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Welcome in tub Bears Weekly, a

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By Gas Energy, and Miller Life

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Kierra.

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Your hosts Jeff CHILNEYAC aka

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the Mayor of Bearsville and his sidekick

0:26

Tom the Surfaster. There.

0:30

How're we doing everybody tonight?

0:31

Heck, it is already past the

0:33

midway point of January. I

0:36

mean, my goodness, things are going to

0:38

be popping real soon. As it

0:40

pertains to the coaching carousel

0:42

around the league, what happens with the Bears

0:44

offensive coordinator, offensive staff,

0:46

and gearing up for the player procurement

0:50

section of the offseason. I'm Jeff Jonny

0:52

Aack along with Tom Bear, Jim Miller along in just a moment,

0:55

Jack McGrath and Sean Granny are producers

0:57

tonight executive producer of the Bears Radio Network as

0:59

Eric stra and we are

1:01

back together again. Good to talk to you and

1:03

Tommy. Yeah, it's it's getting exciting

1:06

already. When you start digging in already into a free

1:08

agency and who's available and getting

1:10

ready for the draft. I'm already diving in deep.

1:12

I love it, can't wait. And h a lot

1:15

going on with the Bears with this offensive coordinator

1:17

thing. All these are reported interviews, obviously,

1:20

but there's there's a big cast

1:22

going on.

1:22

There's seven or eight guys right now, have.

1:24

We know this? This is gonna be the season

1:26

that never stopped, because as soon

1:28

as the season ended, the speculation

1:31

of what the Bears we're gonna do in the future began,

1:34

and then they made some coaching changes. Now

1:37

the conversation of who they're gonna add to the mix

1:39

as far as coaches has begun.

1:41

But then there's gonna be a three months kind

1:43

of anticipation of what they're

1:46

gonna do during the draft because they have the

1:48

first and the ninth pick in the first round,

1:50

plus all the other picks. They have a

1:52

lot of free agent money. So don't

1:54

you know each week that you introduced

1:56

the show, don't think

1:59

that the anticipation,

2:01

the excitement is gonna be like, say,

2:03

Okay, we're over the hump, now, let's

2:06

let's get ready. No, because as soon as

2:08

we're near the hump. Then it is gonna

2:10

be drafted, and then OTAs are gonna start. Then

2:12

it's gonna be rookie mini camp, and then it's gonna

2:14

be mini camp and then you

2:16

know, so this is gonna be the season

2:18

that never ended.

2:19

Well, I'll tell you I was out today at

2:22

an event for a short time. Met a lot of Bears

2:24

fans and they want to talk, but

2:26

they're they don't they want to. They always table

2:28

it by saying, you probably don't want to tell you

2:30

probably talk about this all the time, so you don't

2:32

really want to talk about it, and they're very polite.

2:35

I go, hey, bring it on. I said, let me start.

2:37

I'm gonna ask you what do

2:39

you think justin number

2:41

one?

2:42

Pick keep both?

2:43

So I give them the scenarios and I'll tell you I

2:45

talked to probably fifteen people. It

2:48

was split right down the middle. Everybody's

2:50

got an opinion. Everybody wants one thing,

2:52

another half of people want something else. And it

2:54

really I mean, if it's

2:56

hard for just the average fan to separate

2:59

themselves for justice second and

3:01

like evaluate what they see

3:03

and what they trust with their eyes, and

3:06

what they evaluate, what they hear, what they read,

3:08

they gotta get through. Obviously they're

3:10

not the professionals doing this, but we all

3:12

have our opinions.

3:13

Right.

3:14

If it's this difficult for just the

3:16

average joke, can you imagine what it is like right

3:19

now for the Bears front office, Jeff.

3:21

This is not a season of conversation of

3:24

other people. This is the This

3:26

is the off season of their opinion

3:29

from everywhere I've been, from gas stations

3:31

to supermarkets, to the dry cleaners,

3:34

to whether it's male and female

3:36

or whomever you're talking to. They only

3:38

want to give you their opinion

3:41

as they have to answer them.

3:43

You just have. This is the season of being

3:45

a good listener.

3:46

Right, And it's something that

3:49

Jim Miller does every day on Serial Sex

3:51

MNFL Radio, Moving the Chains, Big Jim.

3:53

You hear it from all thirty two teams and

3:55

their fans. So, how you doing

3:57

today? And welcome back to Bears Weekly tonight?

4:00

Are you getting the sense?

4:00

And I don't know have you? Have you gotten a lot of calls on the

4:02

Bears on your shows?

4:04

Tom, Jeff, good to be with you. Yeah, I had actually

4:06

two very heated conversations

4:09

today with Bears fans that that

4:11

called then Yeah, because like you said, it's

4:14

one or the other. It's keep

4:16

Justin, draft, trade down,

4:18

build around him, or it's

4:21

hey, we got to move on, let's draft another

4:23

quarterback. Trade Justin and

4:25

what have we been saying? And we kind of talked about

4:27

it last week. You can do both.

4:30

Bears fans, everybody thinks like this is

4:32

something that that can't work out. It's happened

4:34

before I brought up Drew Brees and

4:37

they drafted Philip Rivers. They actually had

4:39

to franchise Drew Brees because he played

4:41

so well, all right, and ultimately

4:43

fine moved on to and moved

4:46

him to the New Orleans Saints. But

4:48

then Philip Rivers has a great career.

4:50

You know, we talked about it last week. You know

4:53

the Bears, we know why they did it. They

4:55

passed up c J. Stroud to what evaluate

4:58

Justin fields it's been and better?

5:00

Is it consistent where it needs to be? And

5:04

the Bears are going through those evaluations.

5:06

But you can do both, because I do think

5:08

the Bears like Justin. I

5:10

think his teammates they all like Justin.

5:13

He's tough, he's a tremendous

5:15

athlete. He makes great plays.

5:17

It just has to be more consistent. So

5:19

you can do both. You can keep justin

5:22

he can compete, can continue

5:25

to play, and if he blows you, blows

5:27

it up and has a good season, you can

5:30

you know, pay him a contract. And

5:33

then at that same point you can

5:35

still develop a young quarterback

5:37

that's are on the roster. I believe Green Bay did

5:39

that. His name was Aaron Rodgers who sat

5:42

for three years. They

5:44

both can happen, so you

5:46

know, it'll be interesting how it unfolds. And that's

5:49

what the Bears are doing. They're going through

5:51

all those scenarios and I'm pretty confident Ryan

5:53

Poles, we'll do what's right for the organization.

