Week 1 NFL ATS and DFS Picks

Mitch Trubisky is 3-0 in his last three games against the Lions. He owns a 106.3 QB rating and has thrown for 11TDs in five games. The Bears are +2 this Sunday in Detroit

The 2020 NFL season kicked off Thursday night with the defending champion Kansas City Chiefs drubbing the Houston Texans 34-20. Today we get our first NFL Sunday of the season! Let's dive in to some of my top gambling picks of the day:

Pick of the week: Chicago Bears (+2) @ Detroit Lions

I'm seriously perplexed by this line. On one hand, I understand the struggles of Mitch Trubisky and the Bears offense last season. But on the other, Trubisky has led the Bears to three straight victories over the Lions, who have been one of the few teams he has consistently torched in his career. The Bears defense is back at full strength (minus Robert Quinn who is doubtful with an ankle injury) and the Lions will like be without both Halapoulivaati Vaitai (foot) and Kenny Golladay (hamstring). I was already liking the Bears before the injury news, this just seals it.

Other Picks

Give me the Over 42 on the Phi/Was game. Miles Sanders is out for Philly, but this is a matchup that went for 59 and 64 points last season. I'll also take the Over 42 on LAC/Cin game. The Bengals defense was awful last season and the Chargers won't be the same without Derwin James. Both teams should have enough offensive firepower to make it happen. Give me the Indianapolis Colts (-8) @ Jacksonville Jaguars. The Jags are just a plain bad football team, so I'm not scared away by that line on the road. The last three and five of the last six games between GB/Min have been Under 45. I'll play that history especially since I don't like either of the offenses. Seattle Seahawks @ Atlanta Falcons (+1.5) should be quite the shootout. The Falcons have won their last three home openers, so I'll take them on the turf.

DFS Picks

QB:

• Stud worth paying up for: Russell Wilson @ ATL ($8400)

This game is going to be a shootout and Wilson will have all of his weapons at his disposal. He's well worth the price this week.

• Cash play: Carson Wentz @ WAS ($7700)

I already liked Wentz before Sanders was ruled out. His floor should be pretty high in a matchup he lit up last year.

• GPP plays: Mitch Trubisky @ DET ($6900), Gardner Minshew v. IND ($6700)

As I mentioned above, Trubisky has owned the Lions in his career (20.3FDP). At his price he'll be a steal and very low owned. The Jags will likely be down early and throwing the ball most of the game, making Minshew another intriguing low cost option.

• Notable Fade: Josh Allen v. NYJ ($7900)

I'm just not buying him as a passer. That matched with one of the lower Over/Under totals on the slate means he's not getting anywhere near my lineups this week.

RB:

• Stud worth paying up for: Christian McCaffrey v. LVR ($10000)

The massive price tag is going to scare a lot of people off, but with plenty of low cost options available on the slate and a juicy matchup, Run CMC will be well worth it this week.

• Cash play: Austin Ekeler @ CIN ($7700)

Without Melvin Gordon last season, Ekeler was a true fantasy stud. Volume, matchup, and affordable cost all make him an excellent play in all formats, especially cash.

• GPP plays: Marlon Mack @ JAC ($6100), Boston Scott @ WAS ($4700)

Boston Scott will likely be the highest owned value player on the slate after the Miles Sanders injury so he is a requisite mention here. Don't sleep on Marlon Mack. The Jags defense is bad and the Colts are fully committed to a run-heavy offense. Jonathan Taylor will get his snaps, but Mack is still the lead dog for now.

• Notable fade: Nick Chubb @ BAL ($7500)

The arrival of Kareem Hunt has drastically cut into Chubb's massive upside. His matchup and his cost make him a non-starter for me this week.

WR:

• Stud worth paying up for: Julio Jones v. SEA ($8200)

The Seahawks are far removed from their Legion of Boom days. This unit has been torched on multiple occasions recently. Julio could be in for a big day and I like his price tag being less than Michael Thomas ($8800)

• Cash play: Keenan Allen @ CIN ($7000)

I may not be a big Tyrod Taylor fan, but the volume should be there for Allen. Combine that with a matchup against a weak defense and that's a strong combination in cash games.

• GPP plays: Bryan Edwards @ CAR ($4500), Terry McLaurin v. PHI ($6500)

It is very rare that you'll find a starting player at the minimum cost in DFS. It's even rarer when that player has massive upside. Save yourself lots of money and buy into Edwards' hype. Lost in that middle cost range, Terry McLaurin could be in for a big day against the Eagles (a team he torched for 21.5 and 21 FDP last season)

• Notable fade: Mike Evans ($7500)

It looks as though he will play despite a nagging hamstring injury, but I'm not touching him. Soft tissue injuries are always tough to come back from, and a matchup with Marcus Lattimore isn't going to help matters.

TE:

• Stud worth paying up for: George Kittle v. ARI ($8000)

Deebo Samuel is out. The Cardinals are awful against TEs. Don't overthink this one.

• Cash play: Zach Ertz @ WAS ($6600)

Ertz is one of the steadiest performers in fantasy football thanks to great volume and efficiency. He's beautifully priced and hard to pass up in cash games.

• GPP plays: Hayden Hurst v. SEA ($5200), Will Dissly @ ATL ($4900)

Did I mention this game is going to be a shootout? Yea, give me Hurst finally getting his chance to shine in a high volume offense against a weak secondary. Dissly is a little more risky coming off an achilles injury, but when healthy he's been a great performer and a favorite target of Russell Wilson.

• Notable fade: Rob Gronkowski @ NO ($5500)

Just don't do it.

DST: 

• Cash play: Bills v. Jets ($4700)

They get to play against a walking turnover in Sam Darnold at home in a game that will likely end up 12-10. Yea, I like them

• GPP play: Colts ($3700)

This will likely be a popular low cost pick, but for good reason. The Colts get after the QB well and should be able to create some havoc against a woeful Jaguars team.

• Notable fade: Patriots ($4600)

Don't be fooled by the matchup. The Dolphins have some playmakers on the offensive side of the ball so they could find themselves putting up some points. The Patriots defense is also missing a few key starters who opted out due to COVID-19. This is a trap pick.

 Here are my lineups for the week:

 

    Cash Play                                GPP Play                                SuperFlex GPP Play

Best of luck to all your bets and entries!

What if the 2020 MLB Season Went Off Without a Hitch? Would The Cubs Have Won It All? The Answer May Surprise You... (A MLB The Show 20 Simulation)

Cubs opening day of the 2020 MLB season is less than two weeks away!

It's weird saying that, because for the longest time none of us thought it was going to happen. Between COVID-19 concerns and an ugly labor dispute between the players and the owners, MLB fans were brought to their knees just begging for the opportunity to have a season. Fortunately, a 60 game season was eventually implemented, and we the fans are finally able to be treated to some summer baseball at last.

But what if COVID-19 never existed? What if the coronavirus was never able to reach global pandemic levels and the 2020 MLB season went ahead as originally scheduled? How would the season have turned out for the Chicago Cubs and the rest of the league?

