Sugashane Posted August 6, 2021 Share Posted August 6, 2021 1 hour ago, soulman said: Training Camp If you’re getting sick of Fields-specific posts, I have a recommendation for you: find another blog. Zero people are sick of hearing about Fields. lol 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soulman Posted August 6, 2021 Author Share Posted August 6, 2021 (edited) 4 hours ago, dll2000 said: But if Fields knew he had to start and Bears knew it. I think there would be more intensity and urgency involved in his development by all involved. And as we progress toward season his reps will drop significantly and during season they will be nearly non existent. No one can ever convince me less reps and more watching makes you better at any sport. No doubt but that isn't the situation we have here. Now, I won't argue with you that quite possibly it should be but it isn't. Also, consider this. Is it possible Fields is learning the playbook and decision making process Nagy prefers as quickly as he is because he isn't under pressure to start immediately. This seems to have given him a chance to learn from Foles and Dalton as well if only because he isn't taking every single rep they can give him. As for the rest I'm not sure we can say for certain how things will play out this month as the preseason begins. He's gonna get reps and I think we can assume that he's gonna play as well. I'm content to wait 'til the season starts before commenting on how much work he's getting in practice but I do believe he won't just be running a scout team. Unless he's traded Foles will cover that so Fields can still get some 1st team reps. Unlike Jeff Hughers I really don't see Fields languishing on the sidelines all year no matter what Dalton does. Edited August 6, 2021 by soulman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heinz D. Posted August 6, 2021 Share Posted August 6, 2021 4 hours ago, dll2000 said: Meanwhile Mac is actually getting more than Newton to date according to youtube patriot channels. Well, Mac is going to be better than Newton EVER was. So, there's that... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sugashane Posted August 7, 2021 Share Posted August 7, 2021 16 hours ago, Heinz D. said: Well, Mac is going to be better than Newton EVER was. So, there's that... I'm not a huge Mac guy, but I love the prediction. Mac to me tops out at prime Dalton. Certainly nothing to sneeze at. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abstract_thought Posted August 7, 2021 Share Posted August 7, 2021 Given the current state of the Bears' offensive line, keep Fields as far away from the turf as possible. I'm all-in on the Shane Falco... err, Andy Dalton Train! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beardown3231 Posted August 8, 2021 Share Posted August 8, 2021 11 hours ago, abstract_thought said: Given the current state of the Bears' offensive line, keep Fields as far away from the turf as possible. I'm all-in on the Shane Falco... err, Andy Dalton Train! It's August 7. I agree with most of what Hughes has said- great ones don't need perfect conditions. There won't be a point in this year when conditions will be ideal. If him and Dalton are truly neck and neck, I let Fields take the reigns week 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soulman Posted August 9, 2021 Author Share Posted August 9, 2021 Training Camp Diary: Montgomery Gains Speed, Mooney Gains Confidence, Ogletree Gains. Jeff Hughes | August 9th, 2021 https://dabearsblog.com/2021/training-camp-diary-5 The Bears practiced Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Here are a collection of thoughts and ruminations. David Montgomery has been a good running back. But what’s kept him from being a great running back is his lack of breakaway speed. Too often Montgomery gains 15-20 yards on runs that should be 70-yard touchdowns. Adam Jahns (in The Athletic, of course) discusses Montgomery’s clear speed gains this summer: “It was also a run where Montgomery’s speed training from the offseason appeared to factor in. The surprising thing wasn’t that Montgomery broke tackles; it continues to be how fast he’s eating up yardage when he is in the open field.” The NFL will not allow us to embed their YouTube content on our websites – a decision that literally makes zero digital sense. So if you want to see Jimbo Covert’s Hall of Fame speech, go over there and see it. Cairo Santos saved his NFL career in 2020 with the Chicago Bears. Adam Hoge profiled that season quite nicely for NBC Sports. Take everything you hear in training camp with a grain of salt, but the praise being poured out for Darnell Mooney is coming from everywhere. One reason for the excitement is Mooney actually fits what Nagy wants to do offensively better than a player like Allen Robinson. (Another reason the Bears are reluctant to throw top five money at Robinson.) Won’t surprise me if Mooney’s numbers exceed ARob’s this season. From Wikipedia: “Hypotheses of the phrase’s origin include Pliny the Elder‘s Naturalis Historia, regarding the discovery of a recipe for an antidote to a poison.