WEBVTT - Nagy, Lazor talk playoffs | Coaches Show 0:00:00.280 --> 0:00:03.360 Welcome in everybody to a Wildcard playoff edition of The 0:00:03.360 --> 0:00:06.519 Bears Coaches Show with Bears head coach Mattneggie. Jeff Joniac 0:00:06.559 --> 0:00:09.320 with you in two eight o'clock to nights and congratulations 0:00:09.360 --> 0:00:11.600 you're in the tournament. Yeah, thanks Jeff. You know it's 0:00:12.600 --> 0:00:14.920 it is exciting for us, and that's when you start 0:00:14.960 --> 0:00:17.159 this season. You want to be able to do just that. 0:00:17.280 --> 0:00:19.279 If you know, if you don't get into playoffs, you 0:00:19.280 --> 0:00:21.919 have no shot. So we have an opportunity here. We 0:00:22.040 --> 0:00:23.560 got to make the most of it against a really 0:00:23.560 --> 0:00:25.200 good football team. All Right. You don't like a lot 0:00:25.239 --> 0:00:26.759 of numbers, you don't like a lot of map, but 0:00:26.840 --> 0:00:28.800 this one's pertinent. I don't know if you know this, 0:00:28.840 --> 0:00:31.240 but now you're the eighth team since two thousand to 0:00:31.280 --> 0:00:33.760 get in at eight and eight. Those first seven teams 0:00:33.960 --> 0:00:35.800 that went in at eight and eight six and one 0:00:35.840 --> 0:00:39.280 in their playoff opener. So it's a clean slate. Easier 0:00:39.280 --> 0:00:42.280 said than done, of course, but it's a good point 0:00:42.320 --> 0:00:44.640 to rid your minds as a team of what happened 0:00:44.640 --> 0:00:47.280 against Green Bay and because it's your rival, because it's 0:00:47.360 --> 0:00:51.680 so emotionally attached and it's so necessary. I understand that 0:00:51.720 --> 0:00:53.960 it's hard to get rid of. But does that help 0:00:54.000 --> 0:00:56.720 clean the slate a little bit with knowledge like that, Yeah, 0:00:56.760 --> 0:00:59.160 I think it does. And our guys understand, you know, 0:00:59.200 --> 0:01:01.560 they've worked really hard to get to the playoffs, and 0:01:01.560 --> 0:01:05.160 now you know, as this thing goes for this team 0:01:05.200 --> 0:01:07.440 and for us the last three years, you know, the 0:01:07.440 --> 0:01:09.319 only one that we have to work off of is 0:01:09.319 --> 0:01:12.600 that Eagles game, right that and the electric electricity that 0:01:12.680 --> 0:01:15.399 was going on in that stadium when we played them, 0:01:14.640 --> 0:01:16.800 and um, and now here we are we get another 0:01:16.800 --> 0:01:19.479 opportunity where everything amps up just a little bit more. 0:01:19.800 --> 0:01:22.200 And so our guys they know that there should be 0:01:22.240 --> 0:01:24.840 no reason for anybody to not be completely fired up 0:01:24.840 --> 0:01:27.480 to get into this game, get everything they got and 0:01:27.560 --> 0:01:30.960 know that no matter who we play, right, we always 0:01:30.959 --> 0:01:33.559 prepare the same in and out each and every week. 0:01:33.600 --> 0:01:34.760 And now we got to go out there and we 0:01:34.800 --> 0:01:37.800 got to play together all three phases on Sunday. Yeah, 0:01:37.920 --> 0:01:39.560 most of the key people that are going to be 0:01:39.640 --> 0:01:42.080 in charge of making the big place for you on 0:01:42.160 --> 0:01:45.679 Sunday in New Orleans have that playoff experience, and including 0:01:45.680 --> 0:01:48.840 your quarterback. That to me is a significant thing as 0:01:48.880 --> 0:01:51.600 opposed to being a first goal around in a playoff game. Yeah, 0:01:51.640 --> 0:01:53.560 it's important to have that experience kind of know the 0:01:53.600 --> 0:01:57.720 mindset of that of how that thing goes, so they'll 0:01:57.760 --> 0:01:59.760 be prepared. We'll put we'll put together a good week 0:01:59.760 --> 0:02:03.480 of practice and and it'll be important for our coaches 0:02:03.520 --> 0:02:05.400 to be locked in as well. Will you do anything 0:02:05.480 --> 0:02:07.600 different practice wise this week then you have in the 0:02:07.680 --> 0:02:10.840 last month, given the protocols, the