Player: Calvin Ridley, WR, Alabama
Game: at Auburn (#6), 2:30 PM CT
Albert Breer talks to a lot of scouts and projects Ridley 16th to the Baltimore Ravens. His explanation:
Baltimore’s still chasing some of its mistakes at receiver, so they take a guy who’s a pretty sure thing from a program they know well.
From Charlie Campbell at Walter Football:
In surveying sources from five teams, the most common name that came up as the top receiver was Ridley. The talented junior gets a lot of praise for his route-running, quickness, and generally having good hands. Ridley has 41 catches for 523 yards with two touchdowns on the season, but his production is held back by Alabama featuring its ground attack while using a running quarterback with passing limitations. Though Ridley is the top consensus wide out, he doesn’t come without some concerns as multiple sources say independently that his thin frame worries them for the NFL. He is listed at 190 pounds, but team sources say that he has weighed-in in the 180s. With that being one factor, some scouts have said they are grading Ridley as a late first-rounder. He could end up going high out of team need at his premium position, however.
On this week’s episode:
I always like the Chicago Bears. Even when they have almost no chance of winning.
Mitch Trubisky’s performance Sunday was a solid one, especially the final drive of the game. But just as he addressed (a) throws across his body while on the move and (b) taking too many sacks, now he must address an issue that popped up against the Lions. That’s not trusting his pocket.
In fairness, I get it. Trubisky has been harassed in that pocket for a month. Every time he drops back he’s expecting defenders, quickly. Sunday he didn’t get them. But his footwork and mechanics did not reflect that. On throws where he had plenty of time to set his feet and deliver the football, Trubisky rushed his process and delivered an errant toss.
Sunday against the Eagles might not be the day to expect a comfortable pocket. But this is an issue to watch down the stretch.
#3. Pumpkin Pie. You give me warm pumpkin pie with cold vanilla ice cream and you might as well undo my belt for me.
#2. Turkey Gravy. I’m not sure I like turkey. I mean, it’s fine, but if I liked it so much I would probably eat it on one of the other 364 days, right? I don’t even consider turkey on those days. But turkey gravy? I’d inject it right into my veins in a Baltimore vacant if I could. Why can’t turkey gravy be the cure for skunk spraying instead of tomato juice?
(1) Mitch Trubisky is starting to show signs that he’s going to be a very good quarterback in this league for a long time. Improving weekly. Learning from mistakes. Scrambling in key spots. Throwing receivers open. Leading. But I thought his comment post-game was so telling.
Food for thought … #Bears QB Mitch Trubisky : “I feel like they trust me. I know coach Dowell Loggains trusts me a lot with just how far I’ve progressed — and what coach Fox is allowing us to do on offense. We just got to keep getting better each week. I feel like I have.”
— Adam Jahns (@adamjahns) November 19, 2017
How many quarterbacks have to say something like “what coach Fox is allowing us to do on offense”? Get the feeling Trubisky won’t be heartbroken when Fox is let go.
(2) Connor Barth is terrible. He’s not shaky or inconsistent. He is legitimately the worst kicker in the league. And for a team with such a small margin for error to employ him is inexcusable. If he’s on the roster Tuesday, fans should boycott the team next weekend. Read More …
Player: Dorance Armstrong, Edge/DE, Kansas
Game: Home vs. Oklahoma (#3), 2:30 PM CT
Quick video because, hell, he plays for Kansas.
Luke Easterling at USA Today:
Not much has gone well for the Jayhawks on the gridiron in recent years, but every now and then, they produce a legit NFL prospect destined for the early rounds. Armstrong is this year’s installment, and despite a dip in production so far this year from his impressive 2017 numbers (20 tackles for loss, 13.5 sacks), the 6-4, 246-pounder has flashed the kind of versatility and explosiveness NFL scouts will love.
From KU Sports blog:
Bleacher Report’s draft analyst Matt Miller loves what he’s seen on tape of Armstrong. He called KU’s star defensive end, “one of my favorite athletes in the entire class. The dude is long-armed, extremely quick and has the moves to beat tackles off the edge…In his preseason Top 25 Big Board of draft-eligible players, Miller ranks Armstrong 18th overall — the fourth-highest defensive end.
On this episode of DaBearsPod:
He’s not quite a lion. But he is Bear the Cat. And on this album cover he represents how I feel about this Bears team right now.
I always like the Chicago Bears. And they can’t play as badly as last week, right?
I once bet a horse called Fox
Who slowly came out of the blocks
He’d pick up some speed
And get near the lead
But leave me with only my socks
This section is now an exercise in futility since the Bears have shown little interest in studying their opponents and attacking their weaknesses.