Are the Chicago Bears Playoff Bound?

Summary

Podcast Summary: “Are the Chicago Bears Playoff Bound?”

Podcast: Forward Progress – A Chicago Bears Podcast
Hosts: Dan Bernstein & Matt Abbatacola
Date: November 11, 2025
Episode Theme:
This episode dissects the Chicago Bears' surprising 6-3 start, their playoff prospects, and the performance (and coaching) of rookie quarterback Caleb Williams. The hosts blend analytical and emotional reflection, with an interview featuring head coach Ben Johnson—a recurring focal point throughout the show. The conversation spans late-game struggles, sustaining success, individual player development, and even some on-brand NFC North snark.

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Episode Overview

• Assessment of the Bears’ playoff chances after a 6-3 start and current NFC North lead.
• In-depth analysis of Ben Johnson’s press conference: honesty with team, coaching philosophy, and challenges ahead.
• Detailed critique of Caleb Williams’ rookie season, decision-making, and the offense’s growth.
• Injury and snap count updates, including potential changes at key positions.
• NFC North observations, with a focus on the Packers’ ongoing dysfunction.
• Historical context: the elusive quest for a 4,000-yard Bears passer and how Williams compares.
• Lighthearted and insightful banter—typical of longtime Chicago sports voices.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. State of the Bears: Real Contenders or Mirage?

• Standings Context (01:39):
  Dan and Matt kick off with excitement and caution, noting the Bears’ 6-3 record but reminding fans of divisional losses and a tough remaining schedule.
  • “Enjoy that squint at the standings while you can.” – Dan Bernstein [01:39]

2. Ben Johnson’s Post-Game Mindset

• On Team Performance (03:00):
  Johnson’s approach: candid with players about issues despite winning streaks. He emphasizes growth, future improvement, and his belief that the team hasn’t peaked.
  • “The best thing about us winning right now is we can come back and coach them hard… But yet, this isn't necessarily the style or the fashion that we want to hang our hat on long term.” – Ben Johnson [03:00]
• Balancing Critique and Confidence (05:20):
  • “It’s not his idealized roster yet… He might think they’re overperforming.” – Dan Bernstein [04:49]
• Promise of Progress (05:24):
  • “The best football this group of players can play has not happened yet… this group is going to play better in December than they are right now.” – Matt Abbatacola [05:24]

3. Execution and Accountability

• Inconsistency in Play (05:38):
  Johnson acknowledges improvements in penalties and red zone performance, but points to regression in catching and critical down conversions.
  • “…We still haven't put that whole collective 60 minutes, three phases together, yet we've seen glimpses of it throughout the season so far.” – Ben Johnson [05:38]

4. Coaching Wide Receiver Drops (07:14):

• Johnson’s Response: He favors acknowledging the issue, but not harping on it—using a parental, moving-on approach to avoid shaking receiver confidence.
  • “You talk about it and then you move on… You can make things worse by going overboard on some of this stuff. And that's not the intent.” – Ben Johnson [07:14]
• Presenter Jokes (08:14):
  • “Coach, I really don't want to catch wide receiver. Get out there.” – Matt Abbatacola [08:10]

5. Self-Evaluation as Play Caller (09:16):

• Johnson on Play Calling:
  Takes responsibility for rhythm issues and acknowledges some regrettable third-down decisions.
  • “I always look in the mirror… I didn't love our third down plan…I want those guys to understand that I take a lot of ownership in what we put on tape, as do they.” – Ben Johnson [09:16]
• Hosts' Perspective:
  • “It was interesting to hear him talk about yesterday, how he felt like they weren't efficient running the ball, yet they averaged 5.5 yards a carry.” – Matt Abbatacola [10:13]

6. QB Development: Caleb Williams Watch

• On Leaving the Pocket (13:01):
  Johnson says scrambling is a tactical asset—but not the foundation—and encourages Williams to take what’s there, but not to overexpose himself.
  • “It's something that we certainly want to utilize. It's not something that we want to necessarily feature each and every week, but when the opportunity presents itself, we have the ability to capitalize on it.” – Ben Johnson [13:01]
• Hosts’ Take:
  • “If you can get 10 or 15, get it… if you're running for four, it's probably not worth the hit.” – Dan Bernstein / Matt Abbatacola [13:36]

7. Caleb’s Fourth Down Decisions (14:04 – 16:28):

• Johnson on QB-Coach Dynamic:
  Review of key fourth down throws—some were strong improvisation, others “could probably hang in there.” Johnson uses “we” for collaboration, “he” for QB-specific critiques—highlighting collective investment but individual responsibility.
  • “When he is discussing decisions made within that play, he's using we… And part of that is to diffuse responsibility. Part of that is to globalize it… It's also an embrace.” – Dan Bernstein [17:12]
• On Trust and Timing:
  • “It's a work in progress… the more trust he has in his pass catchers… he'll continue to play within the rhythm… There will be times where he takes off and he runs with it.” – Ben Johnson [16:35]
• Improvement Noted:
  • “Against the Giants was the best and the quickest I saw Caleb Williams get to his checkdowns… best job of these nine games in getting that ball out the quickest.” – Matt Abbatacola [19:09]

8. Receivers: Trust Issues & Route Discipline (20:55):

• Host Analysis:
  Both question why veteran receivers and a young QB still struggle with being “in the right area,” especially against zone defenses. Scramble rules and non-conventional play execution discussed.

9. Injury and Snap Count Review (24:13 – 29:34):

• Quick Updates:
  • DJ Moore routinely in and out but returning to play.
  • Snap counts for defense/offense, key rotation points (esp. around Grady Jarrett’s workload).
  • Burden receives praise for making the most of limited snaps.
  • Special teams/return game called out as a weak spot.

10. Around the NFC North & Packers Problems (31:22):

• Snarky Observations:
  • Critique of the Packers’ offense and LaFleur’s coaching.
  • “There are already questions being asked about their handsome young coach and their general manager, Brian Gutekunst.” – Dan Bernstein [32:18]
• Running Joke:
  • Hosts poke fun at Green Bay’s odd online fan base and Matt LaFleur’s “romantic” appeal [32:32].

