Dan Bernstein Unfiltered

Episode: Caleb Williams Leads Chicago Bears to 10 Wins and First Place in NFC North

Date: December 15, 2025
Host: Dan Bernstein
Co-host: Matt Abbatacola
Network: 312 Sports

Episode Overview

This episode of Dan Bernstein Unfiltered captures a rare moment: unrestrained optimism and excitement about the Chicago Bears. Bernstein and Abbatacola reflect on an unfamiliar feeling—confidence in the Bears’ dominance after quarterback Caleb Williams leads the team to a resounding win and to first place in the NFC North. The show explores Williams’ growth, offensive coordinator Ben Johnson’s impact, the Bears’ organizational culture shift, nostalgia for past eras, and Chicago sports more broadly. The tone is candid, humorous, and deeply Chicagoan, blending sharp football analysis with relatable fan emotion and playful banter.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Savoring the Bears’ Dominance

[01:33] Dan Bernstein:

• Bernstein opens in disbelief at how the Bears are not just winning, but winning big—beating a weaker team by 28 as heavy favorites.
• He urges fans to “savor it” and “enjoy this,” acknowledging how foreign it feels after years of Bears futility.
• The victory brings “first world football problems”—nitpicking risk levels of spectacular touchdown throws because the team is good enough for such analysis.

Quote:

“At some point as a Bears fan, your muscle memory... has atrophied to the point where being the bully, being the good team at home and dispatching a worse team... it kind of feels weird.” (01:36)

2. Caleb Williams Maturing as a Franchise QB

[05:46] Matt Abbatacola:

• Stat line: 17/28, 242 yards, 2 TDs, 112.5 rating, 61% completions.
• Abbatacola notes Williams looked more “comfortable, in control, and confident” than ever before, with some receiver drops hurting his stats.
• Bernstein praises Williams’ improvement in “cadences” (drawing defenders offside), play-action fakes, and situational awareness.

Quote:

“It was the most comfortable, the most in control, the most confident I saw him play the quarterback position.” (05:57 — Matt Abbatacola)
“His cadences are getting better... The play-action game—his body control is better. Yep, it's definitely getting better.” (07:00 — Dan Bernstein)

3. Ben Johnson’s Revolutionary Offense

[03:59] Dan Bernstein:

• Johnson is continuing to unveil new packages he’s “been sitting on since training camp,” showing deep preparation and opponent-specific strategizing.
• The offense is suddenly creative: heavy on motion, under-center, and play-action—each step forward increases win probability.

Quote:

“Ben Johnson... is playing a hand of cards... saying, ‘Okay, now it's time to reveal this.’ There's some next level stuff going on.” (04:27)

4. Trust and Swagger: The New Bears Identity

**[12:40] – [13:13] Bears fans are feeling something akin to “Christmas morning”: eagerness, anticipation, and pride in waiting for the next game.

• Both hosts draw contrasts between the Cutler, Smith, or Ditka eras and today’s “swagger” and “quiet confidence” of this Bears squad.

Quote:

“It's not the same as the swagger that this team has, the quiet confidence... the loud confidence...” (13:15 — Dan Bernstein)

5. Game-Changing Plays & Caleb’s Unshakeable Confidence

**[13:56]–[14:16] The hosts marvel at Williams’ second TD to DJ Moore—a “10% chance” throw into double coverage.

• Williams, unbothered, says simply, “I can make any throw.”
• The Bears have become a team whose highlight plays inspire awe, not dread.

Quote:

“Caleb was given the chance to say, ‘Yeah, I got lucky on that one.’ What was his response? — ‘I can make any throw.’” (14:13)

6. From Chronic Bears Anxiety to (Guarded) Enjoyment

Throughout the episode, Bernstein and Abbatacola openly joke about their almost instinctual pessimism as Bears fans, expecting disaster and feeling undeserving when fortune shifts.

Quote:

“Maybe all these last things have been deposits to get a little bit of this back.” (16:51 — Dan Bernstein)

7. Ben Johnson vs. Bears Coaching History

*[19:01–24:52] Lively debate about how Ben Johnson compares to Ditka and Lovie Smith.