Well thanks to MLB The Show 20, I was able to give the original 2020 MLB season an authentic simulation to see just how well the Cubs would (could?) have done in a coronavirus-less world.

Let's see how it all panned out:

Regular Season

• 103-59 (won the division by 17 games over the Reds)(Top NL seed by 6 games over the Dodgers)(Top record in the MLB by 1 game over the Astros)
• .259/.341/.446 team batting slash line (9th/7th/6th in MLB)
• Offense was 5th in runs scored, 3rd in HR, 28th in K
• 3.34 Team ERA, 20 team shutouts (T-2nd), 28 blown saves (T-24th)

If you listened to any of the buzz around the Cubs this off-season, you would have thought the team was in for a disaster of an upcoming season. However, it is easy to forget just how talented the Cubs roster actually is.

Nonetheless, I don't think anyone could have predicted a season quite like this one. The Cubs dominated the early months of the season, jumping out to huge leads in both the division and the NL by the end of May. Injuries plagued the team again at different points of the year, but for the most part, the team prevailed in the regular season as a whole unit under first year manager David Ross. Below, we'll go into more detail on how individual players performed.

Starting Lineup

Name	PA	Slash Line	Additional
Kris Bryant	668	.294/.389/.561	36HR 107R 88RBI
Willson Contreras	584	.284/.362/.466	24HR
Anthony Rizzo	662	.285/.379/.530	37HR 97R 100RBI
Javier Baez	631	.231/.279/.429	26HR 16SB 91RBI
Kyle Schwarber	604	.226/.320/.426	26HR
Ian Happ	540	.271/.354/.490	23HR 11SB 84RBI
Jason Heyward	477	.296/.394/.470	15HR
Jason Kipnis	264	.311/.403/.474	8HR

First things first: Kris Bryant killed it in the lead-off spot. For the second straight season, KB got off to a scorching hot start in the months of April and May (his AVG was over .400 and his SLG over 1.000 deep into May) and was firmly in the MVP conversation. The Cubs captain, Anthony Rizzo, refused to be overshadowed, putting together a monster campaign of his own. Rizzo was even leading in the MVP race as late as July (he finished 5th in voting, Bryant was 4th). Bryzzo combined to be top performers in the NL in HR (Bryant: T-6th, Rizzo: 8th), Runs scored (1st and 2nd), SLG (5th and 9th), OPS (4th and 8th), and batting WAR (5th and 9th), while Bryant finished 6th in OBP and Rizzo T-5th in RBIs. However, Rizzo was out-shined at the 1B position by division rival Paul Goldshmidt, who finished 2nd in NL MVP voting, and was unable to capture a Silver Slugger. Along with Kris Bryant, Willson Contreras captured a Silver Slugger at his respective position. Willy slotted into the number 2 hole all season, a prime slot between two MVP candidates which allowed him to have another excellent offensive season. Unfortunately, both Javier Baez and Kyle Schwarber came crashing down after impressive 2019 campaigns due to poor strikeout rates (28.8% and 27.6% respectively) and abnormally low BABIPs (.288 and .277). However, the bottom of the order was far from sunk as Ian Happ broke out in a big way. Happ initially opened the 2020 season in a platoon with Albert Almora, but took over a full time role when Almora went down with a shin injury. Happ continued his dominance of right-handed pitching while making immense strides against lefties, eventually solidifying a full-time role after Almora returned. Jason Heyward had his best offensive season in a Cubs uniform working predominantly against right-handed pitching. Jason Kipnis didn’t open the season as an every day player, however, due to the struggles of Nico Hoerner (detailed below), Kipnis seized a regular role hammering righties and solidifying the bottom part of the order. 

Bench

Name	PA	Slash Line	Additional
Albert Almora	191	.248/.346/.424	6HR
Steven Souza	276	.292/.375/.531	15HR
David Bote	359	.252/.355/.391	9HR
Brock Holt	403	.289/.378/.438	12HR 8SB
Victor Caratini	306	.281/.337/.438	10HR
Nico Hoerner	306	.236/.292/.325	3HR
Hernan Perez	75	.278/.307/.458	3HR
Trent Giambrone	7	.000/.000/.000
Ian Miller	19	.263/.263/.474	1HR 1SB
Robel Garcia	4	.000/.000/.000

As mentioned above, Albert Almora started the season in a platoon with Ian Happ. Prior to his injury, Almora was having a solid offensive season, but his season went downhill after his shin injury. Steven Souza dominated left handers throughout the season in a platoon with Heyward, even putting together some decent performances against right handers from time to time. David Bote suffered from a disappointing power outage and struggled mightily against left handers, but still performed admirably in a utility role. In order to fill the need for a left-handed bench bat, Theo and Co orchestrated a trade at the deadline with the Milwaukee Brewers to acquire Brock Holt in return for Michael Rucker and Aramis Ademan. Holt, who was hitting over .330 for the Brewers at the time, unfortunately didn’t live up to expectations post-trade as his average tumbled below .300 in his brief tenure with the Cubs. Victor Caratini continued to be an asset off the bench, taking on a role spelling both Anthony Rizzo and Willson Contreras at their respective positions. Nico Hoerner opened the season as the starting 2B, however, a quick start was nullified as pitchers started to figure him out, eventually landing him back in AAA (where he rebounded with a .305/.344/.463 slash line).

Starting Rotation

Name	IP	ERA/FIP/WHIP	Additional
Kyle Hendricks	183.1	2.21/3.53/1.05	30GS 1.72BB/9
Yu Darvish	168.1	3.74/3.89/1.35	31GS 10.37K/9
Jon Lester	177.0	4.07/3.98/1.29	31GS
Jose Quintana	169.0	2.93/3.20/1.14	31GS
Tyler Chatwood	100.1	2.78/3.61/1.22	21GS
Alec Mills	115.7	2.88/2.89/1.03	46APP 12GS

The Professor (Kyle Hendricks) dazzled in yet another season. Despite low strikeout numbers (6.92 K/9), Hendricks led the league in BB/9 and finished second and third in ERA and WHIP respectively. Yu Darvish had an up and down season, at times being absolutely dominant (he racked up 14+K in multiple starts), but also being susceptible to the long ball (1.23 HR/9) and walks (4.17 BB/9) from time to time. Jon Lester ended his 14-year career in typical Jon Lester fashion, putting up gritty performances throughout the season, even coming up clutch in some big moments. Jose Quintana finally proved his worth in a Cubs uniform, tossing arguably one of the best seasons in his career. The front office will have a big decision to make regarding his free agency this off-season. If not for an unfortunate pectoral injury which cost him the final two months of the season, Tyler Chatwood could have completed a gem of a campaign. Working in the rotation right from the beginning of the season, Chatwood racked up strikeouts at a career high rate (8.97 K/9) and flourished in the number 5 starter role. Alec Mills continued to show out in a swingman role, filling in in the rotation as injuries forced multiple starters to miss games. He eventually took a stronghold on Tyler Chatwood's slot until Mills went down with his own rotator cuff injury in mid-September (he would miss all of the playoffs).

