Hello Chicago Bears fans! This is a special edition of the GBB column, as I relate not only the good, the better, and the best of the game against the New Orleans Saints, but I also tell you what it was like to be there, in person, for the first-time home game, in Chicago, at Soldier Field, for my son as a Bears fan. Let’s get into it, shall we?
Good
The Bears Rushing Attack
After the game in Washington, many skeptics may have wondered if the Bears rushing attack in that game, was an outlier. Afterall,
the Bears going into last Monday night had put up numbers that ranked at the bottom of the NFL in rushing statistics. The Bears had another idea, however, as the Bears rushed for 222 yards total on the ground, featuring D’Andre Swift who rushed for 124 yards and a touchdown. Kyle Monangai added a career-high 81 yards and a touchdown in his breakout game as well.
Gino’s East Tavern Style
Saturday evening, after a day touring the downtown area of Chicago, including a visit to The Bean, the boy and I had tavern style pizza at the original Gino’s East on 162 E Superior St, while we watched college football that night. The atmosphere was amazing, and the pizza was delicious – as both the boy and I can confirm.
An Afternoon in the Park
As I noted above, the boy and I spent a great deal of time on Saturday touring the park and enjoying the sights and the sounds of the park experience. We visited several monuments, including the famous Bean, and walked the avenue for a good two miles to get a full view of the Chicago downtown area. I can tell you the boy spent most of his time with his eyes cast upwards in wonderment, looking at the stone, steel, and glass structures that make up the Chicago skyscape. It was a lovely walk in the park.
Better
Montez Sweat’s Pressure Game
Montez Sweat has received a considerable amount of criticism from Bears fans for his quiet performances in the last calendar year. Sweat put those criticisms to bed on Sunday, constantly pressuring and disrupting the pocket, and capped off with a strip sack that was a game changer in the moment.
Chicago Bears Run Scheme
If Washington was the coming out party for the Bears’ rushing attack, then the game against the Saints was the rompin’ after party. Ben Johnson’s rushing scheme against the Saints was impressive, as the Saints had no answer to the Bears attack, which featured the old school 13-personnel on several occasions. Credit to Ben Johnson for scheming up a rushing attack that the Bears could lean on, and it was the biggest contributor to the victory on Sunday outside of the turnovers.
Bears Run Defense
The Bears’ run defense, which was stout against the Commanders, upped it another notch against the New Orleans Saints. They allowed only 44 yards total in rushing on the day from the Saints, a team that featured Alvin Kamara and had Taysom Hill back to contribute to their rushing attack.
Best
Giordano’s Deep Dish Pizza
Saturday afternoon, the boy and I went to Giordano’s in their “new” location on Michigan Ave, for some deep-dish pepperoni pizza. It was the boy’s first taste of Chicago-style, deep-dish pizza – pizza I had enjoyed at their original location decades ago.
Tailgating in the Cold, Windy, Rainy Chicago Weather
So the boy and I had tickets to the CHGO tailgate on Sunday morning. It was NOT ideal tailgating weather, as the rain came pouring down in the early morning hours, brought on by a cold front and windy conditions that made for poncho and huddling-under-the-nearest-tent weather. But as I told the boy – this, THIS, is what it means to be a Chicagoan, and to be a Bears fan in Chicago. The great BBQ we got to enjoy didn’t hurt, and in fact helped us ignore the bad weather. We met so many great Bears fans at the tailgate, including Greg Braggs, Jr., and despite the weather, we got to experience a great pre-game with Bears fans from all over. As damp as the weather was, the atmosphere was absolutely electric.
Bears’ Defense Turning Over the Saints
The Chicago Bears are the #1 team in the NFL at forcing turnovers, despite the fact they are one game down relative to most teams due to their early bye week. The Bears continued their game-changing ways on defense with a fumble recovery and three interceptions of Spencer Rattler on Sunday.
Appearing on TV
Yes, we made the broadcast, Bears fans. As the boy and I rooted on the Beloved, in the face of some egregious calls by the stripped ones, the TV folks put our reactions out there for all to see. Both the boy and I reacted harshly to an egregiously bad call that went against the Bears, and the camera found us for our reactions. The boy and I have no apologies and no regrets. It was an absolute crap call.
A Bears Victory in Person with your Boy for His First Game
I have attended Bears games in the past. I was at the “windy” Halloween game where Nate Vasher returned a missed field goal against the 49ers 103 yards before the half for a touchdown. I was there to see Pat Mahomes dismantle the Bears in a dominating fashion that underlined the mistake the Bears made in not drafting him. However, no experience can compare to being in Chicago with your son for his first home game as a Bears fan, and experiencing the sweet taste of victory on a chilly Sunday afternoon. It wasn’t good. It wasn’t better. It was the best.
