Caleb Williams delivers against the Packers - leads Bears to the playoffs

Summary

Forward Progress - A Chicago Bears Podcast

Episode Title: Caleb Williams delivers against the Packers – Leads Bears to the Playoffs
Hosts: Dan Bernstein & Matt Abbatacola
Date: December 22, 2025

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Episode Overview

In this pivotal episode, Dan and Matt break down the Chicago Bears’ thrilling victory over the Packers, which clinched their playoff berth and advanced their season record to 11–4. The duo dissect Caleb Williams’ performance, explore why this Bears team feels different (and not a fluke), and give extensive insight into Ben Johnson’s game plans and leadership. Listeners get both a deep analytical dive and plenty of raw fan emotion about the Bears’ playoff breakthrough, the AFC/NFC landscape, and the pressures and mindset driving Chicago forward.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Bears Clinch Playoffs with Win Over Packers ([02:10])

• Bears now 11–4, securing their spot in the NFC playoffs.
• Dan notes the historic improbability: “The Bears are... one of five NFC teams that have clinched a playoff spot. There’s only two remaining in the NFC. Two up for grabs.” – Matt ([02:27])
• Discussion of playoff standings and contenders across both conferences.

2. Is This Bears Team Legit? Fluky or for Real? ([03:35] – [09:16])

• Statistical Analysis: Dan cites Mike Sando/Athletic research that since 2000, the Bears are the only team among 319 who have a winning record in games where they’ve trailed in the final two minutes 10 or more times.

  “Winning from behind is not a sustainable formula. Enjoy it while it lasts. And I am. I absolutely am.” – Dan ([04:58])

• Recap of fan doubts—“burning it all down” during comebacks.
• Matt insists recent stretch (Eagles win, domination of Browns, two against the Packers) proves it isn’t a fluke:

  “These last four weeks show me that this is not a fluke team. This is a team that can win the Super Bowl this year.” – Matt ([09:13])

3. Defensive Issues: Pass Rush Concerns ([09:21])

• Discussion of the Bears’ defensive front, issues with pass rush, and Montez Sweat’s highlight sack.
• Dan points out inconsistency: “That front four isn’t... it’s non-existent in the run... there’s no pass rush for the front four.” ([09:24])
• Both agree more aggressiveness—“I'd rather he be too violent and too stupid than the opposite.” – Dan on Austin Booker ([10:01])

4. Ben Johnson's Philosophy and Game Management

A. Keeping Team Poise in Big Moments ([12:15])

“We got a lot of guys that don’t have playoff experience... We talk about keeping our poise and what it takes to win these games. And, you know, I think we’re going to continue to get better and learn how to handle [the moment]...” – Ben Johnson ([12:38])

• Focus on mental composure, with criticism reserved for “stupid” penalties (DeMarco Jackson, Jalen Johnson), not for aggressive play that didn’t lead to points.

B. Play Calling: Fourth and One “Cute” Play ([16:01])

• Ben Johnson describes adding trick plays late in the practice week; the failed snap was just poor execution, not a poor call.
• Dan emphasizes the need for fans (and himself) to adjust to Johnson’s aggressive, innovative style:

  “I know it myself that I'm going to have to learn how to change and accept some of that stuff because that’s what the Bears hired.” (Dan, [20:01])

C. Ben Johnson's Emotional Control ([20:40])

• Johnson deliberately maintains “steady Eddie” composure on the sideline.

  “My job on game day is... not only just call the offensive plays but make sure that we’re managing our timeouts correctly and the penalties and everything... it’s hard to do that if I get too emotionally up and down. That’s just what I’ve learned about myself over the years.” – Ben Johnson ([20:42])

• Discussion of how various coaching temperaments have succeeded in the NFL.

5. Caleb Williams’ Leadership & Mindset

A. O-Line Nicknames—“The Avengers” ([25:16])

• Caleb Williams refers to his O-Line as “The Avengers,” giving out individual nicknames (“Hulk,” “Red Hulk,” and “Dr. Strange”).

  “...to the offensive line, I was just, you know, giving my thanks of Hawk and Red Hulk and Dr. Strange and all those guys.” – Caleb ([26:11])

• Dan and Matt theorize who matches with which nickname, giving fans a look at team culture.

B. Next Steps in Caleb’s Development ([29:57])

• Matt: “What’s the next step in Caleb’s progression?”
• Dan: “Make the layups and improve your timing. That’s it.”
• Deep dive into Williams’ ability to stay even-keeled, his elite performance on 3rd down when trailing, and how Ben Johnson might “unlock” that pressure game mentality in all phases.

  “When the stakes are higher and the pressure is greater, his breathing gets calmer, his heart rate goes down. He lives for those moments and we see that on display.” – Matt ([30:24])

• Extensive stats: “On third down when trailing this season... 7 TD (1st), 144.7 rating (1st), 71.1% completions (2nd), 10.5 YPA (3rd), no INTs (7:0)” – Matt ([33:06])

6. In-Game and Around-the-League Quirks ([40:01] onward)

• Pro Bowl voting: Bears lead all NFL teams in votes for their players, with Caleb Williams 4th overall ([40:33]).
• Fun banter about strange endings to games, officiating inconsistencies, and peculiarities in gameplay strategy.
• Concerns and commentary on player safety and concussions after notable in-game incidents ([48:44]).

7. Culture Moments: Cheese Grater Hat ([50:07])

• Bears’ “cheese grater” hats, a nod to their rivalry with Packers fans (“cheeseheads”), become locker room discussion.

  “Get over it. You lost. Go grate your cheese. You’re fine.” – Dan ([50:03])

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Memorable Quotes & Moments

“The Bears are the only one of the 319 teams over 25 years to trail in the final two minutes 10+ times and have a winning record... Enjoy it while it lasts. And I am.” – Dan ([04:58])

“People were done with Ben Johnson. Caleb Williams, this isn't the guy. Put in Bajans. Whatever. You left those voicemails that are now our property!” – Dan ([05:53])

“These last four weeks show me... This is a team that can win the Super Bowl this year.” – Matt ([09:13])

“My job on game day is... not only just call the offensive plays but make sure that we’re managing our timeouts correctly and the penalties and everything... it’s hard to do that if I get too emotionally up and down. That’s just what I’ve learned about myself over the years.” – Ben Johnson ([20:42])

“To the offensive line, I was just, you know, giving my thanks of Hulk and Red Hulk and Dr. Strange and all those guys.” – Caleb Williams ([26:11])

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Important Timestamps

| Timestamp | Segment | |-----------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------| | 02:10 | Bears clinch playoff spot: reactions and standings | | 03:35 | Is the Bears’ late-game magic sustainable or fluky? | | 04:58 | Statistical evidence for/against Bears' comeback success | | 09:16 | Defensive worries: pass rush and front four analysis | | 12:18 | Ben Johnson on team poise and penalties | | 16:01 | Fourth-and-one play: philosophy, criticism, learning | | 20:42 | Ben Johnson: keeping emotions steady | | 25:16 | Caleb Williams “Avengers” O-line nicknames | | 29:57 | Discussion: The next step in Caleb Williams’ progression | | 33:06 | Williams’ clutch stats: elite 3rd down/trailing performance | | 40:33 | Bears’ dominance in Pro Bowl fan voting | | 50:07 | Cheese grater hat: culture and rivalry with Packers fans |

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Final Thoughts

This episode captures the momentum, skepticism, and excitement buzzing through the Bears’ franchise and fanbase as they reach the playoffs led by rookie star Caleb Williams and orchestrated by analytical whiz Ben Johnson. Dan and Matt provide an expert blend of stats, scheme breakdowns, and humor, all while holding the team—and themselves—accountable to the high standards of Chicago football. If you’re looking for both deep football insight and the emotion of living and dying with the Bears, this is essential listening.

