Dan Bernstein Unfiltered – "Bears Victory Monday"

Podcast: Dan Bernstein Unfiltered
Host: Dan Bernstein with Matt Abbatacola
Date: September 22, 2025
Episode Theme: The Chicago Bears’ upset win over the Cowboys, player development, Cubs playoff drama, and a local hot dog giveaway after Caleb Williams’ stellar game.

Episode Overview

This episode is a classic mix of Chicago sports passion and sharp analysis, centering on the Chicago Bears' unexpected win over the Dallas Cowboys. Dan and Matt dissect the win's significance both short- and long-term, debate reasonable expectations for this Bears season, and spotlight key player and coaching performances. They also cover the Cubs’ late-season stumble in the playoff race, discuss key injuries, and welcome Ari Levy, owner of the famed Wiener Circle, to talk about their Bears-inspired hot dog giveaway. Plenty of the show’s trademark banter, irreverence, and a steady stream of memorable one-liners keep things lively.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Bears’ Victory: Immediate & Big Picture Significance

Timestamps: [02:53]–[11:56]

• Dan Bernstein frames the win as a "floor-setting" moment:

  • “They needed to put a floor in. They needed to determine where they are in the tiers of teams. Now they're probably a Blob team… in the blob of middle of the pack somewhere.” [03:00]
  • Winning against the Cowboys wasn't just another game on the schedule—it helped confirm that the Bears are not among the league’s worst.
  • The Bears’ critical home victory is chalked up as an essential “should-win” and now provides positive momentum and confidence.

• Player development as the main storyline for 2025:

  • Caleb Williams’ four-touchdown performance is a key indication of growth.
  • Young contributors like Luther Burden and Colston Loveland are highlighted as the “lifeblood” of a rebuilding roster, especially those on rookie deals.
  • “You want to see improvement in young players in the larger picture of the Bears because that's the lifeblood of your team.” [05:25]

• Realistic expectations and accountability:

  • Matt pushes that outcomes “do not matter” as much this season—development outweighs wins and losses.
    • “If you're really riding the emotional roller coaster of wins and losses, it's a mistake in my opinion, because the outcomes of this season do not matter. This year is about Ben Johnson… and Caleb Williams together… and growing.” [06:30]
  • Dan pushes back, demanding a higher standard:
    • “I want them held to a standard where just kind of working your way through this season after last season was a complete waste.” [09:01]

• On the “NFL Blob” and Tiering:

  • The show visualizes most NFL teams as a "Blob" in the middle—Bears are “not bad bad, not great,” but established themselves out of the league’s deepest pit.
  • Dan: "If Luther Burden wants to get 100 receiving yards every week, go ahead...I’m not worried about who's making what money." [09:19]

2. Coaching and Quarterback Scrutiny

Timestamps: [10:01]–[14:19]

• High standards for Williams and Ben Johnson:

  • Matt: “I have high expectations for Caleb Williams. I have high expectations for Ben Johnson, which is why I was critical of both of them in the first two games…” [10:01]
  • The show is unfiltered about Williams’ growing pains:
    • “Why can't I expect perfection? Why is that unfair? To expect better performance from my number one pick on every goddamn play? Why is that unfair of me?” [11:56]
  • Dan: “He is the number one overall pick… He is supposed to make that throw.” [12:12]

• Breakdown of a notable play:

  • Detailed analysis of the flea-flicker to Luther Burden, with Dan pointing out nuances in timing and Williams’ decision-making:
    • “Had the flip been better and his eyes were up earlier, Burden separation is less... it was an easier read because Burden had a little bit more time to pull away from the defender.” [13:55]

3. Roster Construction and Player Evaluation

Timestamps: [15:34]–[16:50]

• Focus on developing not just Williams but a core group:
  • “It’s Ben Johnson’s development as a head coach, Caleb Williams as the quarterback…three other guys for me…Rome Odunze, Luther Burden and Loveland. That’s it…When this team does compete down the road for a Super Bowl, if they get there…The guys in the running back room won’t be a part of this roster, in my opinion." [15:34]
• Lack of enthusiasm for RB Swift:
  • “He’s a guy. He’s A guy. And if he was more than a guy, he wouldn’t be here right now.” [16:10]

4. Cubs Wild Card Drama, Injury Updates, and Matt Shaw’s Absence

Timestamps: [17:00]–[27:33]

• Cubs stumble—urgent need for wins:

  • “The Cubs got swept by the Reds and it's probably kind of a bad idea when you're trying to nail down home field advantage.” [17:00]
  • Breakdown of wild card race, playoff permutations, schedule left, and the Reds/Mets/Padres’ status.
  • “You have six games to go. You're three games up on the Padres…They have to go out and win games. They can't show up and shit the bed again like they did against the Reds..." [19:29]

• Injury concerns:

  • Questions on Kyle Tucker’s lingering calf issue and speculation about the severity of other injuries, including Houston’s Alvarez.
  • “If there's something more significant going on. They haven't said that, but that's where we're at.” [20:14]

• Performance struggles and tough personnel questions:

  • Discussion of Matt Shaw’s absence attending his friend’s memorial (Charlie Kirk), and the appropriateness of beat writers pursuing more about the personal connection:
    • “I also think that it is fair game for anyone on the Cubs beat if interested…if the fans would want to know which particular statements or which particular beliefs of his friend are important to him.” [25:33]
  • Assessing Matt Shaw's hitting struggles and balancing elite defense against being an “automatic out” in the lineup.
    • "You cannot have another automatic out in this lineup right now that is struggling to score." [27:27]

5. Ari Levy & The Wiener Circle Hot Dog Giveaway

Timestamps: [36:06]–[43:23]

• The origins and logistics of the giveaway:

  • Ari explains the bet: If Caleb Williams passed for four TDs, Wiener Circle would give away hot dogs.
  • “We priced it out at about a 5% chance and tried to motivate Caleb and the Bears...Trying to figure out how we can get enough hot dogs... both Vienna and Rosen’s buns are going to come through with some free.” [36:54]
  • Details on how to claim a dog: “One free hot dog per person … first-come, first-serve, all the other menu items will be for sale.” [37:42]

• Why do these fun Chicago stunts?

  • Ari: “It's the least we can do to support the Bears and the community. … [We] do something that's somewhat improbable, but fun and…achievable.” [38:14]
  • Caleb Williams even gave them a shoutout after the game:
    • “Caleb actually made mention of it when the question arose. He's like, yeah, I know. And he said ...'You're welcome, Chicago, for your free hot dogs.'” [39:12]

• Why Wiener Circle matters:

  • "It’s just fun to have a light source of comedy. ... We’re just trying to have fun...be the sort a voice of the community.” [42:09]

6. Banter & Memorable Moments

Timestamps: Spread throughout, highlights noted below

• Funniest recurring motif:

  • Dan’s ongoing jokes about the “Federal Comedy Police,” and “comedy prison.” [01:55][39:55]
  • Extended comedic bit about breaking into his former station to recover a “powdered toast man” figurine and personal belongings. [32:16–34:39]

• Quotable Banter:

  • On the legendary Wiener Circle staff:
    • Ari: “Maybe some nudity. Yeah, it’s… you never know. Sometimes they make me do the lights for the chocolate shake.” [40:33]
  • On the crowd being told to quiet down on fourth down:
    • Dan: “Because we’re stupid, okay? Because people are dumb, okay? That’s always the answer.” [47:25]
  • On Bears’ impressive pass protection:
    • “Only the fourth game since 2013 the Bears had zero turnovers and allowed zero sacks.” [47:07]
  • On expecting greatness from top picks:
    • “Why can't I expect perfection?...Why is that unfair of me?” [11:56]

7. Quick Hits: Baseball Playoff Races

Timestamps: [27:33]–[29:49]

• Updates on AL playoff races, medical updates on key players, playoff chase excitement.

8. DBU Picks & College Football Shoutouts

Timestamps: [49:01]–[52:09]

• Parlay and prop bet recommendations for the week, including the recurring bit:
  • “I'm going to give you another receiving prop for tonight's game and it's because I like saying his name. I noticed that Isaac Tesla has an over under receiving yardage of 13.5 yards...” [51:14]

Notable Quotes

• “They needed to put a floor in. They needed to determine where they are in the tiers of teams. Now they're probably a Blob team…”
  —Dan [03:00]

• “If you're really riding the emotional roller coaster of wins and losses, it's a mistake…this year is about Ben Johnson as a first year head coach and Caleb Williams together…developing and growing.”
  —Matt [06:30]

• “I want them held to a standard where just kind of working your way through this season after last season was a complete waste.”
  —Dan [09:01]

• "Why can't I expect perfection? Why is that unfair?”
  —Matt [11:56]

• “He is the number one overall pick… He is supposed to make that throw.”
  —Dan [12:12]

• Ari Levy (Wiener Circle):

  • “We priced it out at about a 5% chance and tried to motivate Caleb and the Bears...trying to figure out how we can get enough hot dogs.” [36:54]

• On the crowd noise at Soldier Field:

  • Dan: “Because we’re stupid, okay? Because people are dumb, okay? That’s always the answer.” [47:25]

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Bears’ Victory Analysis, NFL Blob Concept: [02:53]–[11:56]
• Young Players & Coach Evaluation: [12:00]–[15:34]
• Cubs Wild Card Stress, Injury Updates: [17:00]–[29:49]
• Wiener Circle Hot Dog Giveaway & Ari Levy Interview: [36:06]–[43:23]
• Lighthearted Banter, Wiener Circle & Locker Bit: [32:16]–[34:39]
• Bears Crowd Noise & Notable Stats: [47:07]–[47:20]
• DBU Picks & Gambling Corner: [49:01]–[52:09]

Recap for New Listeners

This episode delivers everything classic “Dan Bernstein Unfiltered” – irreverent honesty, Chicago sports expertise, spirited debates about what fans should really expect from their teams, and hilarious asides. The Bears-Cowboys upset anchors the discussion, but listeners get rich perspective on what this win means going forward, why development trumps record in 2025, and how even a local business like Wiener Circle chips in to celebrate the Bears’ rare bright spot. Whether you’re a Chicago diehard, stats-head or just love great sports radio chemistry, this one’s for you.