Dan Bernstein Unfiltered on 312 Sports

Episode: Ben Johnson Wins the NFC North in First Year | Bears - 49ers Recap
Date: December 29, 2025

Episode Overview

In this episode, Dan Bernstein and his longtime collaborator, Matt Abbatacola, dig into the significance of the Chicago Bears clinching the NFC North early in Ben Johnson’s first year as head coach. The hosts analyze the Bears' close but encouraging loss to the San Francisco 49ers, what it says about the team’s trajectory, the evolving identity under Johnson, and rising expectations among Chicago fans. They also touch on defensive concerns moving forward, developing young talent, and contextualize the division title within the broader landscape of Chicago sports, splitting off into lively conversations about the Bulls, Cubs, and even the joys of leftover birthday cake.

Main Themes & Purpose

• The transformation of the Bears’ culture and offensive identity under Ben Johnson.
• Why losing to the 49ers was unexpectedly encouraging.
• The meaning of the Bears’ rapid ascent to NFC North champions.
• Debating what to celebrate and how expectations have shifted in a single season.
• Reviewing the playoff outlook, roster needs, and how the Bears stack up against the NFC elite.
• Parallels to other Chicago teams and the joy (and dangers) of heightened hopes.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Bears’ Identity Shift Under Ben Johnson

• Adopting a Modern Offense

  • Dan praises Johnson's "too cute" play calling, emphasizing it's rooted in strong fundamentals, unlike past “cute” coaches who neglected basics.
  • Dan Bernstein [01:59]:
    “Ben Johnson is going to do things that are too cute and he doesn’t care. In his world, that’s just football... The cool thing about Ben Johnson cute is that it also involves blocking.”
  • Both hosts discuss needing to “get comfortable being uncomfortable” as Bears fans, adapting to a new, aggressive brand of football.

• Comparisons to Historical Bears Teams

  • It’s not Gary Croton or Matt Nagy’s “sideways bubble screen” offense—this version reflects how “football is and maybe where it’s going.”
  • There's unease in trusting an offense that wins shootouts instead of grinding out 17-10 games.

2. Encouraging Bears Loss to the 49ers

• Game Recap & Takeaways

  • The close game at San Francisco was more reassuring than disappointing.

  • [04:33] Co-host:
    “Last night’s game was a ton of fun to watch. It was probably the least angry and least disappointed I’ve ever been after a Bears loss.”

  • Despite San Francisco dominating in time of possession and red zone efficiency, the Bears stayed in the game, a major sign of progress.

• Changing Expectations

  • Dan marvels at how losing a firefight can feel like a victory, given how rarely Chicago has trusted its offense to keep up.

  • Dan Bernstein [06:08]:
    “The rules are different now. Our rubric is different in how we judge the Bears. This is not the Bears we grew up with.”

  • The co-host projects that the Bears' offense is at “about 80% of what they can do right now,” imagining even brighter days ahead with Johnson and Caleb Williams.

3. Roster Analysis & Defensive Concerns

• D-Line, Pass Rush, and Payroll

  • Both worry openly about the lack of pass rush and anticipate roster shake-ups, particularly on the defensive line.

  • [08:41] Co-host:
    “Montez Sweat cannot be your highest paid player on defense. He is not providing enough plays... He’s a complement to someone else. He’s not the guy.”

  • Debate about rookie Austin Booker’s upside vs. Montez Sweat, and how Bears can’t build around merely “complementary” talent.

• Turnover Differential & Sustainability

  • Dan cautions that the Bears' positive turnover swings won’t continue—a warning not to get complacent about masked deficiencies.

4. Playoff Outlook and Division Title Significance

• Seeding Fears & Preferences

  • Favorable first-round opponent: “Bring on the Packers!” rather than Seahawks, Rams, or Niners.

  • Dan Bernstein [10:06]:
    “NFC that may be, but... I would rather face the best matchup in the first round. That would be the Bears and it’s clearly the Packers right now.”

• How Much to Celebrate?

  • Spirited discussion on whether to revel in the North division title:

    • Dan references his old rule that "real teams" only celebrate division titles if they win the Super Bowl, but admits he’s softened with age.
    • Both hosts recognize that Ben Johnson has already raised expectations—winning the division doesn't feel like enough, but is a big shift for the fanbase.

  • [18:30] Co-host:
    “The winning the division, I’m not as celebratory about it because of Ben Johnson, and I have higher expectations for it.”