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Transcript

[A]

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[B]

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[C]

I mean, if you're a Bears fan.

[D]

You'Re thinking forward progress. Come on. 10. 219. 219.

[C]

Forward Progress. A Chicago Bears podcast with Dan Bernstein and Matt Abeticola on 312 Sports.

[D]

We give you forward progress here on 312 Sports. It's a Chicago Bears podcast. Dan Bernstein, Matt Abaticola and the. Why are you shaking your head?

[C]

I just. I can't believe it.

[D]

Oh, okay. I thought something went wrong in the open. You looked mad and you know, I just.

[C]

I can't believe it. Okay.

[D]

I thought we were having to redo the open. No, no. Okay. You freaked me out.

[C]

Sorry, buddy.

[D]

Okay. Yeah, because I had. I was. Now I forgot what I was going to say. Other than the fact that the bears are 11 and 4 and still vying for supremacy in the North. But thanks to the problems that the Detroit Lions had at the end of that game, the Bears are in the playoffs.

[C]

Yeah. They are one of five NFC teams that have clinched a playoff spot. There's only two remaining in the NFC. Two up for grabs. Seahawks currently number one. The Bears two. Eagles three. Rams are five. The 49ers are six. The Panthers and Packers are in place to claim the fourth and seventh spots in the afc. It's only the Broncos and Patriots that have clinched at 1 and 2 in the hunt are the Jaguars, which is just mind boggling. The Steelers, Jaguars are good. They're a great defense.

[D]

They're good.

[C]

Unbelievable defense. Steelers are Ford, Chargers 5, Bills 6 and Texans 7. So looking on the outside, looking in right now in the AFC is just wild. The Colts, the Ravens, obviously we know the Chiefs have been eliminated.

[D]

Ravens are done, right?

[C]

No, they're still in the hunt.

[D]

Okay. Are you sure?

[C]

I thought that's what the NFL.com has. Okay. So unless the NFL is incorrect.

[D]

Okay.

[C]

Yeah, yeah. They still have the Colts and Ravens on the bubble, the Lions and Buccaneers on the bubble. Just wild. But yeah, I was shaking my head because I just, I can't believe The Bears are 11 and four clinched a spot yesterday.

[D]

Yeah. This is. Now the key is just to make sure that this isn't fluky, to make sure it's real. And with all the excitement and all the comebacks we now, now everything is ratcheted up and the super bowl standard to which we hold the Bears all, all the time and that everything is judged through the standard of how is Ben Johnson going to lead this team to a Super bowl championship. Now it's more immediate. Now you're trying to figure out how can they win the super bowl this year.

[C]

So what, what, what would make it. Because you just said that. What would like to show that this isn't fluky? Like what would it make? What would it take for you? And maybe it already has for you and you were just speaking in general terms there. But what would make it for you.

[D]

Not be flukey to not have to stage these comebacks?

[C]

Okay.

[D]

I mean primarily just the way they're doing it and there because there's some numbers here that Mike Sando put together with the athletic. He said according to true media, the Bears are the 319th team since the year 2000. So the last quarter century 319 teams have trailed in the final two minutes 10 or more times in a season. They're the only one of the 319 to have a winning record in those games.

[C]

Seriously? Yeah.

[D]

Wow. They have four comebacks from 10 or more points behind. And what Sando says here is that Kansas City's year over year results in one score games have demonstrated that regression is real. Winning from behind is not a sustainable formula. Enjoy it while it lasts. And I am. I absolutely am. But you can't have these games like that one. And you know, really what I should. I want to save every message that came in to the 312 sports app. During the game, right before the comeback. You think people get mad?

[C]

People get mad at us, right?

[D]

I've got the receipts. Yeah, I've got all your receipts. You left us messages.

[C]

People were done.

[D]

You left us messages. Burning it all down.

[C]

Yep, they were. They were done with Ben Johnson.

[D]

Caleb, this is the wrong guy. Caleb Williams. This isn't the guy. Put in Bajans. Whatever, Whatever you want. You left those voice messages that are now our property. So if you want to get mad at us, you can. But we're saving all the receipts, all the voicemails you sent in, all of the things that you sent to the app. And thank you for doing it. We appreciate you doing it.

[C]

Yeah, for sure.

[D]

But they're all there. I'm done with this team. This is a mistake. I can't believe that they got so badly outplayed by the Packers.

[C]

Oh, just look at the comments in our. Our YouTube post game show that were there before we started the show. Yep.

[D]

I mean, it's all there. Yes, it's all there.

[C]

So I get what you're saying and I don't totally disagree with it, and obviously the numbers are there to back it up, but for me, it was the Eagles game that started for me, that this wasn't a fluke. That's the Eagles game. Did it for me. Then you have the first packers game, which they had a shitty first half, but the second half was very different. Obviously, regardless of what the scheme was that was different, they were still there, had a shot, Caleb made a bad throw, they come out and they just destroy the Browns, who have been competitive for most of their games this year. They destroy the Browns and then they beat the packers at home in the fashion they did again.

[D]

Yeah, but the first.

[C]

It's not. It's not sustainable.

[D]

Almost the entire game against the packers argues against that because of how bad they were.

[C]

But here's the thing, though. This scheme was set up in a way and it really played into their hands when Jordan Love goes down because Malik Willis isn't Jordan Love. He does some things that are different and better than Jordan Love, but he's not Jordan Love.

[D]

And they had to react to the run threat.

[C]

They had to react to that and they had to change a little bit their plan going into this game. And all you have to do is watch it to see this was the whole, we're going to give up whatever it takes, 20 to 20.

[D]

And they were over five.

[C]

Over five or touchdowns in the red zone. That was their plan. They were not going to take the top Off. Even though they did one time against cj gj, even with, with Willis throwing the ball. Their plan was keep everything in front, give up all the yards you want. We're not going to break in the, in the red zone. Which they didn't do. That was their plan. And it actually worked out better with Malik Willis throwing the ball then Jordan Love. So it all, it all worked out. So yeah, it didn't look great but it fit right in their plan.