Bullpen

Name	IP	ERA/FIP/WHIP	Additional
Adbert Alzolay	77.2	4.40/4.09/1.39	47APP 5GS
Brad Wieck	68.0	4.37/4.01/1.35	63APP 1.46HR/9
Michael Wacha	79.0	2.05/3.19/1.08	43APP 6.42H/9
Rowan Wick	56.0	4.18/5.52/1.34	60APP 1.93HR/9
Kyle Ryan	48.1	2.98/3.37/1.49	44APP
Sean Doolittle	65.1	4.13/4.65/1.70	71APP 20HLD
Jeremy Jeffress	65.1	2.48/3.93/1.24	65APP 35HLD
Craig Kimbrel	60.2	4.01/3.40/1.35	64APP 44/50SV
Duane Underwood	15.1	0.00/2.48/0.78	9APP 2.91H/9
Dan Winkler	1.1	0.00/2.25/0.75	2APP
James Norwood	13.1	5.40/3.53/1.28	12APP
Justin Steele	9.0	2.00/1.78/1.33	4APP
Colin Rea	6.0	1.50/2.33/1.17	4APP
Dillon Maples	26.1	4.44/6.57/1.78	32APP 2.73HR/9
Ryan Tepera	19.0	6.16/6.26/1.42	17APP 2.84HR/9
Danny Hultzen	13.2	5.93/4.54/2.41	15APP 15.76H/9

Adbert Alzolay started the season at AAA, but an early season injury to Dan Winkler earned him a call-up to the big league 'pen. Alzolay was able to stay the whole season in Chicago, finding good amounts of success both out of the 'pen and as a spot starter until he tired out late in September. Brad Wieck continued to show flashes of potential while also having some struggles keeping the ball inside the park. Following disappointing struggles from Ryan Tepera (DFA) and Dillon Maples (Traded to SF), Michael Wacha was acquired from the New York Mets in exchange for Josh Phegley (who was off to a torrid start in AAA Iowa). Wacha quickly became a major asset in the Cubs 'pen and proved his worth throughout the course of the season. Shoulder injuries doomed Rowan Wick's 2020 season as he could just never seem to get on track following a promising 2019 season. He'll look to get back on track in 2021. Kyle Ryan continued to impress against not only lefties, but also against righties in the first season of the 3 batter rule. However, he was unable to stay healthy as he missed two months of the season with shoulder issues. Sean Doolittle was acquired from the Nationals (for Tyson Miller and Alfonso Rivas) to not only shore up the back end of the bullpen, but also to give another left-handed threat. However, he had trouble throwing strikes in both Washington and in Chicago, leading to some issues. Jeremy Jeffress was everything the Cubs could have asked for when they signed him to a "prove it" deal in the off-season. He initially started out as a middle reliever, but due to the struggles of Rowan Wick, he slid into a set up role and was extremely consistent. Craig Kimbrel had one of the more peculiar seasons you'll see. He got shelled early on, but by the all-star break he had a sterling sub-three ERA and made an all-star appearance. However, Kimbrel's second half was littered with walks and blow up performances, ballooning his ERA all the way near 5 before again dropping it back to 4 before the end of the season came. All that being said, Kimbrel still finished T-4th in the NL in saves. Duane Underwood found himself back in the majors near the tail end of the season due to some injuries to Rowan Wick and Alec Mills, putting up impressive, pristine numbers. Following the DFA of Danny Hultzen, Justin Steele was able to breakthrough into the majors for his first cup of coffee, where he seriously impressed as well.

Down on the Farm

The Chicago Cubs farm system was able to put together some impressive performances as complete units. The Iowa Cubs made the AAA National Championship where they unfortunately lost to the Pawtucket Red Sox. The Tennessee Smokies won their first half division, earning themselves a playoff trip despite struggles in the second half. They found a way to go on and win the Southern League Championship.

Chase Strumpf was the minor league hitter of the year as he showed great improvement in his power. Brennen Davis showed why he was arguably the Cubs top prospect as excitement continues to grow as he progresses. Cole Roederer had his share of struggles at the plate, however, he made vast improvements against left-handed pitchers and swiped an astounding 30 bases. Christopher Morel continued to rise up prospect boards by showing off with both the stick and the glove. Miguel Amaya had serious issues in his first taste of AA with an AVG near .215 all season. However, he was red hot the final two months of the season as he was able to raise his AVG all the way .250 by season's end.

Jharel Cotton and Colin Rea both proved to be successful revitalization projects, thus putting themselves in prime position for the 5th rotation spot next season. Justin Steele (minor league pitcher of the year) finally had the breakout we've all been waiting for as he moved from a full-time starter to a swingman role. Oscar De La Cruz had an insane first half starting in AA, eventually landing him in AAA. Halfway through the season, Dakota Mekkes looked headed for the scrap pile with an ERA near 5. However, an insane final 2 months of the season plummeted his ERA to just north of 3. Brailyn Marquez was able to get his first taste of AA, and while he had his struggles, he definitely showed he belonged at times. Ryan Jensen had some second half struggles, but a blistering first half proved he has the "stuff" to make it as a starter. Michael McAvene showed elite potential as a "do-it-all" reliever and is on the fast track to the major leagues. Kohl Franklin  was pushed hard and fast, but showed no fear and all the makings of a possible front line starter. Manuel Rodriguez showed why he was coveted so much by the Cubs front office that they felt the need to give him a 40-man roster spot.

Playoffs

The Cubs entered the postseason as the top seed in the NL. They got to face the Wild Card Game winning-Reds in the divisional round, where they disposed of them in a mere three games thanks to heavy lifting by Kyle Schwarber at the dish and a trio of dominant starts by Hendricks/Darvish/Quintana.

The NLCS brought on another face-off with the Los Angeles Dodgers (97-65, beat the Phillies in 5 in the NLDS), the same team the Cubs had faced back in both 2016 and 2017. Below is a game by game summary:

Game 1: Anthony Rizzo gave the Cubs an early 3-run lead with a first inning HR off of Clayton Kershaw. The Cubs then add on 3 more runs on 5 hits in the third inning, chasing Kershaw after only 2.1 IP. Kyle Hendricks tossed 5+ scoreless innings (4H 4K 2BB) while the combination of Doolittle/Chatwood/Alzolay completed a 7-0 shutout.

Game 2: NL MVP Cody Bellinger broke a scoreless tie in the 4th inning by homering off of Yu Darvish (6IP 5H 8K 3BB 1ER). The Dodgers added 1 run in both the 7th and 8th innings. Julio Urias (7IP 11K 4BB) combined with Ross Stripling and Kenley Jansen to complete a no-hit shutout and a 3-0 victory.

