Embarrassing is a word that’s been used far too often when talking about the Bears over the last few weeks.
The Chicago Bears defense has been the most consistent unit since Matt Nagy’s arrival in 2018. But there’s no denying that they’ve been terrible over the last couple of weeks.
After surrendering 38 points to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in a blowout loss, they followed that performance up with arguably their worst of the season in a 33-22 loss to the San Francisco 49ers.
The Bears gave up 33 points to the 49ers, and this time the blame didn’t fall on the offense for the short fields. While Chicago kept them in check in the first half, holding them to 9 points, they had a breakdown in the second half that cost the team a win.
San Francisco scored on all four second-half possessions — including three touchdowns and a field goal — before Jimmy Garoppolo took a knee to end the game. They gave up 145 rushing yards — the third straight game where they’ve allowed 100-plus yards on the ground — and allowed receiver Deebo Samuel to rack up 171 yards on six receptions.
But the most backbreaking play happened early in the third quarter before things spiraled out of control. The Bears were up 16-9 and they had the 49ers pinned deep inside their own territory on third-and-19. Samuel took a check down 83 yards to set up a 1-yard scramble by Garoppolo, which completely changed the momentum of the game.
“It’s embarrassing and it’s not the standard and we all have to get better,” said linebacker Roquan Smith after the game. “Definitely on us.”
Embarrassing is a word that’s been used far too often over the last few weeks, especially in relation to the defense, which is usually a strong unit in spite of the offense’s struggles.
These 10 Patriots stood out against the Los Angeles Chargers — for better and for worse.
The New England Patriots may not have played their best four quarters of the season, but they put together their best fourth quarter of the season in Week 8. And that’s what mattered against the Los Angeles Chargers in the Patriots’ 27-24 win on Sunday afternoon.
“The second and third quarter were not good enough,” quarterback Mac Jones said after the game. “We finished strong. That’s just the moral of the story: finish strong. … I think we’ve been on the other end of it, with it being close and not finishing. We’ve played well early and not played as well as it went on. And today was a little bit of the reverse.”
The Dallas Cowboys came into the night shorthanded and things are getting worse. Starting left tackle Tyron Smith has dealt with his fair share of injuries during his career, mainly with neck issues. After the field goal drive, Smith went to the trainers.
Smith came into the game with a nagging ankle injury, which could play into the current absence. On the first drive after the injury, backup swing tackle Ty Nsekhe took over in his place.
Down 10-3 late in the first half with a backup quarterback, Smith’s status is imperative. We will update the story when the injury is specified.
Ohio State drops one spot in latest AP Top 25 Poll as Sparty takes big leap.
Ohio State played its toughest competition since falling to Oregon early in the season when it played host to Penn State on Saturday night. While the Buckeyes came away with a nine point victory, it wasn’t the offensive fireworks we’ve come to expect over the past several weeks.
Ultimately, the win over the No. 20 Nittany Lions wasn’t impressive enough. The voters like Michigan State a bit more after Sparty knocked off Michigan in a top 10 matchup. Ohio State dropped a spot to No. 6 while the Spartans jumped three spots to No. 5 leapfrogging the Bucks in the latest AP Top 25 Poll.
After the loss in East Lansing, the Wolverines dropped to No. 9 which is still a respectable ranking for Jim Harbaugh’s club. Especially after allowing a 16 point second-half lead evaporate.
POLL ALERT: Michigan State jumps to No. 5 in AP Top 25, Wake Forest joins top 10 for 1st time, Houston enters rankings, same top four.
Vikings DE Danielle Hunter is questionable to return to the Week 8 game with a shoulder injury.
The Vikings pass rush has come a long way since 2020.
By some metrics, Minnesota had the worst pass rush in the NFL last season. This season, the group has improved to become one of the best pass-rushing units in the league. Danielle Hunter has been a big reason why.
Hunter returned from a neck injury that left him sidelined all of 2020. Hunter has been great in 2021 so far: he has six sacks and 10 QB hits.
