By Dan O’Shea

Random observations on the fantasy implications of a week in which Jay Cutler faded even further from fantasy relevance than usual.
Brian Hoyer’s latest moment of fantasy stardom. If someone’s talking about someone named Hoyer in Chicago this month, you might assume it’s Jed Hoyer, GM of the NLDS-winning Cubs. But Bears QB Brian Hoyer is also having a good fall, having compiled a series of fantasy-worthy starts in place of Jay Cutler, the most recent a 397-yard outing in Week 5. He’s in the top three or four in QB fantasy points in most formats the last three weeks. Looks like he will start again against JAC this weekend, and arguably should keep the starting job the rest of the way. He’s got a history of being streaky, and he’s not much of a deep passer, but he’s plays quick (sometimes meaning more plays, more chances), and usually avoids negative points.

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Posted on October 14, 2016

By Carl Mohrbacher

Well, that was fun while it lasted.
Oh who am I kidding. This hasn’t been fun and it hasn’t lasted all that long.
That said, there’s plenty to discuss.
It seems in the absence of a compelling season, we’ve got a quarterback controversy to sort out here in Chicago.
Since Jay Cutler’s thumb wasn’t entirely severed from the rest of his throwing hand, it stands to reason that:

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Posted on October 13, 2016

By Steve Rhodes

In three bullpen games in a row, the weird held.
Here’s why.
*
Here’s how it felt, though.

To the ninth. Moore is done after 8 IP. 1 R, 2 H, 2 BB, 10 K’s.

— Jesse Rogers (@ESPNChiCubs) October 12, 2016

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Posted on October 12, 2016

By Steve Rhodes

Don’t look now, but the Cubs’ offense is cold again in the playoffs – except for the pitchers, who are providing the power. Good thing, too, because Jake Arrieta’s 3-run homer last night may temporarily helps us forget that he’s become a true concern going forward (as is Hector Rondon).
Meanwhile, Joe Maddon – at least temporarily – lost his Midas touch with a series of moves he’s getting uncharacteristically roasted for today. (Though some of the criticism is way off-base: Mike Mulligan sounded like he just arrived on Earth this morning complaining on The Score that Maddon should just stick with a winning lineup. Have you watched the Cubs at all this year, Mully?)
Anyway, this is how we get to a Game 5 at Wrigley on Thursday: The Giants win tonight and we’re back to Lester-Cueto, and let’s face it, as good as Lester was in Game 1, Cueto was actually better. Thank God for Javy Baez!
Now, to the best Twitter commentary from Game 3 and looking ahead to tonight’s game:

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Posted on October 11, 2016

By Steve Rhodes

The popular narrative among the sports punditry seems to be that Hoyer may have put up 397 yards – without an interception – on Sunday, but Jay Cutler would have won that game because he would have thrown Alshon Jeffery a jump ball in the waning minutes instead of attempt another pass to Cam Meredith.
Please.
Did Hoyer make the wrong choice on fourth down with the game on the line? Seems so. But would the Bears have been in a position to win if Cutler had played? Not necessarily; it’s hard to believe he would have avoided at least one meaningful turnover. Am I saying Hoyer is a better quarterback than Cutler? No – not at all. But Cutler is not the answer any more than Hoyer is, and that, as I have written, is the real quarterback controversy.
On the other hand, Hoyer has a 108.5 QB rating on the season and it’s just possible that we have a Trestman-McCown kind of mindmeld going on here with offensive coordinator Dowell Loggains, who is suddenly smart again. Meanwhile, Vic Fangio is no longer a genius.
To the Twitters:

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Posted on October 10, 2016

By Marty Gangler

Are you scared? I am.
Yes, this Cubs team is different. They know not from goats.
Yes, this manager is different. He embraces goats.
Yes, this fan base is different. They prefer beards that make them look like goats.
But the universe has a will. A goat-based will.

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Posted on October 10, 2016

By Jim Coffman and Steve Rhodes

Dear America: Meet Javy Baez. Plus: Coffman Gives In To Grandpa Ross; Joe Midas; QB Kontroversy; Bulls New Old Vibe; Blackhawks’ New Faces; The Sky; The Fire; and Oh, Lovie.

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Posted on October 9, 2016

Curses, Greed, Mismanagement . . .

10. Team faces rash of injuries after a Joe Maddon STD theme trip.
9. David Ross thrown out at home in Game 7 of World Series after video scoreboard in left tells him to “go the distance.”
8. Wrigley Field repossessed in Ricketts credit swap debacle.

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Posted on October 7, 2016

By Carl Mohrbacher

If we keep up this torrid one-home-victory-per-calendar-year pace, the Cubs may lay claim to a World Series title before the Bears win another game at Soldier Field, so savor every victory as much as you can.
Possession Play
“I thought our offense did a good job of possessing the ball,” said Head Coach John Fox during an interview with Bears.com senior reporter, Larry Mayer.
“Lack of possession had been an issue through the first three weeks,” said Mayer. “What adjustments did [Offensive Coordinator Dowell] Loggains make after the loss to Dallas?”
“As a staff,” said Fox, in an effort to undercut the notion that Dowell Loggains can achieve anything alone, “we took a look at a number of things to try and improve in that area. Play selection is a big part of it,” he continued in his usual monotone, but rapid fire cadence.
“Ultimately we decided that it was time to get some outside help and hired Sinestra, the Mistress Of The Void, to help us possess the ball more effectively.”

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Posted on October 6, 2016

By Jim Coffman

OK, Cubs fans, I’m setting up a nice low bar for you to clear in the early stages of the 2016 postseason: Do not abandon ship en masse, instantaneously.
There will almost certainly come a time in the first two games at Wrigley on Friday and Saturday when the home team will face real adversity for the first time in months. The players will then either make plays or not, regardless of how many goofs stand and wave their arms to try to force fellow fans to make more noise. The arm-wavers won’t matter.
But a massive wave of pessimism might.

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Posted on October 4, 2016