Fische » Chicago Bears quarterback Mitchell Trubisky seemed to care

LAKE FOREST Jordan Scarlett Jersey , Ill. (AP) — little Wednesday about being selected NFC offensive player of the week.With the Bears clicking on offense at an elevated rate, Trubisky is too focused on improving some gaps of inconsistency in the attack to care about honors or criticism.“It’s cool, but people talked so bad about me last week, so why should this week be any different?” Trubisky said. “So I got recognized for playing well, I expect to play well. Coach Nagy expects me to play well.“I got better from the week before, so I’m embracing that process, just continuously getting better and better.”The Bears (6-3) head into their showdown for first place in the NFC North on Sunday night at Soldier Field against the defending division champion Minnesota Vikings (5-3-1) surprisingly strong on both sides of the football, but still seeing obvious areas to improve.And Matt Nagy would rather they’re focused on Minnesota and a game flexed to prime time than awards or other diversions.“We talk about poison, the noise, we talk about earmuffs, we talk about horse blinders,” the coach said. “You know Greedy Williams Jersey , don’t worry about anything, you just keep playing. If you played a good game great, now next game. And if you played a bad game, now next game, and you just stay straight ahead.”Trubisky’s career-best 355-yard passing day last Sunday gave the Bears a 34-22 win over the Detroit Lions for their first divisional victory since Halloween 2016. He went 23 for 30 and had three touchdown passes, while also running for a TD.“I think just good feet, good eyes and I just played with conviction,” Trubisky said. “I made a decision that I was just in a good mind state, just go out there and play confident.”Trubisky has four 300-yard passing games, tied for best by a Bears quarterback in a single season. It’s fostering anticipation he’ll improve even more.“He’s slowly improving, which I love,” Nagy said. “It’s not going to be an overnight thing; he had a good game and we want to continue to have those good games. But there’s a process to it.”Trubisky made his first start against the Vikings last year in a 20-17 loss http://www.ravensfootballauthentics.com/justice-hill-jersey-authentic , and threw an interception to Harrison Smith in the closing minutes to seal the verdict.“I think I’ve grown a lot since that play,” Trubisky said. “I’m not the same player, not even close. I’ve got better since that instance and I’m excited for the opportunity this weekend.”The Bears won a game over Carolina later in the year when Trubisky completed only four passes.So much has changed with the Bears since that point in the fifth game last year, including Nagy’s hiring. The trade for pass rusher Khalil Mack and the turnaround under their new coach have led to renewed vitality at Halas Hall. They’ve become a hot ticket for the television networks, as their home game with the Los Angeles Rams was flexed Wednesday into a Sunday night contest.“It’s a great vibe around the building now,” Trubisky said. “The culture has definitely changed and there’s a better vibe around the city in how people view the Bears and how they see us.”The offense is still only 20th at passing but is 10th in touchdown passes with 19. Trubisky’s passer rating of 101.6 is higher than those of Cam Newton, Ben Roethlisberger, Deshaun Watson, Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers.Yet Nagy sounded a cautionary note earlier this week about the team’s running attack.“You can’t go through this thing and be one-dimensional,” Nagy said. “It’s just too easy for defenses.”Jordan Howard hasn’t had a 100-yard rushing game this season and the Bears had 64 and 54 yards rushing the last two games, respectively.“Keep doing our job and the passing game can keep airing it — it will open up the run,” tackle Charles Leno Jr. said. “We’ve just got to get (Howard) and (Tarik Cohen) the ball more and those guys will make plays Ben Powers Jersey , and we’re just going to do a better job.”The other problem area is the kicking game after Cody Parkey nailed the uprights four times on misses in last week’s game. So Parkey was slated to practice kicking Wednesday night at Soldier Field because Sunday’s game is at night.