[D]

They didn't plan to have the face mask penalty that kept them alive.

[C]

They didn't. And there are some things that you could look at too. Like there was a non holding call on the final throw that should have been pass interference in the end zone. Had DJ Moore. No. Yeah.

[D]

They're never going to call it though.

[C]

But I've seen it called in other games and they, but they weren't going to call it in this game. For whatever reason. They were not going to make that call. Yeah, the one, Nixon, the one late last night was. He's hanging on DJ Moore and hanging on him.

[D]

I agree. I just never, I never expected to be called.

[C]

But I've seen it called in other games though. Even in high stakes games I've seen it called. They weren't going to call it last night, which is, which is pretty shitty. But whatever, it's fine. It all worked out. But yeah, they can't keep doing this. But yet they have though. That's the whole point. They can't keep doing it. It can't be Ben Johnson's game plan for the like, hey, this is how we're going to win games. No, that's got to change. Okay. But for me it's not a fluke. These last four weeks show me that this is not a fluke team. This is a team that can win the super bowl this year.

[D]

They absolutely can. I've got to figure out that recipe.

[C]

I'm sorry about the lack of pass rush.

[D]

That's. That's it? Yeah, that's it. That front four isn't. It's non existent. It's nonexistent in the run. You know, Grady Jared, a little better game against the run, but it's just too easy. Everything gets to the second level. There's no pass rush for the front four.

[C]

So when Montez sweat gets in that sack on Malik Willis and lands on top of him and he gorgeous. He hurts his shoulder.

[D]

Not to mention what he did to the top standing.

[C]

He just, it was a total bull rush.

[D]

He absolutely threw him out of the way.

[C]

Yeah.

[D]

Do that earlier.

[C]

Like I don't get it more. You have that ability. At times it was like there was a child in front of him. That's how easy it looked.

[D]

Y yes, you gotta do that more. And I understand why they spent money on Diodangbo and he's not here. And if Austin Booker is showing these signs of life, which is fine. And as I mentioned several times, I'd rather he be too violent and too stupid than the opposite.

[C]

Yeah, and we'll talk more about that. We got some audio cuts here too as well.

[E]

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[C]

I want to get into from Ben Johnson. You want to do that now? You want to play some audio?

[D]

I'm here. Sure, why not?

[C]

All right, let's do that.

[D]

No reason to wait.

[C]

So let's go with this one first. All right, so this is Ben Johnson. He was asked about the ability for the team to keep their poise in these big circumstances. I mean, this. You have a roster full of guys, most of them, who've never experienced playoff football, never experienced big regular season games in December. So he was asked about that.

[G]

I think it's good for our entire team. We got a lot of guys that don't have playoff experience or don't have, you know, meaningful games in December experience.

[D]

Right.

[G]

I mean, it's. When you, when you look at it, and so it's a little bit foreign territory for a number of them. We talk about keeping our poise and what it takes to win these games. And, you know, I think. I think we're going to continue to get better and learn how to handle. What I wasn't happy with here today were the number of penalties we had. We had a couple of those, you know, 15 yard variety that I thought we could have. We could have, you know, made it done a better job just making sure we didn't commit those. And that would have helped us a long way. And again, especially with the weather being the way it was, every. Every yard mattered in a game like this. So overall though, I think they handled it really, really well.

[C]

So here's what he's talking about there. And he says there's a couple that we should have handled better not commit. And he's not talking about Booker at all. He's talking about DeMarco Jackson and he's talking about Jalen Johnson. Those are the two penalties you avoid because you deliberately executed those moves. The DeMarco Jackson to bring those penalties.

[D]

On, that was just weird.

[C]

Stupid. Just beyond stupid. You have absolutely no reason. And I get it. He was amped up. They're all pumped up. So I was, I was okay in the fact that at the end it didn't lead to points, even though they gave up 30 points in 15 yard penalties that first drive and let Green Bay move downfield with those dumb penalties with that dumb penalty. And then the first Booker thing, which I also don't get because Montez sweat landed on top of Malik Willis with all his body weight. Marty Book or Marty Booker. Austin Booker lands on top of Jordan Love with all his body weight, and that's a penalty. Like, I don't understand how you don't land on someone with all your body weight. When you're landing on someone, they make you.

[D]

They want you to turn in midair. They want you to violate the rules of physics sometimes.

[C]

Yeah. It's just stupid. It's stupid.

[A]

Yeah.

[D]

And if there's no damage done and you tackle somebody and happen to land on top of them, there should be a little more of a judgment. I don't necessarily think that the letter of the law. You. Enough of you. Was on top of the quarterback. To necessity. I have to throw this flag now.

[C]

Right. Because if you're doing it that way, then they should have called a flag on Montez sweat. And he actually did more damage. He actually hurt his shoulder, hurt Willis's shoulder by landing on it the way he did. You saw him immediately reach for it. So it's dumb. So Ben's not talking about those. He's talking about the Johnson one. He's talking about the Jackson one, which is just stupid. There's absolutely no reason. And then at that point, Jalen Johnson knew exactly what he was doing. He threw his forearm into. Into his helmet.

[D]

It's forcible contact. You can't do it.

[C]

Yeah, but the other ones, the Booker penalties are not what he's mentioning there. That's not at all. And again, like you, I'd rather have him be extra violent. It worked out because it didn't lead to points, which is great.

[D]

I'd rather have to dial that back on somebody because their instinct is to destroy everything in front of them.

[C]

Right. Instead of starting to say, hey, you need to go make a tackle, please.

[D]

Right.

[C]

Go do something.

[D]

Be more physical.

[C]

Right. So that's good. So that's been talking about that there. He's also asked about the fourth and one play on the first drive. And I've had it. After reviewing it and listening to Ben and thinking about it, I've had a change of opinion on this.

[G]

We got our short yardage plays during the week and that was one that felt strongly about, obviously. And probably last thing in my mind was that the ball was going to go over the head.

[D]

What made you feel strongly about that, given that?

[G]

Just what I saw on tape and what it looked like in practice during the week.

[C]

All right. So after the game we were both pretty animated about that play and that play call. Kind of feeling himself not necessary. Just hand the ball at that point you were running five, six yards of carry.

[D]

Too cute. Just run it.

[C]

So we've know this from Ben now that he'll implement new plays, even new formations on Thursday for a game that weekend, that this was one of those plays.

[D]

So was the game winner.

[C]

So was the game winner. Correct. And that formation that we talked about and loved last week, we talked about at length.

[D]

The bully formation.

[C]

The bully formation was something new. They put in. They put this in on short yardage plays, which is Thursday or Friday. So this was a new play that was executed and executed well during practice. How could he have thought that Dalman was going to launch one over Manungai's head? Right. Because it hadn't happened in practice. There was no issues with it. It was just a bad snap. It was a lack of execution on the center. So I'm okay with it because it worked in practice. It was a play that obviously you bring the tight end up behind center, you have your running back deep in the. In the backfield, and you have your quarterback out. They've already had a play where the ball was thrown to the quarterback going.

