Cam Ellis
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Articles by Cam Ellis
What does Supreme Court's latest ruling mean for future NCAA athletes?
On Monday morning, the United States Supreme Court handed down a ruling against the NCAA which stated, in essence, that limits on player-athelte benefits like technology, scholarships, and internships -- among other things -- can't be enforced. And while the NCAA's model of amateurism wasn't totally dismantled by the ruling, many view Monday's decision as a landmark step towards achieving that eventual goal. But what does it mean in the immediate future?
4 fun, easy life hacks for ignoring those pesky Justin Fields trade rumors
(670 The Score) We here at 670 The Score love trade rumors, absolutely adore them. What do you think puts the bread on my $105 IKEA table? (Sorry to flex, but...) Real answers are for the birds. Those are my five best trade deadline destinations for Zach LaVine, and I want them now. This isn't your parents' 670, either - we aren't just writing columns or doing radio hits. We're *creating* content.
Bears-Vikings: 3 matchups to watch in Week 18
(670 The Score) It’s here. Week 18 has kicked down our door and settled in our living room, without bringing any snacks, for the last four quarters of Chicago Bears football that this season has to offer. Remember losing 12-7 to the Commanders? And then beating the Patriots in Foxboro on Monday Night Football? That was this season! What a ride it’s been.
Ellis: That should be a wrap on Justin Fields' season
(670 The Score) For a second, I thought he had it. For a few thrilling moments in an otherwise miserable game Sunday, it looked like Bears quarterback Justin Fields did it to the Detroit Lions again . Ripping down the middle of the field, gears shifting as he hit the second level, it looked – from the TV angle, at least – like Fields was set to waltz into the end zone for his second tiebreaking, 60-plus-yard touchdown run in as many games against the Lions this season.
Grades: The Bears owe us for our time
(670 The Score) Five hundred and four yards. The Bears allowed 504 yards Sunday. It’s just an insane number of yards for a professional football team to allow. But the Bears did! Anything is possible if you put your mind to it. There was nothing remotely memorable about the Bears' 41-10 loss to the Lions on Sunday at Ford Field, and I'd be surprised if anyone is talking about it three hours from now. For Chicago, this game was entirely meaningless, and the Bears (3-13) certainly made that clear.
Bears-Lions: 3 matchups to watch in Week 17
(670 The Score) It’s Week 17. For most of our adult lives, this has meant the merciful end – the last week of the long, painful slog that is a three-win football season. One more noon kickoff to hide behind when all your weekend chores sneak up on you. But not anymore! Now the penultimate game of the Bears’ season, this early New Year’s Day game in Detroit against the Lions on Sunday arrives with about as much excitement and anticipation as the circumstances will allow for.
Ellis: Let's hope a Bears game is never that cold ever again
CHICAGO (670 The Score) -- Charlie Brown was at the Bears’ game Saturday. Call it the Christmas spirit or the gift of extremely cheap tickets, but he was there. Tucked away in section 348 at Soldier Field (you know, the weird sliver of seats just above the north end zone that only stretch four-wide) with his buddy, Charlie Brown – whose real name was pretty obviously not that – had enough layers on to fully clothe the entire section.
Bears-Bills grades: I mean, what did we expect?
CHICAGO (670 The Score) -- 'Twas the day before Christmas, 'Twas the Bears and the Bills, Not a good grade was given, Except for All-Pro Trenton Gill The stockings were layered, Warm winter outfits were made, I’m already tired of this format, So let’s just get to the grades. Offense: D Maybe it’s just old habit, but after the last few years, it still feels weird to watch the Bears come out of the gate with a functional offense.
Bears-Bills: 3 matchups to watch in Week 16
(670 The Score) It’s Week 16. The Bears are coming off a cold matchup against arguably the best team in the NFL and barreling straight into a cold matchup against arguably the best team in the NFL. But at least this one’s on a holiday on which you would otherwise be enjoying some well-deserved rest and relaxation? Oh, that makes it worse? Ah! Well, nevertheless. The gauntlet continues this Saturday, with the Buffalo Bills in town.
Ellis: Bears' secondary got torched in loss to Eagles, and it was so encouraging
CHICAGO (670 The Score) – Get your violins out, because it’s time for some sports writer complaints. And actually, it’s just one: This Bears season has gotten stale. It certainly hasn’t always been this way – Justin Fields setting multiple quarterback rushing records with several weeks still left on the calendar speaks to, if nothing else, how easy this three-win team has been on the eyes. But his greatness has been, week after week, the Sunday night lede.