5:56

The beauty of this whole thing, and I'm talking to two guys

5:58

that played for the Chicago Bears had long

6:00

NFL careers, is that the

6:02

passion of this fan base, and

6:05

it is something you can only look

6:07

at from where you're standing. Uh to

6:09

use an eber Flu's term, and what the players Richard

6:11

gurgitate all the time you be where your feet are

6:14

is the passion of this fan base and

6:16

the love of this team. And again

6:18

conversations today, you know, I'm gonna love

6:20

this team no matter what happens, but I need them

6:23

to win I I'm spending

6:25

my money for I need them to win. But

6:27

the passion is there, and they have the

6:29

radio on, they're listening to us, they're listening

6:32

on Sundays, they're at the game,

6:34

they're they're they're just all in and

6:36

that is something you can't get everywhere.

6:39

And I I broadly

6:42

say, I appreciate it. I

6:44

appreciate I'm thankful. I'm thankful that we're

6:46

a part of this broadcast crew.

6:48

That's all I will say, Jeff.

6:49

And you know, you talk to a wide variety

6:52

of people throughout an offseason, and

6:54

I will say since this season, and that

6:56

has ended. The older generation

6:58

of people I talk they have the opinion

7:01

that Jim just said about. You draft

7:03

a quarterback, you let the other quarterbacks

7:06

sit and develop, you let them learn about

7:08

the NFL, and then you make a decision

7:11

down the road. Then the younger

7:13

generation of people you talk to, they

7:15

have an exact opinion how they want it to happen right

7:18

now. So it's really funny

7:20

because you know, you kind of

7:22

take into account how old the person is

7:25

you're talking to, and when,

7:27

as Jim mentioned, they remember

7:29

when quarterbacks were drafted and

7:32

sat behind the starter for

7:34

one two or three or up to four seasons.

7:37

So you know, you have to take

7:39

into account the age

7:42

you know, you got that you know, lineup

7:44

demarcation where how old

7:46

they are.

7:47

Yeah, and it's a media

7:49

gratification. Society is growing

7:52

more than that, right, So that's what we're talking

7:54

about. Jim Millertown there, Jeff, Joniak.

7:56

When we come back, we'll dive into some of those names

7:59

that the Bears are totally have interviewed, are

8:01

about to at the offensive coordinator position

8:03

here on Bears Weekly. Will also be joined

8:06

by Jakwan Brisker, an interview I did late

8:08

in the season, and we'll replay that and

8:10

run that for you as well as we bring you

8:12

Bears Weekly here on ESPN one thousand and the

8:14

Bears Radio NETWORKCUSE.

8:18

Bears Weekly with the voice of the Bears

8:20

for twenty three years, Jeff Junia

8:22

on the Bears Radio Network.

8:28

This segment of Bears Weekly is brought to you by Igs

8:31

c Entergy. You're good to be with you again, Jeff Tom

8:33

and Jim Miller from Serious x MNFL Radio

8:35

is moving the chain. So the Bears have reportedly

8:38

had some sit downs with more

8:40

than a half dozen offensive minds

8:43

as they narrow down their search or maybe

8:45

even broaden it. As the latest name to the

8:47

mix, Jim Miller is Cliff Kingsbury

8:49

reportedly, we'll interview

8:51

for the position, the USC senior offensive

8:54

analyst and quarterback coach who's had

8:56

connections obviously to Patrick Mahomes

8:59

and Manzell and Murray

9:01

the Arizona quarterback and then working

9:03

of course with Caleb Williams. Well,

9:06

let's start there because that's the latest name that's

9:08

popped up forty four years old and the former

9:10

head coach of Arizona Cardinals.

9:11

With your thought, yeah, I actually

9:13

spent time in New England. Cliff was there

9:16

competing with New England

9:18

and when I was there with the

9:21

Patriots, and you know, obviously a great football

9:23

mind, very intelligent, has that New England

9:26

background. But then when he went on, like

9:28

you said, whether it's at Texas Tech and where he's

9:30

coach, went to more of a spread, spread

9:33

out offense. I think you saw what he was

9:35

with the Arizona Cardinals once they

9:37

acquired James Connor. He did run

9:39

the football very effectively. Actually, James Connor

9:41

had sixteen rushing touchdowns if I remember

9:43

correctly the year they went to the

9:45

playoffs, so very

9:48

good at working with athletic quarterbacks

9:50

like you mentioned Caleb, with Williams

9:53

and the other quarterbacks that you mentioned with

9:55

Patrick Mahomes and Murray, and how

9:57

well those guys have performed, you

10:00

know. So I think he's the Bears are turning over

10:02

every stone and certainly he's got information

10:04

on Caleb Williams. Whether the Bears

10:07

tap into that in the interview, I gotta believe they'll ask him

10:09

some questions about Caleb

10:12

and then you know, to me, out of all the guys they've interviewed,

10:14

Cliff is a different guy. I think

10:16

Greg Roman is a different guy because

10:19

he's older school Greg Olsen who

10:21

they're interviewing, he's more of a

10:23

John Gruden, but he does have a history

10:25

of being with the Rams, and obviously with Shane

10:27

Waldron being out in Seattle too,

10:30

that's more the Ram Kyle Shanahan

10:33

background. So whether it's Clint Kobiak, Liam

10:36

Cohen, Shane Walter Brown,

10:39

yeah, those guys are all had that same

10:41

type of background, which in that offense,

10:43

you know, because obviously you don't look at the success of

10:45

Mike McDaniel came from Kyle Shanahan's

10:47

system, down in Miami. Look at

10:49

the year Bobby Slowak has had as

10:52

the OC of the Houston Texans. So

10:54

these are you know, that seems to be the hot

10:56

offenses. And you know, but I

10:59

will say I would have a line of delineation

11:01

that Cliff Kingsbury, Greg

11:04

Roman, and Greg Olsen all

11:06

from a different cloth of those

11:08

other guys that they've interviewed and what happened.