Monday Tuesday thing, I'm 0:02:10.840 --> 0:02:12.919 certain is still as a league rule, right, so you 0:02:12.960 --> 0:02:16.519 won't see him till Wednesday, And will you do anything 0:02:17.040 --> 0:02:19.680 differently or are you going to try and keep the 0:02:19.720 --> 0:02:22.600 same momentum. We'll keep most of it the same schedule wise, 0:02:22.720 --> 0:02:25.320 we might we might ramp up practice just slightly on 0:02:25.400 --> 0:02:28.840 Wednesday for just one or two periods, just to be 0:02:28.919 --> 0:02:32.160 able to get some some you know, some full speed reps, 0:02:32.200 --> 0:02:34.920 which I do think is important. But the guys, we 0:02:35.000 --> 0:02:37.000 also have guys that are taking care of their bodies. 0:02:37.000 --> 0:02:38.840 You know, you're this far into the season. That's very 0:02:38.880 --> 0:02:40.960 important to be sure that they're healthy. So we'll have 0:02:40.960 --> 0:02:42.720 a nice little balunce, but for the most part, it'll 0:02:42.760 --> 0:02:44.720 be the same. And just so everybody knows, there's no 0:02:44.760 --> 0:02:47.760 discussion right now on injuries to Roquan and Darnel Mooney 0:02:47.960 --> 0:02:51.120 or Jalen Johnson or buster screen that I'll be revealed 0:02:51.160 --> 0:02:55.200 on Wednesday. But needless to say, with those two young guys, 0:02:55.200 --> 0:02:57.000 the way they've played, it'd be it'd be tough to 0:02:57.040 --> 0:02:59.200 not have them. Yeah, no, for sure. I mean they're 0:02:59.680 --> 0:03:02.520 playing at really high levels. And Mooney yesterday, you know, 0:03:02.560 --> 0:03:06.640 he had that one long catch and made some I 0:03:06.639 --> 0:03:10.440 mean his effort run after the catch. He refuses to 0:03:10.440 --> 0:03:12.880 go out of bounce and you love that. And Roquean, 0:03:13.240 --> 0:03:15.960 we all know what He's been so vital to this 0:03:16.080 --> 0:03:19.000 defense all year long, playing at an extremely high level. 0:03:19.040 --> 0:03:21.000 So we'll have to keep an eye on them moving 0:03:21.040 --> 0:03:23.600 forward to see where they're at, you know, and just 0:03:23.680 --> 0:03:26.639 keep our fingers across and stay optimistic. And sometimes it 0:03:26.720 --> 0:03:30.400 looks different than it sounds, and sometimes it sounds different 0:03:30.400 --> 0:03:32.440 than it looks. But I thought it was one of 0:03:32.440 --> 0:03:35.200 the more physical games of the year. Do you agree? 0:03:35.440 --> 0:03:37.760 I do? Yeah, I really do. There are sometimes there. 0:03:37.760 --> 0:03:41.040 You saw Cole Comet low on his shoulder and those 0:03:41.080 --> 0:03:43.280 guys hitting pretty good, and we knew it was going 0:03:43.320 --> 0:03:45.400 to be like that. You know, they're a good football team. 0:03:45.440 --> 0:03:48.920 They're gonna be physical, but yeah, our guys are always 0:03:48.920 --> 0:03:50.960 ready for that. Tell us about the note card, because 0:03:51.000 --> 0:03:52.920 you showed the media this morning on a zoom the 0:03:52.920 --> 0:03:55.640 placard you gave the players four weeks ago after that 0:03:55.720 --> 0:03:59.360 six game losing streak, and what was the motivation behind 0:03:59.440 --> 0:04:01.600 it and how did it serve you? Do you feel 0:04:01.600 --> 0:04:04.040 and how will it serve you going into this game? Yeah, 0:04:04.080 --> 0:04:06.520 so you know what it was, Jeff, was something that 0:04:06.560 --> 0:04:09.120 we gave to every single person in that building. Um, 0:04:09.200 --> 0:04:12.640 it's about a six by six index card where it 0:04:12.640 --> 0:04:16.880 says January Sunday, January third, twenty twenty one and seven pm. 0:04:16.920 --> 0:04:18.760 And that was a goal that we had set out 0:04:18.800 --> 0:04:21.279 after we lost that Detroit game, was we have four 0:04:21.320 --> 0:04:24.400 games sitting in front of us, and if we do 0:04:24.480 --> 0:04:26.680 what we're supposed to do, which is windows games, will 0:04:26.720 --> 0:04:29.320 at least have an opportunity at the end to make 0:04:29.360 --> 0:04:31.960 the playoffs. So we had a goal, and every single 0:04:32.040 --> 0:04:35.040 day that they walked into the Hollis Hall on our 0:04:35.080 --> 0:04:38.400 big video board that never changed for over a month. 