Where's does the Bears offense go from here?

Summary

Dan Bernstein Unfiltered – "Where Does the Bears Offense Go from Here?"

Podcast: Dan Bernstein Unfiltered
Host: Dan Bernstein, with Matt Abbatacola
Episode: Where Does the Bears Offense Go from Here?
Date: September 23, 2025

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Episode Overview

In this episode, Dan Bernstein and longtime producer Matt Abbatacola dive into the Chicago Bears’ latest victory and what it truly means for the team’s offensive identity under new head coach Ben Johnson. The conversation moves beyond the scoreboard, focusing instead on the sustainability of the Bears' success, the evolving roles of key players, and the psychological dynamics at play inside the locker room. As always, no Chicago sports stone is left unturned, with smart debate, unfiltered honesty, and the signature wit the pair is known for.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Questioning the Bears’ Win: Fool’s Gold or Foundation?

• Time: [03:18]
• Dan shares his post-game skepticism, worrying the Bears’ recent win might be “fool’s gold,” given the Cowboys’ lackluster performance rather than a true Bears breakthrough.
  • Quote: “I’m a little worried that the fool’s gold quotient of that victory is higher than I first thought. Does that make sense?” (Dan, [03:53])
• Matt agrees, running through specific game moments where the Bears benefited from opponent mistakes—a cornerback slipping, a broken flea flicker, and a critical defensive play.

2. Locker Room Culture: Navigating Victories & Criticism

• Time: [11:31]
• Both discuss Ben Johnson’s challenge now: should a coach be tougher after a win to refocus his team, or let players enjoy hard-won success? Dan leans toward the latter, emphasizing the confidence boost for a young team.
  • Quote: “After a win is the best time to clobber your team. I don’t think this is one of those. I think… they needed this little dose of confidence, even if it’s short-lived.” (Dan, [11:36])

3. Offensive Reality Check & Raiders Preview

• Time: [12:38]
• The duo analyzes the Bears’ offensive tools—trick plays like the flea flicker are already “on tape,” and Chicago won’t be able to count on unsustainable moments (like a defensive back interception) each week.
• The matchup against the Raiders is described as a legitimate opportunity; the Bears’ defense can be aggressive due to the Raiders’ poor blocking.

4. Receiver Dynamics & DJ Moore’s Attitude

• Time: [18:15]
• The hosts dig deep on the emerging pecking order in the WR corps. Rome Odunze is developing into the go-to "X receiver," while DJ Moore’s moodiness and role adaptation are scrutinized.
  • Quote: “Just keep an eye on it. I’m just wondering how happy he’s going to be getting touches more as a running back than a wide receiver.” (Dan, [19:38])
• Is Moore a team player, or could his attitude become a distraction? Matt: “When you walk off the field in the middle of a play, when you get called out as a veteran by your head coach for your bad body language… that, to me, doesn’t equal a guy that wants to help others get better around him.” ([21:57])

5. Tight End Hierarchy & Coaching Philosophy

• Time: [22:20]
• Cole Kmet, despite his contract status, has seen diminished involvement; the discussion turns to Ben Johnson’s tight end preferences, possibly favoring rookie Colston Loveland over the established veteran.
• Dan outlines different NFL philosophies on tight ends, from pure blockers to oversized receivers, using Patriots and Martz-era Rams as contrasting examples.

6. Reflecting on the Win: Quality or Context?

• Time: [26:44]
• Both hosts experience waning postgame excitement, concluding the Bears’ win was more about capitalizing on a bad Cowboys team than displaying a signature Johnson offense.
  • Quote: “That wasn’t a Ben Johnson offense that you watched on Sunday. That was mistakes by the Cowboys… They executed at a very high level at some portions of that game… But this wasn’t a Ben Johnson offense.” (Matt, [27:12] and [29:02])

7. Running Back Depth & Offensive Sustainability

• Time: [28:18]
• Dan reiterates his lack of faith in the Bears’ running backs and emphasizes the team's critical need to run effectively, especially with rookie QB Caleb Williams at the helm.

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Memorable Quotes

• “Great win. So now what? What is the message?” (Dan, [11:35])
• “The flea flicker is not going to work this weekend. That’s out there now… You’re going to have to go out and produce yards and make plays.” (Matt, [12:38])
• “Targets matter. And the quarterback’s eyes matter. Game plans matter. I think of Dunes A as this typical X receiver.” (Dan, [18:16])
• “He just doesn’t strike me as the kind of guy that’s going to go out to help the younger guys get better or achieve more success.” (Matt, about D.J. Moore, [21:53])

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Segment Highlights with Timestamps

• Bears’ Victory Skepticism: [03:18]–[05:00]
• Coach Ben Johnson’s Task: [11:31]–[14:25]
• Raiders Matchup Preview: [12:38]–[14:25]
• Rome Odunze’s Emergence & WR Power Structure: [15:15]–[21:59]
• Cole Kmet & Tight End Usage: [22:20]–[24:53]
• Post-win Reflection—How Good is the Team, Really?: [26:44]–[29:56]
• Running Back Room Concerns: [28:18]–[28:55]

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Other Notable Moments

• Running inside jokes: Extended riff about real estate on the “Lake of Fire” introduces the show with classic Dan & Matt banter.
• Jimmy Kimmel Boycott and Late Night TV Digression: [04:35] A segment where they discuss public outrage, paralleling sports criticism and TV fandoms, featuring sharp commentary on modern outrage culture.
• Sponsorships & Food Tangents: [29:56], [31:50] Brief sidetracks into reviews of Protein Bar & Kitchen and Omaha Steaks, blending Chicago lifestyle with sports talk.
• Quick MLB Playoff Race Recap: [33:44]–[36:33] A fast rundown of the Cubs’ wild card positioning, the White Sox’s misfortunes, and the pain of seeing former White Sox pitchers thrive elsewhere.
• Injury Obsessions: [37:28] An extended reflection on Kyle Tucker’s calf injury, player contract implications, and how MLB teams deliberate on spending big for injury-prone stars.
• Heisman Voter Status: [47:20] Dan triumphantly announces he still retains a Heisman vote despite being fired, sharing commentary on the Oklahoma quarterback landscape.

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Tone & Style Notes

• Authentic & Sarcastic: The hosts’ chemistry is built on caustic wit, local references, and dark humor about sports suffering.
• No Holds Barred: Dan isn’t afraid to voice skepticism about the Bears’ future or to call out players’ attitudes—“unfiltered” honesty is the brand.
• Deep Dives: Even as they riff and wander, the duo always circles back to detailed, nuanced discussions of Bears offensive structure, team culture, and big-picture implications.

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For Listeners Who Missed the Episode

• This episode is less a Bears lovefest and more a critical “reality check.” Dan and Matt break down why the latest Bears win might not be what it seems, focusing on process over results.
• Through film-study insights, player psychology, and coaching tendencies, seasoned fans and newcomers alike will get a sharp look at where the Bears stand—and what must change for real progress under Ben Johnson.
• As is signature for Bernstein, the conversation is unafraid to challenge rose-tinted fandom, insisting that evidence—not hope—drives smart football talk in Chicago.

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Further details, including expanded digressions on Chicago baseball, sponsorship plugs, or humorous stories, are skipped here. For Bears fans seeking clear-eyed, honest appraisal of the team’s real prospects—this installment delivers.

Transcript

[Matt Abaticola]

Dan Bernstein, Unfiltered.

[Dan Bernstein]

Unfiltered on 312 Sports. Welcome to Dan Bernstein Unfiltered, a 312 Sports podcast. I'm Dan Bernstein. That is Matt Abaticola. And we didn't get raptured. I thought rapture was today.

[Matt Abaticola]

That was for the evangelical Christians. Right.

[Dan Bernstein]

I don't know who said it, but I was told today it was Rosh Hashanah.

[Matt Abaticola]

So.

[Dan Bernstein]

Happy New Year to those celebrating.

[Matt Abaticola]

Happy New Year.

[Dan Bernstein]

Thank you. We had a lovely dinner last night. And we were all saying. Well, you know, maybe everybody was saying the rapture was coming. And I guess it didn't.

[Matt Abaticola]

No. Who knows? Maybe it did.

[Dan Bernstein]

I wouldn't be raptured. You'd be raptured. I wouldn't.