[2] In the antidote, one of the ingredients was a grain of salt. Threats involving the poison were thus to be taken “with a grain of salt”, and therefore less seriously. The phrase *** grano salis (“with a grain of salt”) is not what Pliny wrote. It is constructed according to the grammar of modern European languages rather than Classical Latin. Pliny’s actual words were addito salis grano (“after having added a grain of salt”).” Matt Nagy said he “feels better than worse” about Roquan’s injury. Here’s my question: why speak like this? The whole league does it and it makes no sense. Here’s how coaches should talk about injuries. Player X has a problem with his Y and we expect him to return in around Z days. What other details are required? Why do we need a non-medical professional’s feel for the situation? Roquan Side Note: He’s going to make a lot of money very soon. Training camp is all about staying healthy. The Bears can’t manage to start healthy on the offensive line. It’s still to early to be overly concerned but concern may start setting in by the end of the week. Justin Fields Side Note: No, I’m not making my decision on who to start at QB based on OL health. Fields should start. (And he also should stop throwing all his practice passes to guys that aren’t making the roster.) Alec Ogletree continues to be a menace in pass defense. His emergence could enable Sean Desai to take Danny Trevathan off the field on obvious passing downs. (A good thing.) Khalil Herbert’s ability to return punts may end up securing him the kick return gig for the opener. Camp is closed today. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soulman Posted August 11, 2021 Author Share Posted August 11, 2021 (edited) Training Camp Diary: A Good Problem To Have Andrew Dannehy | August 10th, 2021 Justin Fields seems like he’s ready to play, but Andy Dalton is trying to make it so he doesn’t have to. The reports from Chicago Bears training camp are nearly unanimous in that both quarterbacks are well ahead of where either Mitch Trubisky or Nick Foles were a year ago. That puts the Bears in a good situation at a position they’ve rarely been able to say that about. If they want to throw the young stud out there, he won’t drown. But they can let him take his time. At this point, the throw Fields made during Sunday’s practice has spread around the internet enough times that Bears fans surely don’t need a description of it. DaBearsBlog @dabearsblog Holy **** that throw!! EVERYBODYLOVESFLEE @SoIcyFlee I got footage https://twitter.com/nicholasmoreano/status/1424399631484694533 Whether it’s practice or games, that was as special a throw as you’ll see. It was the kind of throw only a handful of NFL quarterbacks can think about making. It’s hard not to get carried away when envisioning what Fields could do in this offense. And it’s hard to imagine a world in which he won’t get his shot, quickly. But unlike Mike Glennon with Mitch Trubisky in 2017 or Matt Flynn with Russell Wilson in 2012, Dalton isn’t giving the job away. When the star wide receiver raves about you, as Allen Robinson has about Dalton, you’re in a good spot as a quarterback. Playing against the Bears defensive starters without most of his starting offensive line, the reports on Dalton have been consistent. He puts the ball where it needs to be, when it needs to be there. Yet even at his best, Dalton can’t deliver the splash plays of Fields. While early reports indicated some wild accuracy at times from Fields – and an interception on a screen pass – the gap certainly seems to be closing quickly. There’s little question that Fields will surpass Dalton, the question is when. Because Dalton is playing reasonably well, there is not rush. Coach Matt Nagy has indicated all along that Fields will play when he’s clearly the better option. That might not be Week One and if Dalton continues to play well, it might not happen this season. The Bears have two capable starting quarters. This is a problem they’ve never had before. But it’s a good problem to have. Related Edited August 11, 2021 by soulman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soulman Posted August 11, 2021 Author Share Posted August 11, 2021 Training Camp Diary: Addressing Three Fallacies When it Comes to Starting Justin Fields in LA Jeff Hughes | August 11th, 2021 Fallacy #1. The Soft Landing Spot Where did this premise come from? “No, Jeff, you can’t start Justin Fields in the opener because the opener is against the Rams on the road. And the Rams are very good.” It’s not the landing spot that is soft. It is this mode of thinking from fans and media. What kind of a message would that send to the kid? “Hey Justin, we think you’re ready to be our quarterback but we’re going to wait until the bad teams. We don’t think you’re ready for the good ones yet.” Rookie quarterbacks struggle. Aaron Rodgers was a mechanical nightmare. John Elway tried to take a snap from his guard. Terry Bradshaw got benched. Troy Aikman went 0-11. Peyton Manning threw 28 picks. Josh Allen looked like he was destined for the CFL. You’re not going to prevent a rookie quarterback from