11. The 4,000 Yard Unicorn: Bears’ Passing Futility (37:00):

• Statistical Despair:
  • Despite solid totals, Caleb Williams is just 34th all-time in Bears single-season yardage through nine games.
  • “The Bears aren’t the only miserable passing franchise out there… Eagles have only had one 4,000 yard season ever.” – Dan Bernstein [42:27]

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Bears’ Style of Winning:
  “We’re winning… but yet this isn’t necessarily the style or the fashion that we want to hang our hat on long-term.” – Ben Johnson [03:00]

• On Self-Evaluation:
  “When things aren’t… clicking, I always look in the mirror. I didn’t love our third down plan… that’s on me.” – Ben Johnson [09:16]

• On Caleb Williams as a Rookie:
  “It’s a work in progress… the more comfortable he gets within the offense and the more trust he has in his pass catchers, that they’re going to be where they’re supposed to be, that he’ll continue to play within the rhythm and the timing…” – Ben Johnson [16:35]

• On Drops:
  “You talk about it, and then you move on… You can make things worse by going overboard on some of this stuff. And that’s not the intent.” – Ben Johnson [07:14]
  “Coach, I really don’t want to catch wide receiver. Get out there.” – Matt Abbatacola [08:10]

• On QB Collaboration:
  “When he is discussing decisions made within that play, he’s using we… to globalize it, to make it… an embrace.” – Dan Bernstein [17:12]

• On Bears History and Caleb’s Yardage:
  “Halfway through a season, he’s 34th all-time on the list… He is currently about 130 off of Eric Kramer’s pace after nine games.” – Matt Abbatacola [38:30]

• On Packers’ Offensive Struggles:
  “There are already questions being asked about their handsome young coach and their general manager… Packers, 10th in passing yards, but their offense just doesn’t look right.” – Dan Bernstein [32:18, 34:28]

• Deadpan Banter:
  “He’s no Andy Reid, but he’s… handsome. Now that would be funny if there were fan fiction being written about Andy Reid.” – Matt Abbatacola / Dan Bernstein [33:02-33:16]

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Timestamps for Key Segments

| Topic | Segment | Timestamp | |-------|---------|-----------| | Bears record/standings context | [01:39] | | Ben Johnson: Coaching after wins | [03:00][05:38] | | Receivers’ drops/Coaching philosophy | [07:14][08:10] | | Self-critique as play caller | [09:16][10:13] | | QB run game/Caleb Williams’ progress | [13:01][13:36][16:35] | | Fourth down decisions/“We” vs. “He” | [14:04][17:12] | | Trust with receivers/route discipline | [19:09][20:55] | | Injury, snap counts | [24:13][26:12][27:01] | | NFC North / Packers snark | [31:22][32:18] | | Bears’ 4,000-yard quest | [37:00][38:30][42:27] |

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Summary Takeaways

• Bears’ Current Success is Real—but Fragile:
  The hosts acknowledge Chicago’s progress but highlight a “work in progress” vibe from both the head coach and rookie QB. Wins haven’t masked the clear offensive inconsistencies and occasional defensive lapses.

• Ben Johnson’s Approach:
  Openly addresses flaws while maintaining confidence; avoids scapegoating, instead focusing on team solution and mutual accountability.

• Caleb Williams’ Growth:
  Improved checkdowns and occasional flashes of improvisational brilliance, but trust/chemistry issues with receivers persist, particularly against zones and under pressure.

• Snap Counts & Player Rotation:
  Injuries and productiveness are closely monitored, with some calls for adjustments at certain positions; special teams remain a worry.

• Packers/Known Rivals:
  The NFC North remains wide open, with no team (including Green Bay) establishing offensive consistency.

• Historical Perspective:
  Even with incremental progress, Bears QB history is so dire that moderately successful rookie numbers look historic. Williams’ chase for the franchise’s first 4,000-yard season serves as both a statistical and emotional subplot.

• Unique Tone:
  The episode successfully blends Bears’ “hopeful cynicism” with deep analysis and classic local humor—making it must-listen for fans seeking honest, informed dialogue.

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For Listeners:
If you want candid, well-informed breakdowns that dissect both X’s and O’s and the psyche of Chicago’s football fandom, this episode offers a “full 60 minutes” on what’s working and what must improve if the Bears are to end their playoff drought.

Transcript

[Dan Bernstein]

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[Dan Bernstein]

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[Dan Bernstein]

10219219 forward.

[Matt Abaticola]

Progress a Chicago Bears Podcast with Dan Bernstein and Matt Abaticola on 312 Sports.

[Dan Bernstein]

Let's give you some forward progress here. It's a Chicago Bears podcast on 312Sports. I'm Bernstein, that's a Batacola and Ben Johnson had a lot to say after his Bears went to six and three and they're currently on top of the NFC north with the caveat knowing they've already dropped a couple of divisional games. So enjoy that that squint at the standings while you can after a very strange packers and Eagles game last night. And obviously as Bears fans you're watching it closely because those teams are upcoming on the schedule. They're the Eagles once and the packers twice, and keeping some some tabs on what's going on. They're very important and not the most impressive display of football from so we'll get to that. But let's start with things that Ben Johnson had to say and what we think about what he had to say.

[Matt Abaticola]

All right, our first Ben Johnson cut. He was asked about the upcoming schedule and how the way his team has played, can they sustain that? With the schedule getting tougher, how do.

[Dan Bernstein]

You kind of balance the idea of.

[Ben Johnson]

Appreciating and enjoying your team's ability to be resilient and pull out some of these games late with the thought that.

[Matt Abaticola]

You know, some of these contending teams.

[Dan Bernstein]

With these games coming up may require.

[Ben Johnson]

A more complete four quarter performance. I think it's the best thing about us winning right now is we can, we can come back and we can coach them hard, you know, and we'll tell them the truth. And they know it. I mean, they're professionals, they all know that we're winning. But yet this isn't necessarily the style or the fashion that we want to hang our hat on long term. And so, yeah, I think we're in a really good spot with our locker room right now. Our coaching staff is doing a tremendous job. I think I got a lot of confidence on really all three phases and how we're coaching the game right now. And, you know, it's games like this that, you know, you can come in the next day or on Wednesday and coach them. Be really truthful with what you're seeing and what we need to improve on.

[Matt Abaticola]

Beautiful.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yep. I think that's a gentle way of putting it. I love the way Herb Howard asked the question.

[Matt Abaticola]

Yeah.

[Dan Bernstein]

And laid it right out there. And I think that is the sort of Ben's corporate boardroom explanation, which is going to differ wildly in my hope. It differs wildly from how it sounds in practice.

[Matt Abaticola]

Yeah, no, for sure. And I. But he also doesn't strike me as a guy that goes psycho just for the sake of going psycho or being football coach.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yeah, I know.

[Matt Abaticola]

Yeah, I know.

[Dan Bernstein]

I just think that there are. There are ways that football players can expect to be addressed that may not necessarily be workplace appropriate for other businesses.

[Matt Abaticola]

But like we talked about on dbu, there is a proper balance. He has to strike because you can talk about not performing up to the level that they need to. He talks about not being in rhythm and he talks about not clicking on all cylinders. But you're also 6 and 3 also.

[Dan Bernstein]

It's not his idealized roster yet. So it may be. The actual truth may be that Ben Johnson could believe that they're overperforming based on the players.

