Eight months after Alex Bregman signed with the Cubs while Caleb Williams led the Bears to a miraculous playoff comeback against the Packers, both players left simultaneous games in horrific fashion. Bregman will hopefully be back for the playoffs after getting struck by a foul ball. Williams grimaced in pain on the Soldier Field grass as more than just yesterday’s game seemed to be slipping away from the Bears. Even though the game ended in a nightmare loss, the franchise quarterback may have avoided a serious injury. Their season is alive.
The Cubs answered the call with playoff positioning on the line. They took 2 of 3 against the 1st place Braves and 2 of 3 against the lowly Reds. The starting rotation was effective outside of another Clay Holmes dud (6 ER). David Peterson had a two-start week and had nearly identical lines (6 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 7 K in each start). Daniel Palencia throw 2 scoreless innings in an encouraging bounceback appearance, and Ryan Zeferjahn didn’t allow a run over 3 innings.
Pete Crow-Armstrong had 2 3-hit games and a 4-hit game this week with 3 HR. He tied Kyle Schwarber in the MLB HR race with his 45th bomb. He passed Billy Williams for most HR in a season by a lefty in Cubs history and passed Ernie Banks for most HR in a season by a 24-year old (or younger) in Cubs history. His MVP campaign has now reached 118 runs, 45 HR, 107 RBI, and 38 SB.
With one win or one Diamondbacks loss, the Cubs will clinch a playoff berth. It will be worth celebrating, but their level of play leading into the playoffs was always going to matter more. As winners of 6 of their last 9 games, the signs we needed to see have been put on display. The beginning-of-September slump may be in the rearview mirror.
September 1 - September 13
99 wRC+ (17th in MLB)
11 HR (T/15th in MLB)
.381 SLG (23rd in MLB)
September 14 - September 20
122 wRC+ (5th in MLB)
7 HR (T/10th in MLB)
.458 SLG (8th in MLB)
A hot lineup gives the Cubs a chance in any playoff series. A reliable rotation delays the necessity of bullpen innings. Palencia, Zeferjahn, and others finding a groove in the bullpen makes them legitimate contenders to make a run. And we can’t forget that Dansby Swanson just returned from his injury. His presence at shortstop and yes, in the lineup, makes a huge difference.
This is the final week of the season! 3 games against Miami and 3 games in Boston close out the regular season before the Wild Card series next week. With home field advantage on the line, the Cubs will continue to push for wins through Game 162. The schedule lends them a hand as the Marlins have struggled in a 7-11 September, and the Red Sox have lost 7 of their last 11 games.
One week after making history in their season opener with 59 points and 552 yards, Ben Johnson had no answer for the relentless Vikings defense. In sloppy conditions, the Bears managed only 3 points and 297 total yards. The offense shot themselves in the foot repeatedly with constant penalties (8 as a team), going 0/3 in the redzone, and only converting 5/15 on 3rd downs. Devin Bush dropped an early interception, Sam Roush couldn’t rein in a key pass by the goal line, D’Andre Swift fumbled near the goal line, and Caleb Williams’ injury occurred on a potential touchdown run by the goal line. The Bears left so many points on the board and were out of sync for 60 minutes.
Tyson Bagent replaced Williams at the very end of the game and led them into the red zone for one final attempt at the win. Despite everything going wrong, they were only one play away from pulling off an impossible victory. With one second on the clock…Bagent didn’t even get a throw off.
When Williams went down, he couldn’t put any weight on his leg. It looked like a potential season-ending play based on his emotional response, but he reportedly has a low-grade hamstring injury and will get imaging done today.
I was so convinced the Bears would be a juggernaut this season after their emphatic statement against the Panthers. Making every mental and physical mistake you could imagine, losing your franchise quarterback for an undisclosed amount of time, and falling one play short against a division rival were all disastrous in the moment. In the grand scheme of the season, it doesn’t change anything.
If Williams ends up missing most of the season, then we can throw in the towel. They would win some games and compete, but no trophy chase would be remotely realistic. If the minor severity is accurate, then the juggernaut dreams are alive and well.
The defense tightened up and only allowed 246 yards, including just 127 yards through the air. TJ Edwards made key tackles, the rookies flew around the field again, and Tyrique Stevenson even had impactful moments. This showed more of what they’re capable of compared to Week 1, but playing against a backup quarterback in a swimming pool doesn’t change their trajectory as a unit. Most of what we saw was a fluke that will get washed away tomorrow. Thankfully, the Bears’ season is still in tact.
The banged up Bears get an extra day to rest before a Monday Night showdown against the 2-0 Philadelphia Eagles. They narrowly escaped the Commanders and Titans to start the year and look average at best on both sides of the ball. The Bears will want to repeat their dominant performance against the Eagles from last season when they ran for 281 yards, but I’m not sure if the Week 1 or Week 2 offensive line will show up this time.
What was the worst part of the Bears/Vikings game?
Connor Bedard is the 37th captain in Chicago Blackhawks history! The 21-year old becomes the youngest captain in the NHL heading into his 4th season with the team. This honor was inevitable as Bedard established himself in Chicago. He’s obsessed with being great, supporting his teammates, and winning the Stanley Cup. He’s the only person fit to lead the Blackhawks into a new era of contention. Patrick Kane and Tyler Bertuzzi will wear the “A” this season.
“While we don’t know what the next 100 years of Blackhawks hockey looks like, we know it starts with Connor Bedard.” - Danny Wirtz
AJ Spellacy showed out in the Prospect Showcase. He and Martin Misiak each had 3 goals over the 2 games. NHL Training Camp also kicked off this week, and an exciting top line played together for a few days: Kantserov-Nazar-Kane.
Bulls legend Taj Gibson officially retired from the NBA and is joining the Bulls as an assistant coach under Tiago Splitter. Gibson was a major contributor in the Derrick Rose era and is beloved by former teammates along with others around the league. Grab your hard hat and lunch pail, young Bulls!
Roman Kantserov or Anton Frondell will win the Calder Trophy.
In Connor Bedard’s interview on CHSN after being named captain, he mentioned his excitement about Roman and [Frondy] battling for the Calder. He’s right. They are two high profile rookies stepping into a loaded young roster with expectations to win a lot of games this season.
Kantserov has been paired up with Patrick Kane so far in training camp, and they seem to be getting along well on and off the ice. If he sticks alongside Kane all season, his scoring chances and point totals will skyrocket. After leading the KHL in goals last season, he already has the experience and success needed to translate into NHL production.
Frondell burst onto the scene as an NHL rookie at the end of last season and recorded 9 points in 12 games. He’ll get a long look at center where Jeff Blashill believes he was destined to play. His two-way game and wicked shot will also lead to high point toals, and his maturity as a 19-year old seems to be advanced.
The Blackhawks Top 6 will look explosive this year for the first time in a long time. Kantserov and Frondell will play major roles and enjoy a friendly battle with each other for rookie of the year honors.
Caleb Williams
“Let it hurt, let it sting, watch the tape, clean it up, get back and be 1-0 next week.”
Colston Loveland shared Williams’ message with the team after the game. Williams didn’t vanish because of his injury. He didn’t mourn his inability to finish the game. He was there for his teammates to lead them past this mess and into next week. That’s exactly what you want your franchise quarterback to do.
