07:13.040 home at igs dot com because every good choice adds 0:07:13.120 --> 0:07:15.600 up to a better world. Bears and Vikings coming up 0:07:15.600 --> 0:07:18.800 Monday night, four twenty. The pre game seven twenty the 0:07:18.880 --> 0:07:20.920 kickoff on News Radio seven eighty and one h five 0:07:20.960 --> 0:07:24.120 point at FM w BBM with Tom Fair. I'm Jeff, 0:07:24.200 --> 0:07:26.960 Joniak and John by our good friend Pete Bursch, Provident 0:07:27.040 --> 0:07:31.680 Catholics finest a Golden Domer celebrating no doubt the uh. 0:07:31.720 --> 0:07:33.640 I guess, I mean we're calling it an upset right 0:07:33.680 --> 0:07:37.160 off Clemson, Pete, I don't know, I didn't, I don't 0:07:37.200 --> 0:07:44.080 know all they won. You guys, you guys are that 0:07:44.240 --> 0:07:46.200 that was fun? Man? That was fun. How you doing? Man? 0:07:46.400 --> 0:07:48.800 It was I'm good. So you guys do a three 0:07:48.880 --> 0:07:51.720 hour pre game whatever they're paying you, they should double it. 0:07:51.760 --> 0:07:54.840 I'll tell you that right now. As a blong three game, 0:07:54.880 --> 0:07:57.040 how do you keep fair from falling asleep for three 0:07:57.120 --> 0:08:01.200 hours before a game? I never sleep. That fact is true. 0:08:01.240 --> 0:08:04.440 He does not sleep. He's not he's not a hibernating. 0:08:05.480 --> 0:08:07.239 When I found out there weren't going to be fans 0:08:07.240 --> 0:08:08.680 in the stands and that we weren't going to be 0:08:08.760 --> 0:08:10.400 traveling now was the one thing I knew I was 0:08:10.440 --> 0:08:13.080 gonna miss was to see that big bald, beautiful head 0:08:13.080 --> 0:08:16.160 on the sidelines on TV before the game. I'm like, 0:08:16.200 --> 0:08:18.360 I don't get the seattlayer on the I did it 0:08:18.440 --> 0:08:22.200 just it just breaks a man's heart. That's that sounds 0:08:22.240 --> 0:08:25.040 like a broadcaster that has the leading rusher coming into 0:08:25.120 --> 0:08:28.800 soldier field. He wanted to spread those peacock feathers out 0:08:29.040 --> 0:08:32.680 and come around. Well, yeah, I don't know about Yeah, 0:08:32.840 --> 0:08:34.960 we do that. It's not just one guy on a 0:08:35.000 --> 0:08:38.560 team unfortunately. So we've you know, we've got our own issues, 0:08:38.600 --> 0:08:41.040 and which is why we're two games under five hundred. 0:08:41.600 --> 0:08:45.280 Well so what are they? What would be three and 0:08:45.360 --> 0:08:50.920 five right now? No? What are the issues? Oh? The issues? Well, 0:08:50.960 --> 0:08:55.040 I mean, you know, uh, hearing the names like Chris Boyd, 0:08:55.760 --> 0:08:58.400 Chris Jones or Harris in hand? Does that strike the 0:08:58.440 --> 0:09:01.440 fear and any wide receivers in the league. How about 0:09:01.480 --> 0:09:03.920 Jeff Gladdeney? How about that name? Oh well, he's a 0:09:03.960 --> 0:09:07.880 first round pick. Now he's actually glad of all of him. Gladden, 0:09:07.920 --> 0:09:12.080 he's been has been playing the best and uh, you know, defensively, uh, 0:09:12.440 --> 0:09:15.600 thank god that you know, Harrison Smith and Anthony Harris 0:09:15.600 --> 0:09:18.400 have been you know, our safeties and they've they've been 0:09:18.440 --> 0:09:21.760 around for the whole season. But we've had a bit 0:09:21.800 --> 0:09:24.280 of a bit of a revolving door at corner. We've 0:09:24.400 --> 0:09:26.360 we've seem to have settled