[Matt Abaticola]

Correct.

[Dan Bernstein]

He might think that, geez, we're maybe a little better than. I mean, that he. He might be unreasonable to expect them to level up in their quality of play. That maybe he actually thinks that they're. They're maximizing what they're doing at the moment.

[Matt Abaticola]

Well, but no, because he actually told us that they're going to play better football.

[Dan Bernstein]

He did.

[Matt Abaticola]

He said that the best football this group of players can play has not.

[Dan Bernstein]

Happened yet this group.

[Matt Abaticola]

Right, but this group is going to play better in December than they are right now.

[Ben Johnson]

Okay.

[Matt Abaticola]

He's already told us that. All right. He also was asked about the overall play of his team.

[Ben Johnson]

We got to start taking control of these games a little bit more. We got to play cleaner football, which I thought in some aspects we did. We were much better in the penalty department. We were much better red zone offense, red zone defense, but yet we take a step back in terms of catching the football. We take a step back in terms of converting on critical downs, you know, things of that nature. And so it's. We still haven't put that whole collective 60 minutes, three phases together, yet we've seen glimpses of it throughout the season so far. And so I'm happy with the fact that we're winning games and we're finding a way to win games and the guys are believing in what we're doing, and yet we still have so far that we can still go and how much we can still accomplish as a whole team.

[Matt Abaticola]

Sounds like he's being awfully critical. Isn't he talking about how they're not doing what they should be doing? They could be playing better. Bear fans are going to like their head coach being critical of their team right now.

[Dan Bernstein]

Dare he?

[Matt Abaticola]

How can he do that about. That's not fair. I mean, he's not watching the games. How can he say they can play better?

[Dan Bernstein]

Dan, wait till he gets to Caleb. You really want to make people mad.

[Matt Abaticola]

I don't like that. I don't like him being critical of his team. All right. He was asked about the drops in this game yesterday or two days ago.

[Dan Bernstein]

You talked last night about the drops.

[Matt Abaticola]

That you didn't see them in practice.

[Dan Bernstein]

And I'm just curious, from a coaching perspective, as you enter this week, how do you handle some of those drops.

[Matt Abaticola]

In terms of addressing it, not addressing it, Extra practice with the judgment scene, whatever it is.

[Dan Bernstein]

Like, what's your kind of strategy after.

[Ben Johnson]

A game like that? Yeah, my strategy is, you know, like anything, you. You talk about it and then you move on. You learn from it, you move on. You know, when my experience. And I've coached quarterbacks, I've coached receivers, I've coached tight ends on the offensive side. And you can make things worse by going overboard on some of this stuff. And that's not the intent. All those guys, they want to catch the football when it comes their way. And we acknowledge the fact that, hey, there's a few of those that we could have hauled in. We need to do that. Turn the page. Let's keep it moving. And so we're going to be. We're going to be just fine.

[Dan Bernstein]

I get it. Where he doesn't kind of want to speak it into existence. Stop dropping the football. Stop talking hockey.

[Matt Abaticola]

Well, no, it's good.

[Dan Bernstein]

Don't drop the ball anymore.

[Matt Abaticola]

He told us that the intent of the players is to catch the ball, so that's good. I mean, that's. That's half the battle. They all want to catch the ball.

[Dan Bernstein]

Alternative would be a real problem.

[Matt Abaticola]

Yeah, like, coach, I really don't want to catch wide receiver. Get out there.

[Dan Bernstein]

I'd love to try, but I'm. I'm just not interested.

[Matt Abaticola]

I also, like, I wonder if he takes this away from Hallis hall and brings it home. The whole idea of we talk about it, then we move on.

[Dan Bernstein]

Well, it's good parenting. Well, I mean, dwell on stuff.

[Matt Abaticola]

I meant like, as a. As a husband. Honey, we're not spending enough time together. You know what? You're right. We are not spending enough time together. All right, we've talked about it. Now let's move on. Keep it moving. Next topic.

[Dan Bernstein]

I don't know.

[Matt Abaticola]

I think we should talk about it more now. We've talked about it. We moved on.

[Dan Bernstein]

Honey, should we maybe talk about family planning and if we want to use in vitro fertilization? We don't. Next.

[Matt Abaticola]

We've talked about it. Now let's move on. I just like it.

[Dan Bernstein]

That's a football thing. It's, you know, he's a clean desk guy. I like that.

[Matt Abaticola]

All right. He was asked about his play calling and if he needs to get better as a play caller.

[Dan Bernstein]

How are you grading yourself in that area? And why do you think it is.

[Matt Abaticola]

Important to be transparent about that, that you feel like your play calling could have been better in some situations?

[Ben Johnson]

Well, no, it's the first thing you look at when. When things aren't. Aren't clicking. You don't feel like you're in a rhythm as an offense. And so I always look in the mirror. What could I, you know, do a little bit better there? I didn't love our third down plan. When I go back and I looked at it, you know, I thought they did a really nice job defending us, and. And we didn't do enough to counter that. And that's. That's on me. I got to do a better job of that. I know why I did everything in the moment, why I call things. Everything has a reason. And yet when it doesn't, when it doesn't click the way we want it to, then I. I just question whether. Whether I should have done something or done something else. And so, yeah, end of the day, we're all in it together. I want those guys to understand that I take a lot of ownership and what we put on tape, as do they. And so, yeah, it's really important that they understand we're all in the same boat.

[Dan Bernstein]

Bro.

[Matt Abaticola]

Yeah, the bro. So that was something that we discussed on the post game, is you wanted to see him as a head coach come out and say, hey, I need to do better as a play caller. Because we thought there was some missed opportunities in some of his play calls, the way he used the run. And it was interesting to hear him talk about yesterday, how he felt like they weren't efficient running the ball, yet they averaged 5.5 yards of carry.

[Dan Bernstein]

Maybe they just didn't run it enough.

[Matt Abaticola]

Well, then that's. That's on someone who calls the plays.

[Dan Bernstein]

Especially against that defense. Yeah, that was one of my criticisms. One of the things I wrote down when I thought they were going to lose, and I was writing my headlines of why the Bears lost. Bad defense. Too many drops, not enough running plays.

[Matt Abaticola]

Yeah, they ran the ball well. I mean, the stats showed that, and that's that the Giants want you to run the ball against them. And I thought their past defense was. They played better in that game against the past than I thought the Giants would be able to play. There was a lot, A lot of opportunities where I saw guys covered coming out of their routes, at least that.

[Dan Bernstein]

Some of the drops had to be perfect throws to even have been dropped. Yeah. And one that was caught by Colston Loveland critically.