11:10

The other name is Tommy our Zach

11:12

Robinson, the Rams quarterback coach, former Oklahoma

11:15

State quarterback, and Marcus Brady former Colts

11:17

offensive coordinators working with

11:19

the Eagles the last couple of years. So you're

11:22

looking at successful organizations. All of

11:24

them pretty much love run of the football,

11:26

except as Jimmy

11:28

pointed out about Kingsbury Connor

11:30

at eighteen touchdowns that year, fifteen on the ground,

11:33

three through the air.

11:34

Yeah, Tommy, what do you think you

11:36

know?

11:37

Both of you guys. So if I'm interviewing you

11:39

guys for the offensive coordinator position

11:41

of the Chicago Bears, do I

11:43

first ask you what you think of the

11:45

future of Justin Fields and how

11:48

your philosophical believing in offense

11:50

fits his type

11:53

of accomplishments, Or do I ask

11:55

you what type of offense that you want to run,

11:58

regardless of who's playing quarterback. So

12:00

I think it's kind of a different decision

12:03

here when you're trying to hire an offensive

12:05

coordinator this year for the Chicago Bears,

12:07

because there's so many moving parts to

12:10

the type of answers that you're trying to get.

12:12

And I don't know if it makes the process

12:15

more confusing or if

12:18

it allows the offensive coordinator

12:21

who's being interviewed a chance to

12:23

explore their options.

12:26

Well, first thing, I would say, I first

12:28

want to know what the guy's all about.

12:30

What are you? What are your go tos? What are your you

12:32

know, no matter who's playing, what are.

12:34

Your go tos? What is your style? What is your scheme?

12:36

What what is your philosophy? All

12:38

the down and distant situations and

12:41

uh, you know, are you are you willing to adapt

12:43

to what we have on the roster, what you're going to

12:45

trust us to bring you? And can you make

12:48

these guys all play together? And it

12:50

could be different styles of quarterbacks. I

12:52

got to know that first of all. I got to know

12:54

what they're ready for in this market. I mean,

12:56

obviously all these guys have been in the NFL,

12:59

but this market right now is in

13:01

a fever pitch, and so I want

13:03

to know, are you able to

13:06

drown all that out, handle it and not

13:09

adapt to what you're hearing, because

13:12

that's the one thing in some of these some of

13:14

these places they don't have to hear it that way.

13:16

And Jim, I don't know how you think about

13:18

it, what you how you would approach it. But I

13:20

mean, I'm the amateur head

13:23

coach and general manager here sitting down with these guys.

13:26

Flush has got to be comfortable with what he's

13:28

gonna be wanting from the offensive side of the ball.

13:31

Yeah. Well, clearly moving on from Luke Getzi,

13:33

who is from what the Kyle Shanahan

13:35

system at Sean mcvay's system, a

13:38

lot of these guys run that same system.

13:40

Okay, So you

13:43

look at the success of Green Bay and how

13:45

they've just brought along a young quarterback

13:47

and in Jordan Love who looks to be

13:49

playing pretty well right now. I think everybody would

13:51

agree with that. A lot of those coordinators

13:53

that we just mentioned come from that background that

13:56

Luke Getzi just tried to mold Justin

13:59

Field's into and then of course

14:01

tried to adapt to quarterback

14:03

runs and all these things. So first off,

14:06

you're going to say, we want to valuate

14:08

you know, what's your evaluation of Justin fields.

14:11

What are the things that you're going to do to get him

14:13

to play more consistently, you

14:15

know? And I think that's what and this is how

14:17

I would utilize him as what the response

14:19

is going to be. This is what I believe Justin

14:22

does well for my scouting report, this

14:24

is what I would change, This is what I would work

14:26

on with him, you know, if

14:28

that's the route they want to go, you

14:31

know, but and you know, to

14:33

get it to the consistency of the passing

14:35

game where it needs to be. And that's why I bring

14:37

up like Greg Roman's a little bit different, you

14:40

know, because for him, the success

14:42

he had with Colin Kaepernick out there in San

14:44

Francisco, that was Jim Harbaugh's system,

14:47

right because he was under Jim Harbaugh. And

14:49

then he took that system to Baltimore

14:53

where obviously Lamar Jackson

14:56

won league MVP. I mean, go

14:58

look at those numbers. I mean Greg Lamar

15:01

under Greg Roman, he was like forty five

15:04

and seventeen as a winner,

15:06

you know, in terms of his record, And so

15:08

I think all you know, this is kind of a fact

15:11

finding mission. How would you utilize

15:13

Justin? How do you feel where he's at, what would

15:15

you incorporate how do you get it more consistent.

15:18

But again, even with that said, and if

15:20

they do formulate that idea that

15:22

hey, let's continue with Justin, you still can

15:24

draft a quarterback. As I mentioned, Justin's

15:27

under contract. Fine, if he plays,

15:29

don't put the fifth year option. If he plays well,

15:32

great, try and work out a deal or

15:34

you disfranchise him. And at the same time,

15:36

you're developing the young quarterback in

15:38

the new system the Bears are going to run.

15:40

Hey, Jim, when you look at a guy like Frank

15:42

Reich, who just lived the

15:44

perfect nightmare, he's an you

15:46

know, a head coach. They trade, they get

15:48

the number one pick, they draft Bryce

15:51

Young, and then they try to

15:53

install between he and the offensive

15:55

coordinator and a brand new first

15:57

time a quarterback coach and Josh

16:00

Cowen. What coaching

16:02

tree does he come from? Because

16:05

you know, I think when you make

16:07

a claim that somebody comes from a coaching

16:10

tree, that doesn't guarantee

16:12

that the system's going

16:14

to be successful.

16:16

Yeah, but I think, well, for Frank,

16:18

he's somewhat morph because when he

16:21

was with Doug Peterson there in Philadelphia,

16:23

obviously you know, he was a part of the Kelly Gun

16:25

offense, you know, and all those offenses,

16:28

but kind of morphed once Doug Peterson

16:30

got to a Philadelphia

16:34

and when he was there. So that's Andy Reid's

16:36

system, but yet it's been modified, you

16:38

know, and you look at like how Shane Steichen is

16:41

is running the Colts offense.

