Bears roar back into the win column. Plus, 49ers-Cowboys and Texas-Oklahoma lead huge football weekend

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🐻 Good morning to everybody however particularly …

THE CHICAGO BEARS

Bears lovers had noticed this ahead of. Four days previous, actually: Huge first-half lead, huge second-half cave in, gut-wrenching loss.

Except that 0.33 section did not occur. Chicago snapped its franchise-record 14-game dropping streak with a revitalizing, resounding 40-20 win over the Commanders.

• Justin Fields and D.J. Moore shredded Washington’s protection: Fields threw for 282 yards and 4 touchdowns with 230 yards and 3 touchdowns going to Moore.
• Moore’s 230 yards receiving are second-most ever by way of a Bears participant. His 531 yards receiving this season are second-most thru 5 video games in franchise historical past and greater than any Bears wideout had all of closing yr.
• Here’s the sport in a single play: After Washington crept to inside of 30-20, the Bears confronted third-and-2. Fields ripped a throw to Moore, the ball brushing Kendall Fuller‘s fingertips. Moore grew to become and had not anything however inexperienced grass, operating 56 yards for the game-sealing ranking.
• Defensively, the Bears racked up 5 sacks on Sam Howell — that they had two all season coming into the sport — and snapped their 14-game streak of permitting no less than 25 issues. Howell, in the meantime, is on tempo to take just about 100 sacks this season; the all-time checklist is 76.

This is what Bears lovers have begged to peer: Fields competitive and assured with a real No. 1 WR main the means, and large performs thru the air balancing a robust floor sport (178 yards). Carrying it ahead is the key, however for now (in the end), the Bears are back in the win column.

👍 Honorable mentions

😞 And no longer this kind of just right morning for …

THE WASHINGTON COMMANDERS

If you anticipated a lot other from the Commanders, you have not paid shut sufficient consideration to the wretched contemporary historical past of the franchise in those situations. Prime time house sport they will have to have an excellent chance to win? Check. New quarterback that supposedly may well be “the guy?” Check.

Absolute crisis? Check.

There are a litany of atrocious stats I may run thru, however I’ll grasp off. I’ve watched this staff since ahead of I may stroll or communicate. Seriously. My folks would plop child me in entrance of the tv, and I’d watch. This loss ranks up there with — marvel — closing yr’s top time loss to the Giants, a a very powerful late-season sport coming off a bye. Or the 2017 finale when Washington had a win-and-in sport in opposition to the Giants’ backups … and misplaced in Kirk Cousins‘ ultimate sport with the staff. Or the 2010 Monday evening contest the place they trailed 28-0 to the Eagles at the finish of the first quarter and ended up permitting 59 issues. The record is going on. 

When I took this process, I promised to each have a good time with and commiserate with my readers. Washington lovers: The proprietor, staff title and quarterback can have modified, however this stays the identical ol’ staff. Heck, even Magic Johnson, a part of the new possession workforce, ripped the staff for “no intensity or fire.” 

Another evening of the visiting groups’ chants ringing thru a half-empty stadium by way of sport’s finish? Check … mate.

👍 Not so honorable mentions

🏈 Hall of Famer, Bears legend Dick Butkus dies at 80

Dick Butkus, the iconic Bears linebacker and one in all the NFL’s biggest gamers, died Thursday at 80 years previous.

• Butkus had a magnificent faculty profession at Illinois; the award for the country’s easiest linebacker is known as after him.
• Over 9 NFL seasons from 1965-73, Butkus racked up 8 Pro Bowls, 5 first-team All-Pro alternatives and spots on the Hall of Fame’s All-Nineteen Sixties and All-Nineteen Seventies groups. He was once inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1979.
• In 1994, the Bears retired Butkus’ No. 51, and in 2004, he was once a part of a statue unveiled out of doors Soldier Field. In 2019, he was once named to the NFL’s one hundredth Anniversary All-Time Team.
• In a commentary, commissioner Roger Goodell stated Butkus was once a “fierce and passionate competitor who helped define the linebacker position as one of the NFL’s all-time greats” including “we also remember Dick as a long-time advocate for former players, and players at all levels of the game.”

Butkus is No. 9 in our best 25 gamers of all-time.

🏈 NFL Week 5 alternatives: Huge NFC fight between Cowboys, 49ers looms

Last week, I proclaimed Dolphins-Bills as sport of the week, and Buffalo made a commentary with a 48-20 romp. This week, we are flipping over to the NFC for a heavyweight fight as the 49ers host the Cowboys on Sunday evening. The two iconic franchises engaged in memorable playoff battles in the Eighties and Nineteen Nineties, and that is been renewed not too long ago with San Francisco getting rid of Dallas each and every of the closing two postseasons. Fittingly, the all-time collection is tied, 19-19-1.

They may well be on every other collision path: The Cowboys (+83) and 49ers (+67) rank moment and 0.33, respectively, in level differential this season in the back of the Bills. So, who wins this time?