[Matt Abaticola]

But you got that. You, you know, what you wanted. The head coach saying he just didn't do a very good job. And we talked about how he's done that in the past, earlier in the season, but it was more, it seemed like, to cover for guys and how they haven't enough time together. They weren't playing as well as he thought they could play. So he was kind of taking some of that on his. On himself, where when he said this yesterday, he really, he really, I think, was being genuine and transparent, sincere that I need to do a better job.

[Dan Bernstein]

Not to mention, it's hard for a coach sometimes to be as transparent as we desire when it comes to play calling because he knows so much more about the individual players where we know that DeAndre Swift was playing through injuries, and maybe there was a time where God loved her on this Play. But he's. He's. He's sore right now. He told me he needs a breather. Or he told me he's just. Or for DJ Moore, who's playing through an injury.

[Matt Abaticola]

Right.

[Dan Bernstein]

We don't know. And stuff that he would never give away. That always factors in of a guy's like, look, he's. He's hurt. He's not coming out, but he doesn't want to run, blah, blah, blah and blah.

[Matt Abaticola]

Or I just can't do this right.

[Dan Bernstein]

Or I'm knowing that I'm tired right now. I just. I just ran three routes. I didn't get the ball, and he's huffing and puffing, so, you know, don't throw it to me right now because I need a rest.

[Matt Abaticola]

Maybe that's something Matt LaFleur should look into.

[Dan Bernstein]

We'll get to him.

[Matt Abaticola]

Can't make the kick, but might as well go out and make him try.

[Dan Bernstein]

To make the kick. Saw, you can't make the kick, but you know what? Go. Go try it again.

[Ben Johnson]

We're gonna.

[Dan Bernstein]

We tried to get you extra yards, and it just didn't work out. I'm not gonna believe that one. You didn't really try.

[Matt Abaticola]

Here's Ben Johnson talking about Caleb leaving the pocket. Running when it's not a scripted play.

[Ben Johnson]

It'S something that we certainly want to utilize. It's not something that we want to necessarily feature each and every week, but when the opportunity presents itself, we have the ability to capitalize on it.

[Matt Abaticola]

So we talked about that a lot throughout the season. That when he does scramble, does he want him to look downfield, get the ball in the hands of the playmakers, look for those explosive plays? Does he want him to run more? Should it be a quicker reaction to get out of the pocket? Because we know he does all those spinoramas. He is trying to make plays and extend plays out to throw the ball. Should he run more? Should he run quicker? Should he run sooner?

[Dan Bernstein]

If you can get 10 or 15, get it.

[Matt Abaticola]

If there's enough grass in front of.

[Dan Bernstein]

You, if you're running for four, it's probably not worth the hit or worth what. What could happen to you.

[Matt Abaticola]

Yeah, Even when he slides, he gets hit, right?

[Dan Bernstein]

Yeah. And they don't care. But if you can get 10 or 15, go get it.

[Ben Johnson]

It's something that we certainly want to utilize. It's not something that we want to necessarily feature each and every week, but when the opportunity presents itself, we. We have the ability to capitalize on it.

[Matt Abaticola]

All right, then. Last cut from Ben Johnson. This is a longer cut. This is a lengthier cut, and it's with several questions about Caleb's decision making throughout the season. This last game as well, I wanted to ask you about two fourth down throws. The first was the one at the end of the first drive there down into the end zone to DJ and the other was the 4th and 3, I believe it was on with about 9 minutes left.

[Ben Johnson]

Can you take me through the second one again? Who do we throw it to?

[Matt Abaticola]

4Th and 3. You guys are empty.

[Ben Johnson]

Caleb kind of pirouettes left it, winds up throwing it a little high and.

[Matt Abaticola]

Behind Swift, but it looked. Looked like you had Rome on kind of Rome chipped and might have had a kind of a delayed cross or going the other way.

[Ben Johnson]

Yeah, yeah, I got you.

[Matt Abaticola]

Yeah.

[Dan Bernstein]

Okay.

[Matt Abaticola]

Where's the ball ideally supposed to go in in those two situations? And kind of. How do you and Caleb navigate, you know, his improvisational skills, which are great with you being the play caller and, you know, if the ball. If there's a play there to, you know, to throw it?

[Ben Johnson]

Yeah, we talked about. I mean, we just watched the whole game together. He made a number of really, really good plays that we needed in the moment. And there's a. There's a handful of them that, you know, we talked about, and in hindsight, you might play them a little bit different. Same thing for me as a play caller. There's a number of calls that I probably want back in those two particular instances. The first one, we felt like we had enough time to hang in the pocket and throw that ball to DJ without breaking, contain. And it's a balancing act for him. He feels the pressure, and like I've been saying all along, he's got a natural ability to know when to escape and carry on. And that's not something that we want to. We want to take away from his game. But we are encouraging at times when we see it where we can hang in there and either get the throw down the field or check the ball down. So the one to DJ we felt like there was some space over the top there that we might be able to throw him open into in the end zone. And then the second one is, if I remember it right, we had a number of crossers on that play, and I thought a couple guys popped. Um, it's a play that we hit. He threw really well in practice. We felt good about. And it's probably another one that he. He felt like he felt the pressure got out of it, but we could probably hang in there. And deliver that ball down the field.

[Matt Abaticola]

How do you think, in general, he.

[Ben Johnson]

Handles the balance of kind of knowing.

[Matt Abaticola]

When to hit that eject button and. And knowing when to hang in there?

[Ben Johnson]

It's. It's a work in progress. You know, I think the more comfortable he gets within the offense and the more trust he has in his pass catchers, that they're going to be where they're supposed to be, that he'll continue to play within the rhythm and the timing of the concepts. And as we're continuing to grow and develop that trust, there will be times where he takes off and he runs with it. I mean, I thought what he did yesterday in terms of evading that rush, that's. That's a rare quality for most quarterbacks, and I don't know many other in this league that could have done it to the extent that he did yesterday.

[Dan Bernstein]

There are some really interesting rhetorical things that are happening in that. Before we get to the substance of it, I just want to point out. Take note of when Ben Johnson answers a question as we. And when he answers it as he. When it is a specific play and he's discussing decisions made within that play, he's using we.

[Matt Abaticola]

We. Yep.

[Dan Bernstein]

And he's talking about the quarterback and play caller and coach as an entity.

[Matt Abaticola]

Yep.

[Dan Bernstein]

And part of that is to diffuse responsibility. Part of that is to. Is to globalize it, to make it. You can't just pin the responsibility on one person. And I'm not saying he's doing so defensively. It's also an embrace. It's also defining how they look at the game. And I think it matters that he uses that. It's not really a royal we. It is. This is how he's seeing it, and I'm seeing it, and we see it together.

[Matt Abaticola]

I think it also shows thought we.

[Dan Bernstein]

Could hang in the pocket.