0:04:38.440 --> 0:04:40.240 It sat the first thing they saw when they got 0:04:40.240 --> 0:04:42.320 their connects on and put it on their wrists. So 0:04:43.400 --> 0:04:45.360 and then we had a Bears helmet and it had 0:04:45.400 --> 0:04:47.560 a dot dot dot with who our opponent's going to be. 0:04:47.839 --> 0:04:50.400 So now, Jeff, when they walk in on Wednesday for 0:04:50.480 --> 0:04:52.800 the first time, they're going to see the same deal, 0:04:53.120 --> 0:04:55.520 right with a Bears helmet versus the Saints, and they 0:04:55.640 --> 0:04:58.720 they've earned that, and so here we go that it's 0:04:58.839 --> 0:05:01.440 now there'll be a new challenge that we have, right 0:05:01.480 --> 0:05:05.240 and that'll be just our messaging as we go yesterday. 0:05:05.320 --> 0:05:07.960 The red zone touchdown efficiency, that's the key and the 0:05:08.000 --> 0:05:11.680 defense giving up a couple big plays but also not 0:05:11.839 --> 0:05:14.080 able to finish a couple big plays. And when you 0:05:14.200 --> 0:05:18.200 boil it all down despite the margin of defeat, despite 0:05:18.240 --> 0:05:20.719 the defeat itself, does it just boil down to that? 0:05:21.120 --> 0:05:25.240 I think it does. You look at again, a big 0:05:25.320 --> 0:05:28.960 part of that game was time and possession. A big 0:05:29.000 --> 0:05:33.960 part of that game was being able to to, you know, 0:05:34.080 --> 0:05:35.960 keep it right where you need to score wise, and 0:05:35.960 --> 0:05:37.279 then be able to have a chance to win in 0:05:37.320 --> 0:05:39.880 the fourth quarter. But when you look at the one 0:05:39.960 --> 0:05:42.279 stat they were four for four in the red zone 0:05:42.279 --> 0:05:44.360 and we were one for five. I think because all 0:05:44.400 --> 0:05:48.160 of that talk about the defense, is there anything concerning 0:05:48.160 --> 0:05:51.080 you right now about what they're giving up and what 0:05:51.160 --> 0:05:53.400 they're not getting. Sure, I think I think the biggest 0:05:53.400 --> 0:05:54.960 thing in our guys will be the first to tell 0:05:55.000 --> 0:05:57.640 you that we love to be able to get a 0:05:57.680 --> 0:06:01.080 couple more sacks and change the field position some turnovers. 0:06:01.080 --> 0:06:02.960 As you and I have talked previously, you know this 0:06:03.040 --> 0:06:05.040 is we had. We had a couple of chances yesterday 0:06:06.040 --> 0:06:08.919 where the ball, you know, make make make an interception 0:06:08.960 --> 0:06:12.200 here there, and it flips the field. But our guys, 0:06:12.200 --> 0:06:14.720 our guys are doing everything they can positionally into get 0:06:14.720 --> 0:06:17.080 in the right spot and uh, and now we just 0:06:17.160 --> 0:06:18.599 got to turn it up and you never know what 0:06:18.600 --> 0:06:20.560 happens here in the playoffs, all right, everybody has to 0:06:20.600 --> 0:06:23.440 step up when someone leaves. It's the chance, it's everybody's 0:06:23.480 --> 0:06:27.279 golden chance. Josh Woods had his chance yesterday, got put 0:06:27.320 --> 0:06:31.000 in some positions of difficulty with Aaron Rodgers because he will, 0:06:31.040 --> 0:06:34.560 he will orchestrate that and find mismatches. How did he perform? 