down a little bit, not 0:09:26.400 --> 0:09:28.800 giving up as many big plays in the passing game, 0:09:29.720 --> 0:09:31.480 but we are giving up, you know, still giving up 0:09:31.480 --> 0:09:33.720 a lot of yards. And you know, your guy just 0:09:33.760 --> 0:09:36.080 threw the ball with forty five times in one game, 0:09:36.160 --> 0:09:38.800 so he said, a franchise record for most past attempt 0:09:38.800 --> 0:09:41.400 past attempts. So you know, it it looks like he's ready 0:09:41.400 --> 0:09:44.920 to go. Hey, Pete, when you lost all that veteran 0:09:44.960 --> 0:09:48.320 talent in the off season, was this expected of the 0:09:48.400 --> 0:09:50.520 defense this year that maybe they were going to live 0:09:50.520 --> 0:09:53.120 through some growing pains or did they think they they 0:09:53.200 --> 0:09:56.440 had the uh, the draft capital to be able to 0:09:56.440 --> 0:10:00.520 come in here and you know insert and play well. 0:10:00.559 --> 0:10:04.120 I mean, you know, you lose UM. You know, you 0:10:04.240 --> 0:10:06.680 lose Denil Hunter. I think that's that's kind of the 0:10:06.760 --> 0:10:09.760 big thing. You know, you had Everson Griffin, UM, but 0:10:09.840 --> 0:10:13.440 you had Denil Hunter. You didn't really you know, you 0:10:13.520 --> 0:10:16.400 wanted to get you know, you wanted to get Everson back. 0:10:16.600 --> 0:10:19.360 I don't think that was any anything personal or anything 0:10:19.400 --> 0:10:21.040 that you know like that there, but they just did 0:10:21.160 --> 0:10:23.800 weren't willing to I think pay what what Everson Griffin 0:10:23.920 --> 0:10:26.840 wanted to make. And so you know, losing one of 0:10:26.880 --> 0:10:29.920 the two makes sense. But then you have a you know, 0:10:29.920 --> 0:10:32.320 our nose tackle opted out because of the COVID and 0:10:32.320 --> 0:10:34.600 then you lose Denil Hunter to a neck injury. Now 0:10:34.640 --> 0:10:39.120 you're down three of your four starting defensive linemen UM 0:10:39.200 --> 0:10:42.319 and you know, so it's not it's not ideal. But 0:10:42.600 --> 0:10:47.360 fortunately we've we've done a decent job drafting at that position. 0:10:47.440 --> 0:10:49.080 So some of these young guys, some of these guys 0:10:49.080 --> 0:10:51.960 that you've never heard of, like Jalen Holmes or DJ 0:10:52.120 --> 0:10:55.920 Wannham or Jalil Johnson or Armand Watts. I mean you 0:10:55.960 --> 0:10:59.199 know a Fadia Dentibo is probably are you know, most 0:10:59.320 --> 0:11:02.559 experienced defensive lineman. I mean two and a half sacks, 0:11:03.240 --> 0:11:05.160 that's uh, you know, that's about it. When we lost 0:11:05.200 --> 0:11:08.400 Unique in Goackway during the trade, he was you know, 0:11:08.440 --> 0:11:10.800 he had five sacks. So he still leads the team 0:11:11.400 --> 0:11:13.840 even though he's been in Baltimore for a couple of weeks. Weeks. 0:11:15.000 --> 0:11:17.440 All right, So now let's you think what you said 0:11:17.440 --> 0:11:19.720 about your defense and the growing pains their face. And 0:11:19.800 --> 0:11:23.000 I guess the best the best help there is having 0:11:23.040 --> 0:11:26.480 a leading rusher. So if you stop, if you stop 0:11:26.600 --> 0:11:29.480 or able to contain Dalvin Cook, is the rest of 0:11:29.520 --> 0:11:33.680 the offense good enough to pick up the slack? You know? 0:11:33.800 --> 0:11:35.880 I think that's that's the question that's going to get 0:11:35.920 --> 0:11:39.679 answered really Monday night. I mean, you know, Dalvin Cook, 0:11:39.880 --> 0:11:44.280 I was fortunate enough to grow up with watching Walter Payton, 0:11:44.960 --> 0:11:48.080 got to play against Barry Sanders, and then I called 0:11:48.120 --> 0:11:51.600 every game that Adrian Peterson played as a Minnesota Viking. 