[Matt Abaticola]

Well, maybe it did.

[Dan Bernstein]

You would just be like, no, you wouldn't be left behind. You'd be just like your little pair of shoes there with steam coming out of them. And then you'd be up, I don't know, with the angels or something.

[Matt Abaticola]

Yeah, I don't know. I'm not sure about that. But maybe it happened and. Yeah, we'll see. I mean, we'll find out as the day goes on.

[Dan Bernstein]

It'd be perfect to time it up with Rosh Hashanah, because every week you come out of temple, you look up, where is everybody? Well, sorry you're left behind. You're going to the Lake of Fire. And then we'd be fighting over the quality of property near the Lake of Fire.

[Matt Abaticola]

Good fishing.

[Dan Bernstein]

Do you want to be on the lake? I always wondered, when the Rapture comes and we're left and then it's the Lake of Fire and you convert or you die. Is there good fishing in the Lake of Fire?

[Matt Abaticola]

Yes, for sure.

[Dan Bernstein]

Because that would be the worst part. It's like, oh, so you got to throw me in. But I'd rather be here fishing. And like, no, you can't. And I'd probably have a nice place there, public access.

[Matt Abaticola]

I don't think you want property on the lake. I think you want to be near the lake, but not on it.

[Dan Bernstein]

Just on the other side of the main road. Yeah, like back in the woods a little bit. A little bit. So basically, the Lake of Fire is kind of like southwest Michigan.

[Matt Abaticola]

Okay.

[Dan Bernstein]

Right. So like a Red Arrow Highway. Is that where. So you might want to be, like, a little bit in off a Union Pier, maybe. So you get a little woods and then you have access to a private beach on the Lake of Fire. I'm in.

[Matt Abaticola]

Yes.

[Dan Bernstein]

Okay.

[Matt Abaticola]

Yeah. I don't I definitely think you don't want to be on Lake of Fire. Okay. First of all, it's expensive.

[Dan Bernstein]

They see. But that's the thing you don't want if it's investment property. What if you're going to move it.

[Matt Abaticola]

You know, you're just.

[Dan Bernstein]

I don't know. But then the upkeep, because the homeowners association on the lake, if you have one of those break walls and then it costs you, you know, half a million to rebuild a break wall, that's okay, though.

[Matt Abaticola]

National Guard.

[Dan Bernstein]

Oh, because they'll just come do it.

[Matt Abaticola]

Yes.

[Dan Bernstein]

Or we mobilize the troops to come put mulch in.

[Matt Abaticola]

Yes, Whatever you need.

[Dan Bernstein]

Okay. I didn't know. All right, well, you're good to go. I'm glad we established this, so good.

[Matt Abaticola]

Luck, by the way.

[Dan Bernstein]

Thank you so much. This episode is brought to you in partnership with my bookie. And, you know, we also want to. We want to welcome a brand new sponsor to Dan Bernstein unfiltered and the 312 sports family. It is our dear friends at Protein Bar and Kitchen. And we're going to talk about them a little bit more later on in the program. But welcome and thanks for being part of what we're doing here to Protein Bar and Kitchen. Our guy Jeff there.

[Matt Abaticola]

Great dude.

[Dan Bernstein]

Cool dude. Yes, he is. And by the way, hello to you from Russ Armstrong. Also, he wants to do some windows for you.

[Matt Abaticola]

Yeah, I got to give him a call.

[Dan Bernstein]

You do?

[Matt Abaticola]

Yes, you do. I will. I'll call him.

[Dan Bernstein]

He's great. He was kind of looking around. He's like, oh, this one's got to go. This one's got to go. And all he does is like, the builder windows. Oh, these are terrible.

[Matt Abaticola]

Did the guy come out of the trunk or was he okay?

[Dan Bernstein]

Oh, the gimp. Yeah, it's the first thing he said. Russ shows up the door and he.

[Matt Abaticola]

Goes, where's the gimp?

[Dan Bernstein]

He goes, wake the gimp. Nice. Yep. So, no, he's. The gimp is still asleep. We left him there. So I've been thinking, and this is just me. This is the way my brain works. And I apologize for it, but I can't help it. That one day removed, 24 hours removed from our little bearsgasm that I'm now thinking after really watching the Giants and looking around the league and just sort of relaxing, I'm a little worried that the fool's gold quotient of that victory is higher than I first thought. Does that make sense?

[Matt Abaticola]

It makes a great deal of sense.

[Dan Bernstein]

Dan, okay.

[Matt Abaticola]

Because you had a wide, you had a corner in Diggs who fell on the first touchdown. You get beat on a flea flicker. That probably shouldn't have worked as well as it did. But you know, it helps that your cornerback don't forget to stay in their.

[Dan Bernstein]

Lanes and don't move the game changing play early with Tyreek Stevenson that at.

[Matt Abaticola]

The moment, if that doesn't happen, they're driving downfield for a touchdown.

[Dan Bernstein]

Rolling over you for the touchdown. And I, it kills me to do this. I'm, you know, I take no joy in this and people get mad at you for, for being dubious.

[Matt Abaticola]

Be careful because the, you know, the criticism police are out there for you.

[Dan Bernstein]

Not the Federal Comedy Police.

[Matt Abaticola]

No, it's different.

[Dan Bernstein]

Boy, defund the Federal Comedy Police. They took a blow yesterday.

[Matt Abaticola]

They sure did.

[Dan Bernstein]

If you're Kimmel, by the way, how hard do you come out tonight?

[Matt Abaticola]

I go out as hard as I want. As hard as I want to. I mean if I, I go like scorched earth.

[Dan Bernstein]

I was thinking about it. I was thinking do it. It's one thing to be unfiltered, it's another thing to be bulletproof.

[Matt Abaticola]

Yeah.

[Dan Bernstein]

And if you think Disney's gonna go through this again.

[Matt Abaticola]

Right.

[Dan Bernstein]

Or Disney knows that nobody would go through the boycott thing again and they're just waiting for a reason to cancel them again.

[Matt Abaticola]

That was, was it like 4 million subscribers or something? It was it. Am I making that number?

[Dan Bernstein]

And the cruises they were, they took.

[Matt Abaticola]

I didn't know the cruise lines took it.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yeah, you see, that's the problem with Colbert.

[Matt Abaticola]

Does Jimmy Kimmel like star on the cruise? Does he go on the cruise lines and do a show?

[Dan Bernstein]

But if, if people were that angry about Colbert, you can't similarly respond to CBS because they don that is that forward facing to the consumer.

[Matt Abaticola]

Yeah. Right.

[Dan Bernstein]

So it's not quite the same. Which is. So Colbert's got to be like, damn, it sucks. Because there was the same sort of reaction. Not that it was governmental.

[Matt Abaticola]

Well, CBS needs to hook up with Viking Cruise Lines then your favorite. That's what they should do for audience.

[Dan Bernstein]

I think if that what he's going to do. And boy, he's going to do a big number tonight, isn't he?

[Matt Abaticola]

Yeah. I may even watch.

[Dan Bernstein]

Right. Just say if I'm thinking of tuning in and I am. I'm waiting for south park tomorrow night though. That's the one. That's the one. I am waiting for South Park. I'm gonna prepare my whole night around south park tomorrow.

[Matt Abaticola]

Yeah, I Think he should go all out. I think you, at least for tonight.

[Dan Bernstein]

One night, I think you start out serious, I think he should come out and talk about. And he's gonna need to thank everybody because he was the subject of a massive uprising of people who don't like what's going on. And it's not just celebrities, it was just regular people, like, this is bullshit and responded. So I think he has to contextualize it. And then once he gets past some of the more statesmanlike comments, I think you build, you tweak a couple and then by the end of the monologue goes after it, go at it, like really hit hard. But I think you build to it. I don't think he comes out and punches him in the face, but I think he's going to start with humility and awareness and understanding and then slowly, deftly, if it's done right, you transition back on offense.

[Matt Abaticola]

Yeah, it sounds that's the kind of guy that he is. From all the comments I've read and heard from people that know him well and the other, other late night hosts that have talked about him. Yeah, I, I come right out and just start, I start punching him in the face, like, why not like, this is your opportunity to do it, get it out of the way tonight and then be done with it. Have you, have you ever gone out of your way to, to share a critical opinion, whether it's with customer service or somewhere you've gone to eat? Have you, have you gone out of your way to do that? To share, of course, critical feedback, negative feedback.

