First Call: Chase Claypool’s first game with Chicago; Pittsburgh native with Bears draw praise; ‘MNF’ game has Steelers ties
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In Monday’s “First Call,” we examine Chase Claypool’s first game with the Chicago Bears. Another Bear with Pittsburgh ties is making headlines. We preview a “Monday Night Football” game with lots of Steelers implications. And a former Steeler in Tennessee had a rough week.
First outing
After last week’s trade from Pittsburgh, ex-Steelers wide receiver Chase Claypool played his first game with the Chicago Bears on Sunday. They lost to the Miami Dolphins 35-32.
Via SI.com’s “Bear Digest,” Claypool totaled just two receptions for 13 yards, a 4-yard rush and a dropped pass. He also drew a 28-yard pass interference call on a jump ball. It led to a Bears’ field goal.
“It was a whirlwind for sure, just trying to catch up,” Claypool said. “Early mornings, late nights, getting in the playbook six, seven hours a day just trying to get all the information down, and it was a cool experience to have a team want you like that, to be excited for you to get involved.”
The Bears fell to 3-6 with the loss. The Dolphins are 6-3 and currently hold the AFC’s second wild-card spot.
Good for Getsy
Former Pitt quarterback Luke Getsy is drawing some praise as the Bears’ offensive coordinator. In this week’s “Football Morning in America,” Peter King praised Getsy for his play-calling to boost quarterback Justin Fields.
According to King, Getsy (Steel Valley) is allowing Fields to run more often and throw outside the numbers more frequently. He is also incorporating more play-action. King pointed out Fields’ “rushing yards over expected” totals. He had an NFL quarterback record 178-yard rushing day Sunday in the loss to Miami.
Via King, “By Next Gen’s tracking, Fields’ 15 carries should have netted him 65 yards. But his athletic skillset added 113 yards over the expected number. And his 88 yards after contact showed he can be a physical runner, not just one to make tacklers miss. Getsy is smart to design some runs for Fields, and to encourage him to take off running instead of forcing throws when the windows are tight. He scrambled for 61 yards on one run Sunday.”
JUSTIN FIELDS GOES 61 YARDS FOR SIX! ????
????: #MIAvsCHI on CBS
????: Stream on NFL+ https://t.co/PrdJzxjse4 pic.twitter.com/EaiuoLqHYO— NFL (@NFL) November 6, 2022
Even though Chicago has lost two of three, the Bears have scored 94 points the past three games with Fields rushing for 320 yards, while throwing six touchdowns and one interception.
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Bud’s bad hip
Tennessee Titans linebacker Bud Dupree continues to be plagued by injuries.
The former Steeler was limited in the second half of Sunday night’s loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. Dupree had hip problems earlier in the season as well. He was also questionable to play in the first place after missing Friday’s practice with an illness.
Dupree had just one tackle on the night. In six games this season, Dupree has eight tackles and three sacks.
Also in that game, former Steeler JuJu Smith-Schuster caught 10 passes for 88 yards. Plus, Titans quarterback Malik Willis got his second start. Long perceived to be a candidate for the Steelers to draft last spring if not for the selection of Kenny Pickett, Willis attempted just 16 passes and completed only five of them for 80 yards. He ran eight times for 40 yards as well.
Derrick Henry provided most of the offense for Tennessee with 115 yards and two touchdowns.
Looking ahead
Steelers fans may want to keep an eye on the “Monday Night Football” game.
The Baltimore Ravens are in New Orleans to play the Saints. The Ravens lead the AFC North at 5-3. The Steelers still have two games remaining against their division rivals. The teams are slated to play each other Dec. 11 in Pittsburgh and Jan. 1 in Baltimore.
Meanwhile, the 3-5 Saints are the Steelers’ opponent next Sunday (Nov. 13). So the Saints will visit Acrisure Stadium on a short week, while the Steelers are coming off a bye.
The Ravens are only 1.5-point favorites. They lead the series 5-2. The Saints won 24-23 at Baltimore in 2018, ending a three-game skid going back to 2006. The Ravens have never lost in New Orleans. Via “The Action Network,” Baltimore scored victories over the Saints in 2006 (35-22) and 2010 (34-27). Plus the team won Super Bowl XLVII in the Superdome, outlasting the San Francisco 49ers 34-31.
Baltimore will be playing without tight end Mark Andrews (shoulder/ankle) and wide receiver Rashod Bateman. Bateman is out for the season with a foot injury. Running back Gus Edwards is doubtful.
Meanwhile, on Friday, New Orleans put Michael Thomas on injured reserve with a toe injury. Receiver Jarvis Landry’s availability is in question too.