But Minnesota may be without its top pass rusher for the rest of the Week 8 game in Dallas. Hunter sustained a shoulder injury during the Sunday night matchup. The Vikings announced that the defensive end is questionable to return.
Danielle Hunter (shoulder) is questionable to return
At the time this article was published, the Vikings led the Cowboys 10-3. The Minnesota defense is off to a hot start. So is Vikings WR Adam Thielen. At 3-3, Minnesota could use this game to help turn its season into something special.
Good, bad, worse: KOs courtesy Jose Zepeda, Jaron Ennis and Radzhab Butaev.
A critical look at the past week in boxing
GOOD
If you like knockouts, you had a good Saturday night.
Three fighters delivered brutal stoppages in high-profile events, two inside two minutes of the first round and one in the ninth. All of them left a strong impression.
Jose Zepeda and Jaron Ennis did the quick, breathtaking work.
The oddsmakers thought that Zepeda vs. Josue Vargas was a 50-50 fight but a chilling left hand to the jaw that put Vargas on his face in the first round initiated a wipe out. Vargas got up but couldn’t survive a subsequent series of shots, which ended the fight after only 1 minute, 45 seconds.
It was a strong statement from Zepeda, who was only two fights removed from his Fight of the Year against Ivan Baranchyk. If anyone forgot that Zepeda (35-2, 27 KOs) has big-time power, he provided a reminder in New York.
Ennis (28-0, 26 KOs) has otherworldly power, as he demonstrated again on the Radzhab Butaev-Jamal James card in Las Vegas. A right to the head and moments later a straight left hand left veteran Thomas Dulorme wondering what hit him and ended their fight only 1:49 into the action.
I’ll say it again: Ennis reminds me of Roy Jones Jr., whose speed, athleticism and punching power made him an all time great. We’ll see how this plays out.
And Radzhab Buteav took a more circuitous route to stopping Jamal James in the main event in Las Vegas. The Las Vegas-based Russian broke down a respected, but physically overmatched opponent to win by a ninth-round stoppage and possibly earn a welterweight title shot. Big night for Butaev.
Three fights, three knockouts. That’s entertainment.
***
BAD
Thomas Dulorme undergoes a post-fight exam. AP Photo / David Becker
Knockouts come with knockout victims.
One must feel for Vargas, Dulorme and James, although their setbacks won’t necessarily have the same impacts on their careers.
Vargas (19-2, 9 KOs) might be in the best position to bounce back. The talented Puerto Rican is only 23. He can say legitimately, “Hey, I got caught with a big shot. I’ll learn from it.” He probably has many more victories in his future.
Dulorme (25-6-1, 16 KOs) might be in trouble. On one hand, he’s only 31 and gave a solid performance against Eimantas Stanionis in his previous fight. On the other hand, he has now lost three consecutive fights to elite opponents.
And the loss on Saturday was his worst since he was stopped in six rounds by Terence Crawford in 2015. He didn’t even know what hit him.
The good news for Dulorme is that he didn’t take a prolonged beating, which normally means a relatively quick recovery. However, we’ll see whether he can get another big fight after three consecutive disappointments.
James (27-2, 12 KOs) absorbed a lot of punishment against Butaev and is 33, which might not bode well for his future. And while James’ heart can’t be questioned, Butaev might’ve exposed his physical limitations.
That said, James had been on a nice run going into the fight. And maybe a 14-month layoff worked against him.
I suspect James will get another opportunity or two on a big stage before he’s finished.
***
WORSE
The name Cuthbert Taylor is lost to history for all but the most thorough historians, which is a heartbreaking injustice.
Taylor, a Welshman, was a 1928 Olympian and one of the better pros in Europe in the 1930s and ’40s but was denied a chance to fight for a British championship because of a color line that existed until 1948, which was similar to barriers faced by black fighters in the United States.