• Abbatacola calls Johnson “the best head coach I’ve seen in my lifetime” from a game-planning and play-calling perspective.
• Bernstein adds nuance, noting that today’s coaches have more information and tools than ever.
• Both hosts revere Ditka for his era, but see Johnson as more modern, adaptable, and ego-light.

Quote:

“...As far as a game day coach, I will put anybody up against Ben Johnson as a Bears head coach, period.” (21:31 — Matt Abbatacola)

8. Old Scars, New Perspective

**[17:30] The hosts reflect on maturing as fans and professionals—they’re enjoying the ride more now than during previous eras, even while maintaining their critical edge and humor.

Quote:

“We were different in covering the teams, in talking about the teams. Like, we didn't enjoy the games as much as we're enjoying them now... It's more fun to talk about the games.” (17:49 — Matt Abbatacola)

9. Playoff Outlook and Emotional Reset

• The Bears have the hardest final stretch schedule but control their destiny—no more watching the draft order or “scoreboard watching because you need help.”
• Joy mixed with a longstanding hesitation: “nothing is guaranteed yet,” but this team has earned trust.

Quote:

“This NFC is damn tough, but it's in their control. That's the best of it right now.” (05:00 — Dan Bernstein)

10. Expanding Beyond the Bears: Bulls’ Roster Reality Check

**[48:09–54:09] The Bulls segment is introduced as “close to a reckoning,” with Bernstein expressing pessimism about the roster’s construction and calling the trade deadline a pivotal moment.

• Vucević’s recent comments are seen as a “plea for help”—talented but ill-fit.

Quote:

“The roster’s fatally flawed and this trade deadline had better matter.” (51:00 — Dan Bernstein)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments (With Timestamps)

• On the post-victory Bears feeling:

  “...your muscle memory is just has atrophied to the point where being the bully... feels weird.” (01:36)

• On Williams’ impossible TD to DJ Moore:

  “That shouldn’t... That shouldn’t work... But according to Next Gen Stats, it had like a 10% chance of working.” (13:56, 14:13 — Dan Bernstein)

• On Ben Johnson compared to Ditka:

  “...He makes Eberflus look even dumber.” (19:01 — Dan Bernstein)

• On enjoying football again:

  “We're fans again, more in a different way than we were back then.” (17:49 — Matt Abbatacola)

• On habitual fan pessimism:

  “I always think that you gotta pay the piper somewhere, that something horrible's coming your way... But maybe... all these last things have been deposits to get a little bit of this back.” (16:31–16:51 — Dan Bernstein)

• On Ben Johnson’s modernity:

  “If you took Ben Johnson... and put him on the Bears in 1982... he would have figured things out... If he had all the data that's available and all the tracking information and everything a coach has at their disposal right now, sure.” (23:05 — Dan Bernstein)

Timestamps for Key Segments

| Segment | Timestamps | |---------------------------------------------------------------|--------------| | Opening: Bears’ dominance/new feelings | 01:33–03:10 | | Nitpicking a great win & “good problems” | 03:10–05:28 | | Caleb Williams’ performance and development | 05:46–10:48 | | Ben Johnson’s offensive innovation | 03:59–10:48 | | Anticipation and Bears’ new “swagger” | 12:40–13:15 | | Reflecting on the “impossible” DJ Moore touchdown | 13:56–14:16 | | Changing outlook for fans and media | 16:21–17:49 | | Bears coaching discussion: Ben Johnson vs. Ditka/Smith | 19:01–24:52 | | Roster/coaching: evolution debate | 22:44–24:52 | | Bulls’ roster struggles and coming trade deadline | 48:09–54:09 |

Overall Tone & Style

The episode is irreverent, warm, and honest—mixing “meatball” fandom with data-driven insight and trademark Chicago sarcasm. The hosts balance skepticism with a willingness to be swept up by the Bears' unexpected resurgence. The show is deeply personal and community-oriented, with references to family, old Chicago sports memories, and local color.

For Further Listening

• For deeper analysis of Ben Johnson’s offense & the new formation, listen to “Forward Progress,” referenced multiple times as the place for granular X’s and O’s.
• Bulls and NBA fans: tomorrow’s OWC episode will delve deeper into the team's looming crossroads.

This summary encapsulates the major themes and tone of the episode, with memorable lines and clear segmentation, providing a rich account for those who missed the recording.