Bears grades: Only 3 more of these left
CHICAGO (670 The Score) -- You’re more than welcome (encouraged, even!) to read all of the recap below, but quite frankly, I can sum up the Bears' 25-20 loss to the Eagles on Sunday in two words: Injuries suck.
Bears-Eagles: 3 matchups to watch in Week 15
(670 The Score) It’s Week 15. The Bears have returned from their beautiful, wonderful, peaceful, serene, productive, refreshing bye week – and once again find themselves in the hunt for their 11th loss of the season. It shouldn’t be too difficult – the 12-1 Eagles are in town this weekend, which means that not only will the Bears probably take a bad L but you’re going to hear about it in a distinctly loud way from their fans on your way home.
Ellis: 'Tank wins' are a necessary evil for Bears, but loss to Packers just felt evil
CHICAGO (670 The Score) -- Losing to the Packers was part of the Bears' plan. Helplessly watching Aaron Rodgers march down the field and snatch away a win, like he has done countless times over the last two decades, was the most necessary – and evil – of all necessary evils for fans at Soldier Field on Sunday as Green Bay rallied for a 28-19 against Chicago. At 3-10 entering their (admittedly very late) bye week, the Bears have the second-worst record in the NFL.
Bears grades: Aaron Rodgers is inevitable
CHICAGO (670 The Score) -- Well, it was another tank win for the Bears, I guess? Please don’t throw anything at me. In a season full of learning moments, these Bears squad got a lesson in what happens when you let Aaron Rodgers and the Packers stick around. Was it a lesson they absolutely needed to learn? Probably not! Could they have asked literally any Bears fan from the last 30 years what happens in games like their 28-19 loss Sunday? Probably! But now they know.
Bears-Packers: 3 matchups to watch in Week 13
(670 The Score) It’s Week 13. The Packers are in town to face the Bears, and if there’s been a less interesting edition of this matchup in recent history, I can’t remember it. It feels like every single player on the Bears is on injured reserve. The Packers are washed. This week’s edition of matchups will be especially educational (and fun!) because it’s a good chance to ask "Is that actually a real player on the Bears?" and then find out! Let’s dive in. Bears WR Chase Claypool vs.
Ellis: Sunday's most impressive performance? You, watching the Bears
(670 The Score) Conditions heading into the Bears-Jets game Sunday were tough. A weird schedule during the week-long leadup to kickoff left even the healthiest legs a little tired. To be honest, it’s hard to expect much of anything when it’s that rainy and gross outside. And yet, despite less-than-ideal conditions, there’s still a performance from the Bears' 31-10 loss to the Jets that deserves appreciation.
Bears grades: Just forget this ever happened
(670 The Score) It’s done. The key to moving on from the Bears' miserable 31-10 loss to the Jets on a rainy Sunday will be saying as few words as possible about it. The Bears? Bad. The Jets? Better than the Bears. Here are some grades. Offense: D To the Bears' credit, their offense responded to the Jets’ opening nine-play touchdown drive with a nine-play drive of their own.
Bears-Jets: 3 matchups to watch in Week 12
(670 The Score) It’s Week 12. Frankly, it's bleak in Chicago. Quarterback Justin Fields may not miss any time with a left shoulder injury or he may miss the rest of the season. At least the Bears are being transparent about it though! If Fields can’t go, that means backup quarterback Trevor Siemian is up next, which is exciting news for like 45% of Chicago media and literally no one else. (We can’t let them get away with any self-deprecating jokes about Northwestern.
Ellis: Bears' coaches fail Justin Fields in loss to Falcons
(670 The Score) After listening to Bears quarterback Justin Fields talk over the last few weeks, it really isn't all that surprising that a day like Sunday finally happened. Following a 12-7 loss to the Commanders on Oct. 13, Fields acknowledged he was and that he was looking forward to getting some extra treatment and rest over the mini-bye.
Bears grades: Someone get Justin Fields an ice bath
(670 The Score) Well, that was ugly. Turns out that having to run and pass for 150-plus yards each week in the NFL is physically taxing. The Bears came out of halftime in a tie game on the road with about 50% less energy and lost to a very beatable Falcons team Sunday – that’s now four losses in a row for Chicago, for those who aren’t extremely aware of that already.