“I mean, it can’t hurt,” Parkey said.Parkey was lampooned on the “Tonight Show” by Jimmy Fallon for hitting the uprights. Parkey sounded a bit like Trubisky when asked if he’d heard this.“No,” Parkey said. “I (couldn’t) care less.” CINCINNATI (AP) — Ryan Tannehill tried to give his receiver a little more time to get open, but Geno Atkins was having none of it.The Bengals tackle closed quickly and smacked into the Dolphins quarterback as he released an incomplete pass to Kenny Stills.Just the start of a long day for Miami’s overmatched blockers.Atkins had two more sacks and three quarterback hits during Cincinnati’s 27-17 win on Sunday that was the direct result of the Bengals’ defense. Tannehill was sacked twice in the fourth quarter and had three turnovers, including an interception and fumble that were returned for the decisive touchdowns.Atkins was in the middle of it, forcing Tannehill to stray from the pocket and become vulnerable to hits that led to the turnovers.“He’s unbelievable,” first-year defensive coordinator Teryl Austin said. “On one sack he beat the guy so fast I don’t know what you ask the quarterback to do. He just does stuff you don’t teach.”Atkins has six sacks in five games, tied with the Texans’ J.J. Watt and the Steelers‘ T.J. Watt for the league lead. No other interior NFL lineman has more than three sacks. The Bengals (4-1) host the Steelers (2-2-1) on Sunday in an important game for the AFC North.A victory would end Cincinnati’s run of six straight losses to the Steelers and provide a cushion — the Bengals have already beaten the Ravens (3-2) at Paul Brown Stadium. A seventh straight loss to Pittsburgh would leave the race wide open.Atkins has made the biggest impact on a defense that leads the league with three returns for touchdowns. He’s off to one of his best starts after getting a four-year contract extension through 2022. His best season was 2012, when he had 12½ sacks and forced four fumbles.His 67 sacks rank third in franchise history and are the most by a Bengals interior lineman. Atkins has led NFL interior linemen in sacks three times and tied for the lead twice. His push from the middle of the line forces quarterbacks to throw early or scramble out of the pocket, making plays break down.“Geno had quite a few collisions with the quarterback (on Sunday),” coach Marvin Lewis said. “He knocks him down http://www.ravensfootballauthentics.com/iman-marshall-jersey-authentic , and he stays on his feet. That’s a good way to do it, I guess. He can do it with that kind of velocity.”Atkins is a leading example of how shorter defensive linemen can get through and around much bigger blockers. The 6-foot-1, 300-pound tackle can use his signature “bull rush” move on linemen who aren’t set for it, driving them backward into the quarterback.Atkins is one of the quietest Bengals, declining interviews and saying little during team meetings. After he signed his contract extension, Atkins said during a rare media session that he realized early in his nine-year career that his size can be a big advantage in the NFL.“Short, stocky, strong guys — we have the leverage, strength and power,” Atkins said. “The bull rush is really my will against your will.”Austin came to the Bengals from Detroit, where Ndamukong Suh created problems for blockers in much the same way. He appreciates how Atkins can force offenses to change their blocking plans.“He just can wreck the game,” Austin said. “It’s like when I had Suh in ’14. You can’t single-block the guy. And if you do Trace McSorley Jersey , you do at your own risk. He is tenacious. He’s got different moves. He’s strong. He’s quick. Boy, he’s fun to watch.”The only thing he doesn’t do is talk very much. Concluding his media session after the contract extension, he said he would slip back into his customary silence.“I’m not that interesting to talk to,” he said.MORE PRIME TIME: The Bengals’ game at Kansas City on Sunday, Oct. 21 was moved to prime time, giving Cincinnati a pair of night games this season. The Bengals beat the Ravens 34-23 on Thursday, Sept. 13. The Chiefs now have six night games this season. The Bengals are 6-14 in prime time since 2011, including 0-5 on Sunday, 2-5 on Monday, 4-3 on Thursday and 0-1 on Saturday night.ROSTER MOVE: The Bengals waived running back Thomas Rawls, a fourth-year player who signed as a free agent on Sept. 19 after Joe Mixon suffered a knee injury. Mixon returned on Sunday.