  • Dan Bernstein [19:16]:
    “Now the... transition was so quick, though, in this. In 16 games... That’s the Ben Johnson factor.”

5. On Offensive Star Power & Development

• Coaching Elevates Talent

  • Drawing parallels between Brock Purdy (49ers) “throwing to guys” and what a good scheme can do for merely average receivers. The Bears now benefit from this level of play-calling.

• Trust in Development Pipeline

  • Appreciation for rookies and young players taking on big roles, and the hope that continued development can bolster both sides of the ball.

  • Dan Bernstein [25:41]:
    “If you’re developing people... Just do this more on defense... Find that guy on the line.”

6. Opposing Viewpoints: National Praise for Caleb Williams

• Kyle Shanahan on Caleb Williams [29:08]:
  “He’s one of the best throwers, most athletic quarterbacks I've ever seen... He makes some big time throws. Extremely scary...”

• Jair Brown (49ers) on Caleb Williams’ Out-of-Pocket Throws [29:53]:
  “He’s one of the, if not the best outside the pocket passing quarterback, man... so I feel like he’s the driving force of that offense.”

• The hosts highlight that both Johnson and Williams are aware of and admit their own mistakes—reminding fans not to get too defensive about honest analysis.

7. Playoff Fates & Division Foes

• Review of Packers QB controversy: Matt LaFleur publicly backs Jordan Love despite rumblings about Malik Willis’ strong showings.

  • Matt LaFleur [36:03]:
    “I want to pump the brakes on all that stuff. I think Jordan Love is playing some pretty high level football... But it’s pretty clear that Jordan is our franchise quarterback and... when he is healthy, he’s going to be our starter. So I just want to squash all that.”

• Dan and Matt riff on how the “backup QB is always popular” phenomenon is universal in the NFL.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Dan Bernstein [01:59]:
  “Ben Johnson is going to do things that are too cute and he doesn’t care. In his world, that’s just football...”

• Co-host [04:33]:
  “It was probably the least angry and least disappointed I’ve ever been after a Bears loss.”

• Dan Bernstein [06:08]:
  “The rules are different now. Our rubric is different in how we judge the Bears.”

• Co-host [18:30]:
  “The winning the division, I’m not as celebratory about it because of Ben Johnson, and I have higher expectations for it.”

• Kyle Shanahan [29:08]:
  “Caleb is one of the best throwers, most athletic quarterbacks I've ever seen...”

• Matt LaFleur [36:03]:
  “I want to pump the brakes on all that stuff... It’s pretty clear that Jordan [Love] is our franchise quarterback.”

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [01:00–03:30] – Dan’s reflections on Bears’ identity shift and Ben Johnson’s style
• [04:30–07:45] – Bears-49ers recap, encouraging loss, “changing rubric”
• [08:40–13:40] – D-line analysis: Montez Sweat, Austin Booker, sustainability worries
• [13:59–22:17] – Playoff outlook, the meaning of the division title, expectations reset
• [24:10–27:10] – On play design, young receivers, development pipeline
• [29:08–30:11] – Kyle Shanahan & Jair Brown praise Caleb Williams (Notable Audio)
• [35:29–37:23] – Packers QB situation: Matt LaFleur’s sound bites
• [43:00–49:54] – Bulls: handling the Bucks loss, Giannis’ disrespectful dunk, team culture
• [51:16–53:49] – Cubs’ offseason moves and bullpen construction

Additional Segments

• Bulls Recap – Joy over the win vs. 76ers (noting Jalen Smith's big dunk), debates over defensive effort, and a recap of a chippy moment with Giannis’s windmill slam.
• Cubs Offseason Talk – Skepticism over Hunter Harvey’s signing, need for more strikeout relievers, and the potential pursuit of Alex Bregman.
• Comic Relief – Dan’s ongoing saga with “garage cake,” leftover red velvet, and debates about cake utensils.

Tone & Language

The tone is candid, energetic, and irreverent, marked by mutual ribbing, playful analogies, and Chicago sports insider banter. Dan and Matt alternate between deeply analytical takes and light-hearted digressions, but always return to a sense of genuine optimism mixed with typical Chicago skepticism.

Summary Takeaway

This episode captures a moment of rapid transformation for the Bears—one where excitement, skepticism, and recalibrated standards all jostle for primacy. Dan Bernstein and Matt Abbatacola’s frank, funny, and thoughtful conversation suggests that—for the first time in a long while—Chicago football fans can simultaneously celebrate and demand more.