16:43

That's what Frank was trying to install down

16:45

there with Bryce Young. I think where

16:48

the marriage went off the rails is I personally don't

16:50

think Frank Reich wanted Bryce Young.

16:52

I think he wanted c J. Stroud and

16:54

that led to uh, you know, it's

16:57

not that that marriage didn't get off to a good start

17:00

right away because I think they disagreed on who they

17:02

wanted as their quarterback because I think we know

17:04

Bryce Young's offense because of the size,

17:07

got to be modified. You know, he's got to be in shotgun

17:09

due to his being smaller in stature,

17:12

and how they tried to run that offense, which they

17:14

wanted it to be like the Philly offense, and that's

17:16

what Frank was rolling with and it turned

17:18

out to be an absolute disaster.

17:20

And all right, we're gonna take another break. Oh sorry,

17:22

bing, Jim got to take another break. Here on Bears Weekly

17:25

with Jim Butler and Tom There, I'm Jeff Joniyack.

17:27

Can we come back?

17:28

How this whole process

17:30

including looking and other teams

17:32

are doing it too, looking at the Shanahan and

17:35

Sean McVay tree, and we keep

17:37

hearing about the coaching trees. How do

17:39

defenses look at this because

17:41

it's in a constantly adapting league

17:43

and why everybody goes into one swimming pool

17:45

all the time with a hot teams

17:48

and hot hot styles. Let's talk about that

17:50

coming up next here on Bears Weekly on ESPN

17:52

one thousand had the Bears Radio.

17:54

Network's

17:57

Bears Weekly with a Voice of the Bears

17:59

for twin we Here is Jeffy

18:02

on the Bears Radio Network.

18:05

Hey, you want VIP access to every Bears

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home game, exclusive seating, sideline credentials,

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some more now available. Get the ultimate VIP fan

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package this season visiting Chicago

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Bears vip dot Com schedule

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come out of May. We know who the Bears opponents are, just

18:18

don't know when? Well, no where as

18:20

well, Jeff, Tom and Jim Middle

18:22

with you on Bears Weekly along with Kevin

18:24

z Pak. I ignored him in the open

18:26

that the Z dog is outstanding,

18:29

along with Sean Greeney. I know we got the Z Dogs

18:31

are really you know, little Z little

18:34

z z Dog, but I don't know.

18:35

It just came out. You can join the Z dog pack, Kevin

18:38

Z Pack.

18:38

All right, listen, Well we talked about how

18:40

this offensive scheme is hot right now.

18:42

It's it's productive, it's it's creative.

18:46

Opposing defenses tend

18:49

to ramp up their ability

18:51

to stop some of these offenses over

18:53

time. Jim and Tom weigh in

18:55

on this, if you will, and just how

18:58

as teams in this what they and I hate

19:00

saying it because I don't like the word. It's

19:02

too easy to refer to it as a copycat

19:05

league. But there is a bunch of that going

19:07

on, isn't there.

19:10

Well, I mean it is

19:12

a copycat league. But you have to take

19:14

what your assets are and then

19:16

you have to accentuate those. You're

19:18

not going to try to be something you can't be.

19:21

You're not gonna try to be a run sustaining offense

19:24

if you have no line blocking ability,

19:26

if you have a deficiency up front, it's

19:29

gonna be tough to maintain the protections

19:31

that you need. When you look at some of these

19:33

offenses, you have to admire the creativity

19:35

and the play calling and the versatility

19:38

of the offense because they keep the

19:40

opponents, the defensive court, the

19:42

defensive coordinator, and the defensive

19:45

players off balance and thinking. So

19:48

I think that you know, just

19:50

to say that, oh, this is what we're going to become.

19:53

If you don't have the ability to become that,

19:55

you're not gonna You're not going to do that.

19:57

Jim, what's the kryptonite for this particular s style

20:00

of offense? At the forty nine Ers and Rams?

20:02

Well, they can all run the ball, right,

20:05

I mean you look at Christian McCaffrey. I

20:07

mean, the guy's probably going to be the offensive player

20:09

of the year. You look at Kyron

20:11

Williams of the Rams. Look at the year that guy

20:14

had. I mean, guy had over twelve

20:16

hundred yards rushing in the touchdowns.

20:18

And then of course they create conflict with

20:20

their play action pass game and of course

20:22

have a lot of window dressing. What did we just

20:24

see Jordan Love to against

20:27

Dallas? Did d Aaron Jones? He only

20:29

Jordan Love only threw twenty one passes

20:31

in that game, twenty one passes.

20:33

Same with CJ. Stroud. You know, time

20:36

he has been an abnormal rookie with

20:38

how much he's been able to throw

20:41

it in the consistency he's been without

20:43

the interceptions. So he's kind

20:45

of an anomaly right now because

20:47

look at all the down the field throws that he's

20:49

had. And their run game has gotten better

20:52

as they rolled along, but that wasn't the case

20:54

earlier in the years. So that system,

20:57

you know a lot of it because Kyle Shanahan

20:59

and and Sean McVay

21:02

do such a good job with their tempo, their

21:04

rhythm. I mean, it's, let's be honest, at

21:07

times, it almost looks like you're watching an NBA

21:09

game. It's a fast break. You know, they're constantly

21:11

putting pressure on the defense

21:14

and there's go, go, go, go go, And you

21:16

know, that's what I think, you know,

21:18

is a big part of it. And look at how they've

21:20

incorporated rookies. I mean, you

21:22

look at Green Bay with the rookie receivers Jaden

21:25

Reid and the guys in Wis

21:27

and Romeo Dobbs and how they're having an impact.

21:29

I mean, look at the year of Pooka Nakua out

21:31

there for the ranks.

21:32

Crazy, you know, so and

21:34

tight ends that are coming in.

21:36

Yeah, you can incorporate young players

21:38

in quickly, and you

21:40

know, I just think you know, that's why they've kind

21:42

of been that's the hottest names

21:44

have come, whether it's Liam Cohen or Shane

21:46

Waldron and all these guys that have a

21:48

background in that style offense, because it is kind

21:50

of the hottest things. And those two offenses

21:53

that I just mentioned have been the better

21:55

two better offenses in the league here

21:57

in twenty twenty three.