0:06:35.040 --> 0:06:37.680 Because I know he's an excited player, an excitable player 0:06:37.720 --> 0:06:40.279 and a guy who works hard. I thought that he 0:06:40.320 --> 0:06:42.039 definitely did a good job coming on in there. And 0:06:42.160 --> 0:06:44.440 it's a it's a prime example, Jeff, for guys to 0:06:44.680 --> 0:06:48.800 always be alert all week in practice right always you're 0:06:48.839 --> 0:06:51.960 one play away, and Josh had his opportunity yesterday and 0:06:52.520 --> 0:06:55.120 against a really good offense, and there's a couple plays 0:06:55.120 --> 0:06:57.760 here there that he's gonna want back. But love his effort, 0:06:57.800 --> 0:07:00.760 love his want, love his passion, and times like that 0:07:00.800 --> 0:07:03.400 when that happens is that's when you're leaders on that 0:07:03.520 --> 0:07:05.680 defense can help him. And I thought they did that 0:07:05.880 --> 0:07:09.120 high formation backfield, Montgomery with a fullback ahead of him, 0:07:09.520 --> 0:07:13.080 Trivistian the taking the turn, Montgomery's sliding for the goal line, 0:07:13.200 --> 0:07:15.720 and he's in for the touchdown. Welcome back to the 0:07:15.760 --> 0:07:18.680 Bears Coaching Show, brought to you by Whippley CPAs and Consultants, 0:07:18.720 --> 0:07:20.680 a proud partner of the Chicago Bears. Learn more at 0:07:20.720 --> 0:07:24.440 Whipley dot com. That was David Montgomery's touchdown. Five straight 0:07:24.480 --> 0:07:27.960 games for the touchdown for Monty. I started calling him 0:07:28.000 --> 0:07:30.600 General Montgomery after the game yesterday on our TV show 0:07:30.840 --> 0:07:33.160 because I was saluting him, Matt. I was saluting this 0:07:33.200 --> 0:07:37.240 young man because again he continues to break tackles. He 0:07:37.360 --> 0:07:40.480 forced his guys to really want to tackle him. And 0:07:40.640 --> 0:07:43.720 in the end, after all the struggles this season and 0:07:43.920 --> 0:07:47.240 him missing a game because of a concussion. He wound 0:07:47.280 --> 0:07:49.680 up with over fifteen hundred yards from scrimmage in the 0:07:49.680 --> 0:07:53.400 regular season. That's among the tops in the league, So 0:07:53.600 --> 0:07:55.360 you gotta give it to him. In fact, no player 0:07:55.760 --> 0:07:59.040 other than Montgomery rushed for over a thousand yards and 0:07:59.120 --> 0:08:02.720 add over four yards receiving. So you think about that 0:08:02.960 --> 0:08:04.760 and all the great backs in this league, and I 0:08:04.760 --> 0:08:07.120 know a thousand yards anymore doesn't seem like a lot, 0:08:07.160 --> 0:08:09.280 but given what he went through, given what the offenses 0:08:09.400 --> 0:08:12.680 went through, that was a significant accomplishment for your entire offense, 0:08:12.800 --> 0:08:14.840 let alone him. I think that's the biggest thing you 0:08:14.880 --> 0:08:17.160 make notion of right there, is just that you know 0:08:17.600 --> 0:08:22.520 David or you know General Montgomery. As you say, he's 0:08:22.600 --> 0:08:25.160 one of the most selfless people you've ever met in 0:08:25.160 --> 0:08:27.119 your entire life. All he cares about as the team, 0:08:27.480 --> 0:08:29.720 and he's going to do everything he can to practice hard, 0:08:30.280 --> 0:08:32.959 to go out and give it every single ounce of 0:08:33.400 --> 0:08:38.240 effort that he has in every single game. And his 0:08:38.280 --> 0:08:40.920 teammates around him have stepped up. He's stepped up at 0:08:40.920 --> 0:08:43.200 big times, and it's just a credit to who he is. 0:08:43.360 --> 0:08:45.440 Let's talk about the old line too, because we've given 0:08:45.480 --> 0:08:46.840 them a lot of credit and you know, one of 0:08:46.840 --> 0:08:49.920 the things that obviously Mustafer and Bars brought to the 0:08:49.960 --> 0:08:52.920 table was just the unifying idea of hey, we're all 0:08:53.000 --> 0:08:54.920 here to help each other, whether it's to run into 0:08:54.920 --> 0:08:57.240 them to pick him up off the field. The more 0:08:57.240 --> 0:08:58.840 and more you talked about, the more and more I 0:08:58.880 --> 0:09:00.800 watched it and I noticed it, and it became a 0:09:00.880 --> 0:09:04.839 thing for everybody. How significant will this be for that 0:09:04.920 --> 0:09:07.880 group to stay together in this playoff game and do 0:09:07.920 --> 0:09:11.520 whatever it can to help this offense get the job done. Well, 0:09:11.520 --> 0:09:14.280 it'll be big. And they see they're they're very natural 0:09:14.360 --> 0:09:17.359 doing that