CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- The best Chicago team playing this weekend is the White Sox, but the regular season ends on Sunday, so we'll focus on them next weekend. All they're really trying to do at the moment is stay healthy. For what it's worth, the secondary ticket market said Saturday night's game against the Tigers is the hot ticket there.
The Cubs are just playing out the string - cap-tip to David Ross and the boys, see you in February (if there's no lockout).
Blackhawk preseason action is underway (a home-and-home with the Blues Friday and Saturday); the Bulls begin their exhibition schedule Tuesday.
And 9th-ranked Notre Dame hosts #7 Cincinnati on Saturday afternoon (broadcast time 12:30 p.m. on 780 AM and the Notre Dame channel of the Audacy App). It's the last time the Irish will face a ranked team this regular season, according to the current AP Top 25. But we recommended the Irish last week.
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So let's return to the Bears. The offense hasn't exactly been appointment viewing, but over the last two weeks the defense sure has. They forced Bengals turnovers on four straight second half possessions in Week Two. And they sacked Baker Mayfield five times last Sunday in Cleveland, keeping the Bears within a touchdown of the Browns for three quarters.
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Focus on Roquan Smith, who has turned into a premiere linebacker. Or the edge rush combo of Khalil Mack and Robert Quinn, who apart from a disappointing late hit in Week Two has looked like he's set on proving he deserved the big-money deal he signed before a disappointing 2020. Or on Jaylon Johnson, who is emerging as a possible Pro Bowl cornerback in his second season.
And when the offense has the ball...well, at least the bar for success is low - after just 1.1 yards per play in Cincinnati, the only way forward is up.