The British Boxing Board of Control actually enforced a rule that stated only fighters “with two white parents” could compete for titles, according to The Guardian. Taylor’s father was Caribbean, his mother white.
Thus, the slick lightweight with more than 200 pro fights was never allowed to fulfil what might’ve been his destiny.
Well, family members of Taylor, who died in 1977, and a member of the British Parliament are doing what they can to right the wrong: They’re demanding an apology from the BBBofC, which continues to oversee the sport in the U.K.
“Due simply to the fact that his parents were of different ethnic backgrounds, Cuthbert Taylor would never have the recognition and success at professional level that his remarkable talent deserved,” said Gerald Jones, the politician.
“That was all because of a rule that left a stain on the history of one of our country’s most popular and traditional sports, one that has otherwise been known for bringing people from many different backgrounds and communities together.”
He added in an address to Parliament: “This blatantly racist, discriminatory and shameful policy prevented many people from achieving their potential and, unbelievably, the British Boxing Board of Control has yet to apologize.”
That’s the least the BBBofC could do for Taylor.
***
RABBIT PUNCHES
One criticism of Ennis’ performance: He was reckless when he went in for the kill after hurting Dulorme. As a result, he took a hard right that might’ve stopped some fighters. The fact he absorbed the punch without blinking says something about his chin. At the same time, a bigger puncher than Dulorme might’ve seriously hurt Ennis with that shot. … Zepeda seems to be in a good position to challenge undisputed 140-pound champion Josh Taylor, assuming Taylor defeats Jack Catterall on Feb. 26. That would be Zepeda’s third shot at a title, after losing to Terry Flanagan (as the result of an injury) and Jose Ramirez (by majority decision). “I won’t accept anything else. It’s been promised to me too many times. We’re ready,” Zepeda said of another title shot. … I don’t have a problem with the Butaev-James stoppage by referee Celestino Ruiz. James was still competitive only moments earlier, which made the stoppage seem abrupt. However, he had no answer to a series of hard shots in the final seconds and had taken a great deal of punishment over eight-plus rounds. Ruiz did James a favor. … James was losing on two cards (77-74 and 77-74) and winning on the third (76-75) after eight rounds. And he probably would’ve lost Round 9, which would’ve made it difficult for him to win a decision had he survived. Patricia Morse Jarman gave each fighter four rounds, which gave James a one-point lead as the result of a point deducted from Butaev. I think she was too generous to James but her card wasn’t outrageous. …
Lightweight contender Michel Rivera (22-0, 14 KOs) defeated Jose Matias Romero (24-2, 8 KOs) by a shutout decision in a 10-round junior welterweight bout on the Butaev-James card. The talented Dominican outboxed and outworked Romero from beginning to end, which led to the conclusive decision. However, he couldn’t hurt a naturally smaller opponent who stood toe-to-toe with him much of the fight. Was that because Romero is particularly tough? Or was there some deficiency on Rivera’s part? It was probably a combination of both factors. … Rolando Romero is almost certainly out as Gervonta Davis’ opponent on Dec. 5 in Los Angeles because of a sexual assault allegation against Romero, according to multiple reports. Issac Cruz reportedly is a leading candidate to step in as Davis’ opponent. Also, 140-pounder Regis Prograis threw his hat into the ring. I love a Davis-Prograis matchup but the matchup seems to be too big to put together on short notice.
Good, bad, worse: KOs courtesy Jose Zepeda, Jaron Ennis and Radzhab Butaev.
A critical look at the past week in boxing
GOOD
If you like knockouts, you had a good Saturday night.
Three fighters delivered brutal stoppages in high-profile events, two inside two minutes of the first round and one in the ninth. All of them left a strong impression.
Jose Zepeda and Jaron Ennis did the quick, breathtaking work.
The oddsmakers thought that Zepeda vs. Josue Vargas was a 50-50 fight but a chilling left hand to the jaw that put Vargas on his face in the first round initiated a wipe out. Vargas got up but couldn’t survive a subsequent series of shots, which ended the fight after only 1 minute, 45 seconds.
