Dan Bernstein Unfiltered – “It’s Chicago Bears–Green Bay Packers Week | Top 10 Packers of All-Time”

Date: December 5, 2025
Host: Dan Bernstein
Producer/Co-host: Matt Abbatacola
Podcast: Dan Bernstein Unfiltered on 312 Sports

Overview

This episode, dropping just before the much-anticipated Chicago Bears–Green Bay Packers game (Round 1, 2025), delivers the usual sharp but irreverent Chicago sports banter. Dan and Matt dive into injuries impacting the NFC North, respond to a creative deluge of listener feedback, reflect on Bears–Packers lore, and, in their signature bit, unveil dueling lists of "Top 10 Packers of All-Time"—with more than a few surprises.

The tone is honest, playful, self-aware, and loaded with inside jokes and community references. If you want Chicago Bears talk unfiltered, with plenty of side roads, this is quintessential DBU.

Key Discussion Points & Segments

1. NFC North Injury News and Impact

[00:48–03:03]

• Immediate reaction to Brian Branch (Lions) suffering a season-ending Achilles tear, called “enormous” for Detroit’s defense.
  • “Probably their most impactful defensive player outside of Aiden Hutchinson.” – Dan Bernstein (01:14)
• Packers’ Devonte Wyatt also hurt, shaking up the NFC North landscape and setting the stage for Bears optimism.
  • Bears are “getting healthier… seems like things are falling in place here.” – Dan (01:45)
• Bears set as 6.5-point underdogs at Lambeau (“Looking at my bookie…” share, 01:45–02:34)
• “I'm very excited… postgame show going… recap a Bears victory up in Lambeau Field to get them to 10 and 3 on the year.” – Dan (02:44)

2. Listener Feedback & Community Engagement

[06:23–24:53]
“Friday Feedback Friday” – beloved running segment, even amidst technical glitches the previous week.

Highlights:

• The new 312 Sports app is giving listeners new ways to interact (audio, video, polls).
  • “It's like getting a Christmas gift… up and running and going, contests, polls, instant reactions…” – Matt (06:26)
• In-joke: Dan teases Matt’s dad for being “technically smarter.”
• “Bear down!” debate: mockery and meta-commentary on fans’ expectations and “real” Bears fandom.
• Listener ‘Sheriff Scabbs’ delivers a legendary pie story involving Al Michaels and Lake Placid:
  • “So Michaels smirked and said, ‘yeah, I’ve heard of it.’” (13:04)
  • “And walked out of the room while everyone else… let the baker know what an idiot he was.” – Matt (13:25)
  • “It ends with asking Al Michaels if he’s ever heard of Lake Placid. It’s so good.” – Dan (13:32)

Creative Listener Submissions:

• Bears O-Line “Boy Band” Nicknames: “Block Street Boys” detailed boy band personas for Bears linemen

  • “He never sends his catchphrase, delivered with a smirk: I don’t break hearts baby, I pancake them.” – Block Street Boys entry (16:23)
  • “That was very creative and probably took a very long time to put together.” – Dan (17:45)

• On mental health and Bears fandom:

  • “What I hear you saying is be vulnerable… what I hear you saying is be present.” – Listener Andrew (19:05)
  • “Well thought out… Don’t be afraid to be heartbroken again. Let yourself open up to the possibility.” – Dan (19:40)

• Mock-segment suggestions (“Are You Faster Than Andrew Billings?”), jokes about Chicago sports traditions, and lots of Bears–Packers (and Bulls, Cubs, etc.) trauma.

3. Culture, Food, and Weirdness Corner

[24:53–40:51]

• Albuquerque vignettes: Locals compare the city to GTA (car theft, lawlessness, street racing, etc.)
  • “While it’s not entirely lawless, like the video game... it does have its problems…” – Listener Zach (21:55)
• Feedback about Dan’s giant hands gets a Reddit photo visual joke.
• Debates about best ways to “shake and bake” (no more plastic bag in the box – “better for the environment” gripes).
  • “So how am I supposed to shake the pork chops?... Just throw breadcrumbs in the air and run around with the pork chop?” – Matt (31:09)
• Discourses on college fandom, “Civil War” rivalry (Oregon Ducks v. Oregon State Beavers), and evolving meaning of rivalries.
  • “Those two fan mentalities that you discussed Tuesday are rooted in the 50s and the 60s by people who refuse to move on from how they felt as kids.” – Listener (28:16)

4. Bears Front Office, Coaches & Shout-Outs

[41:03–43:23]

• A fan lays out GM Ryan Poles’ impressive series of moves and acquisitions over 2022–2025, systematically crediting Chicago’s competitive turnaround.
  • “His fingerprints are all over this. We, for the time being, have taken the north and are at least threatening to never give it back.” – Listener “Buddy from Rockford” (43:22)
• Light-hearted ribbing about former Bears coaches (Eberflus confusion, Trestman pantless, etc.)

5. The Top 10 Packers of All-Time (Signature Segment)

[47:32–74:01] This weekly segment is DBU’s comic masterpiece – not lists of football players (well, not many), but of ANYTHING “packer” or “Packers.” The hosts each draft their own wild top-10 lists.