[Matt Abaticola]

It shows some investment in what he's doing here, that he's not just the head coach. I'm the CEO. My guys are in charge to do their jobs and run their units. I run my unit how I run my unit. No, that's. That's not what he's doing. He's invested in the development of this one individual player as an NFL quarterback.

[Dan Bernstein]

And it's later in the answer that he says he. Yeah, so he changes that. He originally talks about some of the decisions that are made, and once he's back in the headspace, he defaults to saying we. And I like that. I don't have any problem with it. Don't. Don't. Misinterpret what I'm saying but I do think it is always worth noting when he's saying we and then when he's saying he about specific questions about his quarterback.

[Matt Abaticola]

There was a couple things that really jumped out at me. One of them was when he mentioned the checkdowns and I thought in this game against the Giants was the best and the quickest. I saw Caleb Williams get to his checkdowns whether it's a bat coming out of the backfield or it's a receiver running a less than a 10 yard route and turning, planting, waiting for the ball. I thought he sometimes it's, it's the.

[Dan Bernstein]

It'S the middle of the field stick route. Yeah I thought right in front of the center.

[Matt Abaticola]

I thought he did the best job of these nine games in getting that ball out the quickest to that check down because you know that's not a primary route at all and that's a third or a fourth progression and he, I thought he got to it the fastest of any game. I thought it was outstanding. There was a couple. Manangai had his one drop that was his one target coming out of the backfield. That's on Manungai.

[Dan Bernstein]

He had room to go too.

[Matt Abaticola]

And then there was one bad throw to Swift that Swift got trapped behind the guard or the tackle in the defensive end and was late, was delayed and it was a, it made a tougher throw to get to him. So that's not on Caleb. Outside of that I thought he had his best game reading checkdowns, getting to them the fastest he has so far in nine games. Another thing that Ben Johnson said that jumped out to me was talking about the players and Caleb developing trust. One of the areas he mentioned about that trust was the players being in the areas they're supposed to be. There's still, it's still a struggle. I want to know who, why and when it's happening that why is the quarterback at nine games in with veteran receivers? I know a Dunes is a two year guy but he's your best receiver. D.J. moore, Zacchaeus, who's been in the league for years. Why are they not getting to the spots they need to be at? Why can the quarterback not trust at this time that they're going to be where they need to be?

[Dan Bernstein]

Especially as you start seeing more zone defenses.

[Matt Abaticola]

Yeah.

[Dan Bernstein]

When it is going to be in your control when there isn't somebody lined up right over you that you are going to have an opportunity to get to certain areas where you're Supposed to get. And he said areas, not spots.

[Matt Abaticola]

Yeah, he said areas.

[Dan Bernstein]

Well, if you're not even in the area, that's worse than being in the wrong spot or just being off because of a split.

[Matt Abaticola]

Yeah. And I wonder when I heard that too. And I took it as just using a different word for spot because I don't think. Because if you're not in the area, that's a significant issue.

[Dan Bernstein]

Right. I also like to know how much of that is after he leaves the pocket.

[Matt Abaticola]

Right.

[Dan Bernstein]

Is that scramble rules? Is that what we've been talking about is because in that game so many times when he left the pocket, everything was outward. Everything he's trying to dot has been my receiver or nobody. All racing toward the sideline. That would all have to be spectacular catches. And what we've seen with some of the great improvisers are those across the body, wrong way throws that he has hit before that are more okay when you have a level of trust in the arm, talent and the vision where be in the spots in the soft middle. That's where the yards are.

[Matt Abaticola]

Right.

[Dan Bernstein]

I don't know the answer, but that's. It's worth. It's worth watching and asking more about.

[Matt Abaticola]

Yeah. Any other areas of substance in that longer cut? Is there a longer cut that we know?

[Dan Bernstein]

I was. I was really focused on the pronouns. Yeah. Really focused on when he says what we want to do, what we see, where we want to be on that is much more about the planning. Because what I think once Caleb gets out of there that then it becomes more his play.

[Matt Abaticola]

Yeah.

[Dan Bernstein]

That's much more on what he is, the communication he's got with his receivers, the reps he's had, what. What he knows they want him to do. Because there were a lot of plays where we saw the cutaway afterward of him having conversations with guys. Speed that up. Whatever that evolution is like, get used to it. I want you to be here if it's a read route. If I'm over here, you get over here. If we know they were lined up in a two man and I'm waving, you go.

[Matt Abaticola]

Yeah. I'd have to go back and watch again because there was one play that was a scramble, it was a breakdown play. So we get into that secondary playbook like they've talked about and I can't remember which receiver it is, but they're breaking downfield and it seemed contrarian to everything that we've been seeing so far where it's like come back or go side and not go down deep. So I wonder if there was something they saw differently in this Giants game or maybe that individual player that was on that Bears wide receiver that, hey, if something breaks down, you can take this guy deep because he doesn't follow or doesn't react the same way, or.

[Dan Bernstein]

The more advanced level to that is simply zone or man, and force a defender into conflict, saying that he's. If there are two guys in his area, he can't cover both of them. And you got to force a decision. You both can't go this way. You both can't. One of you go this way, one of you go that way.

[Matt Abaticola]

Right.

[Dan Bernstein]

One of you is going to be open. Right. Because there's only one defender there.

[Matt Abaticola]

Right. We just can't be in the same.

[Dan Bernstein]

Right.

[Matt Abaticola]

Same area. Same area.

[Dan Bernstein]

Maybe that's. Maybe that's exactly it.

[Matt Abaticola]

All right. Looking at the. We have no injury report, no official injury report, but what do we have as far as guys coming out of that game that we heard from Ben Johnson on?

[Dan Bernstein]

All we know is the people who left the game and came back. And from my notes, that would. It happens to DJ Moore every week where.

[Matt Abaticola]

And again, I think that's going to.

[Dan Bernstein]

Be a thing because, you know, he saw.

[Matt Abaticola]

Did you see what that. The J band. He was stretching his hand out.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yes. Yes. It might have been a stinger because they were looking at his shoulder. And then maybe sometimes you get that radiating pain down the arm. And he was trying to stretch. He had that green.

[Matt Abaticola]

That's good call. I don't know if he was doing something with a hand or wrist, but, yeah, shoulder. That's a good.

[Dan Bernstein]

Sometimes you just get a little nerve thing and you gotta sort of reignite everything or what do they call it? Get everything firing again. So he came out and at one point, CJ GJ came out and went back in. He seemed fine after the game. But the other names that we're looking at are the ones that we expect to return. T.J. edwards. They said despite the surgery on his hand that they'd be able to tape that thing up and get him out there. It's the hamstring that was probably the limiting injury because he was listed with both. And then we're just keeping an eye on Kyler Gordon and Jalen Johnson and seeing how they come along when they're going to be moving toward their. Their reactivation. Did you.

