Tag: Jakeem Grant

3 Bears named to All-Pro second team

The Bears had three players named to the All-Pro second team in Roquan Smith, Robert Quinn and Jakeem Grant.

The Associated Press announced its All-Pro teams on Friday, where three Bears were among those players recognized for the 2021 season.

While they didn’t have any first-teamers, linebacker Roquan Smith, outside linebacker Robert Quinn and punt returner Jakeem Grant were named to the All-Pro second team. Smith tied for fourth in voting at linebacker, Quinn was third in voting at edge rusher and Grant was second in voting at punt returner.

There’s a huge argument to made for Smith and Quinn both being snubbed as first-team All-Pros, as they were among the best at their position in 2021.

Quinn had the second-most sacks in the NFL, with 18.5, behind only Pittsburgh’s T.J. Watt (22.5). Cleveland’s Myles Garrett, who made the first-team over Quinn, had 2.5 sacks less than Quinn in one more game played. Quinn had at least one sack in eight of his last nine games, and he had 0.5 sack in the finale. By comparison, Garrett had just one sack in the final month of the season.

Smith continues to be one of the NFL’s most underrated players. He finished the 2021 season with 163 total tackles (4th in NFL), 12 tackles for loss (4th among linebackers), 27 pass tackle stops (1st), 3.6 missed tackle percentage (2nd) and had a 76.8 passer rating allowed (7th for LBs).

Quinn and Grant were also named to the Pro Bowl roster, where Smith was a notable snub. That’s two second-team All-Pro nods for Smith and still no Pro Bowls.

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Bears’ Jakeem Grant placed on IR

The Bears have placed WR Jakeem Grant on injured reserve with an ankle injury, which officially ends his season.

The Chicago Bears have placed wide receiver Jakeem Grant on injured reserve with an ankle injury, which officially ends his season ahead of Sunday’s finale against the Minnesota Vikings.

The Bears traded for Grant back on Oct. 5, adding a valuable special teams asset. Grant appeared in 11 games with Chicago, where he mostly served as the punt and sometimes kick returner but also saw some snaps on offense.

Entering Week 18, Grant ranks third in the NFL in punt returns (11.9-yard average) with one touchdown on 26 returns. He’s 11th in kickoff returns with a 23.4-yard average on 23 kickoffs.

Grant was named to his first Pro Bowl during his six-year career. His most memorable moment happened during Chicago’s Sunday Night Football game against the Green Bay Packers, where Grant retuned a punt 97 yards for a touchdown. It marked the sixth kick return touchdown of his career (four punts, two kickoffs).

On offense, Grant caught nine passes for 139 yards and two touchdowns, one of those coming in that Packers game.

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6 Bears who deserve more playing time in final 3 games of 2021

The Bears’ season is all but over, which means it’s time to get a better look at what these players can contribute.

We’re winding down on what’s been a tumultuous season for the Chicago Bears, where there are just three games left before the Bears head into an offseason of change.

While Chicago has officially been eliminated from playoff contention, there’s still plenty to watch in these final games. Namely, some of the young players who have the potential to become impact players down the road for the Bears. Now that there’s nothing left to play for, it’s time for some players who haven’t gotten a lot of opportunities this season to get some.

Here’s a look at six Bears who’ve earned more playing time in the final weeks of the season:

Bears WR Jakeem Grant ruled out with concussion vs. Vikings

Bears WR Jakeem Grant suffered a concussion against the Vikings.

The blows continue for the Chicago Bears, who are already down 14 players due to COVID-19, and now they lost one of their best playmakers on offense and special teams.

Bears wide receiver Jakeem Grant suffered a concussion and has been ruled out for the remainder of the game against the Minnesota Vikings.

Grant has been one of Chicago’s best threats to score over the last few weeks, be it on offense or special teams, and his loss is a brutal one.

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Bears OLB Robert Quinn, WR Jakeem Grant named to 2022 Pro Bowl

Bears OLB Robert Quinn and WR Jakeem Grant are Pro Bowl bound!

Bears outside linebacker Robert Quinn and return specialist Jakeem Grant have been voted to the 2022 Pro Bowl, the team announced Monday, where they will be starters at their respective positions.

Quinn has bounced back in a huge way following a disappointing 2020 season. Quinn entered Week 15 with 14.0 sacks, which is tied for the third-most in the NFL and third best in a Bears single season. Quinn is just 3.5 shy of tying Richard Dent’s single-season record of 17.5 set in 1984.

Quinn was named the NFC Defensive Player of the Month for November, where he logged 5.5 sacks, 14 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss and two forced fumbles.

Grant was acquired in a trade with the Miami Dolphins back in October, where he’s been a solid punt and kickoff returner. In nine games, Grant has averaged 16.3 yards on 15 punt returns with one touchdown, as well as 23 yards on two kickoff returns. On offense he caught nine passes for 139 yards and two touchdowns.

