2020 Season: Week 1 Open

I have a challenge for any of you playing a CPU game. Get it played asap. While we have a 72 hour advance schedule, if all user games get played, I'm going to advance. Let's power through this season quick.

Schedule peeping:
Bears user opponents: Packers x2, Lions x2, Vikings x2, Jaguars, Cowboys, Falcons
Chiefs user opponents: Raiders x2, Patriots, Falcons, Jaguars
Cowboys user opponents: Bears, Steelers, Ravens, Falcons
Falcons user opponents: Bears, Chiefs, Cowboys, Packers, Vikings, Raiders, Cowboys, Lions
Jaguars user opponents: Bears, Chiefs, Packers, Vikings, Lions, Steelers, Patriots, Ravens
Lions user opponents: Bears x2, Packers x2, Vikings x2, Falcons, Jaguars
Packers user opponents: Bears x2, Lions x2, Vikings x2, Falcons, Jaguars
Patriots user opponents:  Chiefs, Raiders, Jaguars
Raiders user opponents: Chiefs x2, Falcons, Ravens, Patriots
Ravens user opponents: Steelers x2, Jaguars, Raiders, Cowboys
Steelers user opponents: Ravens x2, Cowboys, Jaguars
Vikings user opponents: Bears x2, Lions x2, Packers x2, Jaguars, Cowboys, Falcons

Falcons and Jaguars have 8 unique user opponents.
Lions and Packers have 8 total user games.
Bears and Vikings have 9 total user games.

It is expected of you and your opponent to try and schedule the game privately. Whether that is via Discord, PSN Message, text messages, smoke signals, whatever.  If your opponent has not responded to you within 24 hours of advance, there is a #scheduling section on discord.  Tag your opponent and @Commissioner to bring up the lack of communication.  This is the only way sim games will be awarded.

A potential Playoff matchup down the road kicks off the season. You know Mahomes will look to air it out to Tyreek Hill. Tom Brady is FINALLY gone. Will the Patriots operate any differently?

Chicago Bears Season Preview

Expectations loomed large a year ago. Coming off a Super Bowl victory in which a backup QB led the team to the promised land (where have we seen that before?), Chicago returned 23 of 24 starters across offense, defense, and special teams.

Chicago streaked to a #1 seed, and then played their worst game imaginable in a devastating loss to the Packers in the divisional round, at Soldier Field.

Chicago once again returns a huge number of starters. But not all of them will be starting.

OFFENSE

Moving on: 
RB Denard Robinson, not resigned
WR Tre McBride, not resigned
TE Darren Waller, not resigned

Free Agent Signings: 
RB Marlon Mack

Draft Picks:
RB Braden West, SMU
WR D.K. Metcalf, Ole Miss

In Mitch we trust. For better or worse, this team needs the baby faced assassin to produce, to keep the defense honest and unable to focus on Jordan Howard. Howard's been made of glass the past three seasons. Mack and West provide depth should he go down, and will keep Cohen free to play in his gadget role. Look for DK Metcalf to get some looks in the red zone, at 6'6", the rookie has crazy ups, presenting a matchup nightmare for teams focusing on Meredith and Jeffery.

While RG Kyle Long returned, he lost his starting spot to Jordan Morgan in training camp. Tackle Martinas Rankin and Guard Quenton Nelson moved from the right side of the line to the left after Chicago's offensive line was completely destroyed by the Raiders and Packers in losses a year ago.

DEFENSE

Moving On:
RE Casey Sales, not resigned
LOLB Pernell McPhee, not resigned
MLB Danny Trevathan, not resigned
CB Morris Claiborne, not resigned

Free Agent Signings:
LOLB Justin Houston
MLB Sean Lee

Draft Picks:
RE Ben Stille, Nebraska
CB Lamar Jackson, Nebraska

DE Jonathan Bullard CB Prince Amukamara both returned this year, and lost their jobs in camp. The surprise of the summer has to be Ben Stille replacing Bullard. A late riser up the draft boards, scouts were mixed on Stille who put on 60 pounds of muscle at Nebraska from his freshman year. His elite strength made Bullard a depth piece. Bears brass say Stille has Superstar written all over him. A real future JJ Watt. Amukamara dropped to the 4th DB on the depth chart thanks to the development of Jackson and Callahan in the offseason.

The most interesting piece has to be Houston. $16 million to make a Super Bowl run, and he's a tremendous upgrade over McPhee, only a bit less versatile due to his size keeping him on the edge and in sub packages. McPhee offered enough size to slide inside occasionally.

Special Teams

Moving on:

Free Agent Signings:

Draft Picks:


Yep. Everyone returns. A strong, accurate Kicker who can boot 59 yard field goals in the wind on the lake front. A Mega-punter with enough speed to be his own gunner on kickoffs. And at least three elite, Pro Bowl caliber kick returners to make opposing teams pull their hair out.

Once again, this is a team looking to make a Super Bowl run.