that leadership stuff and the focus and determination 0:09:17.440 --> 0:09:20.559 and passionate fire and grid everything that they have to 0:09:21.280 --> 0:09:23.720 be the best that we can. And so you know, 0:09:23.760 --> 0:09:25.400 the thing that I like about them too, And then 0:09:25.440 --> 0:09:27.439 all the guys on that offensive line is if they 0:09:27.480 --> 0:09:29.280 make a mistake, or if they miss a block, or 0:09:29.320 --> 0:09:31.160 if they have something that doesn't happen the right way, 0:09:31.200 --> 0:09:34.560 there's an accountability. So every time they come off the field, hey, 0:09:34.600 --> 0:09:37.719 you know, hey, my bad, I missed that block. I'm 0:09:37.760 --> 0:09:40.160 gonna get it the next time. And you appreciate that. 0:09:40.320 --> 0:09:42.320 But there's a lot of great things that they're doing 0:09:42.360 --> 0:09:44.480 as a big reason for the resurgence in our rush game. 0:09:44.520 --> 0:09:47.760 All right, yesterday you young players, the Mooney, the Montgomery, 0:09:47.840 --> 0:09:51.120 the Commet production total two hundred and sixty seven yards. 0:09:51.520 --> 0:09:53.600 That's a great sign for now and in the future. 0:09:54.040 --> 0:09:57.480 But it's the way each of those three guys play. 0:09:57.640 --> 0:10:00.840 They come with attitude, they come with confidence, they come 0:10:00.880 --> 0:10:02.880 with Okay, if you're gonna hit me, you're gonna have 0:10:02.920 --> 0:10:05.199 to bring an army. What does that mean to you 0:10:05.200 --> 0:10:08.200 guys right now? Well, it's it's big because when you 0:10:08.280 --> 0:10:11.480 have young guys like that that are you know, these 0:10:11.559 --> 0:10:13.720 rookies that are coming in here and just bringing the 0:10:13.800 --> 0:10:16.360 energy and the juice and they're productive at this point 0:10:16.360 --> 0:10:18.120 in time in the season. That's huge. And I think 0:10:18.160 --> 0:10:20.760 that speaks volumes to what Ryan and his guys have 0:10:20.840 --> 0:10:24.840 done in regards to finding these guys in the draft 0:10:24.880 --> 0:10:27.520 and being able to have guys that are able to 0:10:28.040 --> 0:10:29.960 come in and play and be a big part of 0:10:29.960 --> 0:10:31.400 this You got you you got to be able to 0:10:31.679 --> 0:10:34.360 have them, and they've done that. You know, Mooney to 0:10:34.920 --> 0:10:38.640 have eleven catches yesterday, that's great, you know, for for 0:10:38.720 --> 0:10:40.679 Cole Commet early on in the game to be able 0:10:40.720 --> 0:10:42.960 to make some plays and bring the wood like you 0:10:43.000 --> 0:10:45.600 feel that from our tight ends, and uh, you know 0:10:45.840 --> 0:10:47.640 they're only going to get better. And that's what's pretty 0:10:47.679 --> 0:10:49.199 neat the fact he grew up a Bears fan and 0:10:49.559 --> 0:10:52.080 didn't have much taste for a packer green and gold 0:10:52.120 --> 0:10:54.640 in his house. As he said this week, you felt 0:10:54.640 --> 0:10:56.880 it right away with Colt Comet. You had some mere 0:10:56.960 --> 0:10:59.160 hustling going on there with those guys right getting in 0:10:59.200 --> 0:11:01.600 their face a little bit, he did, and you got 0:11:01.600 --> 0:11:05.160 to appreciate that, you know, And I always appreciate that 0:11:05.240 --> 0:11:08.040 from him. He's a tough kid, blue collar kid that just, uh, 0:11:08.280 --> 0:11:10.800 he likes he likes the physicality. Let's talk about that. 0:11:11.160 --> 0:11:14.240 When is enough enough on the physicality, meaning, for example, 0:11:14.400 --> 0:11:16.599 prone to having it torn out of there when you 0:11:16.679 --> 0:11:18.840 got taken on four or five guys. Yeah, it's just 0:11:18.880 --> 0:11:21.600 probably more than anything, Jeff, it's the awareness of knowing 0:11:21.640 --> 0:11:24.080 that the longer you do that, the more people are 0:11:24.080 --> 0:11:25.720 going to come around that pile and try to get 0:11:25.720 --> 0:11:28.679 the ball out. Now, on his fumble fall into