Week 9:Dolphins vs Bears

Tuesday weather report:

Clear, sunny, breezy and mild.

62 degrees at kickoff, 15 mph winds, gusts up to 25 mph.

Gusts of 25mph? Better tie Tua down.

"StaleTacos wrote:

Gusts of 25mph? Better tie Tua down.

Why yes because 6'1" 215lb men are often blown away by a 25mph gust of wind. :confused2:

The Bears have followed a memorable Monday night win in New England by trading away a couple of their best players. So with pass rusher Robert Quinn and linebacker Roquan Smith gone only four days apart, what are the Bears trying to do?

Obviously, they’re not trying to do everything they can to win every possible game in 2022. Whether that’s tanking or rebuilding or something in between doesn’t matter, as long as they don’t actually admit to tanking.

They’re necessarily admitting that the path to the postseason is narrow for 2022. They’ve faded into the Minnesota rearview mirror for the NFC North crown, and with both the Cowboys and Giants poised to capture two of the three wild-card berths, the Bears would have a very hard time emerging from a scrum that will include the Packers, the Commanders (yes, the Commanders), and the second- and third-place teams in the NFC West (currently, the 49ers and Rams).

The moves also reflect a recognition that Quinn was likely going to be cut after the 2022 season, and that it was unlikely that they’d keep Smith in 2023. They could have held onto Smith, letting him leave via free agency and potentially getting a third-round compensatory pick in 2024. If, however, they plan to make a splash in free agency when March arrives, they wouldn’t have gotten anything for Smith.

The Bears also are paying millions to both players for the rest of the season, which basically amounts to buying future draft picks. They’ve added a second-, fourth-, and fifth-rounder for 2023. And 2023 is when things will get rolling. Forget about 2022. If Aaron Rodgers retires (or even if he doesn’t), the division could be wide open by next year. The Bears are planning to try to take it over.

It’s a form of tanking. It’s strategically doing less now in the hopes of doing more later. And, again, as long as no one admits to it, the league will never do anything about it.

"Springveldt wrote:

Why yes because 6'1" 215lb men are often blown away by a 25mph gust of wind. :confused2:

Ignore the troll.

I'm hoping we can get our zone running game going forcing the Bears LB's out wide before Tua shreds them over the middle. Think this is one of the rare occasions I'd like the run to open up the pass rather than our usual pass to open the run.

I think we match up pretty well with them as our run defence is the strongest part of our defence and Mostert has been running the ball well the last few weeks.

I'm expecting a close game though but think we can pull out a 24-17 win if we don't shoot ourselves in the foot with penalties.

"Springveldt wrote:

I'm hoping we can get our zone running game going forcing the Bears LB's out wide before Tua shreds them over the middle. Think this is one of the rare occasions I'd like the run to open up the pass rather than our usual pass to open the run.

I think we match up pretty well with them as our run defence is the strongest part of our defence and Mostert has been running the ball well the last few weeks.

I'm expecting a close game though but think we can pull out a 24-17 win if we don't shoot ourselves in the foot with penalties.

I think the defensive line can get back on track this week. Fields holds the ball forevvvvvvver.

"Springveldt wrote:

Why yes because 6'1" 215lb men are often blown away by a 25mph gust of wind. :confused2:

He's 6'0". He's been measured multiple times now. Just because I list myself as 6'5" doesn't make it so.

And it's just a joke, lighten up.

"TheHighExhaulted wrote:

Ignore the troll.

Stop projecting.

We are catching a bit of a break with the fairly mild temperature. Looking at the sched in advance, this had cold weather game potential.

Chicago has the 3rd highest rush rate in the league… even though they are losing for the majority of their snaps. We have been respectable against the run. Chicago’s passing offense has not been good. So this sets up as a good matchup for our defense to get back on track. If Chicago throws the ball all over us…. It may be time to panic.

"StaleTacos wrote:

He's 6'0". He's been measured multiple times now. Just because I list myself as 6'5" doesn't make it so.

And it's just a joke, lighten up.

Being 6'0" should help him then with a lower centre of gravity. :up:

I doubt we're suddenly going to go heavy on the running game. We're #4 in the league in terms of percentage of all plays that are passing attempts, at 59.84%. That's deliberate, which is good. SB winning teams tend to be well above average in passing offense and passing defense. We have half that formula in place.

An injury report that looks more like a grocery list is becoming a weekly ritual for the Miami Dolphins. As the team looks to extend its winning streak to three against the Chicago Bears on Sunday, 21 players were listed on the Wednesday injury report.

Six players did not participate, including tackle Terron Armstead (toe), wide receiver River Cracraft (illness), cornerback Xavien Howard (vet rest), defensive end Melvin Ingram (vet rest), tackle Austin Jackson (ankle/calf) and defensive tackle John Jenkins (personal).