Game 3: The Cubs scored 2 in the first, but the Dodgers were able to get one back in the bottom half. Justin Turner piled on with a 2-run HR off of Jose Quintana (5IP 4H 5K 1BB 3ER) in the 2nd. David Price (5.1IP 7H 4K 2BB 2ER) and the Dodgers 'pen shut the Cubs down from there to secure a 3-2 victory.

Game 4: Anthony Rizzo blasted a 2-run HR off of Walker Buehler in the 1st inning. Ian Happ added an RBI single three batters later as the Cubs jumped out to a 3-0 lead. But in the bottom half, Justin Turner smacked a lead-off HR off Jon Lester before AJ Pollock doubled home two runners later in the first. The Dodgers would add another run on an error in that inning. Willson Contreras equalized the game in the 2nd with a HR. However, Jon Lester was unable to make it out of the 3rd inning (2+IP 6H 3K 1BB). The Dodgers broke the tie in the 6th on a solo HR by Pollock, who then extended that lead with a 3-run HR off Wieck in the 8th. Anthony Rizzo tried to play hero with a 3-run HR off of Blake Treinen in the 9th, but following a Javy double, Kyle Schwarber was struck out by Ross Stripling to end an 8-7 loss.

Game 5: Kris Bryant opened the game with a solo blast off of Kershaw. Justin Turner answered in the bottom half with his own lead-off HR off Hendricks. Mookie Betts added another solo two batters later, while Joc Pederson added one in the 4th. David Bote doubled home Kyle Schwarber in the 7th, but a Max Muncy solo blast off of Doolittle in the 8th put the Cubs on the brink of elimination. Ian Happ wasn't ready to go home yet though as he blasted a game tying 2-run HR off of Ross Stripling (filling in for an injured Kenley Jansen) in the 9th. Javier Baez connected on a 2-run blast in the 10th, followed up by a solo shot by Schwarber 2 batters later. Craig Kimbrel went 2IP for the 7-4 win.

The win did not come without a cost though as Anthony Rizzo was forced to leave the game in extras due to a hip injury. He would be forced to miss game 6.

Game 6: Mookie Betts broke a scoreless tie in the 3rd inning with a 2-run HR off of Darvish. Kike Hernandez added another 2-run blast in the 4th. The Cubs tried to answer with a Happ RBI double in the 4th and a Heyward solo HR in the 8th, but Justin Turner put the game on ice with a 2-run HR off of Jeremy Jeffress in the 9th. The Cubs tried to threaten in the bottom of the 9th, but Pedro Baez slammed the door as the Dodgers won the game 6-2 and the series 4-2 for a trip to the World Series.

World Series: The Dodgers took on the AL Champion Twins (98-64, beat Boston in 5 in the ALDS and swept Oakland in the ALCS). While the Twins were able to put up a little bit of a fight, the Dodgers still dispatched of them with relative ease, finally capturing that elusive World Series title in 6 games.

League Awards

Award	NL	AL
MVP	Cody Bellinger (LAD)(.318/.409/.594 35HR 111RBI)	JD Martinez (BOS)(.323/.423/.566 37HR 125RBI)
Cy Young	Walker Buehler (LAD)(18-4 2.84ERA 1.13WHIP 205K)	Carlos Carrasco (CLE)(20-3 2.90ERA 1.13WHIP 206K)
Batting Title	Mookie Betts (LAD)(.338)	Anthony Rendon (LAA)(.347)
Rookie of the Year	Kwang Hyun Kim (STL)(15.3 2.83ERA 1.20WHIP)	Ryan Mountcastle (BAL)(.255/.316/.482 31HR 81RBI)
Postseason MVP	Max Muncy (LAD)(.350/.466/.650)	Jorge Polanco (.387/.457/.597)
World Series MVP	Max Muncy (.462BA 2HR)

I sincerely hope you all enjoyed this MLB 20 The Show simulation of the pre-COVID19 2020 MLB season. Let me know below in the comments what you think about the Cubs performance! Were you impressed at their regular season? Disappointed how it all ended? Or just overall annoyed that the Dodgers won something (trust me, I get it haha)?

In the meantime, share with your friends. We could all use a little more baseball in our lives!

Chicago Cubs Players Who Flew Under The Radar In 2019

Chicago Cubs baseball is closing in and it is closing in fast! Before the season gets rolling (finally), let's take a look at a list of players who's 2019 seasons flew under the radar. Keep a close eye on these guys in 2020.

Ian Happ

Ian Happ spent 99 games in AAA Iowa in 2019 to work on his swing. The extra focus
paid off to the tune of a 127 wRC+ in 58 games after he was recalled last season.

If you're not already aboard the Ian Happ hype train for 2020, you're running out of time. Following a disappointing 2018 season where he hit a meager .233 while striking out in 36% of his plate appearances, Happ failed to make the Cubs opening day roster in 2019. The Cubs instead opted to send him to AAA Iowa so he could get regular playing time while sharpening his approach at the plate. Early returns were promising, but nothing too special. Then he started to get hot in the summer months, eventually earning himself a call-up to the big league roster in late July. From there, Happ re-asserted himself as a major threat with the bat slashing .264/.333/.564 while cutting his strikeout rate down to 25%. His major improvements at the plate should not be ignored by Cubs fans. Happ is firmly back as one of the better hitters on the Cubs roster.

Victor Caratini/Willson Contreras

Arguably the best catching duo in the MLB, Willson Contreras and
Victor Caratini are a key cog in the Cubs engine.

I contemplated separating these two and discussing their success separately, but I think its crucial to understand how these two work in tandem with one another. First, lets focus on Willy's 2019 season. Following a career low ISO in 2018 (.141), Contreras then set career highs in ISO (.261), HR (24), and wRC+ (127). Contreras was on fire for most of the season until a hamstring injury landed him on the IL in early August. Contreras, like many everyday catchers, can be prone to injuries at times. However, it is very difficult to justify leaving his bat out of the lineup.

Fortunately, that's where Victor Caratini steps in. Unlike most backup catchers, Caratini profiles well both offensively and defensively. His offense took another step last season slashing .266/.348/.447 (all career highs). This type of output from your backup catcher allows more rest to be allocated for Contreras throughout the season. Hopefully David Ross can capitalize on Caratini's improvements across the board and either rest Contreras more frequently or be more free to move him around the diamond (like LF where Contreras has made 34 appearances in his career).

Jason Heyward

Just don't bat him leadoff, and Jason Heyward will make things happen.

Say what you want about Jason Heyward and his contract, but the guy is a hard worker and always gives 100%. Cubs fans have loved to rag on Heyward throughout his Cubs career, but few have recognized the true improvements he's made at the plate since 2016. Early on last season, it looked as though J-Hey had finally put it all together and was turning into the $180M man the Cubs signed. However, his final numbers on the season ended up leaving something to be desired (.251/.343/.429 wRC+ 101). Look at those numbers in just a vacuum, and you might think it was another subpar season from the Cubs highest paid player. Dive a little deeper though, and you'll see something more.