[D]

Out for a pass.

[C]

Yeah.

[D]

I think the larger issue is get used to it. That if you have a problem. And this is. This is to me too. Because I can get kind of grumpy, conservative when stuff like that happens, too. Yeah. But I'm going to have to get used to it.

[C]

Yeah, you're going to have to get used to.

[D]

There's going to be more of this.

[C]

And had Dolman executed that play, they probably get the first down, the touchdown.

[D]

Yeah. And Johnson is even more of a folk hero.

[C]

Right. For sure. But he. But the whole thing. And you can't. We can't. We can't say that we trust Ben and then criticize him when the players don't execute a play that he calls.

[D]

I'm learning that, too. Yeah, you're right. I need to. I need to get used to this. There's going to be a lot more cute when. There doesn't need to be cute because that's how he rolls.

[C]

So now I'm wondering what are the compliments to that play? Because we know it was going to be a direct snap. That's a run.

[D]

It's the fake snap over the head. That's what's next.

[C]

Okay.

[D]

Just like Stumblebum, the play that was used by the Lions against the Bears. The next one is going to be. Everybody reacts as if the ball has gone over that because everybody else has their head down. They can't see it. They can just see the reaction. It's almost. It's almost a Ruski is what you're going to have to do.

[C]

So the fact that they weren't able to execute it, is that still enough to have it on tape for teams to think about?

[D]

Sure.

[C]

Okay.

[D]

Of course.

[C]

So now I think you get the direct snap that's either given To Caleb, who's in. Who runs through in motion, gets the.

[D]

Ball to throw like a jet sweep action.

[C]

Yeah, but he's throwing, though, moving to his right, throwing the football.

[D]

Okay.

[C]

So I don't know. I'm just wondering. I'm curious.

[D]

I'm going for. So guy jumps and looks as if the ball went over his head.

[C]

Okay.

[D]

But it doesn't.

[C]

So that's an after the fact.

[D]

And then. And then you get a, like a quick flip.

[C]

Okay.

[D]

A quick shovel flip to him as everybody is trying to figure out where the ball is.

[C]

But yeah, we'll see what. What develops with that. And so the whole point being we can't trust Ben Johnson. Compliment Ben Johnson for his play calling and leading the team and then get mad because Dalman didn't execute a snap.

[D]

Part of me is still going to get mad because they were averaging 5.8 yards per carry at that point. And you have maybe the best guard, center, guard, run blockers in the league right now. So I can't let it go entirely.

[C]

Okay.

[D]

So I've got. I've got some, Some old hardwired football nature, but I'm not disagreeing with you.

[C]

Yeah.

[D]

And I, And I know it myself that I'm going to have to learn how to change and exc. Accept some of that stuff because that's. That's what the Bears hired.

[C]

Well, yeah. And the NFL wants to inspire change, so there you go. All right. And here's one more from Ben, and this is about keeping his emotions in check. I know we've talked about this too, because there have been times where they catch him on the sideline during a big play. Zero reaction. And I've always wondered how. Why like he. Because you see other coaches, I mean, we've seen Aaron Glenn sprint 40 yards downfield, the dance during a big play.

[D]

Your guy Mike Vrabel will gets in. Ben Johnson will emote less this year that he's busy with his play card.

[C]

So here's. Here's what Ben Johnson said about that.

[G]

I mean, my emotion. I try to keep him in check and steady. Eddie, you know, I was having some headset issues there at the end, and so I, that. That got the better of me at the end. But other than that, you know, I try to stay conscious of what's going on. And, you know, my job on game day is to not only just call the offensive plays, but make sure that we're managing our timeouts correctly and the penalties and everything of that nature. And so it's hard to do that. If I get too emotionally up and down, that's just what I've learned about myself over the years.

[C]

So I love that. Love that he's learned how he reacts and how, like, what his responsibilities are in game day. Got to keep those emotions in check because that's hard when you're on the sideline. It's hard not to react to things when you have so many things happening that you need to make the next quick decision. You can't be celebrating or angry because you're going to lose those moments.

[D]

I think you got to be yourself. You got to understand who you are and make sure that you are able to do the best job you can within whatever emotional amplitude in either direction you're allowed to go. And it reminds me of the conversation I had years ago with Ian Happ, talking about Javier Baez and watching Javier Baez just play emotionally. And it's probably now the way Pete Crowe Armstrong does in a game that you can't play harder in a game that you can't. You don't want to get too high or too low. And we're talking about Javier Baez. And Ian Happ said, I can't do that. He said, I can't. He said, if I get too high, my depths, the lows will be too low for me. And he said it's about knowing yourself, about knowing in what emotional range you need to be. Of course, it's different for a coach who has much greater responsibility and has to keep his head about him at all times. But the key to it is an awareness of who you are. You know, there have been great coaches, John Madden and Mike Ditka, and there have been guys who won Super Bowls who've been complete emotional wrecks.

[C]

Yeah. And then there's guys like Tom Landry.

[D]

Remember Emotional Rex?

[C]

Yes.

[D]

Not Rex Ryan.

[C]

No, Emotional Rex.

[D]

Add him to the team. Our coach, Emotional Rex.

[C]

And then a guy like Tom Landry who you have to check his pulse to see if he's alive during a game.

[D]

Yeah. You check it now he's dead.

[C]

He's dead now. So there wouldn't be one.

[D]

Correct.

[C]

Pretty similar to during games as well. But, you know, and I liked it, too.

[D]

Smith said Landry was always his idol in that regard.

[C]

Yeah. You just. You never knew if he was winning or losing by 30. And kind of nerdy. Little.

[A]

A little.

[C]

Little nerd out here for Ben Johnson, the Steady Eddie thing, if he refers to himself as Steady Eddie. But did we catch the headset issue on camera? Was it on the broadcast at all because we. I didn't hear anything about it or see it until I just heard. Until I heard Ben's cut.

[D]

No, I know they had a heater issue that the heater packers did, Right? Yeah. And usually if there's a headset issue in your building, it should be the visiting team.

[C]

Right. Not the head coach for your team.

[D]

Whatever. The. The new wiring, the new equipment should be on the home side. The recycled or old stuff should be.

[C]

In the other side. So he clearly reacted in a way that is different than how he normally is. And. But the broadcast missed it, because I would have loved. Like, was he throwing his headphones? You think he was yelling, Screaming? Like, how did he react? Because if you watch the video, it's got the better of him. Yeah. And he's. He smiles about it, too. I think he probably regrets a little bit the way he acted, so I would love to see that video maybe.

[D]

Okay.

[C]

Throwing his headset around.

[D]

Make this work. Put my mic on. Does the Francesa.

[C]

But no, I liked it. And I like the fact that he knows his own limits. And that's probably why we see that guy in the locker room after the game's over.

