Joniak's Journal: Bears Safety Harold Jones-Quartey Likes The Chip On His Shoulder
By Jeff Joniak--
(CBS) The Bears (1-3) are on the road to face the Chiefs (1-3) on Sunday at noon. Here are my thoughts entering the contest.
First impression
Bears safety Harold Jones-Quartey is the longest of longshots to be in the NFL. He arrived in Columbus, Ohio, 13 years ago from Ghana with his mom and siblings. He never "really" played high school football, but he did play for what amounted to a club team. He entered the University of Findlay as a receiver and became a safety. Undrafted by the Cardinals, he joined the Bears right before the first game. In his fourth NFL game last week, he played the entire second half at safety in a tight game against a top-10 Raiders offense. In his first 34 NFL defensive snaps, he was solid.
"I have a chip on my shoulder," Jones-Quartey said. "You know, every time I step on the field even on the practice field that chip never leaves me, and I pray to God it never does."
Jones-Quartey says it gives him an edge. He plays like he's got something to prove. He's intimidated by no one and embraces the competition.
Second thought
Jones-Quartey caught the attention of the Cardinals with his preseason performance against the Chiefs. He made six tackles in that game and later, against the Chargers, intercepted backup quarterback Brad Sorensen. Jones-Quartey grew up a Chiefs fan.
"It's a dream come true playing a team that I grew up watching a lot," Jones-Quartey said. "Trent Green, Priest Holmes, Dante Hall, I was a big fan growing up."
Jones-Quartey was a running back growing up, and he remembers the Bears' last game in Kansas City in 2003, when his favorite player, Priest Holmes, scored three times, ending his season with a record 27 rushing touchdowns.
"I just loved the way he ran," Quartey-Jones said. "He played with passion. I just think it's funny that I could possibly be making my first NFL start against my favorite team."
I will have more on the Jones-Quartey story Sunday in the second hour of WBBM's "Countdown to Kickoff" in the audio version of Joniak's Journal.
Third degree
One month into the season, the sample size is still small, but the type of people general manager Ryan Pace and coach John Fox want on the team clearly are in the mold of outside linebacker Pernell McPhee and defensive tackle Jarvis Jenkins. They're tough guys who are backing it up by making plays.
Adding more players with that kind of makeup, mind-set, ability and disposition is the plan. Jenkins is an affable young man and easy to visit with. However, the man plays with an edge, and his blood pressure rises when he's reminded about what some have called a failed four years in Washington with the Redskins.
"I've always read that 'Jarvis is a bust,'" Jenkins said. "That really is what fires my temper. I feel like my best football is ahead of me."
Jenkins loves being a Bear, loves playing for defensive coordinator Vic Fangio and loves playing for Fox.
Fourth-and-short
With the Cubs advancing to face the Cardinals in the National League Division Series, the only Bears player in the locker wearing anything resembling support was receiver Josh Bellamy, who was sporting a Cubs knit winter hat. Word is several players are looking for tickets to Game 3 next Monday at Wrigley Field, in what they hope is a "victory" Monday after the trip to Kansas City.
Jeff Joniak is the play-by-play announcer for the Bears broadcasts on WBBM Newsradio 780. Follow him on Twitter @JeffJoniak.