21:59

Yeah, you know, that's the one thing about every

22:01

the start of every season, you don't

22:03

know what a guy like Sam Laporte is gonna

22:05

add to your offense. You don't know what Pokinakua

22:08

is gonna do in what a great player

22:10

and a great blocker he's gonna become.

22:12

And then all of a sudden, you'd be able to expand

22:14

the versatility of your offense because

22:17

as each game ticks by, every

22:20

one of these rookies is getting a little bit better

22:22

and showing you what they're capable of doing

22:24

and how they can be incorporated in

22:26

the development and the growth of the offenses.

22:29

So I think that's kind of like the unknown

22:32

at the start of every season and

22:34

the guys. You think at the start of the season

22:37

when they picked Pokinakua and what

22:39

was it the fifth round or whatever

22:41

round he was drafting, that they thought they thought

22:43

the guy was gonna be this good with

22:46

the injuries they had at the other receivers.

22:48

So you know, if you can, if

22:51

if you could have some explosiveness by

22:53

the great unknown, and that's rookies,

22:56

it can do a lot for you as a

22:58

as an offensive coordination, being more creative.

23:02

So this whole conversation, this segment, I

23:04

started with, Okay, what so I'm

23:06

gonna ask again for both you and Jim. You can

23:08

start, what's the kryptonite against

23:11

these these offenses? What defenses

23:13

make it more challenging for those offenses?

23:17

Well, I think when you look at the to

23:20

me, it was more related to the injuries for forty nine

23:22

ers when they lost that that three in a row. But

23:24

clearly I think you saw it last year when

23:27

when they went in and played Philadelphia and he got

23:29

hurt. The pressure on Purty

23:32

can cause problems, right so,

23:35

and that's where he has some issues there, and

23:37

then you'll have to modify it with the play calling, and

23:39

Kyle Shanahan will protect him with the bubble

23:41

screens and slip screens and

23:43

things of that nature, uh, to avoid

23:46

going you know, of him getting pressure

23:48

under high pressure defenses. And

23:52

so you know, I think every player is different

23:54

because you're going to attack every quarterback

23:56

different to provide that pressure depending on

23:58

other matchups. Are they weak at guard?

24:01

Can we attack this tackle all those

24:03

type of things in how they're able to bring the

24:05

pressures to provide that. You

24:08

know, that really that impact on a

24:10

quarterback that can harass him in order

24:12

to disrupt an offense.

24:14

You know, I still think that when you look

24:16

at any offense, if they're efficient, if

24:18

you get a dominating, a difference maker

24:21

three technique defensive tackle,

24:23

a guy that gets upfield with so

24:26

instantly that he makes a running

24:28

game one sided, or he puts the

24:30

quarterback in a retreat position. If

24:33

you can find one of those guys that special,

24:36

and I think that he can make other

24:39

components of your defense improve

24:44

at a really quick rate

24:46

because you're really changing the timing

24:48

and the think of thinking process of

24:50

the entire offensive line and the offensive

24:53

coordinator. And I think that's the one

24:55

position if you think going

24:57

forward in the playoffs and how

25:00

that position factors in. And it's even

25:02

like a guy that I know, he's not an explosive

25:04

three technique defensive tackle. If

25:07

you look at Vida Veya in what he

25:09

did to the Tush push last week,

25:11

it's a play that they weren't able to run successfully

25:14

because they had an immovable

25:17

bruiser in the middle of that

25:19

defense. That kind of you

25:22

know, he played the part that

25:24

he needed to play against

25:26

that specific play.

25:29

Well, heck, you even look at you know, I don't know how

25:31

many people are really focusing much on

25:33

what the Rams did with their rookies, but you

25:35

know, Aaron Donald in the playoff

25:38

game, they had the isolation SATs Jim and Tom

25:40

of him just getting doubled and tripled the entire

25:42

game. But over the course

25:44

of the season, you had a rookie nose tackle out

25:47

of wake Forest. Kobe Turner had nine

25:50

sacks. You

25:52

know, the defense had a bunch of young players

25:54

on both sides of the ball. Because of certain

25:56

players, they rose all boats.

25:59

And that's what you're looking for from a star

26:01

defensive player, and you're looking for that from your quarterback

26:03

as well.

26:04

Obviously.

26:05

Yeah, well it's I

26:07

definitely. I mean, Donald's such a dominant

26:09

player, you're gonna raise the level play.

26:11

And we talked about it even for the Bears. I

26:13

mean, look when the Bears added

26:15

montest sweat, all right, look

26:17

at how Yannick and Gockway all of a sudden

26:19

started to show up a little bit more on the opposite And then even

26:21

towards the latter part of the season, when Yannick

26:24

got hurt, DeMarcus Walker

26:26

was making plays because all the attention

26:29

is going to Montes' sweat. So when you

26:31

get a blue chip chip player, the

26:33

players, like you said, got to raise their

26:35

level because they need to cash in on making

26:37

plays because he's commanded all the attention, much

26:40

like Aaron Donald.

26:41

You know one thing about training camp. If

26:44

if DeMarcus Walker didn't get hre in training

26:46

camp and then reaggravate his

26:49

injury at Indianapolis, I'm

26:51

not so sure that they would have I know they hadn't

26:53

Gakway there by the time they went to Indianapolis,

26:56

but I'm not sure they're so sure they would

26:58

have had to sign them because they brought

27:00

an element when they have Rashie Green

27:02

and they have the rest of these guys, I

27:04

don't know, you know,

27:07

they would have felt that they were in an

27:09

emergency need where they had

27:11

to sign him. And then obviously

27:13

they went out and made the deal for Montese

27:15

Sweat and he, you know, he

27:18

allowed everybody to play a

27:20

better brand of football because of what he

27:22

was offering the rest of the guys.

27:24

Oh yeah, DeMarcus Walker really

27:27

did rise significantly over

27:29

the course of the season, and certainly after

27:31

the addition of Montese second on of

27:33

the team during since Week nine in

27:36

pressures on the quarterback, are we going to take another

27:38

break?

27:38

Here?

27:38

We come back?

27:39

Well?

27:39

Hear our interview with Jakwan Brisker

27:42

late in the season. He looked forward to what's

27:44

next for the Bears and begon here on Bears Weekly

27:47

on a ESPN one thousand of the Bears Radio NETWORKXCUS.