Heyward's wRC+ by month was as follows: 141, 62, 147, 94, 58, 109. So what happened in May (62) and August (58)? Well, Joe Maddon tried to slot J-Hey into the top spot in the order, where he wasn't built to sustain success. Hitting in the leadoff spot, Heyward stumbled to a .147/.252/.302 slash line thanks in large part to an anemic .153 BABIP. However, when hitting lower in the order, Heyward found much more success, slashing .290/.372/.485 (wRC+ 122) when hitting between 5th and 7th in the order. Heyward also lowered his overall soft contact rate to a mere 17.7% while upping his hard contact rate to 35.2%. All signs have J-Hey trending in the right direction, so long as he's deployed properly.

Kris Bryant

Kris Bryant is so good at baseball that his incredible 2019 season wasn't even good enough to
crack the top 3 of his best seasons. News flash: This guy is pretty good.

How can a former top prospect, former NL rookie of the year, and former NL MVP fly under the radar?

Because somehow after all of that, people STILL don't give him enough respect. It is not farfetched to say that in the first couple months of last season, Kris Bryant should definitely have been getting some MVP chatter. In the month of May alone, Bryant slashed a blistering .333/.443/.719 (wRC+ 193) while hitting 10HR. Now he did cool down slightly over the course of the season as his strikeout rate rose, but he still finished with an incredible .282/.382/.521 slash line (wRC+ 135). KB is definitely in the discussion for a top 10 talent in this league, and people need to be treating him as such.

Alec Mills

"Hi, Rob Manfred? Yes, I'd like to report a theft. The Cubs just straight
 up stole Alec Mills from the Kansas City Royals"

Does anyone remember how the Cubs acquired Alec Mills? They traded one of their outfield prospects (Donnie Dewees) to the Royals in what looked like a basic swap to balance out two systems that were top heavy at specific positions. But then the Cubs eventually got Dewees back, and Mills quietly turned into a major asset.

You're forgiven if you didn't quite notice Mills the last two seasons, but he's slowly been establishing himself as a strong bullpen option and swingman for the Cubs. While his numbers at AAA have left something to be desired, Mills has lived up to the task when called upon at the big league level. He's successfully been deployed as a spot starter, long man, and high leverage reliever, culminating is SIERAs of 3.12 and 3.67 in 2018 and 2019 respectively (league average is 3.90). You would be wise to keep a keen eye on Mills this coming season.

Tyler Chatwood

Tyler Chatwood finally started to show last season why he was coveted by
Theo Epstein and the Cubs front office back in 2018.

Theo Epstein haters love to pound him for signing Tyler Chatwood. And sure, there's some good reason for it. Chatwood was signed to a 3yr/$38M contract prior to the 2018 season, where he promptly walked nearly a hitter per inning en route to a 5.30 ERA. Many were quick to judge the move as awful, and they were probably correct at the time. Things didn't get much better in the first half of 2019 as Chatwood was lit up for a 4.40 ERA (4.67 FIP). However, Chatwood flipped a switch in the second half of the season to the tune of a 2.84 ERA (2.55 FIP). He finished the season with a career high K/9 (8.69) and had cut his walk rate roughly in half. He even showed some promise as a starter in a couple of spot starts, rejuvinating some of the hope many of us had in him and possibly turning himself into an asset in 2020 either as a starter or a reliever.

Yu Darvish

Yu Darvish finally blessed Cubs fans in the second half of last
season with all the strikeouts he could get his hands on

I made a post back in early August about how Yu Darvish was having a quietly dominant season. A month and a half later, it wasn't so quiet anymore.

If you looked just at his season numbers, Darvish's season would appear as a good, but not great one. But that doesn't do it justice at all. He struggled out of the gate in April and parts of May, but as the season went on, he settled in more and more. At the end of the first half, Darvish's ERA was sitting north of 5 and there was a lot of people screaming for his head.

They weren't ready for what was about to happen.

In the second half of 2019, Darvish popped off to the tune of a 2.76 ERA (2.83 FIP 2.37 xFIP 2.45 SIERA) and an insane 13.00 K/9 and 0.77 BB/9! Darvish was finally showing Cubs fans what he was all about and why he was worth the money they paid for him. He could have had an even better season if not for an abnormally high HR rate. The odd thing about that though is Darvish's GB rate was near his career high and his hard contact rate was lower than it had been in a few years, suggesting that was more of an aberration than anything.

Whatever amount of pitching we get to see from Darvish in 2020 should be a real treat.

And so ends my list of Chicago Cubs players that flew under the radar in 2019. Keep an eye out for these guys in the abridged 2020 season, they could all be primed for a breakout in one way or another.

The Bears 2020 Draft Class: Improving the team.... But in a Different Way Than They Should Have?

My number one rule of NFL draft week:

Never judge a draft class until it is completed.

It's a good thing my girlfriend dragged me out of our apartment to go for a walk on a glorious spring day, otherwise my twitter fingers may have gone off on Ryan Pace prematurely.

I share my feelings on each individual pick and player below, but one constant though throughout this draft that I kept having was:

"But what about this guy? Why'd you pass on him?"

This was getting me heated on multiple occasions because I thought the Bears were missing out on players who could fill certain needs. Admittedly, that thought process clouded my judgement of the picks in the moment. Time to digest those picks, coupled with seeing how the whole class came together put me in a better place. I still have my concerns (which I'll mention), but I feel more comfortable now.

Here's my pick-by-pick analysis:

Round 2; Pick 11: TE Cole Kmet, Notre Dame

St. Viator (Arlington Heights, IL) alumnus Cole Kmet. The former two sport Lion and Fighting Irish TE and Pitcher should provide a great boost for a struggling Bears offense

Ok, first things first:

This kid went to the same high school I did (I graduated in '10, him in '17) and we played for the same baseball coach, who I am still very close with to this day. So honestly, I was secretly hoping the Bears would draft him.

That being said, when he was announced, I'll admit I didn't love it at first. It wasn't the player, it wasn't that there wasn't a need or it was bad value (no way was he making it to 50, let alone further than that):

It was Denzel Mims.

Ever since the Senior Bowl, I've had a serious man crush on Mims. That only intensified with an impressive combine that shot him into first round pick territory. I honestly didn't think he would fall to 43, but somehow he did, and I thought the Bears should pounce on this big time playmaker.

However, the Bears went the TE route instead. And of course, in typical Bears twitter and National Sports Media fashion, both were very quick to point out that the Bears now had 10 TEs on the roster.

What both of those entities failed to acknowledge though, is that of the 9 other TEs on the roster, only 2 or 3 are actually worthy of roster consideration. Additionally, this pick coupled with the Jimmy Graham signing puzzled some (like myself), but the more thought that went into it, it's not that shocking.

For one, Nagy's offense is predicated on strong TE play, specifically out of two TE sets (one "Y" in-line TE and one "U" "move" TE). Kmet fits perfect at a "Y" position, while Graham is best suited for the "U".