John Breech says …

• Breech: “We are four weeks into the NFL season and no one has figured out how to stop the 49ers offense yet. … Of course, if anyone can hold them to under 30 points, it’s the Cowboys, who have one of the best defenses in the NFL. Not only that, but the Cowboys also have Dan Quinn, who is the one defensive coordinator you want to have when you’re facing a Kyle Shanahan offense. The pick: Cowboys 27-24 over 49ers“

Here are our mavens’ alternatives:

Pete Prisco | Will Brinson | John Breech | Jordan Dajani | Tyler Sullivan

🏈 College football Week 6 alternatives and previews: Red River Rivalry

For the ultimate time as Big 12 establishments, No. 12 Oklahoma and No. 3 Texas meet in the Red River Rivalry at the Cotton Bowl.

The Longhorns dismantled the Sooners closing yr, 49-0; on the other hand, since 2000, Oklahoma owns an 8-1 benefit when each groups are ranked in the best dozen.

Dean Straka ranked the 5 easiest Oklahoma-Texas video games of the Big 12 generation, and I believe this ultimate one may make a past due access. What does Tom Fornelli — the man I believe — suppose, regardless that? Here’s his easiest wager in The Six Pack:

• Fornelli: “I’ve learned some valuable lessons, too. The biggest is that no matter what the numbers say is most likely to happen, you can’t take anything for granted in this game. … Both teams are off to a fantastic start, but when I look at my numbers, everything pushes me in Texas’ direction — even if it’s not a decided advantage. But again, expect the unexpected in this rivalry. The good news is there is one thing we can almost always count on when these teams meet: Points. Pick: Over 60 (-110)“

That’s one in all 3 best 25 contests this week:

• No. 10 Notre Dame at No. 25 Louisville (preview)
• No. 20 Kentucky at No. 1 Georgia (preview)

As for Oklahoma and Texas’ subsequent convention, Barrett Sallee has SEC alternatives; Will Backus has price performs throughout the nation.

⚾ MLB divisional spherical preview, alternatives

All 4 Wild Card Series led to sweeps. I will guarantee you that may not occur once more. The divisional spherical opens the following day, and the matchups are completely loaded:

• Orioles vs. Rangers
• Astros vs. Twins
• Braves vs. Phillies
• Dodgers vs. Diamondbacks

Here’s the agenda/TV information, the odds and the bracket.

There are storylines galore in each and every collection: Baltimore’s homegrown squad in opposition to Texas’ loose agent-heavy one, Carlos Correa in opposition to his former staff and Los Angeles — lengthy the rulers of the NL West — in opposition to an up-and-coming department foe. To me, regardless that, all of them faded compared to Atlanta-Philadelphia. The Braves had the easiest checklist in baseball and are World Series favorites, however the Phillies made the World Series closing yr, beating the Braves on this spherical alongside the means.

Our mavens’ alternatives are in, and Mike Axisa says …

• Axisa: “My head says the Braves on talent and my heart says the Phillies on vibes. I’m going with my head and saying the Braves, though I expect this to be the most competitive and captivating series of this round, and maybe of the entire postseason. I think Atlanta’s lineup is just too deep and power-laden. Home runs win in October and no team hits home runs like Atlanta. Pick: Braves in 5“

🏀 WNBA Finals preview: Matchup we have been anticipating all alongside is right here

They’ve been on a collision path since the offseason. Now, it is right here: The Liberty and Aces meet in the WNBA Finals, with the star-studded collection starting Sunday. MVP Breanna Stewart vs. runner-up A’ja Wilson is the headliner, however there is a ton of skill up and down those rosters. Jack Maloney has you lined with …

📺 What we are gazing this weekend

Friday

🏈 Kansas State at Oklahoma State, 7:30 p.m. on ESPN
⚽ OL Reign vs. Washington Spirit, 8 p.m. on CBS, Paramount+

Saturday

🏈 No. 12 Oklahoma at No. 3 Texas, Noon on ABC
🏈 No. 23 LSU at No. 21 Missouri, Noon on ESPN
⚾ Rangers at Orioles, 1 p.m. on FS1
🏈 No. 11 Alabama at Texas A&M, 3:30 p.m. on CBS, Paramount+
⚾ Twins at Astros, 4:45 p.m. on FS1
⚾ Phillies at Braves, 6 p.m. on TBS
🏈 No. 20 Kentucky at No. 1 Georgia, 7 p.m. on ESPN
🏈 No. 10 Notre Dame at No. 25 Louisville, 7:30 p.m. on ABC
⚾ Diamondbacks at Dodgers, 9:20 p.m. on TBS

Sunday

🏈 Jaguars at Bills, 9:30 a.m. on NFL Network
🏈 Ravens at Steelers, 1 p.m. on CBS, Paramount+
🏀 Liberty at Aces, 3 p.m. on ABC
⚾ Rangers at Orioles, 4 p.m. on FS1
🏈 Eagles at Rams, 4:05 p.m. on Fox
🏈 Chiefs at Vikings, 4:25 p.m. on CBS, Paramount+
⚾ Twins at Astros, 8 p.m. on FS1
🏈 Cowboys at 49ers, 8:20 p.m. on NBC