0:11:51.679 --> 0:11:54.920 And you know, Dalvin Cook is he I wouldn't put 0:11:54.960 --> 0:11:57.800 him in that, you know, that category of those three, 0:11:58.760 --> 0:12:02.360 but he's up there. He's very versatile running back, um, 0:12:02.440 --> 0:12:05.400 he lines up at wide receiver or catching the ball 0:12:05.440 --> 0:12:07.600 in the backfield. He's you know, he's very very good 0:12:07.600 --> 0:12:10.080 at that. He's also very good in protection, which not 0:12:10.160 --> 0:12:12.880 every running back is very good at. And I think 0:12:13.520 --> 0:12:17.240 what happens is is, you know, we struggle on third 0:12:17.240 --> 0:12:20.320 and long, and so when Dalvin's not getting three four 0:12:20.400 --> 0:12:22.640 yards a crack on first and second down, it puts 0:12:22.679 --> 0:12:24.760 us in a puts us in a tight spot. Now, 0:12:24.840 --> 0:12:28.800 justin Jefferson, our rookie wide receiver from LSU uh, he's lead. 0:12:28.920 --> 0:12:31.839 He leads a team with six twenty some yards were 0:12:32.120 --> 0:12:35.480 in receiving a big you know, a big play threat 0:12:35.559 --> 0:12:37.280 runs well after the catch, and then of course there's 0:12:37.280 --> 0:12:40.560 Adam Seelan and Kyle Rudolph and Herb Smith Junior. But 0:12:41.080 --> 0:12:44.319 you know, the games that we've won, we've kind of 0:12:44.400 --> 0:12:46.640 kept the ball out of the hands of Kirk Cousins, 0:12:46.679 --> 0:12:49.560 who you know was kind of interception happy in the 0:12:49.600 --> 0:12:51.760 beginning of the season. I mean, every loss we've had, 0:12:51.800 --> 0:12:55.640 he's thrown at least one interception. So keep him on 0:12:55.679 --> 0:12:58.840 the positive side of that. And as we make our 0:12:58.880 --> 0:13:02.200 way out of a minus six take give, you know, 0:13:02.240 --> 0:13:04.319 we're able to win a couple of football games, and 0:13:04.800 --> 0:13:07.280 I mean I kind of see it that way. I mean, 0:13:07.520 --> 0:13:10.240 you guys are gonna stop Dalvin and it's gonna be 0:13:10.320 --> 0:13:12.640 up to Kirk Cousins to throw a couple of deep 0:13:12.640 --> 0:13:14.520 balls or a couple of big plays down the field, 0:13:14.600 --> 0:13:16.800 kind of like what you saw last week against Tennessee. 0:13:17.240 --> 0:13:20.080 And you know, if we can do that, the Vikings 0:13:20.120 --> 0:13:22.920 have a good chance. If not, then it could be 0:13:22.920 --> 0:13:25.920 a long night because I don't know. If Dalvin Cook 0:13:26.120 --> 0:13:28.199 can put up over one hundred yards on the ground 0:13:28.200 --> 0:13:32.120 against the front seven you guys have defensively, you know, 0:13:32.200 --> 0:13:34.560 then I think I'll hit a whole new level of 0:13:34.600 --> 0:13:38.280 respect for our offensive line, for c. J. Hamm Our fullback, 0:13:38.760 --> 0:13:42.920 you know, and you know, for Dalvin Cook himself. Pete Burst. 