the ground, 0:11:28.720 --> 0:11:30.840 and it was close, but he's just got to be 0:11:30.880 --> 0:11:33.600 super aware of that and make sure that he's always 0:11:33.640 --> 0:11:36.360 you know, five point in the ball, it's protected and 0:11:36.400 --> 0:11:39.120 because you know those those turnovers are big and he 0:11:39.280 --> 0:11:41.120 no one knows that more. I mean, he understands that, 0:11:41.240 --> 0:11:43.360 trust me, and he gets that. And I just love 0:11:43.440 --> 0:11:46.240 his effort. Two years in a row now only six 0:11:46.320 --> 0:11:48.560 lost fumbles this year, seven last year. That was a 0:11:48.600 --> 0:11:51.920 franchise record, So you topped another record there. So the 0:11:52.000 --> 0:11:53.840 ball may come out, but you may get it back 0:11:53.880 --> 0:11:56.160 and then that's that's a critical component too. You don't 0:11:56.160 --> 0:11:58.600 want these aggressive defenses prying the ball out of there, 0:11:58.640 --> 0:12:00.320 so that's that's a good thing. And then we got 0:12:00.320 --> 0:12:03.240 to talk about Cairo Santos set the team's all time 0:12:03.280 --> 0:12:06.880 record for field goal accuracy. Had no idea really how 0:12:06.880 --> 0:12:08.880 it was going to go thirty to thirty two, one 0:12:08.960 --> 0:12:11.760 hundred and twenty six points, most by ambarrassance. Robbie Gold, 0:12:11.960 --> 0:12:14.440 I don't know if you can throw enough bouquets in 0:12:14.440 --> 0:12:17.360 his direction, because the confidence you must have with putting 0:12:17.440 --> 0:12:20.520 him out there now is at an all time high. Yeah, 0:12:20.559 --> 0:12:23.240 it's it's amazing, isn't it. How what we've gone from 0:12:23.240 --> 0:12:25.160 in the last couple of years, and now you have 0:12:25.200 --> 0:12:28.200 a guy like Cairo who's just kind of he's just 0:12:28.240 --> 0:12:30.920 done his things. He goes out there, he kicks the ball, 0:12:31.000 --> 0:12:33.480 he makes it and he comes on off and I think, well, 0:12:33.520 --> 0:12:36.600 we've been through in the last couple of years. Again, 0:12:36.720 --> 0:12:39.320 it's a credit to what Ryan and these guys have 0:12:39.400 --> 0:12:41.920 done and bringing in guys like that that all of 0:12:41.920 --> 0:12:43.800 a sudden, now you got a kicker that has come 0:12:43.840 --> 0:12:46.280 in here and just he's made a lot of kicks, 0:12:46.559 --> 0:12:49.080 you know, and you appreciate that. So he's had a 0:12:49.080 --> 0:12:51.560 great mental focus this whole time. And now we don't 0:12:51.559 --> 0:12:53.400 want a lot of field goals. We want more touchdowns, 0:12:53.440 --> 0:12:55.240 and that that's you know, that that's what we got 0:12:55.320 --> 0:12:57.360 to get touchdowns, no field goals. They're going deep to 0:12:57.480 --> 0:13:00.320 Moody down the field team makes the catch over the 0:13:00.320 --> 0:13:03.400 top of the defender, hitside the ten down near the 0:13:03.760 --> 0:13:07.600 yard line. What an incredible catch. But Darnel Mooney, Darnell 0:13:07.640 --> 0:13:10.040 Mooney where a wonderful fifty three yard grab over the 0:13:10.040 --> 0:13:13.120 top of safety Darnell Savage. And yesterday's loss to the 0:13:13.160 --> 0:13:15.640 Green Bay Packers. Here with Matt Naggie on the Bears 0:13:15.640 --> 0:13:18.239 Coaches Show, brought to you by Whippley CPAs and Consultants 0:13:18.360 --> 0:13:20.959 and the Chicago Bears Improve It t are supporting Chicago 0:13:21.040 --> 0:13:24.720 Small Businesses Barbie Tax Consulting is this week's small Business 0:13:24.720 --> 0:13:27.360 All provis at Chicago bears dot com slash small Business 0:13:27.360 --> 0:13:29.679 all Pros to learn more. I got to talk more 0:13:29.679 --> 0:13:31.640 about that catch. You high point it, but it's the 0:13:31.720 --> 0:13:34.320 body control all the way to the ground, gripping it 0:13:34.320 --> 0:13:37.240 and ripping it. That's one of the finest catches of 0:13:37.240 --> 0:13:39.760 the year. Yes or no, No, without a doubt, because 