[Dan Bernstein]

Not just negative. I'll share positive too. Always. Okay, but sometimes if not just, it's. There's a difference between complaining and I think doing it constructively and saying, hey, this might help out the next person. That's how I always look at it. If I've had a bad experience or something doesn't work correctly or something's missing, I may just kind of say, hey, you know, just. But not, not complain, I want my money back. Not to be a Karen about it, but I would say if it's something that I think could help improve the experience for others. But also if I get particularly good attention from somebody, I'm like the guy in the progressive commercial, Mike C. Nelson, who's like the guy at the Deli of the Slicer doing a bang up job. Yeah, but yeah, I'll say something like that every once in a while.

[Matt Abaticola]

I'll always share positive feedback. Always. You know, particularly at restaurants.

[Dan Bernstein]

Why do you ask?

[Matt Abaticola]

Because I just, I Like, if you don't like Jimmy Kimmel, just don't watch. Like, that's me. Like, if I have a bad experience somewhere, I don't go and make a point about it at that restaurant or whatever that's the retail store might be. I just don't go there again.

[Dan Bernstein]

Right. Go to a different store.

[Matt Abaticola]

I don't waste my time with it. It's like, hey, that was a bad experience. I'm just not going to do it. So I just don't understand the whole, the whole need to like, express your opinion of outrage and anger. And if you don't like, especially if you don't like something like late night TV shows are all opinion based.

[Dan Bernstein]

Well, I always laugh.

[Matt Abaticola]

And if you, like, if your taste isn't there, then don't watch. Like, I watched Letterman. I didn't watch Leno. I didn't, I didn't enjoy Leno.

[Dan Bernstein]

It was awful.

[Matt Abaticola]

Why? Whatever. I mean, people loved him. I didn't like him, so I'm not.

[Dan Bernstein]

Gonna watch Middlebrow pap.

[Matt Abaticola]

But whatever. People loved him. I didn't. So I didn't watch. I didn't go out of my way to talk shit about Jay Leno, which.

[Dan Bernstein]

Is, I don't get it. I've said this for years about the, you know, in our business and the people that complain about what they hear on the radio or on a podcast. There's a million things being broadcast out there and the stuff that I'm not listening to, I don't have time to complain about because I'm not listening to them.

[Matt Abaticola]

Yeah.

[Dan Bernstein]

And so what I always say is go if you want to leave comments that say we're horrible and we suck. Yeah, that's fine, thank you. But thanks for being here.

[Matt Abaticola]

Yeah. Oh, yeah, it doesn't matter.

[Dan Bernstein]

That's why you're here.

[Matt Abaticola]

Yeah. I'm just talking about myself. I've never gone out of my way to, like, make a point about something I don't like. I just, I just don't consume it.

[Dan Bernstein]

Then. The problem is that Trump's got 15 televisions and is seeing everything that's ever said. That's why you come off, you know, and respond immediately on social media to anything that might be said about anything.

[Matt Abaticola]

In the golden Oval Office.

[Dan Bernstein]

Oh, it's so weird.

[Matt Abaticola]

So weird.

[Dan Bernstein]

It's so weird.

[Matt Abaticola]

It's really strange and ugly.

[Dan Bernstein]

Cheap.

[Matt Abaticola]

Yeah, yeah, just.

[Dan Bernstein]

Just tawdry.

[Matt Abaticola]

Yeah, just cheap.

[Dan Bernstein]

It's like. And all the people are getting in the faces. Like all the people around him have these weird lips and everything.

[Matt Abaticola]

Giant cheeks.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yeah. All the Mar a Lago pictures like, is there somebody there making their faces look like that?

[Matt Abaticola]

Yeah. It's good business if you can get it. Yeah.

[Dan Bernstein]

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[Matt Abaticola]

I agree.

[Dan Bernstein]

So maybe this is where the pass rush gets well and maybe you can stay in that shell defense that you're going to have to be in. You've got to be. You can't really do more than just expand and keep everything in front of you with. With Gordon still out at a minimum, if he is out. But maybe you just have to say, hey, what all. What I said about practice, I meant. Doesn't make me feel good as a coach to call anybody out publicly like that, but nice work. And that's the tone we have to have in practice. That's. That's how it translates. And you have to pretend, even if you don't really believe it, you have to pretend that it's because of better practice habits that you won the game. Not coincidentally, yeah.

[Matt Abaticola]

And when you, when you look at it now, the flea flicker is not going to work this weekend. I mean, that's, that's out there now for, for teams to, to have. As far as being on the radar from the Bears offense, you're not going to get that takeaway play from Tyreek Stevenson every week. You know, you're gonna have to go out and produce yards and make plays through the pass and on the run game. You have the opportunity to actually get at Geno Smith here because the Raiders, as you said, they can't block, they can't run block, which has been part of the problem. They have a difficult time pass blocking. But Geno Smith is still getting the ball downfield and he's throwing all over.

[Dan Bernstein]

The field and keeping plays alive.

[Matt Abaticola]

Yes.

[Dan Bernstein]

He also will take risks. He'll throw against his body. He will do some silly things out there. And if Tremaine Edmonds is going to keep playing like this, roaming around the middle with massive wingspan, that there are opportunities there.

[Matt Abaticola]

Yeah. And there certainly will be. From a statistical standpoint, the Bears and Ravens or the Bears and Raiders are pretty close.

[Dan Bernstein]

Careful.

[Matt Abaticola]

Yeah, I know. Sorry about that.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yikes.

[Matt Abaticola]

Oh, God. They play the Chiefs this coming week.

[Dan Bernstein]

One in three, someone will come out.

[Matt Abaticola]

One in three, which hopefully it's the Chiefs as. I'm all for it. I'm all. I'm all for it. I'm ready.

[Dan Bernstein]

You're on the record as, oh, I'd be done with the Chiefs.

[Matt Abaticola]

Oh, I've been done with the Chiefs. I'm so, so over it. Like Patrick Mahomes, a great talent, unbelievable fun. Watch. But I'm done. I'm done with it and ready to go. Andy Reid can go.

[Dan Bernstein]

Travis Kelsey stopped playing football a year ago.

[Matt Abaticola]

He should have. He should have called it quits. I think he did, like call it quits, get engaged and just kind of go and follow your movie career now that you want to do. But yeah, they, they have the opportunity, they have the opportunity to get after Geno Smith this weekend. So again, I, I love the question, how does Ben Johnson, like, prep his team for this game following that, that big win at home over the Cowboys?

[Dan Bernstein]

And how does he sell the fact that a win is expected, but it's also something to be celebrated? Does he have the, what I got the 24 hour rule or whatever coaches like to say about that and give yourself a chance to appreciate what you've done, but then forget it. It's all mental games that they play. And I don't know what he does in that way.

[Matt Abaticola]

Well, they have an off day today, so it's like, you know, they did their stuff yesterday. You get an off day, come back tomorrow. Hallis hall ready for the Raiders game.

[Dan Bernstein]

Roma Dunes A so far has 16 receptions, which ties him for 16th in the NFL. He's been targeted 27 times for 227 yards, averaging a robust 14.2 yards per catch. And he has a an NFL leading among receivers four touchdowns with a long of 37.

[Matt Abaticola]

Is he solo in that four touchdowns or is he tied?

[Dan Bernstein]

Because he was tied with. Tied with Aman Ross St. Brown.

[Matt Abaticola]

Okay. Yeah.

[Dan Bernstein]

Who is one electric dude, man. He is my guy. Isaac Tesla.

[Matt Abaticola]

Tesla had his chance.

[Dan Bernstein]

He had two chances late.

[Matt Abaticola]

Yeah.

[Dan Bernstein]

And I'm not mad he got his.

[Matt Abaticola]

Targets because I think in the first couple of games he only had one target. Right now he had two. So they're doubling.

[Dan Bernstein]

I can't complain with two targets. You got to catch one of those.

[Matt Abaticola]

Dan Campbell must listen.

[Dan Bernstein]

That's a no. It's okay. It was. I made the pick thinking that he would convert one of those and he didn't. And so you lost.

