1. How is the first year of the new regime in Arizona going? Obviously, we aren’t seeing much in terms of victories, but the team appears tenacious most weeks, at least from afar.
They are, and they are well-coached and prepared, but they simply lack skill on defense, and having Kyler Murray return so late has generated concerns with the offense alone working properly. The run game has improved significantly, and Trey McBride is on the verge of becoming an outstanding tight end, but the rest of the passing game is atrocious.
That is an issue. Marquise “Hollywood” Brown has been out with a heel injury, and while he has battled through it, he has as many catches as us in the final two games of December.
So, how do you decide? They appear to be prepared, but their defense isn’t nearly good enough, and their attack is improving.
When you only win three games, I guess that’s where you’re at.
2. How has Paris Johnson been performing this year? There was a lot of disagreement among Bears fans about whether they should take Paris Johnson or Darnell Wright in the selection; obviously, Johnson went before the Bears could select him, but Wright has been good for Chicago, so it’ll be interesting to see how Johnson’s first year goes.
He has been just fine. He’s got a lot of excellent players to play against this season, and he’s had highs and lows, but he’s playing right tackle for the first time in his career (seven snaps at Ohio State if we’re being precise), and that’s the hardest thing for a rookie to do.
So, I believe his being fine tells a lot about how he appears to be a person who should be good, who should be a bedrock of a solid offensive line as he grows.
Our biggest issue is whether he will be the left tackle next year, whether they will draft a left tackle, or if they will go with veteran D.J. Humphries for another year.
3. With the Bears holding the Panthers’ first-round pick in 2024, we’ve been paying close attention to the Cardinals’ draft placement. If Caleb Williams and Drake Maye are the first two picks and the Cardinals hold the third pick, it appears that Marvin Harrison will be selected. Please correct me if I’m wrong. Do you agree with that premature assessment? I’m also interested whether the Cardinals, if they get the second pick, will take Maye and try to move on from Kyler Murray.
Both clubs (and perhaps all teams) could benefit from a Marvin Harrison Jr., and for the Cardinals, this is especially significant given their dire need for wide receiver help.
I’m not kidding when I say they have the worst wide receiver room in the NFL right now. So, if you trade Kyler Murray, you lose MHJ while likely gaining a high-impact free agency wide receiver. So you have to hope that one of the next tier of fantastic wide receiver prospects in the NFL Draft pool gets to your pick, which should happen given the caliber of this class, but how much of a drop off will there be?
I believe this is a decent rehab for Murray; you get him a couple more weapons, then evaluate next year and move on without taking a huge cap hit.
4. How has Kyler Murray looked since returning from injury? How confident are you in him as the team’s quarterback?
Again, no problem. He appears to be adjusting to a new offense, one that is unlike anything he did in college or his first four seasons as a pro.
He appears to be pretty comfortable on the script, but as things shift, you can see where they lack skill around him and he is fighting the want to put on the cape and simply run and instead looking to generate plays within the pocket or down the field.
So, I think he’s been fine, not worth the money, but that’s not surprising given there was no offseason, no training camp, and he’s in the midst of a horrific injury scenario where his wide receivers haven’t practiced at all, and it shows.
I’m hoping that the last three games reveal even more.
5. Are there any specific Cardinals prop bets on DraftKings that you would recommend to Bears fans?
I like a couple if the weather permits.
Matt Prater o1.5 field goals at a profit. As previously stated, the Cardinals’ offense has not been consistent enough for me to trust them to score touchdowns, but Prater has been the greatest kicker in the NFL this season, and they are kicking if it is within 59 yards.
More than 43 points. I admire what the Bears are doing on defense, but I believe the Cardinals will keep things tight in a defeat to the Bears, and I don’t believe the Cardinals can stop the Bears offense, so points will be plenty, weather permitting.
The Bears wish you luck and health in this game.
So, Bears fans, will you be watching this one on Christmas Eve, or will you check the box score later that night when you sneak away from the family for a few minutes? We’d all be pumped about a potential steamroll here on Sunday if the Bears had held on against the Browns, but the air is definitely out of the balloon, at least for this content producer.
And, as always, DraftKings Sportsbook has you covered if you want to place a wager on the game.
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