Before the 49ers applied the franchise tag to kicker Robbie Gould

Kerrith Whyte Chicago Bears Jerseys , the working title of this item was “One week later, no tags applied.” Since then, the title changed — and the point did as well.I was going to write that the two-week window for applying the franchise tag is a waste of time, and that there should be one and only one specific day on which tags can be applied. But then the 49ers applied their tag a full week before the day that I was going to suggest be the one day for doing so, and I realized the value of it.With a true sense of uncertainty as to whether the 49ers would tag a kicker (Ross Tucker once invited a social-media body slam from Pat McAfee by suggesting that no punter deserves the implication that goes along with the label “franchise tag”), with Gould openly discussing whether he’d be interested in returning to Chicago, and with the NFL’s annual tampering convention starting tomorrow in Indianapolis (more on that subject later), it was smart for the 49ers to hang a giant “off limits” placard on Gould Chicago Bears Jerseys 2019 , making it clear that teams are wasting their time in discussing general or specific interest in signing the kicker while meeting with agents over the next week.For most of the other potential franchise tag recipients (primarily, Cowboys defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence, Seahawks defensive end Frank Clark, Chiefs linebacker Dee Ford, and Texans linebacker Jadeveon Clowney), a similar move isn’t needed because it’s widely expected. Still, if the tag is coming anyway — and since the deadline for doing a long-term deal doesn’t arrive until July 15 — there’s no harm in making it completely clear that any team is wasting its time by talking to the agent for a free agent who won’t be free to leave.That still doesn’t mean two weeks are needed. There should still be only one day, and the one day (as the 49ers have shown) should be the day before the Combine begins. CHICAGO (AP) — Nick Kwiatkoski and DeAndre Houston-Carson combined for a big play for the Chicago Bears on a kickoff in the first quarter against the New England Patriots on Sunday.Chicago’s (not very) special teams got progressively worse from there.The Bears managed very little resistance on Cordarrelle Patterson’s 95-yard kickoff return for a touchdown Youth Kerrith Whyte Jersey , and Kyle Van Noy scored off a blocked punt in the second half of the Patriots’ 38-31 victory.“Special teams errors just in general are inexcusable,” said a sullen Ben Braunecker, a backup tight end who was unable to stop Dont’a Hightower on the blocked punt. “But those especially, against that competition.”Chicago (3-3) had played pretty well on special teams before this weekend, but the breakdowns against New England (5-2) were too much to overcome, even with the Patriots lacking star tight end Rob Gronkowski because of back and ankle injuries.It was the first time New England scored two touchdowns on special teams since Oct. 4, 2010, at Miami Cheap Kerrith Whyte Jersey , when Brandon Tate returned a kickoff 103 yards against the Dolphins and Kyle Arrington scored off a blocked field goal.“Obviously we take a lot pride in what we do, so we’ve got to watch the film, correct it and get ready to make some plays coming up the next game,” Houston-Carson said.The Bears made it a one-score game on Mitchell Trubisky’s 11-yard touchdown pass to Trey Burton with 4:13 left, but Patterson returned the ensuing kickoff 38 yards to the Patriots’ 41.New England punted the ball into the end zone in the final minute and Chicago was turned away on its last chance when Kevin White was stopped at the 1 on a 54-yard reception as time expired.The dramatic finish made the Bears’ trouble on special teams all the more painful.“Anytime you give you give up two touchdowns, and oh, by the way, it’s the Patriots with Tom Brady Kerrith Whyte Jersey Color Rush , your chances are slim,” coach Matt Nagy said.It wasn’t all bad. Kwiatkoski forced a fumble on Patterson’s first return of the day and Houston-Carson recovered, setting Chicago up deep in New England territory. Trubisky’s 8-yard run made it 10-7 Bears with 59 seconds left in the first quarter.Jordan Howard scored on a 2-yard run in the second quarter, but Patterson took the ensuing kickoff, cut inside past rookie defensive back Kevin Toliver II and ran away from kicker Cody Parkey on his way to his sixth kick return TD since his debut with Minnesota in 2013, tops in the NFL in that span.“I just missed a tackle. That was it,” Toliver said. “Just something I just can’t do.”The game was tied at 24 in the third quarter when Hightower bowled over Braunecker and got to Pat O’Donnell in plenty of time for his first career blocked punt. Van Noy picked up the ball and ran 29 yards for his first career touchdown .It was the first blocked punt returned for a touchdown by New England since Tedy Bruschi accomplished the feat at Baltimore in 1996. It was the first time it happened against Chicago since Tom Flynn recovered a punt blocked by Eric Howard in the end zone for the New York Giants on Sept. 14, 1987.Braunecker wasn’t exactly sure what happened right after the loss Kerrith Whyte Chicago Bears Jerseys , but called the play “really unacceptable” and said he was embarrassed.“My legs just got taken out from under me and before I knew it I was flat on my back,” he said. “It’s just, can’t imagine a worse feeling on the football field knowing that you’re responsible for something like that.”