0:13:39.760 --> 0:13:41.800 that's not an easy catch. That's a catch that uh 0:13:42.200 --> 0:13:43.880 you know, when you are jumping up in the air 0:13:43.920 --> 0:13:46.120 like that, you got a defender on you. You gotta 0:13:46.160 --> 0:13:48.120 be able to high point it, come down and still 0:13:48.120 --> 0:13:50.160 when you land and hit the ground, you know, sometimes 0:13:50.160 --> 0:13:52.360 you see where it pauses you to just had that 0:13:52.440 --> 0:13:54.640 ball come out, and you know, Mitch did help. Mitch 0:13:54.679 --> 0:13:56.439 did a hell of a job of being able to 0:13:56.880 --> 0:13:58.800 put that ball out there to give him a chance 0:13:58.800 --> 0:14:00.320 to go make it, and he did it. Else that 0:14:00.440 --> 0:14:03.679 was good, an exceptional day. I think he surpassed everybody's 0:14:03.720 --> 0:14:07.480 initial expectations, maybe even for you as a fifth round pick. 0:14:07.520 --> 0:14:10.080 There's still a development window, you know, but and and 0:14:10.120 --> 0:14:13.040 now that development windows still open for this guy. Oh yeah, 0:14:13.120 --> 0:14:16.160 I mean, you know, for what he's done. And you 0:14:16.320 --> 0:14:18.720 remember at the beginning when we had him in training camp, 0:14:18.960 --> 0:14:21.600 we weren't real sure until we got into some of 0:14:21.600 --> 0:14:23.480 those games in training camp as to how he was 0:14:23.520 --> 0:14:26.240 going to hold up. But the first route we saw 0:14:26.320 --> 0:14:29.520 him run in, uh, you know in training camp you 0:14:29.560 --> 0:14:31.880 just know knew it and you felt it, and you 0:14:31.920 --> 0:14:34.520 know his work ethic now is second to none, and 0:14:34.680 --> 0:14:38.280 his care factor is you know, the sky's the limits. 0:14:38.280 --> 0:14:40.280 So you put all that together and you get productivity. 0:14:40.280 --> 0:14:43.000 Commit you also set a team record for passing first downs. 0:14:43.040 --> 0:14:45.520 I don't think people would have realized that given the 0:14:45.560 --> 0:14:48.720 slow struggles this season, for every little step is more 0:14:48.920 --> 0:14:51.720 towards the end game and the journey. Right, Yeah, that's right, 0:14:51.800 --> 0:14:53.760 And it is just that it is a journey and 0:14:53.760 --> 0:14:57.040 and our guys are you know, it's it's it's we 0:14:57.080 --> 0:15:00.920 got to be able to understand. Okay, big picture is 0:15:00.080 --> 0:15:02.720 us is here. We are, we sit right now here 0:15:02.720 --> 0:15:05.960 on Monday, January fourth, and we have an opportunity sitting 0:15:05.960 --> 0:15:07.560 in front of us. What are we going to do 0:15:07.600 --> 0:15:10.840 with it? And as you said earlier in this you 0:15:10.880 --> 0:15:13.600 know call we Uh you know, there's some teams that 0:15:13.680 --> 0:15:16.360 go on in there and and and win, and it's 0:15:16.400 --> 0:15:18.680 not going to be easy, but we believe in each 0:15:18.680 --> 0:15:21.360 other and sometimes when that happens, that belief is strong, 0:15:21.440 --> 0:15:24.560 it's powerful, and crazy things happen. So we're I'm just 0:15:24.560 --> 0:15:26.240 proud of our guys and we got to get everything 0:15:26.240 --> 0:15:28.600 we got. All right, let's start talking about the Saints 0:15:28.720 --> 0:15:31.000 played them lost to him buy a field goal in 0:15:31.080 --> 0:15:34.480 overtime at Soldier Field. It was a well fought game. Um, 0:15:34.640 --> 0:15:36.440 what are you looking at with these guys right now 0:15:36.480 --> 0:15:40.160 in their home gym, Because Drew Brees obviously is no 0:15:40.320 --> 0:15:45.120 different in terms of his excellence in ball control, possession time, 0:15:45.560 --> 0:15:48.920 completion percentage, lack of interceptions, lack of sex and the 0:15:48.960 --> 0:15:51.360 guy you just faced in Aaron Rodgers. Yeah, no, I 0:15:51.360 --> 0:15:53.480 mean you're talking about back to back quarterbacks that are 0:15:53.520 --> 0:15:55.000 some of the best to ever play in the history 