27:52

Bears Weekly with a Voice of the Bears

27:54

for twenty three years on

27:57

the Bears Radio Network.

28:01

This segment of Bears Weekly is brought to you by Athletical

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Physical Therapy. Visit athletical dot com to

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request it in clinic or virtual appointment and

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start feeling better tomorrow. Jeff Tom and Jim

28:10

Here on Bears weekly our interview at Kawan

28:12

Brisk coming up in just a moment. First of all, Jim,

28:15

I got to ask you, as we're talking about all this coaching stuff,

28:17

and we could be here all day talking about who's

28:19

interviewing where, But do you think

28:22

it's right that Ben Johnson, who's

28:24

trying to get ready for arguably

28:27

the biggest game of his career, in the biggest

28:29

game in Lions history, that

28:31

he's interviewing on Friday and Saturday

28:34

for four head coaching jobs.

28:36

Yeah, yeah, I think it is what it is,

28:38

But a lot of that is obviously via zoom

28:41

and just how long how much time is it taken

28:44

away from from his preparation. You

28:46

know, it goes back to I listened

28:48

to Dan Quinn, who's obviously getting

28:51

interviewed defensive corner of the Dallas Cowways.

28:53

He said he got all that stuff out of the way back

28:56

in the summertime, meaning if you

28:58

know, if anybody was going to ask him for a head coaching

29:00

interview, to have all his notes

29:03

accounted for and that the really

29:05

just the interview would be the easy

29:07

part of it. But yeah, you would like to think it's

29:10

a distraction, you know, did it distract Dallas

29:12

the other day. They didn't look too prepared defensively,

29:14

you know, so you know, you

29:16

know, so I think it's a distraction. But

29:19

coaches, what do they do? This

29:21

is how they How do I

29:23

say that how they work is you

29:25

have to make adjustments and that's how they view

29:27

it. It's just another thing they have to adjust to and

29:30

account for their time and have a have

29:32

a schedule, and you know, it's

29:34

it is what it is.

29:36

Tom, is there a better way? Or you're shaking your

29:38

head? What what do you thinking? What is your thoughts?

29:40

I just I just think that the Detroit

29:43

guy, I mean, I

29:45

can't believe that you would take I know

29:48

that the practices aren't very long on

29:50

Friday and there's nothing on Saturday.

29:53

But just the distraction and the way it filters

29:55

into the locker room, that they're already

29:57

talking about a guy that could be on his way

30:00

out before you play the most important

30:02

game and the history of that franchise,

30:05

and I just think it's a distraction, whether

30:07

you want to act like it is or act

30:09

like it isn't. And I know that Dan

30:11

Campbell is still the most important

30:13

personality of that football team,

30:16

and he filters through the locker room as

30:18

much as anybody. However, I

30:20

just think when you have so much distractive

30:23

conversation filtering into the

30:25

locker room, it's just not healthy

30:27

when you get ready to play such a big game.

30:30

And dan Quinn, who in the heck would want to hire

30:32

him after that defensive performance to

30:34

be the next head coach? And

30:37

whether he did the work in the summertime or

30:40

he did it the night before the game?

30:43

All right?

30:44

Our interview with Jakwan Brisker here

30:46

coming up as we look at a Bear secondary

30:48

growing, growing together. This

30:50

was right before the end of the season, and we

30:52

looked forward to the future of what this

30:54

Bear's defense might look like. Here's Jakwan,

30:57

so before the season or early in

30:59

the she's in the September. I think you gathered the guys

31:01

together and you said, why not us? Why

31:04

can't it be us? And you

31:06

know this team has a record it has But you

31:08

weren't wrong. You know you weren't

31:11

wrong because the close calls,

31:13

things could have been totally different.

31:14

So what did you know then that

31:17

made you think that.

31:18

Just the guys that we brought in, just

31:20

you know, the talent that they have, the the man they

31:23

are, and just who they stand for.

31:25

You know, I just seen all camp, you know, the way we battled,

31:27

you know, the way you know that

31:30

we just kept going every single day, you know, I know,

31:32

you know, Camp might have been paying and things like that,

31:34

but just the way them guys just you know, kept baling

31:36

and the way we just kept getting you know, closer

31:38

and closer together. Now, I know it was something

31:40

special, you know, from their on and then just

31:43

you know, the energy, the passion of the team

31:45

and just the way we did we just kept

31:47

getting closer and you know, knowing each

31:50

other, no knowing outside of you know, just

31:52

outside of football and things like that.

31:53

And I thought it was special.

31:54

So from there on, I just you know, the

31:57

guys we had in our room, I just knew, like why not

31:59

us, know, we could be something special.

32:01

Well, you guys are on defense right

32:04

for sure. I mean it's crazy. What's happened.

32:07

Do you ever think back, Gosh,

32:10

I got injured,

32:12

you know, I had the hammy, didn't play a full season.

32:14

What you might be looking at right now with all

32:17

the guys because there were a lot of guys were banged up.

32:19

Yeah, me and Eddie was just talking about that

32:21

today. Actually, we said, you

32:23

know, if you know guys didn't know get hurt

32:25

you know, during camp and miss all the preseason

32:27

time and wasn't really nicked up going

32:29

into the first game and continued on.

32:32

You know, I think it will be no different, just.

32:34

Because you know how long we came and how close

32:36

we got, and just what we've been showing

32:38

with the turnovers, the cause form, with the

32:40

sacks and things like that. Just imagine

32:43

if you know we were all healthy play preseason,

32:45

you know, got that chemistry going earlier.

32:46

You know that could have happened a lot earlier. But

32:49

I mentioned this to you before.

32:51

There's a difference between putting

32:53

a player in a position aligning up Hey,

32:56

do X, Y and Z, and there's a whole

32:58

different matter. When they say

33:00

we're gonna deploy you, and I always

33:02

say that about you. You're deployed, meaning

33:05

your weaponized. You're that seventeen

33:08

tackle game. Are you kidding me? You were

33:10

deployed to make hell for the other

33:12

team? Is that

33:14

what you've always been wanting?