0:13:42.960 --> 0:13:45.440 It's our guest here on Chicago Sports Radio six seventy 0:13:45.480 --> 0:13:47.760 to score. This is Bears All Access with Tom There 0:13:47.840 --> 0:13:50.440 jeff jonihac Hey. Tell us a little bit more about 0:13:50.520 --> 0:13:53.679 Justin Jefferson, because he is taking the league by storm, 0:13:53.760 --> 0:13:57.960 literally eighteen yards of grab blowing everybody away in terms 0:13:57.960 --> 0:14:00.880 of what he can do. I think his maturity level 0:14:01.000 --> 0:14:03.520 was very high coming into the league, much like our 0:14:03.559 --> 0:14:06.319 own Darnell Mooney he was a fifth round pick in 0:14:06.400 --> 0:14:08.719 getting a lot of attention just in a little bit 0:14:08.760 --> 0:14:11.240 that he's accomplished so far. But but this guy's the 0:14:11.679 --> 0:14:13.440 number one guy in the league in terms of yeah, 0:14:13.480 --> 0:14:15.679 what I mean, what an amazing draft class at the 0:14:15.720 --> 0:14:18.720 wide receiver position. It seems like every it seems like 0:14:18.760 --> 0:14:21.520 every twenty two years the Vikings get it right. Because 0:14:21.560 --> 0:14:24.360 about twenty two years ago, you know, we had we 0:14:24.480 --> 0:14:27.680 drafted Randy Moss, and then twenty two years before Randy Moss, 0:14:27.680 --> 0:14:30.640 we drafted a guy named Sammy White. You know, unfortunately, 0:14:30.680 --> 0:14:33.560 you have a couple of Laquon Treadwells, you know, sprinkled 0:14:33.600 --> 0:14:36.800 in there in between, which which really is good. But 0:14:36.960 --> 0:14:39.720 when you know, when we lose Stefan Diggs, what Stefan 0:14:39.800 --> 0:14:43.520 Diggs did is you know, his yards per reception last 0:14:43.560 --> 0:14:46.720 year were somewhere it was somewhere around eighteen and it 0:14:46.840 --> 0:14:49.520 went from ten ten yards per catch the year before 0:14:50.040 --> 0:14:52.600 to eighteen. And that was the biggest one, you know, 0:14:52.680 --> 0:14:55.600 one season jumped by any receiver in the NFL. So 0:14:55.680 --> 0:14:57.080 he was our deep thread. He was the guy that 0:14:57.120 --> 0:14:59.280 could get behind the off to get behind the defense. 0:14:59.320 --> 0:15:02.480 Excuse me, and Jefferson, had you know that was the 0:15:02.560 --> 0:15:05.760 big thing is can we get that big playability from him? Um? 0:15:06.120 --> 0:15:10.200 And and we have. It's been more run after the catch. However, 0:15:10.520 --> 0:15:13.400 it hasn't been forty fifty yard passes down the field. 0:15:13.400 --> 0:15:16.560 It's been you know, twenty fifteen, twenty yards and then 0:15:16.640 --> 0:15:19.640 letting him run. So Uh. He does do a great 0:15:19.680 --> 0:15:23.440 job of creating separation, which you know Laquon Treadwall, our 0:15:23.480 --> 0:15:25.320 other first round pick from a couple of years ago, 0:15:25.360 --> 0:15:29.000 never really did. Um. He's been very yeah, very impressive 0:15:29.040 --> 0:15:32.600 wide receiver. Uh. He's learning the game. I mean that's 0:15:32.600 --> 0:15:34.760 and that's the big thing. He's mature enough to know 0:15:35.320 --> 0:15:37.200 that it's as much an art form as it is 0:15:37.240 --> 0:15:40.120 anything else. You can't just run a great forty, but 0:15:40.320 --> 0:15:42.640 you know, good hands and a great catch radius. He 0:15:42.680 --> 0:15:45.080 can come down with some you know, some of those 0:15:45.080 --> 0:15:48.880 passes that are tightly contested. And yeah, we're I mean, 0:15:49.000 --> 0:15:51.080 it's been a pleasure to watch this young man go 0:15:51.120 --> 