[Matt Abaticola]

You're welcome, bookie bet there my pick came in. I said take the Lions on the points and the over 53 and a half.

[Dan Bernstein]

Doing good. Is Matty the Greek undefeated?

[Matt Abaticola]

I'm doing good. I have a couple. Couple I got wrong and some over unders. But yeah, I mean, last night was a. That was a good one.

[Dan Bernstein]

I've been eating through this box of Omaha steaks that I'm going to keep doing throughout the upcoming weeks because I have more food in my freezer than you can possibly imagine. Thinking about our buddy Ari Levy and the free hot dogs today. The hot dogs are gone. I ate all four of the giant jumbo Omaha steaks franks and now I've got two of the.

[Matt Abaticola]

You're welcome.

[Dan Bernstein]

I got two of the tartlets left. The caramel apple tartlets.

[Matt Abaticola]

Yeah. Now that Jason's not home, you get them all to yourself.

[Dan Bernstein]

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[Matt Abaticola]

Yep.

[Dan Bernstein]

But targets matter. And the quarterback's eyes matter. Game plans matter. I think of Dunes A as this typical X receiver. He is a split end. He is an X receiver that he is an ex parent. He plays the big split end position and I love the fact that they can look at him for contested catches. They can look at him for a lot of these uninterceptible plays where they can put they can test his catch radius in a way that keeps the ball safe. But something to watch for. This is, and I'm not indicting DJ Moore, but we do know factually he walked off the field last year when he was unhappy. In the middle of a play.

[Matt Abaticola]

In the middle of a play. It's unbelievable.

[Dan Bernstein]

And we know that Ben Johnson singled him out for bad body language.

[Matt Abaticola]

Yep.

[Dan Bernstein]

That is confirmed by all parties involved. Johnson said it, Moore said it. That he is. Is it fair to say that Moore can be mopey Moody? Mopey.

[Matt Abaticola]

Yeah, that's fair. I mean, given that those two things right there. Walking off the field in middle of a play, being called out by your head coach. Yes.

[Dan Bernstein]

For being. For displaying bad body language. Well, just keep an eye on it. I'm just wondering how happy he's going to be getting touches more as a running back than a wide receiver. And boy, they could use some running back help right now, man, if he wants to say, I'll be Debo Samuel. Don't worry about my role anywhere else.

[Matt Abaticola]

Let.

[Dan Bernstein]

Let me have more carries. It does look like something they want to do because he's. Look, he's better than Kyle Manungai at this point.

[Matt Abaticola]

Yes.

[Dan Bernstein]

Well, he's just better than Kyle Manungai.

[Matt Abaticola]

But carrying the ball out of the backfield. Yes.

[Dan Bernstein]

Playing football. Okay, he's better. So I'm just interested to see as this evolves as the youngster takes his rightful spot. Roman Dunes doesn't have to apologize anybody. He's doing his damn job as number nine overall pick. And if he and this quarterback develop the kind of relationship, the unspoken stuff that we were talking about yesterday, I just think it's fair for them to understand they may have to manage a classic NFL issue of keeping everybody fed.

[Matt Abaticola]

Yeah. And when you look at the wide receiver position, that's typically one where there's that. That prima donna type of, of attitude and expectation. And he is the second highest hit, you know, Cap hit on this Bear season. And he was brought in with great fanfare and rightfully so. I mean, the guy's been amazing. He was amazing with Justin Fields at quarterback, and we just haven't seen it translate just so much yet with Caleb Williams. And now that Rome is stepping up, Luther Burden worked hard enough, obviously, last week in practice to make himself part of the game plan this week or this past week. So let's see what happens coming up against the Raiders that he could actually drop down not just below Rome, but below Luther. And then you have Loveland, who is going to be okay and should probably play this weekend against the Raiders. You have Cole Comet still. So what does that do for his targets? What does that do for his attitude? And as a veteran guy, he just doesn't strike me as the kind of guy that's going to go out to help the younger guys get better or achieve more success. Maybe he is. But it's just when you, when you walk off the field in the middle of a play, when you kind of, you get called out as a veteran by your head coach for your bad body language. That, to me doesn't. Doesn't equal a guy that wants to help others get better around him. And maybe he does. I don't know. Yeah, maybe we don't see it, but that kind of stuff doesn't lend itself to say, yeah, that's the kind of guy that wants these guys to get better as well, too.

[Dan Bernstein]

I think it'll be interesting also to see where Kemet is in this because we've noted his lack of targets, as in this is a guy paid to be one of the top 10 tight ends, one of the. To produce like a top 10 NFL tight end. And I haven't looked exactly where his contract extension sits now relative to some others, but he should be more involved.

[Matt Abaticola]

He should be more involved. And we know, or at least we think, right, or maybe, maybe you saw stuff earlier in this year with the draft that Ben Johnson wanted. Colson Loveland. That was a point of emphasis for, for Ben Johnson.

[Dan Bernstein]

And I used to that in drafts, by the way.

[Matt Abaticola]

Okay.

[Dan Bernstein]

I would say get used to Ben Johnson being more involved in the draft and then.

[Matt Abaticola]

And that's fine. And hopefully he, he can work hard enough during the week to become part of the game plan more so moving forward. But what does that, what does that tell you about Ben Johnson and his thoughts of Cole Comet and his ability? I mean, you know, you go into the Vikings game and he was out there for pass protection and run blocking and the targets have been limited. I mean, is there, is there, am I reading too much into it or is there something there that, hey, I wanted this guy in the first round and this is the tight end I wanted for my offense. Although there was a guy here that was already extended and it's had some success in production at the position prior to Ben Johnson.

[Dan Bernstein]

There is a range of offensive coach feelings about the tight end position that goes on one end. The classic Mike Martz, Brandon Manu, Malayuna. The tight end is a tackle. That's all. The tight end is a blocker. And that's old school thinking. That's there's a reason Mike March doesn't work anymore. Guy gets rid of Greg Olson to bring in Brandon, Manu, Malay, Una. And on the other side, there is somebody who. And off the top of my head, there's any number of coaches, offensive coaches that believe the tight end is simply a larger wide receiver who can affect matchups in that way. There are some who want both. They want a Y tight end and they want a U tight end. They want a, you know, inline guy and a move guy that was more of the, the Patriots style system for a long time. That was, you know, Aaron Hernandez and everything that they did there.

[Matt Abaticola]

And the tricks rabbit.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yeah. And great response to that, by the way. People are like, I never thought of that. And somebody also brought up the idea of Charlie the Tuna.

[Matt Abaticola]

Charlie the Tuna. I saw that. Yeah.

[Dan Bernstein]

Different. Cause Charlie doesn't know that he's auditioning to be eaten. I always found it macabre as a kid. I always found this commercials macabre. That only the best tasting tuna can be. Starkist. Charlie. Sorry, Charlie, we can't Net you cut your head off and stuff you in a can, even though that's your desire. Like, what's his death wish?

[Matt Abaticola]

Oh, I think it would be an.

[Dan Bernstein]

Honor to be the validation that you're good enough to be killed. Good enough to be in that can heaven. Yeah, that always bugged me as a kid because I always knew that he was wishing for his own demise.

[Matt Abaticola]

But I loved. I mean, I loved your epiphany and, yeah, great, great response to it, about Gronk being the Trix Rabbit.

[Dan Bernstein]

Hello.

[Charlie the Tuna (character)]

I'd like to ask a few questions about this breakfast cereal.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yeah, yeah. Box of tricks.

[Charlie the Tuna (character)]

That's right. I've been led to understand the tricks of are exclusively for children. Is that correct?

[Dan Bernstein]

Well, I. I mean, they say tricks are for kids in the commercials.

[Charlie the Tuna (character)]

Uh huh. Uh huh. And is that enforced by law?

[Dan Bernstein]

Not to my knowledge, no.

[Charlie the Tuna (character)]

So if I purchase these tricks, there'll be no trouble?

[Dan Bernstein]

No, no, you should be fine.

[Charlie the Tuna (character)]

You do understand that I myself am not a child.

[Dan Bernstein]

I. I was able to sniff that out. Yeah.

[Charlie the Tuna (character)]

Okay. I'm gonna bring these back to my apartment.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yeah, yeah. You'll be okay.

