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USA Today
18 hours ago
- Sport
- USA Today
6 takeaways from the Bears' 38-0 preseason win vs. the Bills
The Chicago Air and Water Show wasn't the only spectacle along the lakefront this weekend. The Chicago Bears decided to cap off an exciting weekend in the city with a high-flying performance of their own at Soldier Field, winning their second preseason game 38-0 against the Buffalo Bills. It was essentially a perfect game for the Bears, and it started out with an impressive touchdown drive from quarterback Caleb Williams. With much of the starting offense on the field, Williams orchestrated a seven-play drive that culminated with a touchdown strike to wide receiver Olamide Zaccheaus. It was the first game action Williams had under Ben Johnson, and it left fans feeling excited as to what might be coming in the future. From there, the Bears didn't let up. Every phase at every level dominated Buffalo, who only had two scoring chances the entire game, including a missed field goal. For the Bears offense, scoring drives came from Tyson Bagent and Austin Reed, who both had solid performances operating the offense. The Bears finished the game with 580 total yards. Defensively, Chicago was stifling and allowed very few big plays. The Bills were only able to get 180 total yards throughout the game. Now that the second preseason game is in the books, here are our instant takeaways from the game. 1. Caleb Williams looks at home in Ben Johnson's offense Williams not only looked good during his brief time on the field; he looked comfortable. That's not something we have seen in quite a long time. For much of last year, Williams was either running for his life or unsure of where to put the ball on passing plays. Even during last year's preseason, he was making throws but had to make something out of nothing at times. Not on Sunday. Williams was quick and deliberate with his throws, completing 6 of 10 passes for 107 yards and a touchdown. You can argue all but one target was catchable, and he wasn't afraid to throw it near the sidelines or the middle of the field. We'll see if that same comfort level exists when Andrew Van Ginkel and Jonathan Greenard are barreling down on him come Week 1. For now, though, Williams looks like he belongs in Ben Johnson's offense. 2. Colston Loveland and Cole Kmet will be fine together Just because the Bears spent a first-round pick on tight end Colston Loveland doesn't mean Cole Kmet's targets will dry up. It's been a talking point for much of the offseason, but we finally saw how the Bears can utilize both tight ends. In the first series, Loveland and Kmet were both on the field together for multiple plays. The rookie was split out wide at times and also played inside, catching two passes for 26 yards. Kmet, meanwhile, had one reception for 29 yards. They were involved early on, giving Williams two reliable targets to work with as he settled into a rhythm. Both guys should see plenty of opportunities throughout the season, even if they happen to come in waves. 3. Luther Burden can do it all When the Bears drafted Luther Burden with the No. 39 overall pick in April, his talent as a receiver was evident right away. He's lethal with the ball in his hands and can do a lot of different things. Questions surrounding his willingness to block and do the dirty work away from the ball had come up, however. Based on Sunday's game, that shouldn't be much of a concern going forward. Burden was excellent against the Bills' defense, catching three passes for 49 yards. It was his effort as a blocker, though, that has everyone's attention. On two touchdown drives, Burden was tasked with sealing the defender on the edge of the defensive line near the end zone. He delivered both times, laying big hits that easily allowed the runner to get into the end zone. Those plays emulate Johnson's mantra of "No block, no rock" that he instilled earlier this offseason. With plays like that, Burden will see many more opportunities during the regular seasons and won't just be a situational receiver. That's the type of progress you want to see. 4. Braxton Jones is going to win the left tackle competition Last week's joint practice seemed to indicate there is no end in sight when it comes to the Bears' left tackle competition. The combination of Braxton Jones, Ozzy Trapilo, Theo Benedet, and Kiran Amegadjie struggled against the Bills' defense, and the coaching staff wasn't exactly encouraged by the results up to this point. After Sunday's game, however, it feels like Jones will be the one to come out on top. Though he's still getting back to 100% following his ankle surgery, Jones was solid during his two drives with the starters. He didn't allow Williams to get touched and only seemed to miss his defender one time, which didn't impact the timing of the pass play. All of the tackles looked good on Sunday against the Bills' reserves, but Jones is the best man for the job out of all of the options. I expect him to be named the starter within the next week, and hopefully he continues to get healthier before the season begins. 5. Tyson Bagent took back control of the backup QB job Things looked a little dicey for quarterback Tyson Bagent following last weekend's game against the Miami Dolphins. With Case Keenum nipping at his heels, it seemed like the backup quarterback job was as open as ever. Things may have changed after Sunday night. Bagent looked much sharper against the Bills defense, completing 13-of-22 passes for 196 yards and a touchdown to Tyler Scott. Since Keenum wasn't able to play after suffering an injury last week in practice, that meant more snaps for Bagent. He took advantage by leading three straight scoring drives with some impressive moves in the pocket to avoid pressure. That's something Keenum can't do at this stage of his career. We'll see how long Keenum's injury keeps him out for, but it feels like Bagent isn't losing his job anytime soon. 6. Defensive injuries are concerning Everything was perfect for the Bears on Sunday night at Soldier Field—except when it came to injuries. The Bears had multiple players exit the game, including a few impactful reserves on defense that could be long-term injuries. Cornerback Terell Smith suffered a non-contact knee injury and needed to be carted off in an emotional scene. Johnson said the injury "didn't look good" during his press conference after the game. Another injury to monitor happened to defensive end Austin Booker, who has shined throughout the preseason. Booker left the game early with a knee injury and, after spending time in the injury tent, went to the locker room. It's unclear what his issue is, but losing him and Smith in one game would be significant. Each player was counted on to be a top rotational player at their respective positions, and the Bears are already thin at cornerback. Depending on the status of Jaylon Johnson and Kyler Gordon, the Bears' cornerback room could be in trouble going into Week 1.