[Matt Abaticola]

And I'm sorry to throw this at you without asking in advance, but the snap counts, we can.

[Dan Bernstein]

We can grab.

[Ben Johnson]

Yeah.

[Matt Abaticola]

Grab it real quick. So I want to. I want to look and if you can, off the top of your head, is remembering these. These games. Now, Grady Jarrett and his snap counts.

[Dan Bernstein]

When he plays, because to find things to remember from Grady Jarrett this year, boy.

[Matt Abaticola]

Yeah, I guess my. My question would be, is he. My question is, is he out there too much? But then maybe the snap counts are low enough where it is.

[Dan Bernstein]

All right, Snap counts. What, you want Grady Jarrett from last week?

[Matt Abaticola]

Yeah. Where's he at?

[Dan Bernstein]

Grady Jarrett was at 63%. He had 46 of the 73 defensive snaps. The guys that. This is Kevin Fishbane's Twitter. He always puts this up there. Stevenson, Sewell, Brisker, and Byard at 100%. Gardner, Johnson and Nishan Wright at 99%. Edmonds 93, Austin Booker, 84%. Sweat 71. Jarrett 63, Dexter 58, Billings 55, Ford, Tryon Shoyinka and Williams at 22. Elijah Hicks at 11. Daniel Hardy and DeMarco Jackson at 1%.

[Matt Abaticola]

What was the number of snaps for Showinga?

[Dan Bernstein]

Not the percentage you have the trencher. 16. 16. Okay. 16 snaps for Ford, transferring and Williams.

[Matt Abaticola]

So is 63% for Jared. Is that. Is that too much?

[Dan Bernstein]

I don't know.

[Matt Abaticola]

I mean, given his productivity and his knee that he's dealing with, should it be a little less? Are there. Are there a couple guys there?

[Dan Bernstein]

He's not being listed anymore.

[Matt Abaticola]

No, he's not, but I'm. I can't imagine that. It's. It's not like it's healthy.

[Dan Bernstein]

Or he's just old.

[Matt Abaticola]

Yeah. So is it too much? Maybe a few less.

[Dan Bernstein]

Do you want the offensive snap counts just while we're doing this?

[Matt Abaticola]

Yeah.

[Dan Bernstein]

There were 68 offensive snaps. 100% for the entire offensive line. And Caleb Williams. Then Odunze, 78%, Comet, 66. Loveland, Moore and Swift, 62, Zacchaeus, 57, Burden, 49, Manungai, 38, Durham Smythe, 16, Ozzy Trapillo, 10%.

[Matt Abaticola]

So how many snaps for. For Zacchaeus?

[Dan Bernstein]

39.

[Matt Abaticola]

And then how many for Burden?

[Dan Bernstein]

33. Okay. And if. If they feel Burden can play that specific position, then my. My hope is that we see some shifting around in some of those numbers.

[Matt Abaticola]

Now with the Kevin Fishbane question about the drops, like, what do you do to address it? And, you know, he just said, hey, we talk about it and we move on. And you're not. He's not gonna. He's not going to go overboard with the drops. I'm sure in his brain, it's already forgotten over with. Like, they want to catch it. They didn't Catch it. We're not going to make a big deal out of it.

[Dan Bernstein]

It's also an answer, though. It's not like going into this game, they had a drop.

[Matt Abaticola]

It's been a thing. Right. It's one game. So I wonder two things. Was it the conditions of the game? Was it the game itself that made this. Because it was multiple guys. It wasn't just Zacchaeus.

[Dan Bernstein]

What can those conditions be? The wind?

[Matt Abaticola]

I don't. I don't know. I don't know. It was the coldest game they've played. I don't know. I don't know.

[Dan Bernstein]

Too much velocity. I. What else would cause a drop?

[Matt Abaticola]

What I heard. What I heard in his answer was that nothing's changing anytime soon.

[Dan Bernstein]

I get it.

[Matt Abaticola]

Yeah.

[Dan Bernstein]

I mean, what does it really do if he just starts screaming about dropping like, oh, oh, yeah. Thanks, coach. We're not supposed to drop the ball.

[Matt Abaticola]

Yeah. But I also don't see Burden taking over that spot for Zakiyas anytime soon. I really don't.

[Dan Bernstein]

It's all a matter of trust. But if guys already are not in the correct areas. I just know every time Burden touches the ball, he looks like he moves fast. And because he does, I'm a simpleton that way.

[Matt Abaticola]

Yeah, he runs a lot harder. He's stronger than I anticipated.

[Dan Bernstein]

And the bigger question for me is the return game. At what point can Devin DuVernay not. Not move his legs quickly enough and.

[Matt Abaticola]

He just runs upright and in the guys. Yeah, he does.

[Dan Bernstein]

I see other returners all the time, so.

[Matt Abaticola]

But. But again, we also don't want Burden.

[Dan Bernstein]

Doing that if he's mattering more in the offense.

[Matt Abaticola]

Right.

[Dan Bernstein]

No. Great answer right now, but that's. You thought that that was something that they dealt with. They held the roster spot for him. They played those administrative roster games.

[Matt Abaticola]

Yeah. Where he was off and on.

[Dan Bernstein]

Boy, they got to keep Duvernay. That's the former Pro bowl return man. But when you're not doing anything else and you've got that roster spot and you're not even good at the one thing you do, it could be a problem. I want to go back and address something from yesterday, by the way, my apologies. Was my bad on interpreting that chart that I was reading from the Athletic. We were looking.

[Matt Abaticola]

Was that about the playoff percentages?

[Dan Bernstein]

Yeah, it's super bowl percentage. That's what it was.

[Matt Abaticola]

Oh, okay.

[Dan Bernstein]

The reason why they were low was. It was. It was when the super bowl percentage. And it is why we were looking at who dropped and who rose from the preseason projections. So that's why it wasn't just a make the playoffs percentage.

[Matt Abaticola]

Yeah. Because I was looking at it Last Night on NFL.com and their stats and the playoff picture and.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yes.

[Matt Abaticola]

Yeah. And the Bears right now at, at number six in the playoffs, have like a 40% chance of making the playoffs. And I was like, all right, then what were we looking at yesterday? So that was Super Bowl.

[Dan Bernstein]

Okay, that was so I will. I'll take the.

[Matt Abaticola]

God damn it, Bernstein. Seriously, get stuff right.

[Dan Bernstein]

I will, I will redouble my efforts. And it was, you know, it's a one off. So we're going to move on.

[Ben Johnson]

We're going to.

[Matt Abaticola]

It's all right. You're right.

[Dan Bernstein]

We talk about it, we talk about it. We keep it moving.