Grant’s most impressive feat came last week against the Packers, when he returned a punt 97 yards for a score — the first punt return touchdown of the season — to add to his offensive touchdown.

For the second straight season, Bears linebacker Roquan Smith was snubbed from the Pro Bowl.

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4 bold predictions for Bears’ prime-time meeting with Vikings

Things could get wild on the lakefront as the Bears face the Vikings on Monday, which is great if you’re looking for some bold predictions.

The Chicago Bears are set to play their second prime-time game in as many weeks when they welcome in the Minnesota Vikings to Soldier Field on Monday night. But the storyline all week has nothing to do with the matchup, but rather COVID-19 and who will actually be available to play when the game begins?

A number of players are out for both teams but the game is still to be played as scheduled with the Bears looking to play spoilers for the playoff-hopeful Vikings. But if we know anything about Minnesota, it’s that you should expect the unexpected when it comes to their games. The Vikings have played in three overtime games already this year and all but one of their games has had a result within one score.

Things could get wild on the lakefront Monday night, which is great if you’re looking for some bold predictions.

NFC North standings heading into Week 15

The NFC North has remained status quo this season, where the standings remain the same.

The NFC as a conference may be tightening up a bit with many playoff teams within striking distance of one another, but when it comes to the NFC North, it’s status quo. For at least the eighth week in a row, the standings didn’t change within the division and each team has a strong hold on their respective place.

With just four games left in the season, here is how the NFC North looks.

Bears WR Jakeem Grant named NFC Special Teams Player of the Week

Jakeem Grant is the first Bears return specialist to win NFC Special Teams Player of the Week since Devin Hester.

Bears wide receiver Jakeem Grant has been named the NFC Special Teams Player of the Week following his impressive performance against the Packers in Week 14.

Grant was a big reason why Bears fans — and Matt Nagy — were able to have a little fun during the first half of Sunday night’s game against the Packers, which featured a thrilling six-touchdown second quarter.

Grant scored two touchdowns in the second quarter, including a 46-yard catch-and-run score. But it was his impact on special teams that garnered him recognition.

Grant returned three punt returns for 131 yards, including an insane 97-yard punt return touchdown in the second quarter, the longest in Bears history. It was also the first punt return touchdown of the 2021 NFL season.

Grant, who Chicago traded for back in October,  currently ranks second in the league with an average of 13.2 yards per punt return.

This is the third time Grant has earned player of the week honors, with his previous ones coming in 2018 and 2020 with the Dolphins. Grant now has six kick return touchdowns, four on punts and two on kickoffs in his six-year career.

Grant is the first Bears returner to win the NFC’s Special Teams Player of the Week since the great Devin Hester, which is certainly good company to be in.

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Studs and duds from Bears’ blowout loss to Packers in prime time

The Bears lost to the Packers 45-30 in yet another embarrassing performance on prime time. Here are our studs and duds from the defeat.

For the first 30 minutes, the Chicago Bears looked like they had plenty of studs playing as they were able to take a 27-21 lead against the Green Bay Packers into halftime. For the final 30 minutes, however, there were many more duds.

The Bears lost to the Packers 45-30 in yet another embarrassing performance on prime time. Now at 4-9, a losing season is guaranteed under Matt Nagy for the first time during his tenure as head coach. The 45 points allowed is the third-most in the rivalry and most since 2014.

To say this was a rollercoaster of a game is an understatement. Lead changes, special teams craziness, and everything in between with plenty of players involved in the action. Here are this week’s studs and duds from the Bears’ latest loss.

Bears receivers are finally showing off their speed vs. Packers

We’re finally starting to see the speed of the Bears receiving corps.

The Chicago Bears might just have one of the fastest receiver rooms in the NFL, although not many would know that considering Chicago’s passing game has been anemic this season.

But facing their hated rivals the Green Bay Packers on Sunday Night Football, we’re starting to see what that speed can do — and that’s not only score touchdowns but have an impact on the game.

Two of the fastest players on the Bears’ roster, wide receivers Jakeem Grant and Damiere Byrd, have scored Chicago’s three first-half touchdowns, where their speed has been the difference maker.

Grant scored on a 46-yard catch-and-run touchdown in the first quarter and added a 97-yard punt return touchdown in the second quarter, and this has somehow become the Jakeem Grant game.

After Justin Fields threw a pick-6, he responded with a touchdown drive that ended with a short pass to Byrd, who took it 54 yards for a touchdown in the second quarter.

The Bears not only rank among the worst offenses in the NFL this season, but their passing game is one of the worst. Aside from the run game, the offense has been an utter disaster.

That falls on head coach Matt Nagy, whose offense has gotten progressively worse with each passing year. The Bears might have a speedy receivers room, but the problem is Nagy hasn’t utilized them until now.

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