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Since the inception of CHGO, we’ve only enjoyed a handful of playoff appearances…

2021-22 Bulls - lost first round
2022 Sky - lost second round
2022 Stars - lost first round
2023 Sky - lost first round
2024 Stars - lost first round
2025 Cubs - TBD

Is it something we did?

– Patrick Norton

Big Brothers Big Sisters

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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

Championship-Caliber

How do the Bears get to 1-2? Practice, practice, practice.

For Ben Johnson, the team’s performance on game day is typically a reflection of how they’ve practiced during the week. And according to the Bears’ coach, it hasn’t been good enough.

Johnson said Wednesday: “Our practice habits are yet to reflect a championship-caliber team.”

What specifically? Johnson added: “We should be going to the football, finishing hard. We talk about it all the time with the offensive players that our fundamentals — our finish and our technique — they need to show up in walk-through, they need to show up on the practice field. That's how it shows up on game day.

“Simple things — how do we properly block? How do we catch the ball? How do we block after the catch? Ball security and things like that. It's the little things that you learn in youth league football that even at this level, they make a huge difference.”

After practice, Caleb Williams said: “The intensity was there [Wednesday]. Ben spoke about it after. He was happy with the way practice went today, I believe. We gotta keep going, we gotta keep pushing, and obviously, when you have setbacks that we’ve had, being 0-2 at the point we’re at, you can’t keep doing the same thing over and over again and think something’s going to change. I think that’s the definition of insanity. And so we’ve got to change, and today’s practice I think was a step in the right direction.”
Johnson was also asked if he had any concern over Raiders minority owner Tom Brady calling Sunday’s Bears-Cowboys game for FOX before the Bears head to Vegas next week, given Brady’s access to production meetings (via Zoom).

The Bears’ head coach said: “I've been careful with everything I've said since the season started. I've been in pure ‘coach speak’ mode since this season has started. So to me, it's just business as usual. I'm just fine. I like Tom, and we have a really good relationship.”

Johnson later added: “Like I said, I'm really not worried about it. I mean, we change week to week in terms of what we do. Schematically, he's going to be able to turn on the tape and see what everyone else in the world is seeing right now. Personnel-wise, really the same thing. It's not like I'm going to sit down with him and say, ‘Hey, don't do this to Caleb Williams, or you might get it!’ Like, there's not going to be any trade secrets that are going to be exchanged. But I really don't think it's that big of a deal, to be honest with you.”

Here’s the thing: What happened over the last month? Miami Dolphins players couldn’t stop complaining about the Bears’ physicality in their joint training camp practice for weeks.

Where has that gone? Ultimately, it’s on the head coach to reignite that fire. Williams’ post-practice comments are a good sign and start, but that energy needs to carry over to game day.

For what it’s worth, I’d expect a highly motivated team going against ex-head coach Matt Eberflus, now running the Cowboys’ defense, on Sunday.

Lastly — and I’m just thinking out loud here — did Ben Johnson read the intro to yesterday’s newsletter?

Regardless, I’m patting myself on the back for nailing the overall sentiment from the head coach, almost down to the quip about faxing Brady a copy of the playbook.

MORE: Hoge & Jahns with former Bears OL Kyle Long

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CLINCHED: On the field, the celebration was subdued. In the clubhouse, things got a bit rowdier. Champagne, beers and good vibrations flowed.

I couldn’t help but think of what Jon Lester said after the Cubs clinched a third-straight NLCS berth back in 2017:

“You know, it’s not always going to be peaches and roses, or however the saying goes.”

It’s been an uncomfortable second half of the season for the Cubs, who once held a 6.5-game lead in the NL Central over the Milwaukee Brewers. Now the Brewers are days away from clinching their third-straight division title as the Cubs set their sights on homefield advantage in the NL Wild Card.

It’s an OK consolation, but not where this team expected to be back in June. However, the Cubs are winners of seven of their last eight with three series remaining. Is it possible they’re getting hot again at the right time?

Cubs 8, Pirates 4

TWO CONCERNING NOTES:

Kyle Tucker is headed to Tampa with a member of the Cubs’ training staff to explore outside help for the calf strain that landed him on the 10-day IL and has sidelined him since September 2nd. According to Craig Counsell, Tucker’s recovery had plateaued.
Over his last eight starts, Matthew Boyd has thrown 43.2 innings. In that stretch, he’s allowed 46 hits, 28 earned runs (5.77 ERA), 12 walks and struck out just 33 batters.

After Wednesday’s brief outing, he’s thrown 174.1 innings this season, the most he’s thrown by a wide margin since 2019 (185.1). In fact, Boyd hasn’t thrown more than 80 innings in a season since 2019.

With the Cubs locking up a spot in the postseason, Boyd is a prime candidate to get some extra time between starts or possibly holding him out until the NL Wild Card altogether.

OUT OF GAS: So much for the White Sox’s quest to avoid 100 losses. A three-game sweep at the hands of the Baltimore Orioles pretty much eliminated the chance.

On a six-game losing streak, the Sox would have to finish 6-3 to accomplish the feat. However, their next six games come against the San Diego Padres and New York Yankees — two teams on the verge of clinching postseason berths.

As for the Sox against the Orioles, Dylan Beavers continued his reign of terror in Chicago, clubbing a two-run homer off Martin Perez. In the three-game series, Beavers drove in five runs and hit two homers and a triple.

Looking for a positive note for the Sox? Look no further than rookie reliever Grant Taylor, who struck out three of the four batters he faced on Wednesday. Taylor was pulled from his last appearance on September 10th after feeling groin discomfort.

Not including that brief six-pitch outing, Wednesday marked Taylor’s fifth consecutive scoreless appearance. Over that stretch, Taylor has struck out 47.4 percent of the batters he’s faced.

Orioles 3, White Sox 1

SIGNED, SEALED, DELIVERED: The Blackhawks and restricted free agent defenseman Wyatt Kaiser agreed to a two-year deal worth $1.7 million per season last night.

Kaiser, 23, appeared in 57 games with the Blackhawks last season and tallied eight points. He will report to and be ready for training camp, which begins today.

MORE: Jay Zawaski and Mario Tirabassi on Kaiser’s extension