Week 9 Dolphins @ Bears (+4.5) - Noon, CBS

[WrigleyField 22]

Listening to the score in the background and boy, are they still hung up on defense. "This game worries me, the Dolphins have sooooooo may weapons, no Roquan Smith cripples the defense", blah, blah, blah, they just don't get it, today's NFL is all about offense. Even the last few Super Bowl winners allowed 20+ points/game and 5+ yards/play - outscore the opposition, build an offense, score, score, score. Moreover, an exciting loss is entertaining and helps the draft position to possibly facilitate the D line so they can talk more defense. The only one who gets it, and it pains me to write it, is Bernstein. This and, they talk about the White Sox way too horsefeathering much.

 

To play devil's advocate, we saw this approach under Trestman. Best offense the Bears have had and a historically bad defense ruined the season. The Bears have a ways to go to get to a 20ppg, 5 y/p defense after losing Roquan. Quinn isn't a big factor, but Smith was....and they already needed pretty much everything else on the front 7.

 

But yeah, I don't care about a crippled defense in a rebuilding season. But they are going to have to put significant resources into that side of the ball this offseason as well. Not just on the offensive side.

 

I think he's just talking about this season. No way Eberflus is going to be happy with an all offense/no defense team long term.

I mean no one should. Most SB winners are like top 10 in both.

 

As long as they aren't meatball "D first this is Chicago bears football baby" derp it's fine.

[gflore34]

Now that we went and got a WR that should (when paired with Mooney and maybe a decent FA WR or a 3rd/4th rd pick) give us at least a solid group of WRs, maybe we get a guy at DT or EDGE (or both!) that can be a disruptor through the draft/FA and make a big difference. Jalen Carter or Will Anderson or Myles Murphy maybe in the draft if we can get some good tank losses. If we could split with Detroit (their D is so bad and Jared Goff is their QB so I would expect we manage 1 win) that would be huge.

 

I'd gladly trade that win for a one vs. the Packers, one where Fields goes off and the Bears win something like 46 - 43 on FG with time expiring.

[WrigleyField 22]

 

I doubt he's in consideration for C, but at least helps the IOL depth once he's back.

[raw]

Now that we went and got a WR that should (when paired with Mooney and maybe a decent FA WR or a 3rd/4th rd pick) give us at least a solid group of WRs, maybe we get a guy at DT or EDGE (or both!) that can be a disruptor through the draft/FA and make a big difference. Jalen Carter or Will Anderson or Myles Murphy maybe in the draft if we can get some good tank losses. If we could split with Detroit (their D is so bad and Jared Goff is their QB so I would expect we manage 1 win) that would be huge.

 

I'd still pick WR in the first 2 rounds. Actually still leaning toward 1st round. I think you can find OL and DL in Free agency. The Bears still don't have a stud #1 WR. Best way is to take one and take one early in the draft.

[WrigleyField 22]

Now that we went and got a WR that should (when paired with Mooney and maybe a decent FA WR or a 3rd/4th rd pick) give us at least a solid group of WRs, maybe we get a guy at DT or EDGE (or both!) that can be a disruptor through the draft/FA and make a big difference. Jalen Carter or Will Anderson or Myles Murphy maybe in the draft if we can get some good tank losses. If we could split with Detroit (their D is so bad and Jared Goff is their QB so I would expect we manage 1 win) that would be huge.

 

I'd still pick WR in the first 2 rounds. Actually still leaning toward 1st round. I think you can find OL and DL in Free agency. The Bears still don't have a stud #1 WR. Best way is to take one and take one early in the draft.

Assuming that they finish top 10 there really are like 3 positions, and maybe a 4th in play : WR, DE, OT. Maybe DT if he's a perfect 3T who's very highly rated.

 

If there isn't value at those spots, just trade down. But I hope they do enough in FA not to feel forced toward any one spot at the top of the draft.

[David]

[WrigleyField 22]

As long as Poles doesn't have to be convinced of the same.