[D]

The crazy guy.

[C]

Yeah. Because he's. He's not that guy in the sideline. And he. He holds it in, and he compartmentalizes it and says, all right, this is not the moment for me. I need to be worrying about timeouts and the next play and what we're doing next. And so he gets in that locker room, and it's just. It's that release.

[D]

It's sort of like when you'd watch somebody win a PGA tournament or win a major, where for a week of the practice rounds and then the four days, very level, they're absolutely at next shot, next shot, next shot, next shot. And then they win a tournament. It all comes out immediately where you have to be so buttoned up and so rigorously in emotional control that you don't see those emotions until it's, like, over. Over.

[C]

Yeah. All right, one more cut here. And this is from Caleb Williams, and we talked about a nickname for the interior of the offensive line, and we know that Caleb has a nickname. He calls them the Avengers.

[D]

That's the whole offensive line, right? Yes.

[C]

So now he lets us in on a few. On three of the players, what their avenger nicknames are. Got it in this cut.

[D]

Okay, Caleb, we saw you in the.

[C]

Locker room kind of dapping up your offensive lineman individually.

[D]

What were you telling them?

[C]

What were you saying to him?

[H]

I always kind of dap everybody up after the game. You know, make sure I give my thanks to everybody, because the qb, the position I'm in, there's not. I mean, the scout team, the defense, the offensive line, wide receivers, you know, you wouldn't be able to do without those guys. And so I want to go around and, you know, give my appreciation to everybody. That's important to me.

[A]

And then.

[H]

And, you know, to the offensive line, I was. I was just, you know, giving my thanks of Hawk and red hawk and Dr. Strange and all those guys.

[C]

So it gives us three. So our question of our friend there, Carmen Vitale, about the, you know, going around the locker room, dabbing guys up. We also know that Caleb ran around the entire stadium and high five fans. So he's doing that, and then he.

[D]

Red Hulk.

[C]

So I want to ask, does he say Red Hulk or Red Hawk?

[D]

Red Hulk.

[C]

You sure?

[D]

Yeah, it's a different Hulk.

[C]

Well, I know it's. I know, but Red Hawk is also a Marvel character.

[D]

He's not.

[C]

Okay, well, yeah, I know, but it's. Yes.

[D]

Are you sure?

[C]

Yes. Look it up. Red Hawk.

[D]

Oh, yeah.

[H]

So listen, Hulk and Red Hulk and.

[C]

Doctor Strange, and so is it Red Hulk.

[D]

Red Hulk.

[C]

He says Red Hulk. Right. Okay. Because then I was like. Wait, did he say Red Hawk?

[D]

Red Hawk, the son of a Cheyenne chief who is a traveling adventurer and car salesman paired up with Emilio Diaz Estevez. What? I never heard of.

[C]

You never heard of Red Hawk?

[H]

No, Hawk and Red Hulk and Hulk. Doctor Strange.

[D]

I heard Alan there.

[C]

So, okay, so Red Hulk. That's what I thought it was at.

[D]

First, but not Red Klotz.

[C]

Let's.

[D]

Thaddeus Ross is Red Hulk.

[C]

Who's who. So Dr. Strange has got to be Dolman, right?

[D]

Yeah. The super smart guy who does the.

[B]

Right.

[C]

So I'm thinking Hulk is Darnell Wright. Red Hulk is Jonah Jackson.

[D]

Why?

[C]

That's just. That's what I immediately thought. Okay, right. Because they're kind of like the erase guys, destroy guys. You know, big, powerful, athletic guys where Dolman's the smart guy. So it's Dr. Strange. Okay, and then what would. Like, I want to know what Joe Tunis Avenger name is. Right?

[D]

Like, but only Hulk is an Avenger, right? Yeah. Hulk's an original Avenger.

[C]

Yeah, but it doesn't mean he Dr.

[D]

Strange.

[C]

Let's not get Dr.

[D]

Strange is not an Avenger.

[C]

I know, but don't get too lost in the detailing.

[D]

I won't. I don't know enough.

[C]

I really don't.

[D]

I'm just I'm a casual.

[C]

Yeah, let's not get lost in those details.

[D]

I'm not going to, but.

[C]

But I mean, of those three. Those three nicknames, you think that's right, though, right? Dullman's Doctor Strange.

[D]

Got to be.

[C]

It's got to be.

[D]

Got to be. He's a super smart guy. Stanford.

[C]

And then Hulk would be. Right. And then Red Hulk would be. Jonah Jackson.

[D]

I don't know enough about Red Hulk.

[C]

Well, he's like Hulk, but he's red.

[D]

That I know.

[C]

Okay, well, I didn't know. What? You said you didn't know.

[D]

But there's got to be a whole backstory, I think, isn't it? The scientists that created the gamma ray thing. Isn't Thaddeus Ross the scientist that did the work to create the thing that made Bruce Banner into Hulk?

[C]

No. But no, Thaddeus Ross doesn't turn into Red Hulk. He turns into something else.

[D]

No, he turns into Red Hulk, I think. Okay, whatever. I'm over it. I just want to know who the others are. Yeah.

[C]

That's all I'm saying.

[D]

We got three names, only one of which isn't.

[C]

Of course. You got to zap all the fun on it.

[D]

I'm not taking the fun out of it. I just want to know.

[C]

Joke room Reaper.

[D]

I just want to know.

[C]

You guys having fun. Let me step into this real quick. I'll zap that away. Just quickly.

[D]

I'll destroy all the fun.

[C]

Your cheese grater.

[D]

Wait till you hear the cheese grater hat stuff. It doesn't mean what you think it means.

[C]

Let's just end the show.

[D]

No. We have things to do. We have to talk about Caleb.

[C]

As long as we're not gonna have any more fun in the show, because I don't want you to feel obligated to destroy it.

[D]

We have to talk about Caleb's progression. I'm looking at the list. I see the list on the whiteboard. I see it, and I can answer that question. All right, then answer them.

[C]

So here's my question for you. What's the next step in Caleb's progression? Because I have an opinion on it. What do you think? What's the next step in Caleb's progression?

[D]

Make the layups and improve your timing. That's it. I got these things there. Make your layups, make the easy throws, get them there. And when it is a tight throw, throw it earlier.

[C]

Not going to disagree there, but here's what I think. You better not.

[D]

Because I'm right.

[C]

Right. You're not. But here's you could be right. But here's what I think that Ben Johnson's job is his next task to unlock something in Caleb Williams. We know how he performs under pressure. He's even said earlier this year that when the stakes are higher and the pressure is greater, his breathing gets calmer, his heart rate goes down. He lives for those moments and we see that on display. And he has shown that in his actions on the field. Okay. Yep. How do we get that guy to be the guy who is playing in the not so high pressure stakes moments of the games? How do we get that guy to be there when there's 45 minutes left in the game and not two and a half? How does Ben Johnson unlock whatever that zeroed in laser targeted focus that he has? How does Ben Johnson unlock that in the first quarter? Now we know we've seen success unscripted plays. We've seen them have opening play, drive touchdowns, which they didn't have at all last year. We've seen him now. They haven't done it as much in the second half of this year, but he's done it. So we can see that. We've seen it's not a matter of being locked in or understanding what needs to happen. How does he take that laser precision focus when the pressure is high and bring that into the game when it's the middle of the first quarter or the start of the second quarter?

