👋 Good morning!
Week 1 rocked…and it’s not over yet.
Sunday was bookended by an awesome Justin Fields-Aaron Rodgers matchup and possibly what’ll be the game of the year between the Ravens and Bills.
I suppose the only thing that would’ve made it nice is if the Packers and Lions could’ve both lost somehow — oh well.
Now, onto tonight…
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All My Rowdy Friends…
Football season is upon us, and the Ben Johnson era begins tonight!
What did the head coach have to say on Saturday?
On his expectations for Caleb Williams: “All that matters is us winning the game. That's all we need to see from our quarterback, from our offense, from our defense, from our special teams. All we're focused on is what we need to do to win the game.”
On the commitment level and culture heading into Week 1: “Everyone likes to think professional football is still a game, still a kids' game. It is. But this is also how we feed our families. And we're dependent on each other to get that job done. So, I am grateful for the guys in the locker room. They all embrace that mindset. Everybody in this building, certainly when I see them, they're dialed in, they're locked in.”
INJURY REPORT (from Saturday)
DOUBTFUL: LB T.J. Edwards (hamstring)
QUESTIONABLE: CB Josh Blackwell (groin), CB Kyler Gordon (hamstring), CB Jaylon Johnson (calf/groin), RB Roschon Johnson (foot)
FULL: WR Devin Duvernay (hamstring), RB Kyle Monangai (hamstring), DE Dominique Robinson (oblique)
Johnson on fourth-round rookie LB Ruben Hyppolite II, who could see significant time on the field if Edwards can’t go tonight: “He has really come into his own. He is really smart. He takes it seriously. Really athletic. [Dennis Allen] and that side of the ball, they’ve really grown to think he is someone we can depend on, even though we’re going to have the bright lights of Monday Night Football on us.”
Hand up, I picked the Vikings in our game predictions that we published on Friday morning. But after watching ten hours of football yesterday, I think I want a do-over.
I hate to put too much stock into one game against a solid defense, but Jared Goff and the Lions’ offense looked bad without Johnson calling plays. That’s got to mean something, right?
I know I’m not the only one tempted to take the Bears, either…
Here’s a guy who knows a thing or two about the Bears-Vikings rivalry…
Corey Wootton: Caleb Williams and this offense are much improved and will show their ability to move the ball down the field with new weapons and a revamped offensive line. Tough game down to the wire, but the Bears pull it out. Bears 28, Vikings 24.
Big Brothers Big Sisters
September is Big Brothers Big Sisters of America Month!
CHGO and ALLCITY are proud to support their mission, and we’re raising money all month long.
You can donate — or even learn more about becoming a Big — at bbbs.org/allcity
THE RACE TO 99: The Chicago White Sox are the hottest team in baseball. Nobody has a better record over their last eight games than the 7-1 Sox. Sunday’s big-time win marked their first series win against the Tigers since the final series of the 2024 season.
Lenyn Sosa hit a solo homer and drove in three runs, but left fielder Will Robertson made the play of the day (and maybe of the season) in the sixth inning when he perfectly timed his home-run-robbing leap to keep the Sox within one run.
Robertson then tied the game with an RBI single in the seventh.
What the White Sox have done recently is impressive, especially given the contributions from pieces that should still be in town when their next competitive window opens.
Now, one year removed from a record-breakingly awful season, the Sox just need to finish the year 8-10 (or better) to avoid losing 100 games for the third consecutive season.
Unfortunately, their schedule hardly does them any favors in the home stretch. Then again, they did just take two of three against the best team in the AL Central.
White Sox 6, Tigers 4
PALENCI-UGH: The NL Central race is (unofficially) over. The Cubs have fallen 7.5 games behind the Brewers with 19 games left after dropping two of three to the Nationals at Wrigley Field.
The Cubs’ offense scored four runs between Saturday and Sunday, with Carlos Santana and Justin Turner combining to go 0-for-9 with four strikeouts in the two losses.
Daniel Palencia picked up his third blown save of the year, allowing five runs on two homers without recording an out in yesterday’s ninth inning before exiting with a shoulder injury.
Craig Counsell said after the loss that Palencia experienced posterior shoulder tightness and would be shut down for a few days as they monitor the injury.
A disappointing end to a weekend meant to be filled with celebration, as the team inducted Sammy Sosa and Derrek Lee into the Cubs Hall of Fame on Sunday.
Nationals 6, Cubs 3
Angel Reese was suspended for the first half of Sunday’s Sky-Aces game after making “statements detrimental to the team” last week.
In an interview with the Chicago Tribune, Reese gave the organization an ultimatum to acquire better players in the offseason before later claiming that her comments were taken out of context.
Reese also missed the second half of the game due to a back injury.
Every Sky starter scored double-digits on Sunday, with Rachel Banham and Michaela Onyenwere leading the charge with 12 points each, but it wasn’t enough against the second-best team in the league.
Mercifully, just two games left in the season for the Sky.
Aces 80, Sky 66
10/10 SETUP
We are so back.
— #Kevin Wells (#@Wells15Kevin)
5:06 PM • Sep 7, 2025
Nice work, Kevin!
Three TVs? Check. Christmas tree? Check. Snow village on top of the mantle? Check. Maybe we can work on our cord management, but it’s Week 1 for everybody.
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⚾️ Cubs @ Braves
6:15 on Marquee
🏈 Bears vs. Vikings
7:15 on ABC/ESPN
📺 CHGO Cubs
POSTGAME on CHGO Cubs YT
📺 CHGO Bears
POSTGAME on YouTube
🐻 Brick By Brick
AFTER POSTGAME on YouTube