 

Pretty funny though that Ballard wasn't apparently in the business of top 8 LB, but a Guard? No problem!

[raw]

As long as Poles doesn't have to be convinced of the same.

 

Pretty funny though that Ballard wasn't apparently in the business of top 8 LB, but a Guard? No problem!

 

To be fair, he was the best guard prospect I've ever seen. And he was the best OG in the league. Not sure what has happened to him last year and a half, injuries?

[UMFan83]

Claypool practicing today. They're definitely gonna have a package of plays for him to be in for this weekend.

 

 

So much for that Steelers bye week he was on lol

[WrigleyField 22]

Claypool practicing today. They're definitely gonna have a package of plays for him to be in for this weekend.

 

 

So much for that Steelers bye week he was on lol

Obviously he'll get his bye in week 14, but with all this trade activity I was wondering... Has a guy ever started more than 16 games (pre 2021) or is anyone slated to start 18 games this year because they didn't catch either end of the bye and got traded?

[UMFan83]

Claypool practicing today. They're definitely gonna have a package of plays for him to be in for this weekend.

 

 

So much for that Steelers bye week he was on lol

Obviously he'll get his bye in week 14, but with all this trade activity I was wondering... Has a guy ever started more than 16 games (pre 2021) or is anyone slated to start 18 games this year because they didn't catch either end of the bye and got traded?

 

Robert Quinn would have been one but he missed the Bears game vs. Minnesota. Eagles already had their bye and he played for them last Sunday.

[jersey cubs fan]

Claypool practicing today. They're definitely gonna have a package of plays for him to be in for this weekend.

 

 

So much for that Steelers bye week he was on lol

Who is Fountain?

[minnesotacubsfan]

Claypool practicing today. They're definitely gonna have a package of plays for him to be in for this weekend.

 

 

So much for that Steelers bye week he was on lol

 

 

was looking at that tweet and thinking "who's #10?" I had forgotten Mooney already has #11

[SouthSideRyan]

Claypool practicing today. They're definitely gonna have a package of plays for him to be in for this weekend.

 

 

So much for that Steelers bye week he was on lol

Obviously he'll get his bye in week 14, but with all this trade activity I was wondering... Has a guy ever started more than 16 games (pre 2021) or is anyone slated to start 18 games this year because they didn't catch either end of the bye and got traded?

 

Robert Quinn would have been one but he missed the Bears game vs. Minnesota. Eagles already had their bye and he played for them last Sunday.

 

Quinn played 50 snaps against Minnesota, he just didn't register anything in the box score. He could be the first 18 gamer since they standardized the schedule.

[UMFan83]

Claypool practicing today. They're definitely gonna have a package of plays for him to be in for this weekend.

 

 

So much for that Steelers bye week he was on lol

Who is Fountain?

 

Practice squad guy. Played in a handful of NFL games in past years.

[raw]

Obviously he'll get his bye in week 14, but with all this trade activity I was wondering... Has a guy ever started more than 16 games (pre 2021) or is anyone slated to start 18 games this year because they didn't catch either end of the bye and got traded?

 

Robert Quinn would have been one but he missed the Bears game vs. Minnesota. Eagles already had their bye and he played for them last Sunday.

 

Quinn played 50 snaps against Minnesota, he just didn't register anything in the box score. He could be the first 18 gamer since they standardized the schedule.

 

I looked up players who have played 17 games (when it was a 16 game schedule). Crazily, Jerry Rice is one of 8 who played with a bye. When he famously was traded from the Raiders to the Seahawks late in his career (I totally remember him on the Seahawks**). Emmanuel Sanders most recently did it in 2019 when traded from Broncos to 49ers. He also played in the SB, so he played 20 games that year.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

** I don't, seen pictures of him in the jersey, but had no idea he ever played for them.

[UMFan83]

Obviously he'll get his bye in week 14, but with all this trade activity I was wondering... Has a guy ever started more than 16 games (pre 2021) or is anyone slated to start 18 games this year because they didn't catch either end of the bye and got traded?