2 days ago
- Sport
Seiya Suzuki hits a tiebreaking single as the Cubs edge the Pirates 3-1
CHICAGO -- Seiya Suzuki hit a tiebreaking single in the eighth inning, and the Chicago Cubs beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 3-1 on Saturday for a sorely needed victory. Kyle Tucker hit a leadoff single against Evan Sisk (0-1) and stole second before coming home on Suzuki's grounder into center field. Nico Hoerner tacked on a two-out RBI double following an intentional walk to Ian Happ. Chicago (69-53) had dropped four of five, including a 3-2 loss in the series opener on Friday. Cubs left-hander Shota Imanaga pitched seven innings of three-hit ball. Andrew Kittredge (3-3) got three outs before Brad Keller handled the ninth for his first save. Tommy Pham homered for Pittsburgh (52-72), which lost for the sixth time in seven games. Rookie Mike Burrows permitted one run and five hits in five innings. Imanaga retired his first 10 batters before Pham connected for his sixth homer in the fourth, a 428-foot drive to left. The Cubs got the run back in the bottom half when Tucker scored on Carson Kelly's two-out single. Imanaga struck out six and walked two. About the only thing that seemed to ruffle the lefty were the sonic booms from military jets flying nearby during the Chicago Air and Water Show. He had to pause several times to let the planes pass, including the fifth, where he waited momentarily before freezing Liover Peguero for an inning-ending strikeout. Nick Gonzales hit a leadoff single for Pittsburgh in the ninth. But Keller responded with three straight strikeouts against Andrew McCutchen, Joey Bart and pinch-hitter Spencer Horwitz. The Cubs have scored three or fewer runs in 10 of their 14 games this month. Cubs right-hander Javier Assad (0-1, 9.00 ERA) makes his second start of the season in Sunday's series finale. The Pirates will use right-handed reliever Carmen Mlodzinski (2-7, 4.20 ERA) as an opener.
San Francisco Chronicle
2 days ago
- Sport
- San Francisco Chronicle
Seiya Suzuki hits a tiebreaking single as the Cubs edge the Pirates 3-1
CHICAGO (AP) — Seiya Suzuki hit a tiebreaking single in the eighth inning, and the Chicago Cubs beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 3-1 on Saturday for a sorely needed victory. Kyle Tucker hit a leadoff single against Evan Sisk (0-1) and stole second before coming home on Suzuki's grounder into center field. Nico Hoerner tacked on a two-out RBI double following an intentional walk to Ian Happ. Chicago (69-53) had dropped four of five, including a 3-2 loss in the series opener on Friday. Cubs left-hander Shota Imanaga pitched seven innings of three-hit ball. Andrew Kittredge (3-3) got three outs before Brad Keller handled the ninth for his first save. Tommy Pham homered for Pittsburgh (52-72), which lost for the sixth time in seven games. Rookie Mike Burrows permitted one run and five hits in five innings. Imanaga retired his first 10 batters before Pham connected for his sixth homer in the fourth, a 428-foot drive to left. The Cubs got the run back in the bottom half when Tucker scored on Carson Kelly's two-out single. Imanaga struck out six and walked two. About the only thing that seemed to ruffle the lefty were the sonic booms from military jets flying nearby during the Chicago Air and Water Show. He had to pause several times to let the planes pass, including the fifth, where he waited momentarily before freezing Liover Peguero for an inning-ending strikeout. Key stat The Cubs have scored three or fewer runs in 10 of their 14 games this month. Up next Cubs right-hander Javier Assad (0-1, 9.00 ERA) makes his second start of the season in Sunday's series finale. The Pirates will use right-handed reliever Carmen Mlodzinski (2-7, 4.20 ERA) as an opener. ___
NBC Sports
2 days ago
- Sport
- NBC Sports
Seiya Suzuki hits a tiebreaking single as the Cubs edge the Pirates 3-1
As Cubs infielder Matt Shaw has heated up in six games after the all-star break, Eric Samulski believes he is a viable pickup on the waiver wire. CHICAGO (AP) Seiya Suzuki hit a tiebreaking single in the eighth inning, and the Chicago Cubs beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 3-1 on Saturday for a sorely needed victory. Kyle Tucker hit a leadoff single against Evan Sisk (0-1) and stole second before coming home on Suzuki's grounder into center field. Nico Hoerner tacked on a two-out RBI double following an intentional walk to Ian Happ. Chicago (69-53) had dropped four of five, including a 3-2 loss in the series opener on Friday. Cubs left-hander Shota Imanaga pitched seven innings of three-hit ball. Andrew Kittredge (3-3) got three outs before Brad Keller handled the ninth for his first save. Tommy Pham homered for