[D]

I think part of that is tempo. Part of it is the speed at which you're running plays. And maybe you don't have enough time to do anything but rely on some natural ability and recognition skills. Something speeds up, something processes things faster. If tempo has something to do with that, run some tempo stuff, see if that works. I also think that when you trail, the middle of the field is often open. That when you're. When the other team has the advantage of the clock and you don't and you're racing against the clock, you're going to have inside leverage pushing things out rather than outside leverage pushing things in. And I do think he's taken advantage of that. He's been really good at that. How else then can you change the opposing leverage? If not, you're not going to try to lose, you're not going to try.

[C]

To be trying to trail.

[D]

No. But how else can you set up your game plan? If you start the game with compressed formations and outside breaking stuff later in the game, are you having more extended broad formations and have more inside breaking things and more. Because he does seem to work the middle of the field better later in games.

[C]

Listen to these numbers. I'm Caleb Williams.

[D]

Are you. Are you. Is this cool? Like.

[C]

Yeah, no, no, we're working through it. Yeah, working through it. Okay, so Caleb Williams on third down when trailing this season. Listen to these numbers. He has seven passing touchdowns, which is number one in the league. He has a rating of 144.7, which is number one in the League. His touchdown to interception ratio is 7 to 0. So this is third down when trailing. He has 25 passing first downs, which is tied for second. He has a completion percentage of 71.1, which is second. He has. His passing yards per attempt is 10 and a half, which is third in the league. And he has nine completions of 20 or more yards, which is first in the league. That's third down when trailing. I get what you're saying, and I don't disagree. Those are schemes and those are things that the coaches can put in place. I think for me, it's about Ben unlocking that mentally for Caleb because I. What have I always said is his greatest attribute as a player, as an athlete?

[D]

His ability to have every single play exist with no context. His ability, for better or for worse, everything is refreshed and he can erase any memory and not carry it over.

[C]

So it's all in isolation. Each play is in isolation. Do you think that when he has that mindset. Because that's his mindset and we've clearly see it, he's not phased by failure and he's not too high with success. He just moves on to the next play. Because he saves his celebrating for afterwards as well, too, like crazy. Well, he was.

[D]

He had his hands in his pockets after he released the ball.

[C]

Did you see that?

[D]

I think it's because his hands were cold. I don't think that that was.

[C]

I mean, he did do this again.

[D]

It wasn't a flex, though.

[C]

No, it wasn't. Yeah, but he threw the ball and just casually put his hands in his pocket. So do you think with that, that kind of mindset, that approach that he has, which, again, I think is his greatest attribute, do you think he is a big picture kind of guy and says, all right, there's lots of time, like first quarter, he makes a bad throw, misses an open guy. It's like, it's okay, I'll get it, because there's a lot of time. Does he need to kind of unlock like a little bit of urgency when the opportunities are there, when it's not a high pressure moment, when it's not Late in the game.

[D]

I don't know that I'd mess with that. I don't know that. I don't think I'd coach that directly. I think I would coach the technical stuff.

[C]

And the technical stuff maybe carries into that and wipes that away a bit.

[D]

I think coach foot placement and where your hitch is, where your eyes are, the technical things. And I would let him learn the other stuff. I wouldn't work too hard on that. I think that's a less is more. I would trust him. Okay. On that. I think. I think that is something in the bigger picture. It would just sound cringe. It would just be too corny. Hey, like I need your, you know, your intensity.

[C]

Well, I don't know. Because that's not Ben Johnson, though. And I think he would have a way to deliver it in an intelligent fashion that fits into what they're doing. I think it can blend and thread together.

[D]

Figure it out. Yeah, I. I think this is one.

[C]

And it's. And I don't. It's not a criticism of Caleb. It's just. It's just he's a we. Clearly, you hear the numbers and what he does trailing in third down. I mean, those are.

[D]

I think that's going to come statistics that's going to come with age and experience. And I'm not worried about that.

[C]

Yeah, not worried either.

[D]

Yeah.

[C]

But I just wonder how can you get that guy that's in late game situations that locked in focus, that precision that he has and bring some of that into a game when again, it's 45 minutes left, it's middle of the first quarter. You know, it's your second drive because we saw in this game on Sunday with their game plan of Ben don't break and Malik Willis, Jordan Love first, Malik Willis second. Getting, you know, four, five, six yards, little throws that are open. They didn't have a lot of possessions that wasn't. You didn't have like you had in the Cleveland game where you had, I think 10 or 12 possessions. You had, you know, three going in the. Into the. Into halftime.

[D]

They barely, barely had a chance to get loose. Barely as an offense.

[C]

So when you have those moments when you might have six opportunities with the ball in a game, when do you. How can you get that guy that's locked in late earlier on.

[D]

It depends on the game plan. Depends on the scoreboard. Every game is its own creature.

[C]

Yeah.

[D]

For sure. Yeah. So I guess I would. That's something that I just trust that it'll come.

[C]

Yeah.

[D]

And I don't know that I'd much rather have the coach working on the game plan. And I want your eyes here. I want you pulling the safety this way. And as far as the urgency with which you are doing the thing, I just don't, I don't want to clutter.

[C]

I hear you, but it's just, it's frustrating because I, I love the kid. And how do you have a guy who's got A completion percentage of 71.1 on third down when trailing as opposed to the guy who's one of the worst in all of, you know, quarterbacks that qualify in completion percentage? And I get it, he has a lot of throwaways. There's probably. How many would you say now three to five throwaways a game, which you're okay, it's fine. Yeah, I get it. And I know that impacts his complete percentage.

[D]

Stop with the grounding.

[C]

Yeah, that's.

[D]

Yeah. Make sure you're out of the tackle box at least. Yeah. Just make sure. Make sure. Take one, one more step and chuck that. Run backwards and do it if you have to.

[C]

I tell you what, though, I'd rather, I'd rather have that than have him get hit. Yeah, yeah.

[D]

That's what I mean. Run backwards and throw it away.

[C]

But if you're going backwards, you're still in the pocket.

[D]

Build yourself enough space to just. And they'll give you every benefit of the doubt.

[C]

Yeah. To avoid being tackled.

[D]

Yes.

[C]

Because you don't want a big fat guy landing on top of you or.

[D]

A skinny guy landing on top of you. That's not allowed either.

[C]

Because sometimes they call it, sometimes they don't. We don't know. Right. Sometimes you feel like a nut and sometimes you don't.

