Forward Progress – A Chicago Bears Podcast

Episode: Caleb Williams and the offense need to play much better if Bears want to win

Host: Dan Bernstein (B), Matt Abbatacola (A)
Date: January 5, 2026
Podcast Network: 312 Sports

Episode Overview

This episode focuses on the Chicago Bears’ frustrating loss to the Detroit Lions in the regular season finale, the state of the team heading into the playoffs, and pointed critiques of both the offense and defense—especially the need for improvement as they prepare to face the Packers. Dan and Matt break down coaching decisions, player performances, team trends, and organizational accountability, all in their unfiltered, analytical style.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Bears’ Season: Achievement & Disappointment

• Surprise Success: An 11-6 finish, first in the NFC North, and the #2 seed in the NFC—remarkable for a team with significant rookie contributions (01:04).
• Notable Rookies: Standout performances from Colson Loveland, Kyle Monungai, Luther Burden, DeAndre Swift (career year), and undrafted Jade Walker (02:19).
• Historic Context: First division title since 2018 and a shot at beating the Packers in the playoffs for the first win since 2010 (01:04).
• Letdowns: Losses bookending the season frustrate, especially Week 1 against the Vikings and Week 18’s poor start against the Lions (03:57).
• Highs and Lows: "In the middle you have those, those 13 games that the Bears went 11 and two. You know, I'm not going to complain about that... Overall, this was a spectacular season." – Matt (06:12).

2. Dissecting the Lions Loss & Playoff Implications

• Critical Offense: Bears fell behind 16-0 before rallying, raising questions about slow starts and urgency (00:24, 04:47).
• Coaching Choices: Other playoff teams (Packers, Eagles) rested starters, but Ben Johnson played starters—and was “peeved” post-loss (00:24, 05:47).
• Quote: “We put out a real stinker for the first three quarters and they had to come back with great urgency… That was just really disappointing with so much on the line.” – Matt (05:47).

3. Ben Johnson’s Postgame Presser: Accountability & Tone

• Emotional Shift: Unusually candid and frustrated Ben Johnson addresses media—“He’s pissed. He’s super. Rightfully so.” – Matt (19:18).
• Coach's Assessment:
  • “We can't dig ourselves in a hole like that... I was disappointed with the offense as a whole.” – Ben Johnson (12:50)
  • “We gotta play better. We gotta coach better going forward as well.” (12:01)
  • “We can't afford to have a phase, one of our three phases play like we did today, and so we're gonna have to pick it up.” (15:29)
• Direct Questions, Blunt Answers:
  • Why punt late? “We had three timeouts and felt like we’re going to get the ball back.” (13:42)
  • Offense issues? “I did not. I was not pleased with the offense today… points scored. Sixteen.” (16:32, 16:41)
  • Was game plan “simpler,” and did you hold back? “Nope. Nope.” (16:36)
• Matt’s Critique: “He didn't make one heck of a play. He looked more like the receiver more than DJ Moore did.” (14:44)

4. Power Structure & Defensive Responsibility

• Ben Johnson Focused on Offense: Dan wonders if Johnson is “essentially abdicating defensive responsibility after a game like that” (20:04, 35:44).
• Why Not Criticize Defense?: Discussion on whether Johnson implicitly trusts Dennis Allen (defensive coordinator) or truly believes the defense is maxing out its potential (20:04–22:16).
• Jaquan Brisker Calls Out Coaching: “One of your veteran leaders said it… 'We were playing a whole bunch of man today. No help in the middle… They just out-schemed us. Just being honest.'” – Dan quoting Brisker (24:07).
• Stat Breakdown: Last three games – Bears defense gave up 1,313 yards (514 rushing, 799 passing) but offense scored more touchdowns than it allowed (26:49).

5. Offensive Standards & Playoff Hopes

• Expecting More: Despite top-10 offensive output this season, Johnson “expects more from his offense because he needs the offense to carry more weight if they're going to win a playoff game” (21:00–21:23).
• Matt’s Analysis: “Maybe he realizes this is just the best this defense can do. Therefore, our offense... needs the offense to carry more weight if they're going to win a playoff game.” (21:00)

6. Accountability & Access

• Reporter Frustration: Dan bemoans NFL hiding coaches (Dennis Allen won’t be available until Thursday): “As much as they talk about accountability, that's one area where it's just lacking in the NFL. You're right now they're hiding people...” (36:30)
• Calls for Directness: “His job is to see everything. And I've got to know, I've got to be reassured that the head coach also understands that his defense let him down.” – Dan (25:17)

7. Tactics, Scheme, and Game Planning

• Why So Much Man Coverage?: Bears played more man-to-man defense despite injuries and less speed; Dan and Matt question the strategy (31:58).
  • “You don’t, you know, blitzing against good quarterbacks is going to get you killed.” – Dan (32:13)
  • “I just, I would love to know, I really want to know, like, what the decision was to do that though. Like, why are we going to play more man against these guys knowing that we haven't generated a significant pass rush all year long?” – Matt (34:04)
• Ben Johnson’s Simpler Game Plan:
  • Could simplicity reflect holding back, or is it just what the week required? “Some weeks we have a more convoluted way of reaching where we want to go. And this week…ended up looking simple.” – Dan (30:50)