It was a strong statement from Zepeda, who was only two fights removed from his Fight of the Year against Ivan Baranchyk. If anyone forgot that Zepeda (35-2, 27 KOs) has big-time power, he provided a reminder in New York.
Ennis (28-0, 26 KOs) has otherworldly power, as he demonstrated again on the Radzhab Butaev-Jamal James card in Las Vegas. A right to the head and moments later a straight left hand left veteran Thomas Dulorme wondering what hit him and ended their fight only 1:49 into the action.
I’ll say it again: Ennis reminds me of Roy Jones Jr., whose speed, athleticism and punching power made him an all time great. We’ll see how this plays out.
And Radzhab Buteav took a more circuitous route to stopping Jamal James in the main event in Las Vegas. The Las Vegas-based Russian broke down a respected, but physically overmatched opponent to win by a ninth-round stoppage and possibly earn a welterweight title shot. Big night for Butaev.
Three fights, three knockouts. That’s entertainment.
***
BAD
Thomas Dulorme undergoes a post-fight exam. AP Photo / David Becker
Knockouts come with knockout victims.
One must feel for Vargas, Dulorme and James, although their setbacks won’t necessarily have the same impacts on their careers.
Vargas (19-2, 9 KOs) might be in the best position to bounce back. The talented Puerto Rican is only 23. He can say legitimately, “Hey, I got caught with a big shot. I’ll learn from it.” He probably has many more victories in his future.
Dulorme (25-6-1, 16 KOs) might be in trouble. On one hand, he’s only 31 and gave a solid performance against Eimantas Stanionis in his previous fight. On the other hand, he has now lost three consecutive fights to elite opponents.
And the loss on Saturday was his worst since he was stopped in six rounds by Terence Crawford in 2015. He didn’t even know what hit him.
The good news for Dulorme is that he didn’t take a prolonged beating, which normally means a relatively quick recovery. However, we’ll see whether he can get another big fight after three consecutive disappointments.
James (27-2, 12 KOs) absorbed a lot of punishment against Butaev and is 33, which might not bode well for his future. And while James’ heart can’t be questioned, Butaev might’ve exposed his physical limitations.
That said, James had been on a nice run going into the fight. And maybe a 14-month layoff worked against him.
I suspect James will get another opportunity or two on a big stage before he’s finished.
***
WORSE
The name Cuthbert Taylor is lost to history for all but the most thorough historians, which is a heartbreaking injustice.
Taylor, a Welshman, was a 1928 Olympian and one of the better pros in Europe in the 1930s and ’40s but was denied a chance to fight for a British championship because of a color line that existed until 1948, which was similar to barriers faced by black fighters in the United States.
The British Boxing Board of Control actually enforced a rule that stated only fighters “with two white parents” could compete for titles, according to The Guardian. Taylor’s father was Caribbean, his mother white.
Thus, the slick lightweight with more than 200 pro fights was never allowed to fulfil what might’ve been his destiny.
Well, family members of Taylor, who died in 1977, and a member of the British Parliament are doing what they can to right the wrong: They’re demanding an apology from the BBBofC, which continues to oversee the sport in the U.K.
“Due simply to the fact that his parents were of different ethnic backgrounds, Cuthbert Taylor would never have the recognition and success at professional level that his remarkable talent deserved,” said Gerald Jones, the politician.
“That was all because of a rule that left a stain on the history of one of our country’s most popular and traditional sports, one that has otherwise been known for bringing people from many different backgrounds and communities together.”
He added in an address to Parliament: “This blatantly racist, discriminatory and shameful policy prevented many people from achieving their potential and, unbelievably, the British Boxing Board of Control has yet to apologize.”
That’s the least the BBBofC could do for Taylor.