Pittsburgh (52-72), which lost for the sixth time in seven games. Rookie Mike Burrows permitted one run and five hits in five innings. Imanaga retired his first 10 batters before Pham connected for his sixth homer in the fourth, a 428-foot drive to left. The Cubs got the run back in the bottom half when Tucker scored on Carson Kelly's two-out single. Imanaga struck out six and walked two. About the only thing that seemed to ruffle the lefty were the sonic booms from military jets flying nearby during the Chicago Air and Water Show. He had to pause several times to let the planes pass, including the fifth, where he waited momentarily before freezing Liover Peguero for an inning-ending strikeout. Nick Gonzales hit a leadoff single for Pittsburgh in the ninth. But Keller responded with three straight strikeouts against Andrew McCutchen, Joey Bart and pinch-hitter Spencer Horwitz. The Cubs have scored three or fewer runs in 10 of their 14 games this month. Cubs right-hander Javier Assad (0-1, 9.00 ERA) makes his second start of the season in Sunday's series finale. The Pirates will use right-handed reliever Carmen Mlodzinski (2-7, 4.20 ERA) as an opener.
Hindustan Times
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
Chicago Air and Water Show 2025: Date, time, location, performers and everything you need to know
The Chicago Air and Water Show is one of the city's most popular summer events. Every year, it pulls huge crowds to the lakefront. What started back in 1959 with a tiny budget and a few water skiers is now the largest free air and water show in the country. The excitement comes not only from the fast jets and parachute teams but also from the atmosphere around the beach. It feels like a celebration of both summer and the armed forces. This year adds a historic touch as both the U.S. Army and the U.S. Marine Corps are celebrating 250 years. Many performances will salute this anniversary. The Chicago Air and Water Show 2025 takes place on August 16–17.( Chicago Air and Water Show: When and Where The show will take place on Saturday, August 16, and Sunday, August 17. There will also be a practice run on Friday, August 15. Timings are 10:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.(local time) each day, if weather allows, according to the official website. The main action is at North Avenue Beach, but people can watch from many spots along the shoreline between Oak Street and Fullerton. Some prefer boats or rooftops for a different view. Chicago Air and Water Show 2025: Performers The lineup this year is packed. The headliners are the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds with their tight jet formations and the U.S. Army Golden Knights Parachute Team. Alongside them are several other military displays, including the Air Force C-17 Demo, the Illinois Air National Guard KC-135, the Maryland Air National Guard A-10 team, the Coast Guard rescue demo, and the Marine Corps Osprey aircraft. Also read: Chicago Air and Water Show 2025: List of aircrafts participating this weekend - from Squadron to KC-135 Civilian acts are part of it as well. Audiences will see Bill Stein Airshows, Kevin Coleman from Coleman Aerosports, Ed Hamill with the Folds of Honor Biplane, Tom Larkin in his Mini Jet, Susan Dacy flying Big Red, and the Warbird Thunder Airshows. Local emergency groups such as the Chicago Fire Department rescue team and Chicago Police helicopters also take part. It gives the crowd a mix of daring stunts and real-life rescue demonstrations. Another familiar element is the announcer. Herb Hunter has been the voice of the show for many years. His commentary guides people through what is happening in the sky, helping explain the difficult maneuvers. Chicago Air and Water Show: How to reach Crowds can be intense. Public transportation is strongly advised because parking near North Avenue Beach is almost impossible. CTA buses like the 22, 72, and 151 get you close. Coming early is advised since the best spots fill up before noon. Visitors should bring water, sunscreen, snacks, and earplugs for younger kids. FAQs Q1: When is the Chicago Air and Water Show 2025? It will be held on Saturday, August 16, and Sunday, August 17, with a practice on Friday, August 15. Q2: Where is the best place to watch? North Avenue Beach is the main viewing hub, but the show can be seen along the lakefront from Oak Street to Fullerton. Q3: Who are the main performers this year? The U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds and the U.S. Army Golden Knights are the star attractions. Q4: How much does it cost to attend? It is completely free to the public. Q5: Who is the announcer for the show? Herb Hunter, longtime commentator, will be the voice again this year.