[Matt Abaticola]

You made a mistake. Let's just got. That's over and done with now.

[Dan Bernstein]

There we go.

[Ben Johnson]

All right.

[Matt Abaticola]

We're done talking about it. All right, well, let's talk about how bad the packers are.

[Dan Bernstein]

They're bad. Defense good. Although Micah Parsons did. He should have been called for tripping, right?

[Matt Abaticola]

Yes, 100%.

[Dan Bernstein]

You can't do that.

[Matt Abaticola]

It was, it was missed or just ignored one of the two.

[Dan Bernstein]

You can't swing your legs out like that to trip a guy.

[Matt Abaticola]

Yeah, he got, he got Barkley.

[Dan Bernstein]

So I thought. Yeah, all right. I'm just making sure.

[Matt Abaticola]

No, they, they, they, they missed it, obviously. Because, I mean, why, why would any sets of official eyes. Eyes be on the ball carrier with the ball?

[Dan Bernstein]

Like, why would you watch Steve Lubington.

[Matt Abaticola]

Lud Ludman. L E U D E M A N Ludman.

[Dan Bernstein]

Something like that.

[Matt Abaticola]

Yeah, yeah, that was just a missed, A missed call.

[Dan Bernstein]

Okay.

[Matt Abaticola]

And that happens sometimes, Dan. And sometimes. You know, I know quarterbacks get kneed in the back of the head while they slide to give themselves up.

[Dan Bernstein]

Told that you're not allowed to do that by. In any way, shape or form.

[Matt Abaticola]

Sometimes it gets missed.

[Dan Bernstein]

But there is. There are already questions being asked about their handsome young coach and their general manager, Brian Guta Kunst. So Matt lafleur is facing some difficult questions about why that offense cannot produce. Meanwhile, did you know that there's a whole cottage industry in Matt LaFleur? Like romantic fan fiction?

[Matt Abaticola]

Yeah.

[Dan Bernstein]

There are a lot of women in.

[Matt Abaticola]

Wisconsin that love Matt LaFleur.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yeah, I didn't really know about this stuff, so I showed his picture to my wife. I'm like, is there anything like, is he remarkably handsome? She goes, no, he's a decent looking guy.

[Matt Abaticola]

Yeah, he's a handsome guy. He's fine.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yeah, that's what she said he looks like a guy. You know, it's fine.

[Matt Abaticola]

He's no Andy Reid, but he's. He's handsome.

[Dan Bernstein]

Now that would be funny if there were similarly romantic fan fiction like bodice rippers being written about Andy Reid.

[Matt Abaticola]

I bet there are. Just with the COVID with.

[Dan Bernstein]

He's got hair flowing like Fabio.

[Matt Abaticola]

Yeah. He's holding a big sandwich.

[Dan Bernstein]

Right. Except he's romancing a cheeseburger. Instead of a fair maiden with her heaving bosom, it's a giant cheeseburger that he's looking at. Could be a movie title on a windswept hill.

[Matt Abaticola]

Romancing the cheeseburger.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yeah. Oh, he would.

[Matt Abaticola]

The packers are 10th and passing yards in the NFL. They are sixth in yards per attempt. Yards per attempt at 7.9. Okay, 25 passing touchdowns, two interceptions. No, no, no, no, wait.

[Dan Bernstein]

13.

[Matt Abaticola]

Sorry, 13 and three. I just don't know why. Obviously their offensive line, they were struggling.

[Dan Bernstein]

On the interior to block. And they've had some injuries there too.

[Matt Abaticola]

They've had 14 sacks of their quarterbacks, but still in the top 10 in passing. But they just don't, they don't look like they're really clicking it all on the same page, if I can use all of Ben Johnson's terms.

[Dan Bernstein]

And there were too many passes that I'm seeing from Love that he.

[Matt Abaticola]

That were just bad.

[Dan Bernstein]

Really bad.

[Matt Abaticola]

Yeah.

[Dan Bernstein]

When he is open, guys, he's throwing it to the wrong side. There was one really weird one where Josh Jacobs, who, he runs super hard and he has to because he's, he's getting contact. It appears as soon as he touches the ball, but boy, when he keeps his legs going. There was one really weird play where he, he turned the wrong way completely last night and it looked just like he had yardage in the flat and he almost like turned back to it. It was, it reminded me of like a basketball screener turning the wrong way on a roll. It was, it was, it was very, very strange. I want to remind people too, especially if they're looking at, at Matty's brand new sweatshirt there that we are brought to you by Beer Church Brewing New Buffalo's brewery pizzeria in a historic church. It's wood fired Neapolitan pizza. It's small batch craft beer. It's brunch every day. Visit beerchurchbrewing.com I gotta get one of those. If they've got the fishing shirts, like the long sleeve dry fit.

[Matt Abaticola]

Yeah. So it was like highlighter yellow and it had blue right on the top here. It Said beer church. And it was the lightweight. Like spf.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Matt Abaticola]

The things I wear every day.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yes.

[Matt Abaticola]

And it was a beer church fishing shirt. Large. They just didn't have, okay, my size.

[Dan Bernstein]

That. That's what John.

[Matt Abaticola]

Because I saw those in the corner and I'm like, all right, well, that's.

[Ben Johnson]

That's what I'm getting.

[Dan Bernstein]

I'm a walking billboard. Because starting in, like March, because you actually fish.

[Matt Abaticola]

I just. I just wear fishing shirts without fishing fish.

[Dan Bernstein]

Where all the people are like, I'm everybody. They probably know me as the. As the weirdo fishing.

[Matt Abaticola]

I love one of the comments yesterday because I had my orange. My orange, yellow and white. It looked like it's like it's all multicolor. And my white Sox hat.

[Dan Bernstein]

Brilliant.

[Matt Abaticola]

And the comment was I looked like I was in a parole hearing. Like a video online parole hearing. My orange jumpsuit. But what you couldn't see was the middle yellow. The bottom is white. And even Natalie was like, you look. Natalie's like, you look very summery today. On a day with 6 inches of snow in the yard.

[Dan Bernstein]

You did have kind of a creamsicle thing going on.

[Matt Abaticola]

Yeah, but my all white, white socks hat.

[Dan Bernstein]

Rehabilitated.

[Matt Abaticola]

Yeah. Yeah. Well, because when we were done. When we were done recording, I had to go to my hearing. My pearl hearing.

[Dan Bernstein]

You just go ahead and stamp your forms.

[Ben Johnson]

That's pretty good.

[Matt Abaticola]

All right.

[Dan Bernstein]

Talk some sense into them, Dan.

[Matt Abaticola]

Do you know the NFL team currently that does that has never had a 4,000 yard pass?

[Dan Bernstein]

Oh, I do. I know it quite well. That's your Chicago Bears.