***
RABBIT PUNCHES
One criticism of Ennis’ performance: He was reckless when he went in for the kill after hurting Dulorme. As a result, he took a hard right that might’ve stopped some fighters. The fact he absorbed the punch without blinking says something about his chin. At the same time, a bigger puncher than Dulorme might’ve seriously hurt Ennis with that shot. … Zepeda seems to be in a good position to challenge undisputed 140-pound champion Josh Taylor, assuming Taylor defeats Jack Catterall on Feb. 26. That would be Zepeda’s third shot at a title, after losing to Terry Flanagan (as the result of an injury) and Jose Ramirez (by majority decision). “I won’t accept anything else. It’s been promised to me too many times. We’re ready,” Zepeda said of another title shot. … I don’t have a problem with the Butaev-James stoppage by referee Celestino Ruiz. James was still competitive only moments earlier, which made the stoppage seem abrupt. However, he had no answer to a series of hard shots in the final seconds and had taken a great deal of punishment over eight-plus rounds. Ruiz did James a favor. … James was losing on two cards (77-74 and 77-74) and winning on the third (76-75) after eight rounds. And he probably would’ve lost Round 9, which would’ve made it difficult for him to win a decision had he survived. Patricia Morse Jarman gave each fighter four rounds, which gave James a one-point lead as the result of a point deducted from Butaev. I think she was too generous to James but her card wasn’t outrageous. …
Lightweight contender Michel Rivera (22-0, 14 KOs) defeated Jose Matias Romero (24-2, 8 KOs) by a shutout decision in a 10-round junior welterweight bout on the Butaev-James card. The talented Dominican outboxed and outworked Romero from beginning to end, which led to the conclusive decision. However, he couldn’t hurt a naturally smaller opponent who stood toe-to-toe with him much of the fight. Was that because Romero is particularly tough? Or was there some deficiency on Rivera’s part? It was probably a combination of both factors. … Rolando Romero is almost certainly out as Gervonta Davis’ opponent on Dec. 5 in Los Angeles because of a sexual assault allegation against Romero, according to multiple reports. Issac Cruz reportedly is a leading candidate to step in as Davis’ opponent. Also, 140-pounder Regis Prograis threw his hat into the ring. I love a Davis-Prograis matchup but the matchup seems to be too big to put together on short notice.
Here’s what the Colts said after the 34-31 loss to the Titans.
The Indianapolis Colts (3-5) were defeated 34-31 in overtime against the Tennessee Titans (6-2) in a game that the former had every chance to win.
Much of the talk will be about the erratic play of quarterback Carson Wentz, who couldn’t elevate the team when he was needed most. But head coach Frank Reich made some questionable calls, especially when it came to the usage of Jonathan Taylor, who saw 16 carries despite the offense running 71 total plays.
Here’s what the Colts had to say after the divisional loss:
There were a lot of negative moments to focus on in Jacksonville’s 31-7 loss to Seattle on Sunday, but one of the most concerning came when James Robinson was shoved out of bounds after a 14-yard run, his longest of the day. He collided with a piece of equipment on the sidelines, and though he appeared to be alright in real time, he didn’t enter the game for the following series. He was later listed as questionable to return with an ankle injury but did not see the field again.
After the game, coach Urban Meyer updated his status. As it turns out, he did not injure his ankle but rather suffered a bruised heel in the loss to the Seahawks. Meyer said that he does not know the extent of the injury or how long Robinson will be sidelined.
James Robinson has a bruised heel – Coach Meyer does not know the extent of the injury and how long he will be out
Robinson had four carries for 22 yards before he had to leave the game on Sunday, and he’s been one of the few bright spots for Jacksonville this season. He already has 468 yards and five scores after finishing as a 1,000-yard rusher as an undrafted rookie in 2020.
If he’s unable to go next week against the Buffalo Bills, the Jaguars will likely once again turn to Carlos Hyde, who had just 39 yards on nine carries, and Dare Ogunbowale, who had nine yards on two carries.
While it doesn’t sound like the injury is too serious, it could impact his status in the coming weeks. We’ll keep you posted with updates to this story here at Jaguars Wire.