 

Robert Quinn would have been one but he missed the Bears game vs. Minnesota. Eagles already had their bye and he played for them last Sunday.

 

Quinn played 50 snaps against Minnesota, he just didn't register anything in the box score. He could be the first 18 gamer since they standardized the schedule.

 

Whoops. I couldn’t remember him not playing a game but since he didn’t register a game played I assumed he missed it. Instead he just did nothing

[WrigleyField 22]

Wow so Quinn pulled a Tony Snell. Impressive.

[SouthSideRyan]

Hockenson won’t get a bye either, but he missed a week for injury already

[CubinNY]

Claypool practicing today. They're definitely gonna have a package of plays for him to be in for this weekend.

 

 

So much for that Steelers bye week he was on lol

It looks like the Bears practice in Bryant Park. Like a pick up game.

[Tryptamine]

Unfortunately I've decided to start Fields over Brady so I've basically doomed him before the first snap. Sorry everyone.

[WrigleyField 22]

Unfortunately I've decided to start Fields over Brady so I've basically doomed him before the first snap. Sorry everyone.

I was gonna go as far as trading for him in one league to really jinx us, but my league mate had no interest.

 

My other league he's actually still available, but I have Hurts and am in it to win it whereas the other league I'm last place and trolling for possible keepers now. Also it's a 6pt passing TD league, so running heavy QBs can be slightly muted value wise.

[UMFan83]

Unfortunately I've decided to start Fields over Brady so I've basically doomed him before the first snap. Sorry everyone.

I was gonna go as far as trading for him in one league to really jinx us, but my league mate had no interest.

 

My other league he's actually still available, but I have Hurts and am in it to win it whereas the other league I'm last place and trolling for possible keepers now. Also it's a 6pt passing TD league, so running heavy QBs can be slightly muted value wise.

 

I made a bold move to make Fields a keeper after I owned him last year. I literally came thisclose to dropping him after week 4. Tried to dangle him in a trade but including him actually decreased the value of the trade I was offering in other team's eyes. I think I started Bridgewater over him one week (superflex). But now he's a must start. I always hated owning Bears in fantasy because more often than not they were a disappointment and I hated when they failed my fantasy team and my real life team, but in his case its helping both for once!

[WrigleyField 22]

Unfortunately I've decided to start Fields over Brady so I've basically doomed him before the first snap. Sorry everyone.

I was gonna go as far as trading for him in one league to really jinx us, but my league mate had no interest.

 

My other league he's actually still available, but I have Hurts and am in it to win it whereas the other league I'm last place and trolling for possible keepers now. Also it's a 6pt passing TD league, so running heavy QBs can be slightly muted value wise.

 

I made a bold move to make Fields a keeper after I owned him last year. I literally came thisclose to dropping him after week 4. Tried to dangle him in a trade but including him actually decreased the value of the trade I was offering in other team's eyes. I think I started Bridgewater over him one week (superflex). But now he's a must start. I always hated owning Bears in fantasy because more often than not they were a disappointment and I hated when they failed my fantasy team and my real life team, but in his case its helping both for once!

Hedge all the unders.

[raw]

Unfortunately I've decided to start Fields over Brady so I've basically doomed him before the first snap. Sorry everyone.

 

I'm in 3 leagues. 1 for fun, with my son. 1 (money) keeper league I've been in forever. And 1 money league with my current co-workers. And I have Fields in every league. I have Hurts in the fun one. Lamar Jackson in the keeper. And ironically my work league team's name is "Fields of Dreams" with Justin as the logo...but I did NOT draft him in that league. I did, however, just pick him up off waivers before last week's game. I've started Brady every week except once when I started, Marcus Freaking Mariota (who outscored Brady in that and other weeks). I went with Brady last week because I thought Dallas was a rough matchup, but Fields is my guy from now on until his BYE week. He's been QB2 for the last 4 weeks of fantasy play.