[Charlie the Tuna (character)]

And I won't be followed?

[Dan Bernstein]

No, that's not in our budget here.

[Charlie the Tuna (character)]

Hey, I won't forget what you've done for me here today.

[Dan Bernstein]

I would prefer that you do. You've been just waiting to spring that?

[Matt Abaticola]

Yes.

[Dan Bernstein]

Okay. I can tell you were setting something up because I saw you leaning toward the computer like, you know, it goes a little something like this.

[Matt Abaticola]

Well, you brought it up. And I was like, shit, I wish I had that ready to go. I didn't know when. I mean, you didn't want to spoil the epiphany for me. You know, it was part of the game, so I couldn't have it ready.

[Dan Bernstein]

I know, I know.

[Matt Abaticola]

Such a great scene.

[Dan Bernstein]

I get it.

[Matt Abaticola]

Such a dumb, bad, great movie though, too.

[Dan Bernstein]

Are you with me, though? And I think you were probably there before I was on my giddiness over the Bears victory. And the way they did it is waned after a day. It's definitely at a lower level. And I can't. There's no logical reason why other than just sort of taking everything in at the end of an NFL week and trying to figure out that I think the Cowboys might be bad. Bad?

[Matt Abaticola]

Yeah, they're really bad. And if CD Lamb goes on the ir, that's just going to make them even worse throughout the rest of the season. Yeah, Dan, it's. See, it's really. It's difficult because you're excited that the Bears won. I was excited. The Bears won. I'm glad they got the victory. That they're not owing three. They're one and two. They have a chance going into Vegas to come out.500 at two and two. It's a possibility to win that game, which is great. Get the two. Get the two and two. Awesome. After four games. But that wasn't. That wasn't a Ben Johnson offense that you watched on Sunday. That was mistakes by the Cowboys and with some great athleticism and great plays by the Bears and by Caleb Williams and Roma, Dunes A and Loveland and more and Burden. Yeah, they all made great plays. He made great passes. They made great catches. When DeAndre Swift needed to run the ball, he was able to run the ball.

[Dan Bernstein]

Well, that's enough. Then I get back to this. The third down drive. That if they can get a lead, run the ball when the other team knows they're going to run the ball. And you can do that this week if that is critical. Because I don't like the running backs.

[Matt Abaticola]

I really don't like the entire season. I mean, before the season started, that was one thing you talked about early on in dbu, that the running back room was not good. It was not going to be good and it wasn't going to get good throughout the year. But if you. If you can do that and that. That was a real big boy NFL drive. That was impressive. That was really impressive. That drive for me, of almost was it 10 minutes and however, 76 yards and ends at a touchdown.

[Dan Bernstein]

19 plays, 76 yards, 954. The first 19 drive since 2009. If you do that in a divisional game with the wind swirling and the snow blowing.

[Matt Abaticola]

Yeah.

[Dan Bernstein]

Like if you can really do that's. That is the hallmark of a good team to do that consistently.

[Matt Abaticola]

Yeah, very impressive. But what you saw wasn't a Ben Johnson offense. That was they. They made plays that the Cowboys gave to them, opened up the door and you have to go through and execute. And they executed at a very high level at some portions of that game and it was great. But it was a win and it was a great win over a really bad team. And I'm really happy the Bears got that win. And I'm happy that Caleb threw four touchdowns and that Ben Johnson led his team. He called out the critical points. Two minutes, third down, red zone. I mean, he called those areas out prior to the game and they were successful and they executed. And I love the attention that he had there of where they could take advantage of a bad Cowboys team, but this wasn't a Ben Johnson offense. So, yeah, while it's exciting and it's great to get the win, you look back on and go, yeah, this was a really bad team. They took, they took advantage of opportunities given to them by the Cowboys, but this isn't a Ben Johnson offense. So let, let's see how they develop and grow and build on that.

[Dan Bernstein]

I mentioned that Protein bar is a brand new sponsor of Dan Bernstein Unfiltered, and we welcome their partnership. We had a terrific time going out there a couple of days ago last week and sitting down and sampling so much of what they have. You may think of Protein bar and you think of shakes and smoothies. You said you could have every meal here.

[Matt Abaticola]

Yeah. You could go there for breakfast, lunch, dinner, easy, and not have the same.

[Dan Bernstein]

Item for weeks on end or infinitely just because of how cool they are with saying, oh, you don't want this and this, or you want to change this to this or swap this out with this. You can get what you want whenever you want and be full the entire day.

[Matt Abaticola]

Yeah. They have burritos you can do like a breakfast burrito. You can go and get a bowl. So if you want a bowl scrambles with rice or with quinoa, you could do an acai bowl. We had something that was so good that. Remember the Sunday Funday smoothie bowl?

[Dan Bernstein]

Yes. With the organic peanut butter and the cocoa nibs on it.

[Matt Abaticola]

And so it's blended up with oat milk and avocado.

[Dan Bernstein]

And the creaminess. Yeah.

[Matt Abaticola]

Brought it out and I was like, I don't know. And I ate half the. Half the bowl.

[Dan Bernstein]

That was good.

[Matt Abaticola]

It was amazing. And then the peanut butter and jelly shake, which was so good. We had the chicken Caesar salad.

[Dan Bernstein]

I could have the chicken Caesar every day. Easily, easily, easily. Because I was full for the rest of the day. But it feels light and it's just, it's terrific.

[Matt Abaticola]

But everything that they have, whether it's one of their smoothies or a bowl or a breakfast burrito, it's all packed full of protein. And that's what you need to get through your day to be healthy. Whether it's pre workout, post workout, you want to go and grab a smoothie in the morning, you want to go grab one in the afternoon. In between lunch and dinner, you're a little hungry. But, you know, instead of going out and get a bad snack, go out and get something healthy for you.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yeah. I knew it was good when I mentioned it to my daughter and she's like, oh, protein bar. Yeah, I got the. I forget which shake she got. And she said, oh, it says banana, but I take out the banana and I put it in the thing. So she was very excited. Protein bar and kitchen's got 15 locations. Most are in the Chicagoland area, including Northbrook and Oakbrook. They're also in Terminal 5 in O'. Hare. They're in LaGuardia. They're in the Salt Lake City airport. They're going to be in the Boise airport. So it allows you to get what you want when you want. I think it's the best thing I can say is whatever meal, whatever time of day, if you need a filling snack that isn't chips or fries or something that you're going to regret, it is a really good way to be satisfied and full and happy.

[Matt Abaticola]

And I'm telling you, if you haven't tried an acai bowl, you got to give it a try. If you don't even know what acai is, just go ahead and look it up.

[Dan Bernstein]

No, I knew.

[Matt Abaticola]

Okay, well, I'm not talking about you, but, you know, I think it's funny because a lot of guys, I don't think know about acai or think, oh, it's just that's something that girls do. Or that's what women eat. They're really good, and it's really good for you. They have one that next time I go, that's what I'm getting. It's the Elvis acaibone. It's acai, obviously. Organic peanut butter, bananas and blueberries topped with bananas, chia seeds, cinnamon, and homemade granola. I'm in.

[Dan Bernstein]

Well, I also think if you're a fan of Korean food, what they call steak and Seoul spelled S E O U L, they'll sear the steak, and it's got kimchi, pickled red onion, organic rainbow carrots, baby spinach, brown rice, Korean dressing, green onions. I'm telling you, I'm hungry. Yeah. Okay.

[Matt Abaticola]

Yeah, let's go. And let's wrap this up. I need to go eat.

[Dan Bernstein]

Okay. Well, again, thanks to our good friends at Protein Bar and Kitchen, let's get our quick glance at what's going on in MLB as these. These races are coming down to the wire and the Cubs are still in the dark about one of their best players.

[Matt Abaticola]

Yeah. So with the win last night for the Padres, they walked it off in 11 over Milwaukee. They won five to four. The Cubs now lead in that top wild card spot by two and a half games with six games to go. San Diego with five games to go here on the season. The Cubs take on the Mets tonight at Wrigley. Kate Horton on the mound against David Peterson. Peterson, 9 and 6 on the year, 3.98 ERA. His last three though. Dan, 15 and a third innings pitch, 20 hits, 13 earn runs. The Cubs offense can get after him if they want to show up and play in the series against the Mets. Lot of good things happening though in baseball tonight. Detroit is at Cleveland. Now Detroit has a one game lead on the Guardians for the division. Pittsburgh is at Cincinnati. You know, Cincinnati is currently tied with the Mets, but they do hold the tiebreaker. So they are the sixth seed in the nl. The Chicago White Sox are at the Yankees. Now the White Sox, Dan at 5898 with six games to go, need to go five and one to avoid 100 losses.