[D]

I think that when he's standing there in a gold jacket accepting his election to the hall of fame that nobody's going to be talking about. Hey, you remember that one year, your second year, when you had that weird third down success rate and it was games and.

[C]

I know, but I just think that's.

[D]

Going to come out in the wash. That's.

[C]

No, and I'm sure you're right, but it's just that guy has that laser.

[D]

Focus and I'm not predicting he's going to be all. I'm just making a reference.

[C]

Yeah, you are. I saw you made the bet.

[D]

I'm not making a bet or a prediction.

[C]

You already bought your plane ticket to Canton. Yes.

[D]

For that year, whenever. Not even knowing what would be five years.

[C]

You bought him for like a 10 year span.

[D]

So I've won every single year. Just in case. Yeah, sure. Okay.

[C]

You know what I think with the Bears win over the Packers, I think it's. It's impacted, like the online NFL stuff, like, I can't get Espen and NFL.com is very slow. Yeah.

[D]

What to do?

[C]

I wanted to go over the scores from. What week are we in? Week 16.

[D]

Well, I would like to mention what is happening with the Pro bowl voting. Have you seen that?

[C]

Not in about a week or so. I haven't looked.

[D]

Okay. Well, the official final fan voting is in. The final results are in. I'm looking at Kevin Fishbane's Twitter here right now, but it's in multiple spots. Dahlman, Bayard, Brisker, Taylor Tuney. Right. Edmonds, Darnell Wright and Nishan Wright, Swift and Duvernay all voted first. Wow. At their respective positions. Caleb Williams voted third. Pro bowl rosters come out tomorrow. The fan votes count for one third.

[C]

Okay.

[D]

The Bears got the most Pro bowl votes by team. Caleb Williams got the fourth most of any player, trailing Travis Kelsey. New that's the Swifties, Josh Allen and Drake May. Kevin Byard, fifth.

[C]

Wow.

[D]

Kevin Byard fifth with 2,200. 3,638.

[C]

Well, isn't he still the. Is he the interception leader?

[D]

Yeah, I think so. Caleb had 216,838. But once again, the Bears, who were voted first at their respective positions. Drew Dahlman, Kevin Byer, Jaquan Brisker, Tori Taylor, Joe Tuning A. Sean Wright, Tremaine Edmonds, Darnell Wright, DeAndre Swift and Devin Duvernay. Who does not deserve to be that.

[C]

No, he does not. He does not. All right, real quick here on these scores. Eagles over the Commanders 29 18. Buccaneers lost to the Panthers 23, 20. Browns in a close one. They just lost to the bills 23 to 20. That was a fun game to watch. I was watching for the Miles Garrett sack record Chargers over the Cowboys. They doubled them up 34 17. Saints over the Jets 29 6.

[D]

By the way, they moved Matt Eber flu up.

[C]

Yeah. Into the booth.

[D]

And you know what's next?

[C]

Out of the building. Launched. Yeah. Catapult.

[D]

Matt, go up there. Hey, that. Go farther away.

[C]

Yeah. Hey, for this game, sit in your car. Just. Yeah, we'll call you. Yeah, we'll call you.

[D]

Yeah, I just. I think. I think you could get a better sense of everything if you're sitting in the car.

[C]

Listen to the radio broadcast.

[D]

We'll tell you everything that's going on in the game.

[C]

The Jets, Dan, are two Games away from having a season without an interception. So we're almost there still. Vikings over the Giants 16 13. Titans took down the Chiefs 26 9. Bengals over the Dolphins 45 21. Falcons Cardinals 29. 16. Atlanta wins there. Jaguars over the Broncos. That game you mentioned, 34 to 20, Steelers and Lions 29 to 24.

[D]

We had maybe the second weirdest play if the, if the Seattle Seahawks two point conversion. The backwards pass where only Terry McCauley knew what was going on. He's been great, by the way. He's been fantastic. And Zach Charbonnet picks it up and it ends up being a two point diversion and nobody really knew that. Final play of Lions, Steelers. How was the momentum not considered stopped before the lateral?

[C]

No idea.

[D]

Like even people on the field, players when he lateral it were like, oh, come on. So lateraling.

[C]

Let's go. Lions are. Lions are trailing by five. They get the ball in the red. Deep in the red zone. They're in the lower half of the red zone. And the first touchdown they had was called back because your guy to slaw to flaw.

[D]

What a leap.

[C]

Ran a. Ran up. Well, yeah, that. He had a. Oh my.

[D]

Did you see how high in the air he was?

[C]

It was funny. Hank and I were watching and I was like, holy shit. Look, I'm like, Hank, see how high he jumped? He, I mean he was, he was half a body length over the defenders.

[D]

I know.

[C]

Was it Clark? I think I said the fall.

[D]

Did he play volleyball or something?

[C]

I don't know, but I maybe should think about it. But the first touchdown they had by Brown was wiped out because to slot ran, he run a pick and he like shortly dropped his shoulder right into the guy's chest. So that was a very easy one to call once. Once I saw Brown that open.

[D]

Oh, he's a handsome man too.

[C]

Is he really?

[D]

Oh, he's. Yeah, he's pretty.

[C]

Oh boy.

[D]

No, seriously, look, look at just that. Yeah.

[C]

What's his name?

[D]

Isaac. Isaac Tislaw. Yeah. Look at that. Look at that, the picture. He's got very symmetrical facial features. What are you saying, old boy? I'm just, I'm complimenting the. He's a very good looking young man.

[C]

Oh yeah, he's a handsome kid.

[D]

Yeah. I wonder if he played volleyball.

[C]

He looks like he, he looks like he's a volleyball guy.

[D]

Yes. I mean, yeah, he can jump. So anyway, so anywho.

[C]

So I saw he was that wide open. I, I immediately said, oh, there has to be a pick on that one. And there, there sure was so then they get a second opportunity and was it Brown again? I think Brown pushed off. So he pushed off.

[D]

And they're calling it more this year across the league.

[C]

I mean, it was real blatant though. I mean it was real blatant.

[D]

You have to just look like you're in a pattern. Pick plays a run constantly. It is the number one man beater in the league.

[C]

But to slide, dropped the shoulder right into the guy's chest. And then Brown like really pushed off both hands. Clark goes flying back, Golf hits him. And he gets stopped though, at like the one yard line, the half yard line. And they start pushing him backwards. Ball comes out or. No, he flips it to golf. That's what he does. He gets stopped at like the half yard line. He's going backwards. He flips the ball to golf and then golf jumps in. Because 95 standing there, not watching, like just watching the play doesn't hit Golf. Golf gets in the end zone. So they end up meeting the referees, the officials meet for. It felt like 10 minutes. They were talking, they come out, they say there was a touchdown on the play, but there was offensive pass interference on the push off, which negates. Which negates the touchdown.

[D]

And ends the game.

[C]

And ends the game.

[D]

And every has to go home immediately, right? Yes.