Newly signed linebacker Bradley Chubb and running back Jeff Wilson Jr. were both limited, listed as vet rest days. Linebacker Jerome Baker (hip), tight end Tanner Conner (knee), defensive tackle Raekwon Davis (knee), safety Clayton Fejedelm (groin), running back Raheem Mostert (vet rest), tackle Brandon Shell (groin), tight end Durham Smythe (hamstring) and linebacker Andrew Van Ginkel (chest/ribs) were also limited.

Some positive news, Jevon Holland (wrist), Emmanual Ogbah (back), Zach Sieler (hand), Jaylen Waddle (shoulder), and Christian Wilkins (hand) were all fully active.

All eyes will be on Jackson, who was just recently activated from injured reserve, and if he’ll return to the starting right tackle role instead of Shell.

Despite a long list of injuries, just two games remain before the Dolphins hit the bye week, which will be followed with four road games in five weeks.

Six players did not participate in practice Wednesday, but four of those absences were not injury-related. And the two who didn't practice because of injuries were not expected to practice because Terron Armstead has not worked on Wednesdays all season and because Austin Jackson isn't ready to go yet despite coming off injured reserve on Tuesday, as indicated by head coach Mike McDaniel earlier in the week.

And then there was Xavien Howard, who didn't practice because of vet rest but who no longer is listed with a groin injury. And also wide receiver River Cracraft, who sat out because of illlness but no longer was listed with the neck injury that caused him to miss the game against the Detroit Lions.

Of the other two absences, Melvin Ingram got his customary Wednesday vet rest and defensive tackle John Jenkins was out for personal reasons.

Among the 11 players listed as limited participants, three had vet rest listed as the reason. That included newcomers Bradley Chubb and Jeff Wilson Jr. in a situation that wasn't unusual in the least given that they just arrived in South Florida. The other player limited because of vet rest was running back Raheem Mostert.

BEARS INJURY REPORT
Chicago had a very small injury report compared to that of the Dolphins, with only four players listed, though all of them are starters.

Three worked in a limited capacity Wednesday: DB Kyler Gordon (hip), DB Eddie Jackson (hip) and OL Teven Jenkins (back). The one player who did sit out practice was offensive lineman Larry Borom, who missed the Bears' Week 8 game at Dallas with a concussion.

It doesn’t sound like Jackson will play this Sunday, but if he does, I’d rather see him fill in for Liam instead of protecting Tua’s blind side.

Dolphins (-5) at Bears

MDS’s take: A Bears defense that suddenly doesn’t have Robert Quinn or Roquan Smith is going to struggle with the big-play Dolphins offense.

MDS’s pick: Dolphins 30, Bears 20.

Florio’s take: The Dolphins were the only team to beat the 1985 Bears. Thirty-seven years later, the Dolphins simply become the latest to beat the 2022 Bears.

Florio’s pick: Dolphins 31, Bears 24.

"Finatik wrote:

Florio’s take: The Dolphins were the only team to beat the 1985 Bears. Thirty-seven years later, the Dolphins simply become the latest to beat the 2022 Bears.

I generally don't like Florio, but I think that will be a very true statement. We're going to torch them on the ground and then throw a few bombs simply out of boredom. I'm thinking more like 41-14.

"KeyFin wrote:

I generally don't like Florio, but I think that will be a very true statement. We're going to torch them on the ground and then throw a few bombs simply out of boredom. I'm thinking more like 41-14.

I don't think our defense can contain Fields enough to hold the score that low. I'm thinking the final score is something around 28-24 with the Dolphins pulling out a win with a defensive stand at the end not very unlike what happened in Detroit.

"Rick 1966 wrote:

I don't think our defense can contain Fields enough to hold the score that low. I'm thinking the final score is something around 28-24 with the Dolphins pulling out a win with a defensive stand at the end not very unlike what happened in Detroit.

You could be right. But if we can set up the ground game and really pound the football, then we'll be eating clock and Fields will have limited opportunities. We'll see though...I'm always the optimist!

Any word on if Wilson will see a few snaps on Sunday?

"Fishhead wrote:

Any word on if Wilson will see a few snaps on Sunday?

It's the same offense so I would say he'll be RB2. We should be able to get our ground game going here with Smith and Quinn gone.

"Destroyer wrote:

It's the same offense so I would say he'll be RB2. We should be able to get our ground game going here with Smith and Quinn gone.

It should be somewhat easier for him to pick up the system since he's been in a like minded one before.

"KeyFin wrote:

You could be right. But if we can set up the ground game and really pound the football, then we'll be eating clock and Fields will have limited opportunities. We'll see though...I'm always the optimist!

I am hopeful that the new guy can improve our running game, but our OL is still our OL.

"Rick 1966 wrote:

I am hopeful that the new guy can improve our running game, but our OL is still our OL.

Unless the line is only opening holes for Mostert it seems like a safe bet that he will improve over Edmonds.