Kmet is also only 21 years old and split his time between football and baseball (he was the team's closer) at Notre Dame, so he is still a bit raw in some aspects and needs time to develop. Part of this pick is the long term upside. Regardless of the how the team's QB situation pans out this year, whoever is at QB in 2021 and beyond should have a big and talented TE to throw to.

PICK GRADE: B+

Round 2; Pick 18: CB Jaylon Johnson, Utah

Utah CB Jaylon Johnson is game ready. His football instincts and aggressive mindset is a perfect fit alongside all pros Eddie Jackson and Kyle Fuller.

While the Kmet pick didn't necessarily bother me, the Jaylon Johnson pick initially got me HEATED.

I couldn't believe the Bears would pass on Mims TWICE. Not only that, but one of my favorite OTs in the draft (Josh Jones) and safeties (Jeremy Chinn) were both also still available, so it was perplexing to me that the Bears took a player at a position that I didn't see as a high need.

However, Johnson's talent is undeniable. He's arguably a top 20 talent in this draft and is game ready because of his instincts and intelligence. He lack top end speed and his hips can be a little tight, but he bullies WRs and has a nose for the football. The Bears love physical CBs, and Johnson fits that Charles Tillman/Kyle Fuller mold. There are definite concerns over his shoulder injury history, however, the Bears were obviously comfortable with his medicals and could have landed one of the steals of the draft.

PICK GRADE: B+

Round 5; Pick 10: Edge Trevis Gipson, Tulsa

Tulsa's Trevis Gipson has the raw athletic ability and tenacity to be a difference maker at the next level. You can never have too many good pass rushers in the NFL.

So round 5 came around and I'm all ready for the Bears to pick at 18... then I get a call from my father that they've traded up. I start getting skeptical, but I'm thinking "Ok, maybe they're trading up to get an OL or WR they like and don't want to lose."

Then they draft an edge rusher.

Didn't they just sign Robert Quinn? What the hell do we need an edge rusher for? We need developmental OL, playmaking WRs, and a starting S. Not only that, but we traded up for him?

But then the Bears didn't trade up. No, instead they traded a 2021 4th rounder. And then I read up on Gipson:

Kid can play.

Prototypical size, length, and speed combined with good power both on the rush and against the run. His pure talent and athleticism is very impressive, but he's still raw. Scouts say he still needs work on his punch and his counter rush abilities, but hey, I think working with two all-pro edge rushers may help the kid out don't you think?

As for the 4th round pick the Bears traded away, I was reading somewhere that the Bears actually had a 4th round grade on Gipson anyways. Additionally, NFL.com's rating system gave him prospect rating of 6.22, narrowly missing a designation of "Will be a starter within first two seasons".

Pace has a knack for this drafting defenders on the 3rd day thing.

PICK GRADE: A-
 
Round 5; Pick 18: CB Kindle Vildor, Georgia Southern

Far from a perfect pick, Georgia Southern CB Kindle Vildor's coverage skills give him promise to crack the lineup as a slot corner. At the very least, the Bears may have another special teams ace on their hands.

At this point I'm watching the draft, I'm real heated.

ANOTHER corner? How many more are we going to roster? How many more picks are we going to have until we get someone at a position of need?

Yet again in this draft, time started to set me straight. What I thought was just a depth/special teams signing actually looks more and more like a legitimate threat to start at nickel corner very soon. Vildor is a little undersized (5'10" 191), but is a great athlete with good length. He doesn't possess the requisite top speed or physicality to play on the outside, but his coverage skills are solid. Now that the draft has been completed, I've actually started to see some rumors that Buster Skrine may be cut ($4M savings), so I think that speaks to Vildor's abilities.

PICK GRADE: B
 
Round 5; Pick 28: WR Darnell Mooney, Tulane

A touchdown waiting to happen, Tulane's Darnell Mooney is the lightining in a bottle that the Bears lacked at WR in 2019.

The Bears trade up and FINALLY take the WR I've been waiting for.

But wait, that's not Donovan Peoples-Jones (who I also really wanted because of his upside). In fact, I've never came across this kid in my pre-draft research.

Oh, but this kid can FLY (4.38 40 at the combine). The thing I had been asking for all draft is a big time playmaker offensively. Well this kid is it. He can blow the top off the defense (which no other Bears WR can do) and he can take short passes and turn them into TDs (which also, no Bears WR can do). He's touted as a slot WR, but he can also play outside (which is where I think the Bears could really use him).

I liked the potential of DPJ and am a little disappointed the passed on a possible starter at strong safety in Antoine Brooks Jr., however, I like what I see out of Mooney. He's unlikely to be an every down WR because of his thin frame and lack of detailed route running, but his ability to be lighting in a bottle is exactly what the doctor ordered for the Bears anemic offense.

PICK GRADE: B+

Round 7; Pick 12: OT Arlington Hambright, Colorado

Colorado OT Arlington Hambright has a lot of developing left to do, but he has all the right tools in place to make it work.

There's the OL project I was waiting for. This one looks like a deep scouting dive by the Bears. I thought they'd take a shot on Trey Adams (who took a massive tumble after a bad combine) or Terence Steele (an intriguing developmental prospect out of Texas Tech), but I'm assuming something on tape stood out to new OL coach Juan Castillo.

Hambright lacks the length and size to stay at tackle, so he'll likely be moved inside to guard. He moves very well (4.97 40 at his pro day) and has decent body strength, so it seems like there's something for the Bears to play with here. He's got a lot of ironing out and developing to do and will likely end up on the practice squad in year one, but could be someone to keep an eye out for the future.

PICK GRADE: B

Round 7; Pick 13: OG Lachavious Simmons, Tennessee State

Playing at a small school, Tennessee State OG Lachavious Simmons dominated his competition. He needs a lot of seasoning, but with the right coaching, this mauler could have a promising future.

One. Mean. SOB.

At 6'5" 315 with excellent length and versatility, Simmons provides a lot of upside. He possess a lot of power at the point of attack and open holes nicely in the run game. Played at a small school, but took care of his competition with ease, which is a big plus. This looks like another developmental project to let Juan Castillo get his hands on to mold.

I like it.

PICK GRADE: B+

Overall Impressions

Ryan Pace did a good job of managing the few picks he did have, even snagging two additional 5th round pick at what I think are very low costs. Despite not liking most of the picks on the surface initially, I think in the end of things the Bears came out alright. I worry about passing on talented players like Denzel Mims, Jeremy Chinn, and Josh Jones, but it seems like they identified their guys and went out and got them. Adding in Kmet should stabilize the offense immediately alongside Jimmy Graham, and adding Mooney should add an extra bit of "umph" into an offense that ranked near the bottom in "explosive plays" in 2019. Meanwhile, Jaylon Johnson should be the odds on favorite to be the starting CB opposite of Kyle Fuller in 2020 and Trevis Gipson adds some necessary depth/insurance behind Robert Quinn and Khalil Mack.

