Dan Bernstein Unfiltered – "Chicago Bears Dominate Saints" (October 20, 2025)

Episode Overview

In this candid, energetic episode, Dan Bernstein and Matt Abbatacola break down the Chicago Bears' 26-14 victory over the New Orleans Saints, analyze the current state and future prospects of the franchise, and hotly debate the performance of rookie quarterback Caleb Williams. The discussion expands into broader territory, including a passionate appraisal of Shohei Ohtani’s historic MLB playoff performance, reflections on the painful legacy of the Blackhawks' abuse scandal and its aftermath, and a wild Paris art heist that proves a cherished "clipboard theory." The episode blends sharp sports analysis with unflinching honesty, humor, and a distinctly Chicago sensibility.

Main Themes & Segments

1. Bears' Win Over the Saints – A Mixed Triumph

Timestamps: 00:08–18:57

• Victory With Reservations: The Bears move to 4-2 after a "somewhat less than satisfying" win, extending their streak to four wins after an 0-2 start. Discussion centers on whether fans and analysts alike can maintain higher expectations, yet recognize this team is still a work in progress.
  • "If we're already in a place where we can have a Bears win that is somewhat less than satisfying, that's not so bad." (Dan, 02:23)
• Caleb Williams' Struggles: Both hosts emphasize the rookie QB is not currently the reason for their success—nor is he dooming the team.
  • "They're not winning because of Caleb Williams, but they're also not losing because of Caleb Williams." (Dan, 04:16)
• Coaching & Culture Shift: Ben Johnson's arrival is cited as a game-changer, with praise for his game-plan sophistication, staff selection, and ability to "let his coaches coach" across the board.
  • "It is the Ben Johnson factor, period. He is one hell of a football coach..." (Dan, 05:52)
• Offensive Development: The running game and offensive line are praised for improvement, while wide receiver output is held back by inconsistent QB play.
• Quarterbacking Rhythm and Execution: The show analyzes specific plays, noting timing and rhythm issues, especially Williams’ hesitancy to “pull the trigger” on passes.
  • "There's a rhythm problem to the passing game... that's bothering me… Fix that shit. That's gotta stop." (Dan, 07:13)
• Rookie Coaching & Growing Pains: Williams’ mistakes are framed as part of his developmental journey in a fundamentally improved and more demanding system.
• Explosive Plays Emphasized: The Bears are working to increase big passing gains (“explosive plays”), consciously limiting Williams' scrambling as a crutch and emphasizing downfield strikes.
  • “They don’t want him running the football downfield. They want him throwing the football.” (Dan, 12:12)

Notable Quotes

• "This is one of the most successful Bears offenses we've ever seen. They're the only team in the NFL to score 21 points or more in every game, period. That's a fact." (Dan, 15:10)
• “Let’s attribute some of these issues, optimistically, to growing pains. This is what coaching looks like, perhaps.” (Matt, 14:40)
• "You're coaching out of wins? That's a great place to be." (Matt, 15:17)

2. Shohei Ohtani’s Historic Game: Defining Greatness

Timestamps: 23:14–33:35

• The Greatest Individual Performance? Bernstein and Abbatacola are awestruck by Shohei Ohtani’s postseason feat: six shutout innings with 10 Ks and three homers (including one out of Dodger Stadium), plus three walks, in a series clincher.
• Comparison Across Sports: They debate where this achievement stands in the pantheon of sports, drawing analogies to Wilt Chamberlain, Mario Lemieux, and Gail Sayers—but finding nothing quite compares.
  • “It would be as if Reggie Jackson, in that game, also threw six shutout innings and struck out 10.” (Matt, 24:54)
  • “It’s got to be the greatest individual performance ever of all sports.” (Dan, 33:12)
• Joyful Sports Debate: The hosts argue that while “comparison is the thief of joy” in life, in sports “ranking things makes it more fun.”
  • “Comparison is the thief of joy — only for your own life… Not in doing stupid sports talk.” (Dan, 33:35)