[Matt Abaticola]

All right, so you know that Caleb, with his season Last year of 35.

[Dan Bernstein]

41 was just underneath Eric Kramer's of 1995.

[Matt Abaticola]

95, actually, he was fifth. Fifth all time. Caleb Williams at 35, 41. Okay, so it goes. Eric Kramer in 95, Jay Cutler in 14, Jay Cutler in 09. Jay Cutler in 15, Caleb Williams in 20, 24 at 3541 yards. Okay, so just looking at his season right now, so he currently has 2,136 yards through nine games. Do you know, Dan, would you guess where that ranks on all time, all time Bears single season leaders through nine games. So he's at 21, 36.

[Dan Bernstein]

I don't know.

[Matt Abaticola]

Yeah, no, this is fourth. Oh, no, no, no, no, no, no. For like all time. So in the all time, single season, passing leaders, that's 34th. So the thing about all the seasons the Bears have had all the quarterbacks.

[Dan Bernstein]

Wait a second. I thought you meant the number through nine games. No, no, no, no. As the. As where it ranked through nine games. Just looking at his total right now, through nine games, that total is 34. In season, all time.

[Matt Abaticola]

Yes. In Bears history.

[Dan Bernstein]

Unbelievable.

[Matt Abaticola]

Halfway through a season, he's 34th all time on the list. Okay, so looking at. To see what, what is it that, that he needs to get to 4,000 yards. He is 1864 yards away is what he needs. Okay.

[Dan Bernstein]

And seven games.

[Matt Abaticola]

He's averaging eight games.

[Dan Bernstein]

Oh, there's. God darn it.

[Matt Abaticola]

Yeah, I know. So, yeah, he gets an extra game out of it too. So he's averaging 237.

[Dan Bernstein]

3, 24. 24. I got 233 yards per game.

[Matt Abaticola]

Okay.

[Dan Bernstein]

Is that right?

[Matt Abaticola]

Yeah. So then he gets to. So he's at 1864. He does that. That'll get him to 1896. That would get him over if he keeps that average up. Okay. Be the first time they ever have a 4,000 yard passer. So just looking at the. The four that were ahead of him. Eric Kramer and then three seasons from Jay Cutler. Eric Kramer in 1995, after nine games had 2,260. Eric Kramer, in order, had 2365, 2,353. 2,310. So he's. He's a few hundred yards off pace of Jay Cutler, who Never finished at 4,000. He is currently about 130 off of Eric Kramer's pace after nine games.

[Dan Bernstein]

All right, well, let's get to it.

[Matt Abaticola]

But he needs to keep that, that pace going.

[Dan Bernstein]

Let's get moving.

[Matt Abaticola]

So how does that count though, with an extra game?

[Dan Bernstein]

That's up to you, I guess as an individual fan. It's not like baseball where everybody gets all crazy about what individual stats mean or season stats mean. No one really seems to care as the passing stats have been so inflated. Anyway, What I would love to see, honestly, are plus stats. I'd love to see, however, the linear weights. And much like what we see with weighted runs created, plus OPS plus, where you can get a simple number that factors everything in as far as the era, as far as the yard environment, the scoring environment, the passing environment. If. And football can't. But if football could come up with a way to do a plus stat where any point over 100, any point under 100 is above or below the average of that environment of production.

[Ben Johnson]

But.

[Dan Bernstein]

So I don't know. I don't. They're all counting stats, so who knows?

[Matt Abaticola]

Well, get it figured out.

[Dan Bernstein]

Well, it's not my job I'm not good at that stuff.

[Matt Abaticola]

But you're good at numbers, though.

[Dan Bernstein]

No, I'm not. I'm good at words. I'm not good at numbers. I'm good at letters. I'm good at words. I'm not. I can understand what numbers are trying to do when they're explained to me, but actual calculation of stuff. I couldn't tell you what linear weighting actually means. I couldn't like, diagram something like that and show you what any of it means. So I can't help you in that regard.

[Matt Abaticola]

So in looking at the Caleb Williams, his quest for 4,000 yards in a season, it brought me out looking at other teams in the NFL, this was really surprising to me that the Philadelphia Eagles have only had one season with their quarterback going over 4,000 yards ever. Ever. Which I was really surprised by.

[Dan Bernstein]

Was it the Polish rifle?

[Ben Johnson]

Who's that?

[Dan Bernstein]

Ron Jaworski?

[Matt Abaticola]

It was not. So Donovan McNabb is number two and number three on the list all time. 3916. 3875. Jalen Hurts is fourth. Randall Cunningham fifth. Carson went six. Sam Bradford. Was it Sonny Jurgensen? Jalen Hurts, Donovan. That's your top ten. The number one. Nick. The only time that a Eagles quarterback's gone over 4,000 yards.

[Dan Bernstein]

Sure.

[Matt Abaticola]

4,039. Yeah. Carson Wentz.

[Dan Bernstein]

Huh?

[Matt Abaticola]

I was really, really surprised with. With Hertz and with Cunningham and McNabb that they never went over 4,000 yards.

[Dan Bernstein]

All right. So the Bears aren't the only miserable passing franchise out there.

[Matt Abaticola]

Correct.

[Dan Bernstein]

Okay.

[Matt Abaticola]

It's also the Philadelphia Eagles and their leader all time, Carson Wentz.

[Dan Bernstein]

Amazing. It doesn't make me feel that much better. Because they're a recent super bowl winner.

[Matt Abaticola]

No, it shouldn't make you feel any better. And then we get to see them soon, don't we?

[Dan Bernstein]

Indeed. And so we were watching that awful Monday night game and don't go back and watch that stupid ending. Just that the whole last couple of minutes of that game, which is some of the dumbest football you're ever going to see. Yeah.

[Matt Abaticola]

Just listen to DBU and you can get a full play by play.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yeah, I went through it. My friend texted me yesterday. He said for that performance, everybody. He said, everybody should lose a finger.

[Matt Abaticola]

That was the best line.

[Dan Bernstein]

I said everybody. That both teams should get into a tiny little car and drive out of the stadium as fast as possible. And then off a bridge.

[Matt Abaticola]

Off a bridge.

[Dan Bernstein]

His response was, everyone involved should lose a finger.

[Matt Abaticola]

Yes. I think that's good.

[Dan Bernstein]

That is forward progress on this Tuesday brought to you by Beer Church Ted.

[Matt Abaticola]

2:19 219Forward progress, a Chicago Bears podcast with Dan Bernstein and Matt Abeticola on 3one2 Sports.

[Dan Bernstein]

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[Matt Abaticola]

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[Dan Bernstein]

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[Dan Bernstein]

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[Matt Abaticola]

Save up to 70 off early Black Friday deals. Shop now at wayfair.com wayfair every style, every home.