0:15:55.000 --> 0:15:57.400 of the game. So we understand that. But what a 0:15:57.520 --> 0:15:59.320 what a great challenge for us, you know when you 0:15:59.320 --> 0:16:02.040 look at that, and I also say in regards to 0:16:02.080 --> 0:16:05.600 their coaching staff and their personnel and their defense. You know, 0:16:05.640 --> 0:16:08.320 their defense has been really good the last couple of years, 0:16:08.320 --> 0:16:10.120 and Dennis Allen does a really good job with them. 0:16:10.160 --> 0:16:12.960 So we got to make sure we have our a game, 0:16:13.080 --> 0:16:15.960 you know, playing them in their home home turf. They're 0:16:16.040 --> 0:16:19.400 they're obviously really good there. There'll be some fans there, 0:16:20.400 --> 0:16:23.040 but our guys will welcome to challenge. And like you said, 0:16:23.080 --> 0:16:25.480 we faced these guys already this year and we went 0:16:25.480 --> 0:16:28.680 to overtime, didn't have the result we wanted. But here 0:16:28.680 --> 0:16:30.800 we go in the playoffs now against them. Full started 0:16:30.840 --> 0:16:33.680 that game, Mitch starts this game. What will be looking 0:16:33.720 --> 0:16:36.240 at in terms of that defense at Dennis Allen, they've 0:16:36.280 --> 0:16:38.640 done some really good things, as you said, fifth fewest 0:16:38.680 --> 0:16:41.240 points allowed in the league right now, fourth in rushing 0:16:41.320 --> 0:16:45.160 yards allowed per game, eighth and saxon most impressively number 0:16:45.200 --> 0:16:48.000 one and passes defense and number one tied for the 0:16:48.040 --> 0:16:50.880 league with interceptions. Yeah, I think that that's probably right 0:16:50.880 --> 0:16:53.080 there is what you just said is, you know, again 0:16:53.160 --> 0:16:56.480 what what coach Allen has done as a defensive coordinator 0:16:56.520 --> 0:16:59.280 is they're really good on defense, and so what they do, 0:16:59.560 --> 0:17:01.440 it's hard to find a lot of teams that are 0:17:01.440 --> 0:17:04.280 that good at stopping the run or rush defense and 0:17:04.280 --> 0:17:06.200 then yet the same thing with the pass and then 0:17:06.280 --> 0:17:09.200 points and all that. So we have to make sure 0:17:09.240 --> 0:17:10.919 that we are really locked in and we have a 0:17:10.960 --> 0:17:13.400 great game plan, our players believe in it, and then 0:17:13.400 --> 0:17:15.040 we just gotta go do it. Yeah, they got a 0:17:15.040 --> 0:17:19.200 couple of guys really surprising with their production in terms 0:17:19.200 --> 0:17:22.000 of name recognition. Trey Hendrickson is not somebody that people 0:17:22.080 --> 0:17:24.159 think of as a big time pass rusher, but he 0:17:24.160 --> 0:17:26.600 finished with thirteen and a half sacks this year. That's 0:17:26.640 --> 0:17:28.879 one guy to block in tomorrow. Davis on the other 0:17:28.960 --> 0:17:31.720 side as well. All right, mentally, how do you shed 0:17:31.760 --> 0:17:36.840 this disappointment in your first meeting with these guys tomorrow? 0:17:37.040 --> 0:17:39.200 What are you gonna tell him? Well, there's I mean, 0:17:39.440 --> 0:17:42.679 so there's zero disappointment right now with our guys. I 0:17:42.680 --> 0:17:45.240 mean that was that was yesterday, that was last night, 0:17:45.400 --> 0:17:47.720 and so our guys, I mean I've already you know, 0:17:47.800 --> 0:17:50.600 had had phone calls and text messages of the vibe 0:17:50.600 --> 0:17:53.159 that's in the in the building right now. Just uh, 0:17:53.240 --> 0:17:55.840 the guys with lifting weights and they're they're so they're 0:17:55.840 --> 0:17:57.960 so locked in and folcused on New Orleans. I mean, 0:17:58.000 --> 0:18:00.359 it's that's the beauty of this whole thing, you know. 0:18:00.440 --> 0:18:02.800 I Mean it's like, all right, we understand from the 0:18:02.840 --> 0:18:05.840 fans perspective that it can kind of hang on and linger. 0:18:05.920 --> 0:18:09.119 But from a player's perspective, that's the cool part of 0:18:09.160 --> 0:18:10.840