Bears-Falcons: 3 matchups to watch in Week 11
(670 The Score) It’s Week 11. The Bears are headed down to Atlanta this week to show ex-flame Ryan Pace that, actually, they’re doing just fine without him! They’ve actually been working out a bunch and it's going really well at their job and, in fact, their social life has never been better! This week will surely be another good opportunity for the Bears to actually win an actually winnable game, and reader, I'm begging them to do so.
Ask Ellis: Is it wrong that I like when the Bears lose?
CHICAGO (670 The Score) -- Ask Ellis is a weekly advice column that has definitely been around all season. Dear Cam: I need to come clean: I like losing, and I don’t care who knows it. It’s weird – in years past, losing ruined my day. I would yell and scream and then go to bed with terrible heartburn. Now, even as the Bears squander a 14-point lead in the fourth quarter against the *Lions*, I can barely be bothered.
Bears grades: Maybe losing isn't always fun?
CHICAGO (670 The Score) -- Maybe I’m wrong, but it feels like the Bears' 31-30 loss to the Lions on Sunday may not go down as smoothly as their last two setbacks. After comfortably leading by two touchdowns entering the fourth quarter, the Bears somehow let a good win slip through their hands. Justin Fields was still spectacular, but the Bears may have finally learned that trying to outrace other teams to 30 points isn’t always the move. Here are the grades. I’m sorry.
Bears-Lions: 3 matchups to watch in Week 10
(670 The Score) It’s Week 10. The Bears still don’t have their bye week for another month, which, frankly, sucks. We’re tired! And look at what they did on the mini-bye! Anyway, the Lions are in town Sunday for what figures to be the least-talked about game of the weekend, even with an NFL slate that includes Saints-Steelers (five combined wins) and Cardinals-Rams (six combined wins).
Ellis: I'm calling it now, this Bears season is already a success
CHICAGO (670 The Score) — Following their 35-32 loss to the Dolphins on Sunday, the Bears are now more than halfway through their season. And to quote political analyst Dave Wasserman (it is election season, after all), I’ve seen enough. The 2022 Bears are a success story. This isn’t a "All that matters is Justin Fields’ development" column, but reader, I do think that.
Bears grades: Losing can be fun!
(670 The Score) Another week, another productive loss for the Bears. There’s something to be said about how impressively innovative this Bears team is – it’s hard to think of too many other squads that, week after week, find so many unique ways to make fans not care one bit about losing. There’s also something to be said about how many defensive players that general manager Ryan Poles and coach Matt Eberflus are going to have to scout from now until April, but that’s a problem for February.
Bears-Dolphins: 3 matchups to watch in Week 9
(670 The Score) It’s Week 9. The Bears have been on one the last couple of days, trading away star linebacker Roquan Smith before making a move to acquire receiver Chase Claypool. The vibes have been excellent since their blowout loss in Dallas, which stinks because they do, unfortunately, now have to play football again. Next up are the Miami Dolphins, who made their own big-time trade – getting Broncos pass rusher Bradley Chubb – this week as well.
Ellis: Trading Roquan Smith is the best worst decision the Bears could make
(670 The Score) In hindsight, maybe we all should've been a bit less apathetic about the Bears giving up 49 points Sunday. Less than 24 hours after we all kind of signed off on the idea that it’s OK to have a terrible defense this season, general manager Ryan Poles called our bluff and traded star linebacker Roquan Smith to the Ravens for a second-round pick and a fifth-round pick. For those counting at home, both of the team’s defensive captains from Week 1 are gone.
Ellis: The Bears didn't lose Sunday, they just scored fewer points
(670 The Score) There’s probably a compelling case to be made that the Bears lost Sunday. If you subscribe to the notion that scoring more points officially means you “are the winner,” then you could logically assume that the Bears picked up their fifth loss of the season in slightly embarrassing fashion to the Cowboys. You could crunch all the fancy analytics and see that despite needing 50 points, the Bears only scored 29 – the argument almost makes itself.
Bears grades: Bet you can guess what mark the defense got
(670 The Score) Are you exhausted? I’m exhausted. The Bears are definitely exhausted, which is what chasing Tony Pollard up and down the field all afternoon will do to you. Somehow the Cowboys almost put up 50 points Sunday and yet the Bears' loss still didn’t feel that bad? That’s the power of Justin Fields. I know that your angriest relative always tells you there’s no such thing as a good loss, but it’s hard to be too bummed about a much-better Cowboys team being, in fact, much better.