8. Lighter Moments & Fan Perspective

• On Dan Campbell's Failed Trick Plays: “I love that he tried it… I was very satisfied as a Bears fan that those didn’t work and he tried putting them in.” – Matt (40:04)
• Energy for Playoff Showdown with Packers:
  • “It's going to be higher… The Bears, first playoff game since 2018. They haven't won a playoff game since 2010, and you're playing the Packers.” – Matt (41:08)
  • Cheese Grater fans and game day atmosphere jokes (41:30)

9. NFL Coaching Carousel & Playoff Brackets

• Whacking Day: Giants, Titans, Falcons, Cardinals, Browns, Raiders seeking new head coaches (07:11). Debates on possible hires (07:48) and Bears staff stability (43:50).
• Playoff Picture and Speculative Picks:
  • Bears-Packers as Saturday night feature, hypothetical NFC Championship matchups (47:25)
  • “If the Niners were somehow to beat Seattle in Seattle and the Bears beat the Rams, you would have the Niners going to Soldier Field for the NFC Championship game.” – Matt (47:57)

10. Quarterback Stats and Award Debate

• Caleb Williams vs. Drake May: Critique of fan “counting stats” claims comparing the Bears’ rookie to Patriots’ May, advocating for per-game “rate stats” (48:56).
• Awards Picks: Staff preferences for Coach of the Year (“I think Liam Cohen deserves that... But I think, I think Liam Cohen deserves that. The fact that not only they're not even an afterthought. The Jacksonville Jaguars.” – Matt, 51:32) and MVP.

Notable Quotes by Segment

• On Bears' Season Recap
  "Just looking overall at the entire year for this Chicago Bears team, thoroughly unexpected 11 and 6. They finished first in the NFC North. They are the number two seed in the NFC playoff bracket. So it was just a remarkable, entertaining, fun season..." – Matt (01:04)

• On Ben Johnson’s Accountability
  “We got to play better. We got to coach better going forward as well.” – Ben Johnson (12:01)

• On Defense Struggles
  “Some teams, they rest their starters. We don’t. We play football…we felt like it was really important that we were playing our best ball here today and we didn’t get that job done.” – Ben Johnson (13:09)
  "When your defense has given up 1300 yards in the last three games... Jaquan Brisker called out the coaching. He said it... They just out-schemed us. Just being honest." – Dan (24:07)

• On Why the Offense Was Flat
  “...That's one that we'll have to take a look at the tape and figure out why that was. I didn't feel like it was one of our more elaborate plans. I thought it was one of our simpler plans.” – Ben Johnson (14:18)

• On Coaching Dynamics
  “You're the head coach of the whole team. Call out that defense. Unless, and this is what I'm trying to figure out, is it possible, as we try to do this intelligently, is it possible he believes the defense is giving absolutely everything it can...” – Dan (20:04)

• On Playoff Energy
  "I think that the Bears fans are not going to match that, but they're going to exceed that energy that they brought to that last packers game." – Matt (41:45)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Season Overview & Roster Standouts: 01:04–02:47
• Loss to Lions, Playoff Rest Debates: 03:57–07:11
• NFL Whacking Day Head Coach Carousel: 07:11–10:22
• Ben Johnson Presser Playback & Critique: 11:11–19:18
• Offense vs. Defense Accountability: 19:18–26:49
• Defensive Breakdown & Jaquan Brisker Quotes: 24:07–26:49
• Statistical Trends (Yards/Touchdowns Last 3 Games): 26:49–27:34
• Game Planning, Man Coverage, Coaching Interviews: 31:58–35:44
• Fan Perspective & Playoff Hype: 40:04–41:45
• Playoff Picture & Speculation: 47:25–48:56
• Quarterback Comparison & Awards Talk: 48:56–52:24

Tone, Language & Style

The episode maintains the candid, passionate, and occasionally irreverent tone Dan and Matt are known for, mixing deep football analysis with the emotional ups and downs of Bears fandom. Their language is authentic, accessible, and at times humorous, particularly when discussing rivalries, fan culture, and league-wide absurdities.

Summary for Listeners

If you missed this episode:

• The Bears ended a surprisingly successful regular season on a frustrating note, raising big questions about offensive urgency and defensive ceiling.
• Head coach Ben Johnson faced the media’s ire, especially over a lackluster offensive performance, but avoided public criticism of the defense—prompting debate over his leadership style and division of responsibility.
• Defensive woes and coaching decisions loom large heading into the playoffs, with player leaders questioning scheme.
• The city’s energy is building for a massive playoff showdown with Green Bay, but fans, media, and coaches all agree: the offense (and team) must play much better to have real postseason success.

Forward Progress remains the place where Chicago football’s triumphs, heartbreaks, and controversies are dissected, celebrated, and questioned—with as much passion as any Bears fan can muster.