I wasn't expecting the Bears to land a starting OL in this draft, but I was hoping they'd swing a little harder for a developmental prospect than just two 7th round picks. That being said, the two kids they drafted do intrigue me.

OVERALL DRAFT GRADE: B+

My Ideal Bears 2020 Draft Class

First off I want to say that I hope everyone is staying safe during this COVID-19 pandemic. These are definitely interesting and worrying times and all of us are being greatly affected.

Fortunately, in a world devoid of sporting news, we still have the NFL off-season. And man, was the start of free agency a whirlwind. High profile names were heading left and right in blockbuster trades (if someone can explain to me what the Texans were thinking I'd be very appreciative) and free agents started choosing their new homes.

Now that the dust from free agency has settled, I have finally put together my ideal draft class by doing a mock draft on thedraftnetwork.com. Unlike many others, I do not like coming up with mock drafts before free agency has occurred. It's hard enough to be accurate with mock drafts thanks to unexpected trades and selections without adding in the fact that a team's needs can drastically change throughout the off-season.

For the Bears, drafting a QB in the second round was a pretty hot topic all off-season, but I think that should be quashed after trading for Nick Foles. Outside of Germain Ifedi's "prove it" contract, the Bears didn't do much to address their problems up front, making OL a serious need entering the 2020 draft. Additionally, there's still a glaring hole at the starting safety spot opposite of Eddie Jackson. Some other areas I and others would like to see the Bears focus on in this draft is getting more playmakers on the offensive side of the ball (TE/WR) along with some depth/building blocks on the defensive side of the ball (CB/ILB).

With that in mind, here is my ideal Bears 2020 draft class:

Pick 43 (2nd): Austin Jackson, OT Southern California

Without a doubt, offensive line is one of the Bears biggest needs entering this draft. A lot of talk has surrounded filling the hole at the RG position, but I believe that Germain Ifedi should perform nicely inside at that role. That leaves the tackle positions. Charles Leno was just awful last season. Don't let the metrics fool you because tape never lies. He got beat down too many times to count and it affected the whole offense. I still have some hope he can return to form, but he needs a fire lit under his ass, and some competition may just do that. I've also never been a fan of Bobby Massie. Too many times I see him get beat on a pass rush or fail to get movement in the run game. These two are exactly why targeting an OT early should be at the top of the Bears list.

If the Bears can land Jackson at 43, I'll be ecstatic. There are a few scouts around the league that have pegged him as a first round talent. He's been steadily rising up draft boards throughout the pre-draft process, culminating with a strong combine performance. Jackson is athletic and plays with good leverage, giving him the ability to handle speed rushers off the edge. Combined with his excellent size (6'5" 322) and strength (27 bench press reps), Jackson has all  the makings of a franchise left tackle and a second round steal.

Pick 50 (2nd): Jeremy Chinn, S Southern Illinois

While the Bears did a good job of focusing on some of their needs this off-season, they still haven't found anyone to play safety opposite of their all-pro Eddie Jackson. The team did resign Devin Bush, whom Chuck Pagano is very high on, and may still sign a low-cost veteran to compete for the job, but a long term solution is still up in the air. Regardless of who ends up starting week 1 of next season, it needs to be someone who is more of an "in-the-box" safety so that Eddie Jackson can shift back to his ball-hawking role that he is so good at.

Enter Jeremy Chinn. At 6'3" 221, Chinn possess elite size for an "in-the-box" safety and has blazing 4.45 speed. He's an uber aggressive defender who attacks both blockers and ball carriers. He's also excellent at ripping the ball out and creating turnovers. While he still requires work on his coverage skills, he possesses the necessary athleticism to recover. He should make a fine strong safety at the next level, even earning comparisons to Harrison Smith from NFL.com's Lance Zierlein

Pick 163 (5th): Harrison Bryant, TE Florida Atlantic

How many TEs do the Bears have on the roster right now? 10? 15? Whatever it is, it is a lot and it got even bigger with Jimmy Graham being added in free agency.

So why am I drafting another one?

Because Bryant could be a stud.

Remember when the Bears drafted Adam Shaheen over George Kittle? Of course you do. Bears fans will never let Ryan Pace live that one down. Well, Harrison Bryant might just be George Kittle 2.0. He possesses strong athleticism (4.74 speed) and knows how to make plays down the field. The best part about Bryant is his versatility. He has the ability to split out wide and do work against corners, so he fits perfectly in the Bears "move TE" role. Despite being a "receiving TE" first, Bryant holds his own in the blocking department as well, only increasing his value.

Do I expect Harrison Bryant to be an impact player in year one? Probably not. But do I think passing on him could be another George Kittle-sized mistake? I absolutely do.

Pick 196 (6th): Reggie Robinson II, CB Tulsa

We've passed the point in the draft where you're likely to find immediate starters, so at this point I like to find upside. My favorite kind of players to look for late in drafts are the "prototypes". Guys who fit a specific build of height/weight/speed who may lack technical skills or be very raw. Reggie Robinson II fits that mold. He's got outside corner size (6'1" 205) and incredible length to go along with the speed (4.44) to handle outside receiving threats. He was also a big time performer in his time at Tulsa.

His coverage skills are going to need work as his hips are tight and he has trouble mirroring receivers, however, in the 6th round, there's a lot to love about this kid's potential

Pick 200 (6th): Darryl Williams, IOL Mississippi State

In my opinion, the Bears don't have a true center on their current roster. Cody Whitehair has too many issues with his long snapping to be a real solution there and James Daniels has struggled mightily in his time there. So it would be ideal if the Bears were to try and target someone who could possibly start at the center position.

Williams was a captain and a three year starter at Mississippi State. Though he lacks the ideal athleticism to play in the NFL, he's an absolute grinder and he holds his own. Scouts don't love his explosiveness off the line and into defenders and they are worried he could get exposed at the next level, but he had a strong performance at the East/West shrine game, highlighting his ability to play against top talent. Williams may not be a long term option at center, but his mentality and grit make him worth a flier in the late rounds

Pick 226 (7th): Cole McDonald, QB Hawai'i

If the Bears want to take a developmental guy at QB who they can stash on the practice squad for a year, look no further than McDonald. He is a strong athlete (4.58 speed) and possess prototypical NFL QB size at 6'3" 215. He hails out of the pass happy Hawai'i offense, so there's concerns about him just being a "scheme QB". However, he's been praised for his ability to read defenses and move through his progressions.

Scouts are not in love with his throwing motion and he's had a great deal of trouble hitting the deep ball in his career. This has lead to concerns over his ability to make NFL throws. However, his athletic ability and his pocket presence are something to build on and make him an appealing last round pick.

Pick 233 (7th): John Hightower, WR Boise State

I fought the urge to jump at WRs at other points in this draft (specifically in the second round), but there was no chance I was getting out of here without taking at least one. While the Bears WR core isn't too bad, there currently is no one on the roster that is a consistent deep threat. So I went looking for only guys who fit the "deep threat" profile.