Bears-Cowboys: 3 matchups to watch in Week 8
(670 The Score) It’s Week 8. The Bears are coming off their best win in, like, actual decades, and are off to Dallas for another seemingly tough road game against another seemingly better team in the Cowboys (5-2). But now that the Bears (3-4) are officially "the team that creates quarterback controversy," maybe they can throw another wrench in the Dak Prescott–Cooper Rush nonsense. The team’s October road trip ends in Texas this weekend, so let’s look at a few matchups to keep an eye on.
Ellis: Bears didn't save their season, but they did save their reputation with win over Patriots
(670 The Score) Maybe it shouldn’t be surprising that the Bears won against the Patriots on Monday night. Maybe following up a 12-7 loss to one of the NFL’s worst franchises with a 33-14 win against one of its best shouldn’t really be shocking at all. The Bears are just one mediocre team in a league that, so far, seems full of them this season.
Grades: The Bears are back, probably forever
(670 The Score) Just like they drew it up! The Bears spent 10 days listening to fans beg them not to be embarrassing on national television and took it extremely personally, apparently. Despite a small heart attack in the form of a couple Bailey Zappe throws early on, Chicago was basically in control of an entire game against Bill Belichick ... at New England ... in bad weather.
Bears-Patriots: 3 matchups to watch in Week 7
(670 The Score) It’s Week 7. The Bears are back on national television for a reason that no one can quite totally explain. This week, they’ll be up in New England to play Bill Belichick and the Patriots in front of a Monday Night Football-sized audience. Should be fun! Surely the Manning brothers will have positive things to say about the Bears' offense. Let’s look at a few matchups. Bears WR Darnell Mooney vs. Patriots CB Jack Jones Jack Jones is a real player who really plays for the Patriots.
Our favorite takeaways from Bill Belichick admitting Bears have spent 'some time' in Patriots' heads
(670 The Score) Patriots coach Bill Belichick is a football genius. Very few in the history of his sport – or any sport, really – have been as consistently successful as Belichick, and his mastery permeates every corner of the modern game.
Ellis: Bears can take more than 24 hours to get over this one
CHICAGO (670 The Score) -- Bears quarterback Justin Fields barely moved. Slumped against the light wood paneling on the side of his locker, he was motionless as he stared 1,000 yards into the rug between his cleats, only breaking his gaze to fist bump the occasional teammate as they passed him on the way out. At one point, receiver Darnell Mooney walked over, still dressed from the waist down in his game uniform.
Bears grades: It really is a game of inches
CHICAGO (670 The Score) -- I’m sorry you all had to watch that. I really am. The Bears decided that looking bad in orange wasn’t enough Thursday night –they wanted to walk the walk and look bad on the field too. This 12-7 loss to the Commanders was unique though. It’s not every day that your offense compiles 392 yards – including 238 on the ground – while only scoring once and coming up a few inches away from winning.
Bears-Commanders: 3 matchups to watch in Week 6
(670 The Score) It’s Week 6. The Bears are back at Soldier Field – in their only October home game – for a little Thursday Night Football against the Washington Commanders, who are terrible. The Bears might be in the early stages of a long rebuild, but at least they’re not 1-4 with a coach who's already explicitly criticizing his quarterback to the media.
Ellis: Bears finally realized they don't have to be boring
(670 The Score) Now that’s how you lose a football game. It took a roundabout way of getting there, but the Bears adventure Sunday afternoon found its way to exactly where we all expected, more or less, as they lost 29-22 to the Vikings. Dropping back-to-back games in part because of pivotal mistakes from wide receivers who probably wouldn't be on many other rosters is certainly a bit on the nose, but it’s not like anyone is stunned by the team’s talent deficiency five weeks into the season.
Bears grades: Well, that could've been great
(670 The Score) Just get out of bounds, Ihmir Smith-Marsette! Just get out of bounds! What looked like it was shaping up to be an exciting final minute ended up as the second back-breaking, game-sealing fumble in as many weeks for the Bears (2-3), who were handed a brutal 29-22 loss to the Vikings on Sunday afternoon when Smith-Marsette fumbled late with Chicago driving. There was a very, very bad first half along with a very, very … entertaining?