struggling by cherry-picking his opponents. The Lions are just as capable as the Rams of showing Fields a coverage disguise he hasn’t seen before. Rookie quarterbacks struggle. And that’s okay. Fallacy #2. The Unhealthy Offensive Line Deshaun Watson has been one of the most productive quarterbacks in the league the last three seasons. In those three seasons he was sacked 62, 44 and 49 times. He’s had one thousand-yard rusher. The only thing that’s made Houston’s rushing attack seem productive is Watson himself. His team mortgaged their entire future to attain…an offensive lineman. Russell Wilson has been complaining about his offensive line, and rightfully so, for five years. Josh Allen is often running for his life (and making plays on the run) in Buffalo. They were two of the five best quarterbacks in the league last year. Why? Because they’re great. And the great ones produce. The great ones make the players around them better. And if the Bears are going to wait for their offensive line to be at full strength before handing the reins over to Fields, there’s no telling how long that wait might be. This is the NFL. People are injured constantly. If Fields is the guy, make him the guy. Let him learn how to throw it away under pressure. Let him learn when to take off with his legs and when to sit in the pocket and absorb contact. Let him learn how to release the football quickly when the offensive line is struggling to stay healthy. The Bears need to see the imperfections of this situation not as impediments to development, but as teaching tools. Fallacy #3. The Veteran’s Summer Performance Nothing Andy Dalton does this summer should have ANY influence on the team’s decision at quarterback. Dalton is what he is. He’s slightly better than mediocre. He’ll make some terrific plays. He’ll make some bad plays. He’ll make 4-5 plays a season that will leave fans wondering if there’s a brain in his head. If he stays healthy, it’s likely Dalton will win a game or two more than he loses. He is what he has been for a decade. And that’s what he’ll be in Chicago. But this can’t be about Dalton. Making this decision about Dalton is football malpractice. This is about Fields. It’s all about Fields. What he does, and only what he does, should dictate the decisions. If he displays the ability to execute the fundamentals required to play the position, he should play the position day one. Dalton could look like the second coming of Dan Marino in practice sessions but who cares? If Dalton starts, every pick he throws at Soldier Field will lead to chants for Fields. If Dalton starts, every loss will force Chicago sports radio hosts to open their shows with “Is it time for Fields”? If Dalton starts, because the Bears are impressed with Dalton’s summer, it will be short-sighted, misguided and yet another example of an organization mismanaging the most important position in team sports. Because the only reason to start Dalton is because Fields is incapable of doing the job. And there’s no one around this team currently who believes that to be the case. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soulman Posted August 11, 2021 Author Share Posted August 11, 2021 Generally speaking I like and agree with what Jeff Hughes posts and while this article will please the "start Fields now" crowd I'm not buying into all that he's saying here. Fields not starting against LA would have far more to do with #2 and #3 than it does providing him with a "soft landing" by cherry picking who his first start may be against. For starters, if Dalton is injured Nagy won't have that choice anyway so IMHO his whole premise is bogus. Besides, no one has ever claimed that the strength of an opponent has anything to do with the decision to begin the season with Dalton as the #1 QB. Reason #2 is a very valid reason for holding Fields back until the OL has settled in and with both Jenkins and Ifedi sidelined by injuries it gonna be tough getting that done in camp and preseason. We should probably assume the initial game plans will take this into consideration as will the play calling. Dalton will have had more experience adjusting to this as well as more 1st team reps so we stick with the plan as opposed to learning just how effective Fields can be when he's potentially running for his life. As Hughes is quick to point out most of the QBs he uses as an example lost a significant number of games first before they became consistent winners. It seems to me that Nagy and his crew don't have the luxury of even another .500 season to allow Fields to learn on the fly. Plus, once he starts it's highly unlikely they'd bench him again if he does struggle so I'm content to let it play out for a few games first then decide. Fallacy #3 is also bogus. From all reports both QBs have been doing well in camp so it's not as if Fields is burying Dalton with his play. And virtually every QB in the NFL will make a half dozen or more boneheaded plays during the course of the season including guys like Rodgers and Brady. Remember the Bears game with TB? Yeah Tom, that was 4th down not 3rd down. So are we to believe Fields won't make just as many or more and will that in some way aid in his development? Sorry Jeff Hughes but your argument has more holes in it than Swiss Cheese or a leaky rowboat. Try again tomorrow. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abstract_thought Posted August 12, 2021 Share Posted August 12, 2021 20 hours ago, soulman said: Reason #2 is a very valid reason for holding Fields back until the OL has settled in and with both Jenkins and Ifedi sidelined by injuries it gonna be tough getting that done in camp and preseason. We should probably assume the initial game plans will take this into consideration as will the play calling. Dalton will have had more experience adjusting to this as well as more 1st team reps so we stick with the plan as opposed to learning just how effective Fields can be when he's potentially running for his life. I'd just hate to see him injured because the franchise wasn't more committed to protecting him. We all saw what happened with Joe Burrow last season. Why not let the OL settle and then use that as a platform for Fields to come in and run some offense? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soulman Posted August 12, 2021 Author Share Posted August 12, 2021 (edited) 9 hours ago, abstract_thought said: I'd just hate to see him injured because the franchise wasn't more committed to protecting him. We all saw what happened with Joe Burrow last season. Why not let the OL settle and then use that as a platform for Fields to come in and run some offense? For me it's not like Fields is not gonna get a shot at playing at all. It's nearly impossible to believe we'll play 17 games without him making his appearance as the starter. It's also nearly impossible to believe there aren't a lot of things he still needs work on that will disappear as the season progresses. I don't disagree with the thinking that he has to play to progress but I do disagree that mental reps have no value at all. No one wants to see him starting any more than I do but I much rather it happen once the OL has settled in and the run game has been established than to force the issue just because. We finally seem to have the guy we believe can lead this team for a decade or more and win championships so what's the rush? Edited August 12, 2021 by soulman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abstract_thought Posted August 12, 2021 Share Posted August 12, 2021 (edited) 1 hour ago, soulman said: For me it's not like Fields is not gonna get a shot at playing at all. It's nearly impossible to believe we'll play 17 games with him making his appearance as the starter. It's also nearly impossible to believe there aren't a lot of things he still needs work on that will disappear as the season progresses. I don't disagree with the thinking that he has to play to progress but I do disagree that mental reps have no value at all. No one wants to see him starting any more than I do but I much rather it happen once the OL has settled in and the run game has been established than to force the issue just because. We finally seem to have the guy we believe can lead this team for a decade or more and win championships so what's the rush? I'd rather him experience playing games. It's not that mental reps are worthless, but after you go through that, you still have things to learn on the field. In the ideal scenario, all those growing pains happen in year 1 and by year 2 we're looking at an ascending QB. But if getting on the field just involves him taking non-stop pressure, I'd question the value of that. And given the current state of the Bears' OL... Yeah, let's wait a few games. Edited August 12, 2021 by abstract_thought 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heinz D. Posted August 13, 2021 Share Posted August 13, 2021 On 8/7/2021 at 9:44 AM, Sugashane said: I'm not a huge Mac guy, but I love the prediction. Mac to me tops out at prime Dalton. Certainly nothing to sneeze at. I think he'll be better than that. But...substantially? Hard to say, and probably not. Newton had two fluke seasons of greatness in his entire career, and was pretty average apart from those seasons. He's like a bigger, poor man's Michael Vick. And he's probably the most over-hyped NFL player in recent memory. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sugashane Posted August 13, 2021 Share Posted August 13, 2021 16 minutes ago, Heinz D. said: I think he'll be better than that. But...substantially? Hard to say, and probably not. Newton had two fluke seasons of greatness in his entire career, and was pretty average apart from those seasons. He's like a bigger, poor man's Michael Vick. And he's probably the most over-hyped NFL player in recent memory. I've disliked Newton ever since he got booted off the Gators. IT does make me laugh a bit though. Aaron Hernandez, Riley Cooper, and a handful of others who could at minimum be called d-bags survived college under Urban Meyer, but Cam Newton was one that was potentially getting booted still. lol 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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