0:15:54.360 about his business. Um. And you know, and Dalvin Cook 0:15:54.400 --> 0:15:56.400 at the same time. You know, to me, those jack 0:15:56.520 --> 0:16:00.040 yard guys are are more dangerous and they get my 0:16:00.120 --> 0:16:03.920 attention because guys can there their possession receivers all around 0:16:03.960 --> 0:16:06.800 this league. But if the protection's not holding up against 0:16:06.840 --> 0:16:08.760 some of these better pass rushers in the league, you 0:16:08.800 --> 0:16:10.960 need guys that can do something with the ball after 0:16:11.000 --> 0:16:13.120 it's given to them and they create the separation to 0:16:13.160 --> 0:16:17.880 get there. And you know that's what makes defense is nervous. Yeah, no, absolutely, 0:16:17.880 --> 0:16:20.120 because you can you know. And the same thing with 0:16:20.200 --> 0:16:23.640 Dalvin Cook. I mean you when you're when you're a 0:16:23.760 --> 0:16:26.640 defensive coach and you have guys in the right spots, 0:16:26.640 --> 0:16:29.040 I mean, that's that's where the coaching ends and having 0:16:29.080 --> 0:16:31.040 to be a player begins. And if you have guys 0:16:31.040 --> 0:16:34.080 in the right spots and they still can't make the plays, um, 0:16:34.200 --> 0:16:36.880 you know that's what That's what keeps defensive coordinators up 0:16:36.920 --> 0:16:39.400 all night. You know. But Joniac, you guys know you 0:16:39.440 --> 0:16:42.200 haven't cut the grass in that stadium, the stadium in 0:16:42.280 --> 0:16:45.480 a park. You haven't cut that grass in like three weeks. 0:16:45.920 --> 0:16:47.920 It's gonna be ankle deep. And it's you know, it's 0:16:47.960 --> 0:16:49.880 just a smart thing to do. It's like that every 0:16:49.920 --> 0:16:51.760 year when we go there. Hey, let's hope, so I 0:16:51.800 --> 0:16:54.560 hope there's doug on snowstorm. You know, you gotta slow 0:16:54.600 --> 0:16:59.480 those guys down. Tommy, you know all about letting the 0:16:59.480 --> 0:17:02.320 grass rode along this flow. Those athletes down that come 0:17:02.360 --> 0:17:04.600 into South, what do you do. They don't even have 0:17:04.640 --> 0:17:07.480 grass there anymore. I mean when you went when you 0:17:07.520 --> 0:17:10.000 went there back in the archaic days, they did have 0:17:10.200 --> 0:17:13.560 natural grass. Yeah, I remember New Rockey would go out 0:17:13.560 --> 0:17:15.760 there on his track there and cut it himself. He 0:17:15.800 --> 0:17:17.679 would be out there mulling that he'd be pulling that 0:17:17.800 --> 0:17:19.639 nice and you know, nice and short for us and 0:17:19.680 --> 0:17:24.520 everything else. Yeah, when when you look at Adam Feeland 0:17:24.560 --> 0:17:27.040 and Justin Jefferson, but you look at the role that 0:17:27.160 --> 0:17:30.359 Kirk Cousins has played in their career. Justin Jefferson barely 0:17:30.400 --> 0:17:32.959 has had a career, but he's got big numbers. Adam 0:17:33.000 --> 0:17:36.440 Feeland comes from what Minnesota state, comes out there, try 0:17:36.440 --> 0:17:39.119 out and now he's a you know, double digit per catch. 