Dan Bernstein Unfiltered – Bears at Lions: What’s at Stake?

Podcast: Dan Bernstein Unfiltered
Host: Dan Bernstein, with Matt Abbatacola
Date: September 12, 2025
Episode Theme: What’s at stake for the Bears as they visit Detroit? Honest assessment of the Bears’ early season (especially in contrast to division rivals), a breakdown of last night’s Chicago Sky game uproar, and the show’s signature direct listener interaction and Friday picks.

Episode Overview

This episode is an unfiltered, humor-laced, and pointed look at the precarious state of the Chicago Bears as they head into a showdown with the Detroit Lions, following a difficult season opener and early disappointment in the NFC North. Dan and Matt break down what needs to change, what can realistically be expected, and why this game is critical for the team’s credibility, if not their playoff hopes. The show also dives into the Chicago Sky's organizational disarray after protests at their home finale and delivers Feedback Friday: a rapid-fire listener mailbag segment. The episode wraps with gambling picks and the two hosts riffing about city life, nostalgia, and personal quirks.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Bears at Lions – What’s On the Line?

(Timestamps: 06:05–15:40)

• The Bears' season is already on the brink after just two weeks, especially with the Packers looking strong. Dan and Matt agree the Bears’ chances to win the division already look dead if they lose in Detroit.

• Their focus: This is less about the result (few expect a win) and more about if the Bears can look like “a professional football team,” execute offensively, and show evidence that week one was a fluke.

  • Dan Bernstein [07:05]:
    “They have to prove they can master the fundamentals…look like they know what they’re doing on offense for the entire game—not just one drive.”

• The offense’s ongoing procedural issues (pre-snap penalties, confusion in the huddle) are dissected. Dan reads out comments where both coaches and Caleb Williams appear to be “taking the blame” for others—a troubling pattern for week two.

  • Matt Abbatacola [10:00]:
    “We have never said the expectation is to win. We don’t care about the outcome. Play well and lose, and I’ll be okay—that tells me there’s something to build on.”

• Discussion on crowd noise in Detroit’s Ford Field, concerns about having to use silent counts (which benefits the defense), and whether the team shows enough discipline and conditioning.

2. Dysfunction and Fan Revolt: Chicago Sky

(Timestamps: 20:44–28:10)

• Dan delivers a blistering critique of the Sky’s organization after seeing a full-throated fan protest (“Sell the team!” and “Fire Jeff!” chants) at the last home game. He accuses the team of failing Angel Reese, mishandling PR, and risking the loyalty of its remaining diehard fans.

  • Dan Bernstein [23:05]:
    “This is about an organizational rot...so far beyond basketball. It’s very close to turning off what you have left of your diehard fans. Appreciate them. Listen to them. Don’t listen to me, but I know a last gasp and a cry for help when I see it.”

• Matt presses for details; Dan explains it’s not just roster mismanagement but also a “bush league” approach to facilities, player support, and PR.

3. Feedback Friday – Listener Interaction

(Timestamps: 28:18–46:40)

• The hosts field emails ranging from quirky music taste critiques (Matt owned up to not knowing Beck or Tool—his wife and listeners roast him) to weighty philosophical debates about weighted vests on personal walks.
• Fun banter about generational knowledge gaps, strange fitness fads, and personal style (Dan’s notorious “assless” Adidas pants make an appearance).
• Nostalgia: Listeners recall live remotes and wild stories, like drinking with Terry Boers and limo mishaps (“We had to relieve ourselves in Solo cups!” [41:13]).

4. DBU Picks & Gambling Talk

(Timestamps: 49:53–54:20)

• Dan and Matt give out their “DBU” sponsored picks for college football (e.g., Auburn to cover vs South Alabama, Vanderbilt points and over vs South Carolina).
• Bears player prop: Dan is betting under 14.5 carries for DeAndre Swift, citing a likely committee and lack of production.
  • Matt Abbatacola [53:20]:
    “That’s a good pick, Daniel.”

5. Friday Fun Bag – Odds and Ends

(Timestamps: 54:14–74:47)

• The hosts riff on daily annoyances and observations: Metra train etiquette, Amazon Go stores (“It just knows what you take—how does it know? I’m not going back!” [59:44]), and personal habits.
• Light teasing about Dan’s aversion to using proper luggage (“Why a Jewel [grocery] bag? It was there!” [47:19]).
• Favorite city oddities: from “Urine Lane” in downtown Chicago to solo dice games on the street.
• Final fun: trivia on 1980s culture, Goonies and CHUD, game show hosts, and upcoming weekend plans (Dan’s going to “try the hot fishing tips” in Wayne, Illinois).

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Dan Bernstein [12:12]:
  “Not only more prepared, more in control of the game…Still bothered. And I have circled that ‘when it rains, it pours’ answer. I hated that—the passivity and the fatalism.”

• Matt Abbatacola [14:51]:
  “That is the minimum the Bears have to do this week—play well enough to keep the dogs at bay and right the ship.”

• On the Sky fan protest:

  • Dan Bernstein [23:05]:
    “What they should—if you’re the Sky—you are blessed to have enough fans in that building that care enough to do what they did last night. Feel lucky as hell people haven’t given up on this garbage organization.”
  • [25:00]:
    “This is so far beyond whether or not [Angel Reese] can shoot…this is about organizational rot.”

• Feedback Friday Banter:

  • [29:53] Dan: “I love yacht rock…your phone is picking it up now and it’s the algorithm.”
  • [31:07] Matt: “Kiss my ass!” (in response to listeners roasting his music tastes)
  • [41:14] Matt:
    “We had to relieve ourselves in Solo cups.”

Important Segments & Timestamps

• Bears-Lions stakes, offensive/organizational criticism: 06:05–15:40
• Sky fan protest and organizational critique: 20:44–28:10
• Feedback Friday: Listener shoutouts, life stories, banter: 28:18–46:40
• Gambling picks (DBU picks): 49:53–54:20
• Random fun bag/odds and ends (downtown life, quirks, plans): 54:14–74:47

Tone and Style

Direct, irreverent, and personal—Dan and Matt combine blunt Chicago sports analysis with humor, self-deprecation, and genuine affection for listener interaction. The show stays unvarnished and conversational, peppered with sharp jabs at both sports institutions and each other. It’s for fans who crave real talk over mindless optimism.

Listen If You Want...

• No-spin honesty on the latest with the Bears and other Chicago teams
• Candid perspective on organizational dysfunction (across all sports)
• Old-school sports radio fun—stories, listener mail, offbeat city-life asides
• A taste of Chicago sports media legends doing what they do best, unfiltered.