Bears-Vikings: 3 matchups to watch in Week 5
(670 The Score) It’s Week 5. The Bears’ month away from home continues. Of the five games they play in October, only one of them – the matchup against the Washington Commanders next Thursday – is at Soldier Field. That’s either good news or bad news, depending on how you value home-field advantage against not having to wait 45 minutes on the one single entrance ramp into the parking lots. Chicago is headed to Minnesota next, which is weird because it’s not Week 17 (...right?).
Ellis: Maybe it's time to revisit some of Ryan Poles' draft decisions
(670 The Score) Patience is a tricky thing. Right now, it’s a prerequisite for watching the Bears – the team is, after all, only four games into the Ryan Poles and Matt Eberflus era and still very bad. It’s also the only safeguard in place for the lowest of the low moments, like when Saquon Barkley looks more comfortable playing quarterback than Justin Fields.
Bears grades: Not only was that bad, but it was also bland
(670 The Score) It’s times like this where we should all be reminded that no one is forcing us to remember that game. Starting in this exact moment, we can continue on with our lives totally oblivious to the fact that in Week 4 of the 2022 NFL season, the Chicago Bears went into New York and only kicked field goals in a 20-12 loss to the Giants. There's no use in remembering anything about Sunday.
Bears-Giants: 3 matchups to watch in Week 4
(670 The Score) It’s Week 4. The Bears have a winning record, and we all hate it. No one’s happy and this season and all its winning has been miserable. This is why we watch football. This is why we LOVE football. All that's standing between an even more miserable 3-1 existence is the New York Giants, who are somehow also 2-1? Someone is going to come out of this game Sunday thinking about making the playoffs, and I wish the best for them. Anyways, let's break down a few key matchups.
Ellis: Bears crises are in the eye of the beholder
(670 The Score) Whoever decided that winning cures all must have not spent much time in Chicago. It’s hard to place it exactly, but despite the Bears having the same 2-1 record as the Jaguars, Ravens and Bills, something sure feels different here. The league hasn't even considered flexing the Bears' game against the Giants on Sunday to primetime. I guess I don't know what a "normal" NFL season would look like, but I’m pretty sure it isn't this?
Ellis: Who even needs to throw it when you can pound the rock like the Bears are?
CHICAGO (670 The Score) -- If you went out into Chicago on Monday and asked Bears fans about the team's game Sunday, the optimists you’d find – they did win, after all – might say that the team doesn’t actually need Justin Fields to throw 30 passes. It’d certainly be nice to see him drop back three dozen times, but the two interceptions that Fields threw in the 23-20 win over the Texans were some of the clearest indicators so far that he’s not quite there yet.
Bears grades: Roquan Smith and Cairo Santos save the day
(670 The Score) Bears kickers, always bailing the team out. Cairo Santos got the easiest hero kick of his life, hitting a 30-yard field goal as time expired to give Chicago its second win in three weeks. Truth be told, the Bears' 23-20 win over the Texans on Sunday at Soldier Field probably raised more questions than answers, but that’s a crisis for another week. The Bears are 2-1. Here are some grades. Offense: C How would you say it went?
Bears-Texans: 3 matchups to watch
(670 The Score) Well, that week certainly didn’t go as planned! Bears fans responded to a tough loss in Green Bay on Sunday night by (checks notes) forcing their favorite team’s franchise quarterback into a public apology for (double checks notes) being upset after losing a football game. A great job by all! I’m sure nothing endears a player to a city more than when the team’s fan base pressures them into praising people for watching television.
Ellis: A humble request to let Justin Fields throw the ball
(670 The Score) Call it naivety, but generally speaking, I feel like NFL coaches understand football. I try to believe that when Bears quarterback Justin Fields lines up in shotgun on fourth-and-2-inches, that it is – like coach Matt Eberflus said after a 27-10 loss to the Packers on Sunday – because that’s the best play the team had at the time.
Bears grades: Hope can be so cruel
(670 The Score) Hope can be a cruel thing. The Bears’ vibes were almost immaculate heading into Green Bay on Sunday night, and for a brief moment we all almost forgot that Green Bay is where immaculate vibes go to die. Aaron Rodgers wasted no time reminding everyone of all the various football-related reasons to despise him, and the Bears, as it turns out, aren't a very good football team. Their franchise quarterback a combined 15 completions through two games.
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