[Dan Bernstein]

It's not happening.

[Matt Abaticola]

Here's another good one. Boston at Toronto. So now Toronto has already clinched a playoff berth. Boston currently is the fifth seed in the al. They have a one game lead on Cleveland and Houston who are both tied. Cleveland has the tiebreaker, so they're currently the 6 seed with Houston on the outside looking in. Colorado's at Seattle. Colorado, Dan has 113 losses, six games to go. They are not going to tie or catch the White Sox record. You also have the Dodgers at Arizona, Milwaukee at San Diego later tonight and then Houston plays at the A's. So the Cubs need to get back in the win column six games to go with a two and a half game lead on the Padres who are still fighting to get home field in that, that opening round wildcard series.

[Dan Bernstein]

You want a sad White Sox note while we're talking a little bit of baseball here? And you mentioned the White Sox. If you look at the pitching leaders right now in MLB and some of the names that you see on there, for example, former White Sox, my God, I look at strikeout leaders and it's, you know, Garrett Crochet is number one, Dylan Cease is number five, Carlos Rodin is number nine. Three of the top ten. Three of the top ten are like in their prime or relative prime. Former whites.

[Matt Abaticola]

Hey, that was great. That was great. Scouting and signing and drafting and I.

[Dan Bernstein]

Don'T even know what you conclude from that other than just to be unhappy.

[Matt Abaticola]

What you conclude is that you just didn't want to spend the money. I don't, I don't know what things.

[Dan Bernstein]

Didn'T tie or you didn't Dr. Just in time out.

[Matt Abaticola]

So yeah, just be unhappy is the bottom line.

[Dan Bernstein]

Right. I think that's what I'M telling you, I think it's your job now to just be. But actually, that's not fair and not true. I have said that I am more optimistic about the White Sox now than I have been in a long, long time.

[Matt Abaticola]

Yeah. No, they have shoots of green.

[Dan Bernstein]

Indeed they do.

[Matt Abaticola]

Minecraft, my guy.

[Dan Bernstein]

Where's Kyle Tucker and what's going on with that right now?

[Matt Abaticola]

Wanted to circle back because we talked about it yesterday.

[Dan Bernstein]

Oh, and did Matt Shaw get raptured?

[Matt Abaticola]

I don't know. We'll see if he's in the lineup tonight.

[Dan Bernstein]

I was gonna say, can you go on the injured list with rapture usually rupture. No.

[Matt Abaticola]

Something but not rapture.

[Dan Bernstein]

I'm saying he has a. He has like a. Like a raptured tendon.

[Matt Abaticola]

I don't know.

[Dan Bernstein]

Or maybe a certain p. Only a part of him got raptured.

[Matt Abaticola]

Like a leg.

[Dan Bernstein]

Right. I don't know. That baby's like, I don't know what happened. Where's your leg? It's up there in heaven.

[Matt Abaticola]

Well, we'll see. I'm still trying to confirm the rapture happened.

[Dan Bernstein]

Okay, get on that.

[Matt Abaticola]

Yeah.

[Dan Bernstein]

All.

[Matt Abaticola]

You know. I do. I'll just text my brothers. If they respond. It didn't happen.

[Dan Bernstein]

Okay.

[Matt Abaticola]

If it. If they don't respond, which is very likely as well, too. I mean, they may not respond. Yeah. Because they just might not respond. Yeah. So who knows?

[Dan Bernstein]

Just check on that.

[Matt Abaticola]

So I wanted to go back to Kyle Tucker because I, you know, I've been thinking about this. This strain Cath that he has, and in reading about it more last night, has not been able to start running again, which to me is an issue in baseball, is like. I'm trying to figure out what the possibility is that he might not be ready in time. Okay. Because we don't know more than just it's a calf strain. What other issues are they concerned about with this calf strain? What does a strained calf potentially lead to?

[Dan Bernstein]

You know, if I'm trying to run through my index of.

[Matt Abaticola]

Yeah, you're the doctor.

[Dan Bernstein]

How bad could a calf injury actually be? The only one that I think of would already be differentialed out. It already wouldn't exist. And the compartment syndrome, but that's acute and that's immediate. What compartment syndrome? Remember when Brian Urlacher had it, where Urlacher got kicked in the calf in a game, and then late that night, the blood inside, within the fascia of the muscles started creating pressure, and he had to go in and have it drained out and fixed. But that, you know, within Immediately. Yeah, you know, 24 hours. So it can't be that. Or it could be. Is it nerve related where you get. Maybe you lose feeling in the foot? I don't know. I'm just speculating.

[Matt Abaticola]

Does a calf strain. Can it eventually lead to or is there concerns about an Achilles injury?

[Dan Bernstein]

Sure, sure. Absolutely. That would be the next thing where if somebody has and I don't know if he's ever had a cortisone injection in that tendon before, you'd worry about it becoming brittle. I'm not sure. But I do think that's a fair question.

[Matt Abaticola]

Right. Because he's had calf issues before.

[Dan Bernstein]

That was always a basketball thing. Remember before Kevin Durant's went, there was a concern about calf strain issues there and then the next thing you knew it was popped.

[Matt Abaticola]

So that's a concern. If we're not getting. Getting more information because they don't need to share more information.

[Dan Bernstein]

We're doing a lot of worrying today. You realize that there's this. Is this me?

[Matt Abaticola]

It's. No, it's.

[Dan Bernstein]

No. I feel like it's generally that's my default setting where there's a. We're doing a lot.

[Matt Abaticola]

No, I know. I'm just, I'm curious, trying to understand because I'm just. Because it's. It's taken. It took my brain somewhere I don't want to go. And I wonder if he. If he could play and could run.

[Dan Bernstein]

But he's looking at his contract. He's looking ahead, reasonable.

[Matt Abaticola]

Like the Cubs got to the playoffs. I did my job. I came here to help the Cubs get to the playoffs. Now we're there and I know the guy wants to play and he wants to win and he wants to add another championship and he wants to do. But he's also on the verge of a massive contract. How much is that influencing these games? That hey, you've clinched a spot. You're. Everyone always says just get in, get in. All you do is get in. Now it'd be great to be in at the four seed than the six seed. But you're still in either way. So how much of that is hey, we're in already. You know, I've got a future to worry about. I've got a contract coming up that really the numbers have gone down as the season has progressed.

[Dan Bernstein]

I don't know and I don't know what he's being told about the early because there they can be speculating. There can be back channel phone calls made about would you be in on Kyle Tucker before You even start thinking about what the money is going to be. Yeah, he's one of the top 15 sluggers in the game, easy.

[Matt Abaticola]

Yep.

[Dan Bernstein]

Went healthy. And you'd think a lot of teams would be interested, but that number can dwindle real quick if there is worry about his durability. And are you trying to of add things into the contract for some of these protections? How much money has he lost this year after what he dealt with last year? Maybe we should go back and check about the nebulousness of last year's injury.

[Matt Abaticola]

We can look into it a little.

[Dan Bernstein]

Bit because remember, there was. It was something similar where they didn't know when he went to his own guy who was the voodoo doctor in Tampa. You called him that.

[Matt Abaticola]

I'm kidding. But, you know, and maybe all that is just speculative bullshit and it's. And none of it's accurate, which then is to me the greater concern. Can he really not run? I mean, we're. October 3rd, October 4th, the playoffs start. Right. That's next weekend.

[Dan Bernstein]

All I need him to do is jog.

[Matt Abaticola]

I know.

[Dan Bernstein]

Ooh. All I need him to do is jog.

[Matt Abaticola]

You got into like radio, like FM radio voice there.

[Dan Bernstein]

ASMR voice.

[Matt Abaticola]

All I need him to do is to jog.

[Dan Bernstein]

It's all I need. Hit the ball over the fence and.

[Matt Abaticola]

Jog around the bases. Yeah.