[C]

So. But he like worded it incorrectly. So he has to go back on the microphone and say, oh yeah, the touchdown doesn't count though.

[D]

Right? Remember that touchdown? Forget I said the thing about the touchdown.

[C]

He's like, there was a touchdown on the play. And some fans start cheering.

[D]

The first words were the ruling on the field is a touchdown. And everybody went crazy.

[C]

Yes, yes. So then he's like, then it was offensive pass interference.

[D]

There's also a bunch of other shit that happened.

[C]

And then he's giving me back to the microphone. He's like, oh yeah, by the way, that touchdown is no good though. It's not a good touchdown. Even though it was a touchdown, it's not a good touchdown.

[D]

I mean it was, but we're not counting it. Here's why.

[C]

So yeah, that was, that was something. That was quite the end of that, that play. So you get two.

[D]

He should never been allowed to lateral that ball.

[C]

No, he was down.

[D]

He was standing there for two seconds and they'd stop tackling him. Everybody had stopped. And then he's like, take the ball. And a couple of the defenders like, what are you doing that?

[C]

Because 95 stood there, he didn't even hit. He was right next to. Because he Was like, oh, this plays over, right?

[D]

It was over. That's what was weird.

[C]

It was as blatant as the official, the side judge who came in to rule DeAndre Swift with a fumble, even though he'd been laying on the ground for several seconds and somebody smacked it.

[D]

Oh, that's the other thing I wanted to get to in last night's game. I forgot which receiver it was who hit the ground, caught the ball on the ground, hit his head, suffered a concussion. And they said, well, they slapped the ball. He just slapped the ball away from him at the end there. He. Remember we've talked about fencing response before, where your two. Your arms come up like that. Yeah, that's what happened.

[C]

Yeah.

[D]

Nobody said anything. It was a classic concussion fencer's response to a traumatic brain injury. And it sounded like he didn't just slap the ball away. His nervous system took over and released his hands because of an immediate reflexive response to a brain injury. And luckily, and I'm screaming, get him off the field. Get him off the field. He just got a concussion. And they did. Somebody saw something, but there was never any reference made to it. They said, well, he let go of the ball. Like, of course he let go of the ball.

[C]

Yeah. His brain got right.

[D]

He. All of a sudden his electrical system had to reboot.

[C]

Did you see. And I don't know if you saw it when. When Booker takes Jordan Love to the ground, did you see the concussion immediately in his eyes? I did.

[D]

I did.

[C]

If you watch the replay again, I saw right away, I was like, oh, he's done. He's absolutely done.

[D]

I did not see it, but I trust you.

[C]

Yeah.

[D]

I mean, if you know what you're looking for.

[C]

Yeah, he was. He was. He was done right there. You saw it. You saw it in his face.

[F]

Just.

[D]

Yep.

[C]

Instant click out. Yep. Yeah.

[D]

Well, then at least I'm glad. Well, both guys that we're talking about were removed from the game, so something worked.

[C]

And I will say this, too, and I've seen a lot online and social media platforms, and I get. Packers fans are upset because they lost, but that hit by Marty Booker. By Marty Booker. God damn it, Austin Booker got Marty Booker on the brain today was not illegal. Like, let's just. Let's. Let's be clear about. No, it was.

[D]

It was illegal.

[F]

It was.

[C]

I shouldn't say dirty. It wasn't dirty.

[D]

It wasn't dirty.

[C]

It wasn't dirty.

[D]

No.

[C]

It's textbook how you shouldn't hit a quarterback in the head. Jordan Love is putting His. His head down.

[D]

There was no intent.

[C]

Yeah, no intent. It was not dirty. Stop calling it dirty. For how long to say bolts. Both Booker tackles were dirty.

[D]

No, that's wrong.

[C]

Trying to hurt. It's. It's not.

[D]

That's wrong.

[C]

It's completely incorrect.

[D]

That's wrong.

[C]

Get over it. You lost. Go grate your cheese. You're fine.

[D]

Everybody should be happy with their cheese graters. Where did they. Who brought the cheese grater hat?

[C]

Oh, like, where did. Where did.

[D]

Where did it come from? It's not like Tony Medlin has those sitting on a rack somewhere. I want to get that story.

[C]

So. Yeah, like, you don't think dj. DJ Got one. Someone gave one to DJ Somebody find this out and so get the story. Did Caleb take it from DJ that's the one he wore the next day. Like, there wasn't multiple.

[D]

I want to know these things. How did it get in the locker room? Who had it? Who gave it to him? Who dropped it off? Who brought it in? Like, somebody.

[C]

Do this work? All right, here's my guess. My guess is it was on a fan's head, somehow made it into a Bears player's hands after the game was over.

[D]

Hey, I'll give you 50 bucks for that or whatever it is.

[C]

No, give me your. Give me your. Can I have it? Give me that. I bet that's how it happened.

[D]

Well, I don't know, but I'm going to keep asking. I'm going to keep it. Because we talk to reporters all the time.

[C]

Yeah, so. And see if the reporters can find out. Or we'll throw it out there to our audience.

[D]

It'll come out somehow. This.

[C]

You were the person or know the person who gave up their cheese grater to a Bears player. Let us know.

[D]

Or you're the inventor of the cheese grater and you sent it to every Bears player. Or you had a bunch near the player's parking lot. There's always, you know, some sort of guerrilla marketing tactic to get it seen and get it there and get it on somebody's head. I didn't see it branded, though.

[C]

No. If you want to send one to dan here at 312Sports in Prudential, you can do that, and Dan will wear it on the show.

[D]

Don't waste one on me. They're too valuable right now. Don't waste one.

[C]

I think. No, I think.

[D]

I think, you know, I want to get that story. I want to find out how or was the. If the team was involved, then you're taking the rivalry up to another level.

[C]

Yeah, but again, they're missing the point, Right?

[D]

As we said on dbu, a cheese grater is actually a tool to make the cheese even more delicious.

[C]

Better. Texans beat the Raiders 23, 21 Patriots late last night, 28, 24 over the Ravens. And then tonight, to end week 16, we have the 49ers at the Colts with their weird C logo. Now just don't get it.

[D]

All right? And if you want our DBU picks, you can check out. Check out my Twitter page. Or you can check out dbu. That'll do it.

[C]

It will do it.

[D]

Or Forward Progress, a Chicago Bears podcast on 312 Sports. In it 10, 2 19, 2 19.

[C]

Forward Progress, a Chicago Bears podcast with Dan Bernstein and Matt Abeticola on 312 Sports.

[I]

Hey, what's up, y'?

[D]

All?

[I]

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[C]

Got it on Wayfair.

[I]

Trees, lights and ornaments. Wayfair hosting must haves like dining sets, beds, sheets and towels. Wayfair for everything in your style, delivered with fast and free shipping. Visit Wayfair.com or the Wayfair app to win the season. But again, it's not a competition. Wayfair every style, every home.