Matt’s “Top 10 Packers” (Selected Items, timestamps 47:32–59:44):

• Snack Packs (pudding cups) (49:00)
• Packing Tape (49:42)
• Backpack (“Otzï the Iceman” had the oldest one, 3300 BC) (50:00)
• Green Bay Packers’ cameo in Pitch Perfect 2 (Clay Matthews sings Bootylicious, 53:25)
• Druid Peak Wolf Pack (Yellowstone wolves) (54:59)
• Mayflower Transit (moving company) (55:59)
• Leader of the Pack (song) (56:25)
• Gustavus Swift (meat packing tycoon) (57:59)
• The Wolf Pack (The Hangover movies) (58:59)
• Pac-Man (video game) (59:05)
• The Rat Pack (Sinatra, Dean Martin, etc.) – #1 (59:44)
• Honorable Mentions: Fanny packs, Brat Pack (80s actors)

Dan’s “Top 10 Packers” (60:00–74:01):

• Honorable mention: Chicago Packer Newsletter (produce handlers, 1899–1910)
• Garwood Load Packer: First standardized garbage truck (60:55)
• Cultipacker: Farm implement for seedbeds (61:44)
• thepacker.com: Fresh produce industry news (62:36)
• Will Packer: Hollywood producer, now Falcons part-owner (63:30)
• David Packer: Actor (starred as Daniel Bernstein in NBC miniseries V) (64:13)
• Billy Packer: College hoops commentator (65:43)
• NBA’s Chicago Packers: Expansion franchise (now the Wizards) (66:52)
• The Packers (R&B group): Steve Cropper, Booker T & the MGs ties (68:06)
• Alfred Packer: Notorious Colorado cannibal (69:21)
• #1: The “packer” as in phallic packing prosthetic, “pack and play” culture (70:56)

Notable:

• Zero crossover picks—“the first time in the history of this bit we’ve had zero crossovers.” (59:53)
• Raunchy, bizarre, and surprisingly educational. Laughter throughout as each explains oddball entries (“Grandma’s number one” joke on the packer prosthetic, 73:20)

6. Sports Betting Picks (“DBU Picks”), Closing Banter, and More

[74:28–77:20]

• Dan’s bet: “Bears plus six and a half (vs. Packers), because the Bears will win outright.” (74:37)
• Matt’s bets:
  • Bulls–Pacers game props: Nikola Vucevic over 1.5 3PM, Pascal Siakam over 2 steals, Jay Huff over 2 blocks.
  • “If you have another option… whatever the turnover number is for the Bulls, take the over.” (76:35)
• Playful sign-off: Their Top 10 segment “sets you up for your weekend” and provides “material to regale your friends during commercial breaks.” (74:01)
• Next week: They’ll do “Top 10 Browns” for Cleveland week.

Notable Quotes

• On fandom:
  • “Be vulnerable… be present… open up to the possibility… let yourself open up to it, to the possibility.” – Dan (19:40)
• On Bears O-Line boy band names:
  • “I pancake them.” – ‘Block Street Boys’ persona (16:23)
• On meat prices:
  • “So how am I supposed to shake the pork chops in a way that’s good for the environment? Just throw breadcrumbs in the air and run around with the pork chop?” – Matt (31:09)
• On Bears–Packers traditions:
  • “… rooted in the 50s and the 60s by people who refuse to move on from how they felt as kids.” (28:16)
• On Al Michaels’ Lake Placid moment:
  • “Yeah, I’ve heard of it.” – Al Michaels smirks, with everyone laughing at the baker (13:04)
• On Packers Top 10:
  • “We had very, very different lists. And we’re going to have to do something again for the second meeting…” – Matt (73:47)

Overall Tone

• Unfiltered, Chicago-local, irreverent, smart-alecky, and listener-oriented.
• Wide-ranging – expect festival-of-tangents energy, sometimes more “sports & everything” than Xs and Os.
• Interactive: Listeners are a big part of the content.

Key Timestamps

• 00:48–03:03: Bears–Packers pre-game/injury news
• 06:23–24:53: Friday Feedback Friday (listeners, app, community)
• 13:03–13:47: Al Michaels/Lake Placid pie anecdote
• 17:45: O-Line “Block Street Boys” bit
• 19:05–19:40: Bears fandom & mental health
• 47:32–74:01: Top 10 Packers of All-Time (signature segment)
• 74:37–77:20: DBU Picks (sports betting)

Summary for New Listeners

This episode delivers everything Bernstein and Abbatacola are known for—quick wit, total honesty, wild deep cuts, and committed local angles. There’s fodder for diehard Bears fans (and “real” Chicago sports people), but also plenty for those who love comedy, cultural detours, and creative community interaction. If you want to understand why Chicago sports radio/podcasting isn’t like anywhere else, start here—especially with the Top 10 Packers segment, the ultimate “bit” within a “bit.”

For Forward Progress (detailed Bears–Packers Xs & Os), listen to the affiliated episode dropping post-game.