0:17:39.520 --> 0:17:41.280 And then you look across the Bears and you see 0:17:41.280 --> 0:17:45.840 a rookie corner. What relationship is that the Kirk Cousins 0:17:45.840 --> 0:17:49.679 and Adam Feelin or Kirk Cousins and Justin Jefferson that 0:17:50.280 --> 0:17:53.280 you think would be planned against a rookie corner and 0:17:53.440 --> 0:17:57.560 Jalen Johnson Bears, Well, I would think they would want 0:17:57.560 --> 0:17:59.760 to get the veteran against them, Adam Feeland. I still 0:17:59.800 --> 0:18:04.880 think Cousins leans more the way of Adam Feeling, and 0:18:05.359 --> 0:18:08.439 the closer you get to the red zone and the 0:18:08.480 --> 0:18:11.119 shorter the field gets, the more he leans on Adam Feeland. 0:18:11.119 --> 0:18:16.040 Adam Feeland's seven touchdown receptions, uh, Jefferson has three, and 0:18:16.080 --> 0:18:18.600 a couple of those were big. One was for seventy 0:18:18.640 --> 0:18:22.040 one yard. So I still I still think Cousins wants 0:18:22.080 --> 0:18:25.040 to lean toward Adam Feeland. I would think smart thing 0:18:25.040 --> 0:18:28.040 would be to have if you can have Kyle Fuller, uh, 0:18:28.280 --> 0:18:30.879 you know, working on Adam Feeling and then let the 0:18:30.880 --> 0:18:33.120 young man, let the two rookies kind of battle it out. 0:18:33.280 --> 0:18:37.320 I mean, I think, uh, that o'coon, the rookie from 0:18:37.320 --> 0:18:41.240 Ohio State that played with Detroit. I think Jefferson got 0:18:41.240 --> 0:18:43.359 the best to him a couple a couple of times 0:18:43.440 --> 0:18:46.520 last week. But yeah, so that'll be, you know, that'll 0:18:46.560 --> 0:18:49.040 be that'll be a really good, be a good matchup. 0:18:49.080 --> 0:18:50.879 But I would try to keep the rookie on the 0:18:50.920 --> 0:18:53.960 rookie and then keep the keep the veterans, Kyle Fuller 0:18:54.000 --> 0:18:56.520 on Adam Feeling. When you when you look at a 0:18:56.520 --> 0:18:59.080 couple of guys, you know, Harrison Smith. He's the scariest 0:18:59.119 --> 0:19:02.199 defensive player that the Minnesota has, and they've had the 0:19:02.240 --> 0:19:05.639 last couple of years. He's very deceitful. He can hide, 0:19:05.720 --> 0:19:08.199 he can bait a quarterback into making a throw that 0:19:08.520 --> 0:19:11.600 he knows what area responsibility he has. He's not always 0:19:11.600 --> 0:19:14.080 going to line up or a good blitzer near the 0:19:14.119 --> 0:19:18.439 line of scrimmage. Is he the guy that Zimmer or 0:19:18.480 --> 0:19:21.560 the defensive coordinator this team has the most confidence in 0:19:21.680 --> 0:19:24.400 to not be a free lancer but kind of work 0:19:24.520 --> 0:19:27.400 the field the way he sees it. Yeah, I think so. 0:19:27.520 --> 0:19:29.840 I mean Harrison Smith. And the thing about Harrison is 0:19:29.840 --> 0:19:32.520 he's so versatile. You know, he can if he walks 0:19:32.560 --> 0:19:34.960 down up to or walks down in the line of scrimmage, 0:19:35.000 --> 0:19:37.200 the you know, the offense has to respect that because 0:19:37.240 --> 0:19:39.880 he can u you know, he can defend the run 0:19:40.040 --> 0:19:42.760 very well. He can also blitz very well, so you know, 0:19:42.880 --> 0:19:45.240 sometimes you have a safety you know, maybe Anthony Harris 0:19:45.280 --> 0:19:47.360 when he comes down you just kind of look and say, yeah, 0:19:47.359 --> 0:19:50.760 they're just bluffing that way, because you know, as a coordinator, 0:19:50.800 --> 0:19:53.520 you only you know certain guys blitz better than others. Uh. 0:19:53.560 --> 0:19:57.679 The other guy, though, is Eric Kendricks. Eric Kendricks um 0:19:57.960 --> 0:20:01.800 leads his team and tackles by a belie forty. Um. Uh, 0:20:01.840 --> 0:20:04.680