3. Hockey, Scandal, and Accountability: The Blackhawks & Joel Quenneville

Timestamps: 39:09–50:39

• Quenneville’s Return & Outrage: Bernstein rails against the Blackhawks’ handling of Quenneville’s return, and the convenient narrative that the team and coach have "moved on," highlighting the painful legacy of sexual abuse by coach Brad Aldrich.
  • "How about the victim? How about the victims plural? Do they get to move on and play hockey?" (Dan, 41:41)
• Details & Consequences: They recount how Aldrich continued to find jobs based on the Blackhawks’ favorable internal reviews, perpetuating harm after team leadership failed to take decisive action.
• Culture of Winning Over Ethics: Both hosts connect this to broader issues in sports—where pursuing victory can excuse or conceal criminal behavior and ethical failures, referencing similar failures at Notre Dame and Penn State.
  • “Winning is the most important thing when it comes to athletics… and winning can cover up a lot of decisions to allow crime.” (Dan, 49:53)

Notable Quotes

• “It wasn’t just a crime of omission. He was part of the co-mission.” (Matt, 44:25)
• “Actively saying, deciding you’re not interested.” (Dan, 45:40)

4. Paris Art Heist & The "Clipboard Theory"

Timestamps: 51:06–57:53

• Daring Louvre Theft: The hosts recount a brazen four-minute theft of crown jewels from the Louvre, with the thieves gaining access by wearing neon construction vests—a long-running joke/theory of Jay Zawaski’s (“clipboard theory”).
  • "If you have one of those yellow neon vests and a clipboard, you can do anything in with impunity." (Matt, 51:17)
• Comedic Storytelling: Chicago sports stories, including a parade-day anecdote about bypassing security with a neon vest, are deployed as proof that appearance and confidence can let you bypass almost any security barrier.
• Cultural Critique: Brief commentary on modern museum “Instagram tourism” overshadowing genuine art appreciation.

5. Activism, Community, and Comfort

Timestamps: 62:45–65:11

• Reflections on Protest: After participating in a local "No Kings" protest, Bernstein quotes a tweet that describes such movements as “performative activism for comfortable, mostly upper and upper middle class white folks”—but also argues that “massive displays of public dissent” are healthy for society.
  • "I think both things can be true. It can be feel-good performative activism for the privileged… but when the normie baseline is a massive display of public dissent... that's good." (Dan, 64:27)

6. DBU Picks & Picks Banter

Timestamps: 65:11–69:26

• Betting Advice: The hosts cap off the episode with their weekly betting picks:
  • Matt bets Lions WR Isaac Teslaw over 9.5 receiving yards. (65:54)
  • Dan picks Detroit -6 (vs. Tampa) and Houston Texans +3 at Seattle. (67:57)
• Self-Deprecating Humor: Amusing riffs about failed parlay picks, “sneaky athleticism,” and the tribulations of betting with your heart.

Memorable Quotes & Moments

• On Expectations and Coaching
  "This is what the process looks like… If in fact you're coaching out of wins, that's a great place to be." (Matt, 15:17)

• On Ohtani’s Feat
  "That has to be the best individual performance from a baseball player ever. And you can't, you can't argue it..." (Dan, 28:02)

• On Sporting Culture & Abuse “It's so convenient to forget how ugly this was. And I'm still not over it. What we know happened with the Blackhawks… it was so bad that it has really made it difficult.” (Dan, 41:13)

• On the Paris Heist & Security
  "If you have one of those yellow neon vests and a clipboard, you can do anything…You can get anywhere, regardless of the security level." (Matt, 51:17)

Episode Flow

• Direct, unvarnished sports critique: The show opens with a grounded, realistic appraisal of the Bears’ progress before drilling into the specifics of QB development and scheme.
• Sharp historical debate and storytelling: Shifts to Ohtani’s greatness, drawing on decades of sports lore and zippy analogies for context.
• Deep-dive moral inquiry: Considers the obligations of sports franchises and accountability after scandal, applying the ethical discussion to multiple sports contexts.
• Levity with stories and pop culture references: Intermission provided by the Louvre heist, neon vest theory, and grocery bargains—all deftly blending into sports banter.
• Closing with community and betting: Episodic traditions—DBU picks and reflections on protest—bring things full circle, combining humor, skepticism, and a community vibe.

For New Listeners

This episode is quintessential "Dan Bernstein Unfiltered": a mix of rigorous analysis, punchy debate, cultural commentary, and the kind of irreverent, insightful sidebars that make Chicago sports talk legendary. Whether you care about the Bears’ QB struggles or the ethics of sports leadership, you’ll come away informed, provoked, and entertained.