33:15

Yeah, just just being around the

33:17

football, Just helping my teammates

33:20

get better, helping my teammates get

33:22

a win. That's always a pooring. Is whatever

33:25

I could do to get them a win. No, I'll

33:27

do whatever it is, you know, throw my body around,

33:30

whatever it may be, whoever the case may be.

33:32

Just as long as we win, that all that married to me. So

33:35

as long as I keep flying around doing my

33:37

job and doing what I can at you know, a thousand

33:39

percent every time, and then we

33:41

get to win, you know, I'll be happy. You know, even

33:43

if probably winning zero tackles and

33:46

we still got to win. You know, I'll be happy because I love

33:48

the way my teammates play, especially

33:51

you know, when you know they make a huge play

33:53

or even obviously they make a you know, a great

33:55

play.

33:55

I'm always decided. So you know,

33:57

as long as we get to win, I'll always be good.

34:00

Now we're several weeks removed from that game. Do you

34:02

ever think about it? Yeah, I think about

34:04

it.

34:04

Tell me what goes through your head about that game?

34:07

Really, just every single play I will just dialt

34:10

in, just focused, just wanted to take over,

34:12

you know, the game, but just wanted to, you

34:14

know, make my presence feel you know, I know the

34:16

first game, I felt like.

34:17

I didn't and it was a huge divisional game

34:20

for us that time.

34:21

In the second game, it was also so just

34:24

getting that that win, I

34:26

feel, but getting those seventeen tackles

34:28

and you know, helped my team win. I

34:31

was just so doalt in you know, every play, you

34:33

know, every play mattered, and I

34:35

just wanted to show, you know, what I could do, how I could

34:37

just.

34:37

Dominate that game.

34:39

Is at a glimpse of your future?

34:41

Yeah, I'll say that just that's

34:43

just a little warm up because, uh,

34:46

it's not a complete game for me. I feel

34:48

like if I probably you know, got that

34:50

interception across the middle,

34:53

I probably maybe another

34:56

interception or maybe a strip

34:58

fumble. Now I feel like if I did

35:00

that and then maybe you know, I'll be satisfied,

35:03

Well not satisfied, but maybe I'll be okay.

35:05

But that's just just a little

35:07

glimpse of, you know, what I could really do.

35:10

All Right, You're the energizer,

35:13

You're the spark plug. That was the exact quote,

35:15

Andre Curtis. He's a spark plug,

35:17

and I can see that. You know, there's a brand

35:20

name for spark Champion spark Plugs.

35:22

That's gonna be you, right, that is that's gonna be you.

35:24

So when you celebrate place and we

35:26

talked about this briefly, you and I but refresh

35:29

my memory.

35:29

So what's with the bow and arrow?

35:31

What's what's the moves? What's that mean?

35:33

Just I put the mark down

35:35

my face.

35:36

You know I've been doing it since you know, Junering College,

35:39

just putting the marked down my face. No, I feel like I'm a warrior,

35:41

Like I'm gonna lay it all out on

35:43

the field that you know, I'm really

35:45

unstoppable. And I really came,

35:48

you know from the commentator the first game against

35:50

Wisconsin. I remember I battled through a couple of injuries

35:53

in the first half and I didn't come back to the second

35:55

half and I dominated that game, but I just kept going

35:58

down but I ended up fighting to the end.

36:00

And when I got the last pick, he was like,

36:02

you know, that kid is a warrior. And that

36:04

was like, you know, that's how I really think of myself, because

36:07

that's really why I got the arrow down, the

36:10

line down my face every time every single game.

36:12

So it's just like that's how I rethinking myself. So

36:14

every time I do the bone arrow, you know, that's who I

36:17

think.

36:17

I am.

36:18

A warrior.

36:18

So yeah, right, well hey, and I tell you and

36:21

you are the hardest hitter on this team. I really I

36:23

mean, there's a bunch of hard hitters. But man,

36:26

when you tease somebody up, you

36:29

can't really think about it, right, You just gotta let it

36:31

rip because if you do, you know you're gonna

36:33

you're probably gonna do something wrong.

36:34

But is that right? You just let it loose.

36:36

Yeah, I definitely gotta let it lose, just a thousand

36:39

per every single time. And really

36:41

just came from you know, early just growing

36:43

up. You know, them big hits. There's a lot of wolves in the crowd,

36:46

and then you know, guys come up to you after the

36:48

game just like, man, you hit hard or you know that

36:50

really was a you know, a big thing in West

36:53

Western PA, Pittsburgh. So then

36:55

my you know, growing up for my brothers and things like that. You

36:57

know, they were hard hitters.

36:58

So it's just you know, a style that play and then

37:01

that's out I play.

37:02

You know, I love playing. You know, that's just a part of the

37:04

game. You know, the physicality. You know that hyked me up.

37:06

You know, had somebody super hard and then get a

37:08

crowd to say you're getting crowd

37:10

to say, well, I like that.

37:11

Yeah you're a showman, aren't you. Yeah, you're a showman.

37:13

You know you mentioned your brothers and there's a shirt

37:16

in your lock or a black shirt with named Tayan

37:18

and the other passed away several years ago and

37:20

hangs in there.

37:21

What's that simpler? Well, what's that signifying

37:24

for you? Yeah?

37:25

That's who I'm doing it for every single day, you know, every

37:27

single second. My brother that's

37:29

up in heaven right now. You

37:31

know, he taught me, you know, almost everything

37:33

I know, especially off the field,

37:35

just you know what type of person I could be, you know, I

37:37

could be, you know, a great person. You know, I could do things

37:40

for people. I can help, you know, others in need.

37:42

And that's what type of person he was.

37:43

Like.

37:43

It wasn't just about you know, football, you know, just

37:46

with him, it was about you know life. You know what you

37:48

could do to help you know people help you

37:50

know, our family, help other families, and how

37:52

you could just put a smile on your face. And you know that's

37:55

how I try to take the you know approach every

37:57

day. And then on the football field, you know, we still

37:59

you know, all work hard together. Now. I remember him waking

38:02

me up and we're just doing some curls, you know, a

38:04

couple of curls, you know, while I was in seventh eighth grade

38:06

where I could barely touch weights. We're

38:08

doing krills and then we're running

38:10

from the truck and all the way down and you know, things like

38:12

that, and it's super cold.