That's how I landed on the lean (6'1" 189) WR out of Boise State. He's got speed to burn (4.43) and is a definite big play threat through the air, after the catch, and on the ground as well. In addition to his speed, Hightower cuts well and can lose his defenders easily. That being said, his overall route running still needs refining and he has trouble getting off of the press.

The biggest issue with Hightower is his hands. He catches in the body far too often and he has some difficulty tracking the deep ball and making plays in traffic. While these are concerning, if he can iron out some of these issues, Hightower has the big play ability to be a real difference maker.


And there is my ideal Bears 2020 draft class. If the Bears were to come out of the draft later this April looking a little something like this, I would be ecstatic about the upcoming season. In the meantime, everyone stay safe and practice your social distancing. Together, we'll all get through this.

Who are you? Challenges for key Bears personnel this offseason

Mercifully, the 2019 Bears season has finally come to an end. It wasn't pretty, and in fact at times, it was downright awful. So many things went wrong. So many players (and coaches) regressed. All of the sky high expectations came crashing to the floor.

And here we are. Back at square one.

Where do we go from here? Are sweeping changes needed? Off with the heads of Ryan Pace and Matt Nagy? To the dumpster you go Mitchell Trubisky? There's bound to be opinions aplenty this offseason, and I'm sure to have more than a few myself. But with the end of this disappointing season finally here, I wanted to start this off-season by challenging some of the Bears key personnel in management, coaching, and of course the players themselves, to take a good look in the mirror and the answer the question:

"Who are you?"

And it starts at the top:

• Ryan Pace: Are you that elite executive who finds all-pro talent like Eddie Jackson in the 4th round, and then rips off the Oakland Raiders to acquire a future first ballot HOFer in Khalil Mack? Or are you the lackluster talent evaluator who misses on his key first round picks and free agent signings like Trey Burton? You've dug yourself a hole with your mistakes, and your successes aren't enough to get you out of it. The only thing left to do is dig deeper. Can you find a way to be creative and fill the holes on this roster? Can you nail the few draft picks that you have and make this team a contender again? Most importantly, you've hitched your wagon to Mitchell Trubisky: if you believe in him, can you give him the necessary pieces to help him show everybody else why he's worth it?
• Matt Nagy: Can you swallow your pride? This season was a disaster, and the buck stops with the you. Can you give yourself an honest evaluation of how you performed as a leader this season, and then realize what changes need to be made? And if that requires you to give up playcalling duties (which it should), are you willing to let go for the good of the team?
• Chuck Pagano: Can you let the dogs loose and stop worrying about the consequences? A defense that was predicated on being vicious and aggressive under Vic Fangio took a massive step backwards in their first season under your advisement. Sure, you dealt with injuries and an offense that couldn't move the ball. But many times this season, your defense faltered in situations where they previously would step up. Your personnel looked disinterested and overtly cautious. You kept the dogs chained up. Stuck back in "shell" defenses while only sending 3-4 guys after the QB. You were so afraid to give up a big play that you let people walk all over you at times. You took the hunt out of the dogs. Give it back to them. Let them eat. It's what they're good at.

Now for some of the key players:

• Mitchell Trubisky: Are you who everyone thinks you are? The guy who is forever going to be compared to Patrick Mahomes and Deshaun Watson while they laugh at you and the Bears? Or are you that kid with the killer instinct? We've seen it before. Multiple times in fact. 6 TD passes against the Buccaneers. A complete demolition of the Cowboys on national television. Some people say "Oh, he can't do it against good defenses". Well what about the 400+ yards of total offense against the Patriots in 2018? Or how about the poised leader who got the ball back with only 42 seconds left and one timeout in his first playoff game and dropped a beautiful dime to get his team into GW FG position? Are you that guy? Or are you just full of potential, but alas, a disappointment?
  
• David Montgomery: Can you be THAT guy? When you play RB and you put on a Chicago Bears jersey, you've got some big shoes to fill. Payton, Sayers, Grange.... Legends have carried the rock in this city. Expectations are sky high. You've shown flashes of what it is you can do. Can you take it to the next level?
  
• Tarik Cohen: What kind of stones do you have? Are you the guy that absolutely buried Dante Fowler coming on a blitz on national television last year? Or are you so scared of contact, that you just want to run to the sideline every time? It's the size of the fight in the dog that matters right? Well, where's your fight?
  
• Allen Robinson: Can you be mentioned in the same breath as Michael Thomas and DeAndre Hopkins? Do you have what it takes to get on a whole different kind of level?
  
• Anthony Miller: Are you that no name, walk-on, mid major WR with a massive chip on your shoulder? Or are you just about being flashy? We've all seen the potential you have, but how badly do you really want it?
  
• Cody Whitehair: Are you ready to be a leader? This offensive line lost its leader in Kyle Long and suffered drastically. This unit needs someone to step up. This game all starts up front, and no matter what the skill players say, it's won up front as well. Can you be the guy that the team can lean on for leadership?
  
• Akiem Hicks: Are you just a quiet superstar, or are you ready for the whole league to know your name? Can you take that next step and emphatically announce your presence?
  
• Khalil Mack: Are you that generational talent that doesn't care if there's two, three, four, or five guys blocking you? That guy who throws 330 pound tackles into the laps of QBs with only one arm? The guy who's name strikes fear into his opponent because they know no matter what they gameplan and do, it isn't going to matter?
  
• Leonard Floyd: Are you a feared edge defender, or just some guy? Can you be that player who destroys the Packers, but do it against the other 30 teams? Where is your drive? Where is that next level that we've all been waiting for? We've seen the flashes. Now let us see the real thing.
  
• Roquan Smith: Can you be THAT guy? Just like RB, MLB has a long list of legends out of Chicago. Are you the next one? We've seen you all over the field in one game, and then non-existent in the next. This is going to be your defense next season, and for many years to come. Are you ready to show that your worthy of being a Chicago Bears MLB?
  
• Nick Kwiatkowski/Kevin Pierre-Louis: Are you starting caliber LBs, or just flashes in the pan? Do you have what it takes to play at the level you played at this season over the course of 16 games?
  
• Eddie Jackson/Kyle Fuller: Can you get this secondary back to the level where it strikes fear in opposing QBs? Can you once again be those ball hawks that change the game by jumping a route and taking the ball the other way for six? And most importantly, can you mentor the inevitable newcomers and help them take their games to the next level?
  
• Eddy Pineiro: Can you be relied on? A team that has been in constant kicking flux ever since losing Robbie Gould absolutely needs stability and consistency. Are you the guy who missed 4 of 7 FGs between weeks 8 and 11? Or are you the guy who made his final 11 FGs of the season and drilled a 53 yard GW at the buzzer against the Broncos?

This season was not what any of us wanted. Nonetheless, this team has the potential to do great things. It all depends on how this team responds to adversity and answers these questions.