[Dan Bernstein]

Just. Do you know?

[Matt Abaticola]

Yeah, I know. Yeah, he can dh, but if he really can't, if he doesn't have the ability to put that much pressure and weight on that, on that calf, and we're just over a week out.

[Dan Bernstein]

What does the imaging say? Like, is it torn? What don't they know? From what they can find out, they can do an enhanced MRI and say this muscle is torn and this muscle is not. And this. What do they see that's wrong? And how does that square up with his symptoms?

[Matt Abaticola]

And that's why leaving and going to his own guy, it just adds more oddity to the story.

[Dan Bernstein]

All right, well, we'll certainly keep an eye on it.

[Matt Abaticola]

I don't want to think bad things about it, but, you know, it's hard.

[Dan Bernstein]

But you are.

[Matt Abaticola]

It's hard not to.

[Dan Bernstein]

Right. Because he's. He was brought in to be your best player.

[Matt Abaticola]

Yeah. And at the start of the season, the way he started off, he wasn't losing money. He was adding money to that contract.

[Dan Bernstein]

And then I was like, well, he's never going to resign here. Well, that's too bad because no matter what, it was going to be a. The Cubs are doing Something wrong story. Right. No matter what. So I just hope that they can get whatever value his wins above replacement is prorated over X number of playoff games. I was sitting next to my friend last night as he's in a season ticket timeshare group with a bunch of people and they've got four seats. So it was their draft for playoff tickets.

[Matt Abaticola]

Oh, nice.

[Dan Bernstein]

That they were all doing sort of via email. And the strategy was interesting. Like do you, do you want to assure yourself of going to a game and taking one of the immediate first series or do you take game five of the World Series or whatever it is just to get this chance in World Series tickets? It was. And I thought, I'm like, I'm glad I'm not in that situation. I wouldn't know how to handle it. What would you do? Yeah, I'd watch at home.

[Matt Abaticola]

Yeah, I would. I would go for an early playoff. So I can guarantee to get a game to go to.

[Dan Bernstein]

I think it depends.

[Matt Abaticola]

And then watch the rest.

[Dan Bernstein]

Like if you've probably. If you have a kid and you promise the kid that you'd take a game or something like that, it changes the math on that. But because I don't know anything about the way people do that and how they all fight over what seats they have, how they sell what they don't want and all that, I would probably.

[Matt Abaticola]

Be okay going to a World Series game now. But 2016, that was the last thing, like I wanted to be at home and why I didn't want to watch with anyone. I wanted it.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yeah.

[Matt Abaticola]

I wanted no one around me. Just wanted to focus and watch the game.

[Dan Bernstein]

That's the more important the game to me. The more I want to be like alone.

[Matt Abaticola]

Yeah, no, I think, yeah, that makes sense because the less I care about it, yeah, fine, I'll go out or be at someone's house to watch or. Yeah. Whatever it might be.

[Dan Bernstein]

It's more of a social opportunity. Social gathering for your point.

[Matt Abaticola]

But not now because we have live post game shows on forward progress after every Bears game, which we will have one this Sunday somewhere around 6:00pm ish. Because who knows, like we got on.

[Dan Bernstein]

Early 3:00 clock or 3:25 for the Starks.

[Matt Abaticola]

3:25. 3:25, right.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yeah. So around.

[Matt Abaticola]

Yeah, it depends.

[Dan Bernstein]

Seven.

[Matt Abaticola]

You never know. You never know if it's a blowout one way or the other.

[Dan Bernstein]

We could start early overtime. We're sitting on the edge of our seats watching the Bears and the Raiders battle it out at Allegiant Field.

[Matt Abaticola]

Oh boy.

[Dan Bernstein]

Is that what it is at Allegiance Field? Sure, I think so. I've driven by it many times.

[Matt Abaticola]

I think actually they're playing this game inside that big dome thing.

[Dan Bernstein]

Oh, the sphere.

[Matt Abaticola]

Yeah, they're playing it. They have to play it in there.

[Dan Bernstein]

Are the Eagles playing as well? Not the Philadelphia Eagles.

[Matt Abaticola]

No, it's real.

[Dan Bernstein]

The actual.

[Matt Abaticola]

No, no, it's like real eagles flying around.

[Dan Bernstein]

No, who's. Who's. Is it you two or cold?

[Matt Abaticola]

Me and who?

[Dan Bernstein]

No, somebody's big. Somebody at the. At the sphere. They always have somebody there.

[Matt Abaticola]

I thought it was wizard of Oz. I just saw that they were showing that there at the sphere.

[Dan Bernstein]

That's it.

[Matt Abaticola]

Well, it was ruined view. No, but did you see though, what they had. They had like. Like real winds come through and like a real storm in there. It was like all set up to make it like you. Like you were actually.

[Dan Bernstein]

Oh, in the tornado.

[Matt Abaticola]

Yeah. Seven people died. It was bad planning.

[Dan Bernstein]

It's a twister. You know the one guy in your group chat that hits that five leg parlay week one and then doesn't shut up about it the rest of the season? That could be you. You could be the guy doesn't shut up. I've been that guy. I think I even win or lose, my bookie makes it really easy to get in on the action with college ball, NFL super contest and survival survivor pools. Player props, spreads in game lines, whatever you want. It's all there under one roof. Here's what's really cool. If you're new to my bookie, you can use our code DBU for Dan Bernstein, unfiltered. In any bet you choose, up to $500 is fully covered. You make your play and. And then if it doesn't hit, you get it right back. When you opt in using the bet back bonus token, there's no better time to jump in, no better place to play football is back. So let's make some money with my bookie. Let's talk about the college football weekend a bit because I have an announcement to make.

[Matt Abaticola]

Okay.

[Dan Bernstein]

I checked on this and I'm very pleased. I thought after I got fired that I might have been also fired as a Heisman vote.

[Matt Abaticola]

Okay.

[Dan Bernstein]

It was my worry. Yeah, I figured.

[Matt Abaticola]

Well. And you weren't?

[Dan Bernstein]

No. Here I am, I'm wandering around and I'm fishing and everything's going through my head about, geez, you know, what else have I thrown away with my horrible decisions and oh, geez, all those years as a Heisman voter. Well, I have retained my Heisman vote. So I am excited and I'm also pleased. If you remember, I went to look at the Heisman odds because I like to sort of track against what. And I want the record to show that I texted you and I mentioned here on this, in this space, Oklahoma quarterback John Mattier.

[Matt Abaticola]

Yes, you did.

[Dan Bernstein]

I did. I said, he's a. What I call. I said, this guy is a hoot. He was just absolutely fun to watch, doing absolutely everything. And here he has emerged now as the Heisman current betting favorite.

[Matt Abaticola]

Oh, is he really?

[Dan Bernstein]

Yes.

[Matt Abaticola]

Look at you.

[Dan Bernstein]

So I, I just thought he was fun. I happened to. He kept my attention and now I, that I. My college football viewing is for a larger purpose because my vote stands.

[Matt Abaticola]

Well, there you go. Congratulations.

[Dan Bernstein]

Thank you.

[Matt Abaticola]

Very excited about that and great, great call on that. That quarterback.

[Dan Bernstein]

Well, yeah.

[Matt Abaticola]

Cause you texted week one. Yeah. You're like, he's a lot of fun.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yeah, he is. Because the guy does, like everything on every play. Every single play. He's running, he's throwing, he's touching himself, he's jumping up and down. It just, it just, he uses all.

[Matt Abaticola]

He's not a master debater, is he?

[Dan Bernstein]

Leave me alone. I'm masturbating. I'm telling you, if you haven't seen that south park and you can't see it now. Right? Didn't they embargo it?

[Matt Abaticola]

Well, not now. I'm in the middle of the show.

[Dan Bernstein]

But didn't they pull it?

[Matt Abaticola]

Oh, I have no idea because we.

[Dan Bernstein]

Were talking about it last night at dinner too. That's really how I learned who Charlie Kirk was from that episode. I knew the name, okay.

[Matt Abaticola]

You just weren't familiar.

[Dan Bernstein]

I had no idea what, what the actual bit was until the south park episode. See, so south park isn't just significant satire. It actually helped educate me.

[Matt Abaticola]

Yes. Educational and informative.