38:14

He got his shirt off with a hat on. You know, I'm just running

38:16

with a hoodie on.

38:17

I just remember that, but just you know, different

38:19

things like that makes me, you

38:21

know, continue to go and you know, just trying

38:24

to keep his his name going, you know, every single

38:26

day. That's why I put the shirt there, because I know who I'm

38:28

who I'm doing it for every single day, and I'm

38:31

gonna continue to do it for him.

38:32

The secondary is exploding Tyreek

38:35

Sarreay saying we're the best, best in the country

38:37

and he still thinks he's in college, be

38:40

best in the NFL. Jalen Kyler,

38:43

you guys are almost all superheroes in your own way.

38:45

Is this the heartbeat of this team

38:47

right now?

38:48

Yes? I feel like it is.

38:50

You know, I feel like we kept this, you know, this

38:52

defense together, this team together just about or play,

38:55

you know.

38:55

The way we practice every single day. We know, we go super

38:58

hard. You know, we run to the ball.

38:59

You we got a lot of swag you know, a lot of

39:01

energy, a lot of passion, and then the

39:04

chemistry is just you know growing for us. And you

39:06

could just you could tell, you know, by the way we're playing,

39:09

you know, on and off the field, like I know where them

39:11

guys are gonna be without even texting.

39:12

Them and not just how close we are. So

39:15

you know, I love those guys.

39:16

And it's it's even dangerous because you

39:19

know, we just you know, this party, our

39:21

first year all together and.

39:22

We're just you know, scratching the

39:24

surface and that and that's the scary part.

39:26

So you know, like you said, you know, we're all superheroes

39:29

in our own way, and I truly believe that. And

39:31

I truly believe that we got so much more that

39:33

you know, people haven't even seen yet.

39:35

So I love those guys.

39:37

Yeah, well can't wait, can't wait to see what's

39:39

next. And Tyree Stevenson today our lads,

39:41

they're all rookie team. He was one of the corners,

39:44

the starting corner uh let all rookies

39:47

and tackles, pass, breakups and interceptions.

39:49

Uh Jakwan Brisker had a really good rookie year.

39:52

Hopefully these guys stay healthy, continue to grow

39:54

together. Time at gym because uh yeah,

39:56

in twenty twenty three, I would say they did they

39:58

They made a lot of noise back there on the back Tommy.

40:01

I mean, Jeff. One thing I like about the defensive

40:04

backfield lies like there's an argument of

40:06

who is the most physical, because you

40:08

told Youakwan Brisker he's the most physical. I

40:10

think Tyreek Stevenson is the most physical.

40:13

So I think when you can have that conversation

40:15

about multiple defensive backs, and

40:17

I think Kyler Gordon is equally

40:20

as a tough guy. So when you talk

40:22

about that many defensive backs are in the conversation,

40:25

I think it's a good thing for the future of the Bear.

40:27

And Jim Terrell Smith will have to say

40:29

in being physical as well, So I want

40:31

I want my secondary to be nasty.

40:34

Yeah, And you know they've gotten bigger obviously.

40:36

Brisker is a big guy. He's very versatile.

40:39

He's good down in the box. You can blitz him.

40:42

You look at both the corners that they drafted last

40:44

year. Those are big corners. Smith

40:46

coming out of Minnesota and Tyreek, like you said, played

40:48

awesome and a very aggressive player.

40:51

And I just like the versatility too of Kyler

40:53

Gordon. He's an excellent nickelback. He provides

40:56

versatility with how he can blitz. He's tough as

40:58

nails and I think you know when you look at Jalen

41:00

Johnson and I voted him First

41:02

team All Pro, I thought he played that well. When

41:05

I talked to him at training camp,

41:07

he said, my goal, I need to get more turnovers.

41:10

And that happened this year and it just

41:12

became infectious back there. One player

41:14

was one up in each other as

41:16

the season rolled on, and they just

41:19

kept on making play more plays on

41:21

the back end of that defense. It's a very

41:23

good secondary the Bears have assembled.

41:25

Absolutely one Segment to Go would

41:28

do a whip around to see what's up around the NFL.

41:30

Some thoughts when we come back on Bears Weekly on

41:32

ESPN one thousand and the Bears Radio Network.

41:36

Excuse Bears Weekly with a voice

41:38

of the Bears for twenty three years Jeff

41:41

on the Bears Radio Network.

41:43

Miss segment. Bears Weekly brought to you by CDW.

41:46

People to get it.

41:47

Ninety seconds to go, This is going to be quick.

41:49

Who wins in the NFC only

41:52

Tampa Detroit, Tommy, you go first,

41:54

Then Packers Niners Gym I'm

41:56

going Detroit and Packers.

41:58

No, not, Jim.

42:01

I think Tampa's got a good

42:03

shot here, but I will go with the Detroit Lions.

42:06

Otherwise they tar and feather me up here in Motown,

42:09

and I will take the forty nine ers. I do think

42:11

forty nine ers will be able to run it on the Packers

42:14

big time.

42:14

I'm going forty nine Ers, and I just there's

42:17

something about Baker this year.

42:18

I'm going for the win out of the road at Detroit.

42:21

And have you ever heard this? Guys?

42:23

Miami Hurricane tight end Cam McCormick

42:26

announced his return for a ninth

42:28

season of college football. He's had

42:30

four season ended injury. Same recruiting

42:33

class at Oregon as justin Herbert, Tom.

42:35

Would you do it?

42:37

No, Jim?

42:40

I mean, we've had guys fifty two years

42:42

old play college football, so why the hell notts?

42:45

Remember the old lineman down in Oklahoma he

42:47

was fifty two.

42:48

And Jerry Glanville is eighty two and he just

42:51

got hired as defensive coordinator a Division

42:53

two Northwestern Oklahoma State.

42:56

Way to go, Jerry, It's

42:58

this sport is something else to go,

43:00

Jim and town, Thank you very much, Thank you

43:02

to our crew.

43:03

As always, Adam Ebdada is coming

43:05

up next.

43:06

Thanks for listening to Bears Weekly and he has been

43:08

one thousand in the Bears Radio Network.

43:10

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43:13

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43:15

hosted by the Mara, Bearsville, Jeff

43:17

Junia and Surfmaster Tom

43:20

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