[Dan Bernstein]

It was. I swear to God that. That's how I learned what the. What he did. So thanks to south park for that.

[Matt Abaticola]

Looking at the AP top 25 in the college football rankings, Ohio State number one. Miami moved up two spots to two.

[Dan Bernstein]

Is Illinois still there?

[Matt Abaticola]

Illinois is they. I was going to highlight them because they were the biggest drop of the. They dropped 14 spots to number 23, Illinois, after the ass kicking by Indiana rolled them. That was over quick, thank God, because I was going back between two games because of Hank.

[Dan Bernstein]

Hank likes watching Illinois and Fernando Mendoza is another guy on this list because he's, he's pretty real to the Indiana quarterback.

[Matt Abaticola]

Notre dame jumped up two spots. They're 22. USC jumped up four to 21. My Commodores, they moved up two spots to 18. They are four. And oh, on the season after that drubbing of Georgia State, the Georgia State Panthers. Penn State is. Where is Penn State? At 3. LSU, Georgia, Oregon, Oklahoma, your guy, Florida State, Texas A and M and then Texas at 10. Did you see Indiana jumped up eight spots to 11?

[Dan Bernstein]

I was just going to mention the Indiana head coach, Kurt Signetti, who is. We know, obviously the coaching chops are unquestioned. Did you see what he said about the Iowa game? You didn't?

[Matt Abaticola]

No.

[Dan Bernstein]

Okay. This is Indiana head coach Kurt Signetti at his weekly press conference talking about. He says we're going to have to play well. Talking about the Iowa game. This will be a challenge, a more difficult challenge than the last one, for sure.

[Matt Abaticola]

Oh, wow.

[Dan Bernstein]

Take that bread bielema.

[Matt Abaticola]

Jesus.

[Dan Bernstein]

How about that? On the way out the door, like that game, you're going into the. I just kicked over the garbage can. What do you mean he's broadcasting from home?

[Matt Abaticola]

Oh, dude, that was one of the. One of the highlights of my 17 years there. Like, I mean, I felt terrible because, you know, at that moment, he. I did. Because Dan, he finally. He finally must mustered up the courage to confront both of you, to get in your faces and just, you know, stop picking on him and making fun of him.

[Dan Bernstein]

Picking on me. I'm not gonna take this anymore.

[Matt Abaticola]

And he's. He's in the studio sitting in the corner in a chair, and you're there starting the show, and you're hitting the talk back, and you're like, why is Murph in here? I'm like, I. I have no idea. He doesn't know that Terry's at home, and he can't get in Terry's face and yell at him. And so the show starts, and several minutes in, he finally. He just gets up and walks out.

[Dan Bernstein]

Of the room, starts kicking everything through the garbage cans down.

[Matt Abaticola]

Why is Murph in here? I'm like, I. I don't know, buddy. I'm sorry. I couldn't. Couldn't tell you why he's here.

[Dan Bernstein]

The best part is stop talking about me. I can say stuff about you. I'm like, are you threatening me?

[Matt Abaticola]

He's like, go ahead.

[Dan Bernstein]

Right? And they say, I could say that Terry said he didn't watch the game the other night.

[Matt Abaticola]

Great. Say it. Terry will say it.

[Dan Bernstein]

Right?

[Matt Abaticola]

So Terry already said it, right?

[Dan Bernstein]

I said, Terry said he didn't watch the game.

[Matt Abaticola]

He wanted you to shut your trap.

[Dan Bernstein]

Like, that was.

[Matt Abaticola]

That was the Worst thing you could say.

[Dan Bernstein]

Say about is he hadn't watched the game. Dude.

[Matt Abaticola]

Yeah. I mean, he was well on his way to being a score analyst.

[Dan Bernstein]

Cliff Livingston.

[Matt Abaticola]

Hey, Mickey. How was. How about that Cubs game last night? I didn't watch it.

[Dan Bernstein]

That's your dude.

[Matt Abaticola]

You loved him. Mickey Morandini. Yeah.

[Dan Bernstein]

Between the two of you at Cubby Bear the other day, that was another year, I should say.

[Matt Abaticola]

Yeah. Not the other day. Those days are long gone.

[Dan Bernstein]

That was.

[Matt Abaticola]

That was.

[Dan Bernstein]

How was. What do you think of these Cubs?

[Matt Abaticola]

Well, so a third inning. There was a. You know, there was a really. Well, you know, guys, I didn't. I didn't watch the game at all. Oh, okay.

[Dan Bernstein]

All right.

[Matt Abaticola]

Thanks for being here.

[Dan Bernstein]

Paying you to, you know, have specific thoughts.

[Matt Abaticola]

It was either they didn't watch the games or we just didn't pay them. The analysts, that was the. Those were the issues.

[Dan Bernstein]

Did somebody ever keep those? All the voicemails that were sent by the random experts that never got paid?

[Matt Abaticola]

I have no idea.

[Dan Bernstein]

Was it Kevin?

[Matt Abaticola]

Yeah. They're in the same room with all of your stuff.

[Dan Bernstein]

With my stuff. Meanwhile, my lawyer text me yesterday. He was.

[Matt Abaticola]

Oh, is he yelling at me?

[Dan Bernstein]

No, he was listening, and he's like, oh, you're calling on me for doing shoddy legal work? For not getting your stuff back.

[Matt Abaticola]

Oh, he was talking about me.

[Dan Bernstein]

No, but. I know. But I was all new. Did you say something? No, I didn't say anything. Oh. Because I was all nervous because he texted me and he's like, oh, you're gonna get a bus. Toss me. And I go, what did I say? Oh, no, Because I don't remember what I said. So I text him. I. What did I say? He's like, I'm kidding. Ha, ha, ha. You know, laughing emoji. The stuff about your. All your personal items is that you really should get those back.

[Matt Abaticola]

Yeah. I mean, from a legal standpoint, those are your things. They should have been sent to you by now.

[Dan Bernstein]

I just want powdered toast man. That's all I want is the powdered toast man figurine. Maybe somebody will bring it to me.

[Matt Abaticola]

Maybe you'll get your stuff when Kevin Kennedy gets paid. Who's the. Was it.

[Dan Bernstein]

It was Kevin Kennedy who's like, I'm not doing this again for free. He said something on the air, Right.

[Matt Abaticola]

All I know is I haven'. Oh, the greatest get, though. Was my football guy for free? Coach Billick. Coach Billick.

[Dan Bernstein]

He was free?

[Matt Abaticola]

Yeah. He never. I just asked him to come on every week, and he did.

[Dan Bernstein]

Seriously? Yes.

[Matt Abaticola]

He was never a paid.

[Dan Bernstein]

He never paid.

[Matt Abaticola]

He was never a paid guy. He was just my guy.

[Dan Bernstein]

Okay, how we doing?

[Matt Abaticola]

Call him. Call his landline at the house, talk to his wife.

[Dan Bernstein]

And he'd pick up. His dog would be barking at the back. He was great. Somewhere.

[Matt Abaticola]

He was great.

[Dan Bernstein]

You know, it's a. You always knew it was an enormous house because you'd hear the doorbell and you'd hear a. Clearly a large dog barking, but miles away. Exactly. It's like way off in the distance, you heard some bull mastiff yelling at a mailman or something. But, yeah, I was like, ooh, that's a big house there.

[Matt Abaticola]

Yeah.

[Dan Bernstein]

Oh, boy. All right, well, we gotta get college football stuff. I think we're done.

[Matt Abaticola]

Do you want to. Can we. Can we mention that movie real quick?

[Dan Bernstein]

The same.

[Matt Abaticola]

It really.

[Dan Bernstein]

It's. It's too good. It's too good a bit. I know we wrote it down. I skipped ahead because I think we. Because that's. That's a whole segment. That's a whole bit.

[Matt Abaticola]

That's fine.

[Dan Bernstein]

On this. On this movie.

[Matt Abaticola]

I love it.

[Dan Bernstein]

All right, good.

[Matt Abaticola]

All right.

[Dan Bernstein]

Okay. So goodbye. That's Dan Bernstein. Unfiltered. Today's episode brought to you in partnership with my bookie.

[Matt Abaticola]

Dan Bernstein. Unfiltered.

[Dan Bernstein]

Unfiltered. On three.

[Matt Abaticola]

One, two, Sports.