Forward Progress - Chicago Bears vs. Baltimore Ravens Postgame Summary

Podcast: Forward Progress – A Chicago Bears Podcast
Host: Dan Bernstein (with guest co-host, sports editor from Tulane)
Episode Date: October 26, 2025

Overview

This episode dissects the Chicago Bears’ deflating 30–16 loss to the Baltimore Ravens. With regular co-host Matt Abbatacola away, Dan Bernstein and his guest bring sharp insight and candid emotion, breaking down why the Bears regressed to “classic Bearsy” football: stalled drives, a passive offense, injuries piling up, and a team flirting with mediocrity despite a winning record. The hosts dig deep into Caleb Williams’ struggles, coaching concerns, missed opportunities, and the troubling state of the roster.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Game Felt Like “Classic Bears” — and Not in a Good Way

• Opening Tone: Bernstein immediately sets a somber mood, calling it “less than better and certainly less than good” ([00:39]).
• The guest co-host laments, “That was one of the worst games I've seen in a long time for the Bears... This one looked like one of those classic old Bears games where they just completely bear it.” ([02:02])
• Both note a regression after some promising (if inconsistent) wins earlier in the season.

2. Failure in the Red Zone & Missed Opportunities

• Stalled First Drives: Bears’ first two drives reached the red zone but netted only field goals, foreshadowing their ultimate struggles ([02:31]).
  • Bernstein: “When the offense was humming… and they settled for field goals both of those times, you knew that we would be talking about that at some point.” ([02:31])
• Not a single aspect of the game was executed consistently well; even after initial scripted plays, the team had “no bread and butter play, no ability to go back to anything that worked” ([05:39]).

3. Defensive & Roster Injuries Compound Issues

• Key problems:
  • Bears forced to start deep reserves in the secondary: “When you're starting Nishan Wright and Nick McLeod and Josh Blackwell, it's an issue.” ([06:56])
  • Lack of consistent pass rush — Montez Sweat made early noise but disappeared: “I don't want to see little spurts of pass rush. I want to see a consistent pressure on a guy who was out of the league until this week.” ([07:36])
  • The constant settling into zone coverage created exploitable holes for Tyler Huntley.

4. Tyler Huntley “Carved Them Up”

• Bernstein: “This is two wins over the Bears for Tyler effing Huntley. Unbelievable quarterback. Maybe the least qualified Pro Bowl quarterback of all time.” ([03:38], [03:52])
• The hosts express disbelief at Huntley’s string of looping throws working repeatedly against the Bears’ defense.

5. Caleb Williams’ Concerning Regression

• Multiple segments center on Williams’ struggles:
  • Bernstein: “He’s continuing to not trust his eyes… Where are the hot reads? Where are the pressure releases? Where is the ability to at least understand? All right, they're coming… Find that.” ([10:58])
  • Guest: “Jared Goff is nowhere near as physically gifted as Caleb Williams, but he's a better quarterback.” ([11:44])
  • Bernstein: “I'm dismayed by the… non-linear developmental progression that he's made.” ([12:05])
• Delayed throws, a bad interception, and reluctance to take deep shots signal discomfort and a disconnect with new offensive coordinator Ben Johnson.
• Quote: “The timing is still off. And when I said timing… that means from the moment the ball is spotted… There’s no point having somebody like Ben Johnson here if the quarterback can't see it.” ([34:14])

6. Skill Players: Bright Spots & Mysteries

• Roma Dunze: The rookie “has solidified himself as a legitimate WR1… his spatial awareness and ability to know when to slow down is incredible.” ([12:51])
• DJ Moore: Not targeted enough; speculation about whether this is due to effort concerns from preseason or coaching scheme.
• Complete lack of production from tight end position — a major frustration given expectations for Ben Johnson’s offense ([05:21]).

7. Special Teams & The Cairo Santos Problem

• Long-Range Limitation: Missed 58-yard FG before halftime prompts extended discussion on the need for kickers with more leg ([19:21]).
  • “NFL kickers now should be able to make 58 yarders and not miss him short…” ([19:21])
  • Possible end of the road coming for Santos: “He might lose his job.” ([44:20])
• Picking apart the nuances of game balls (“K balls”) and their impact on field goal attempts ([21:47]).
• Bears are one of only seven teams to never have a 60-yard FG ([43:00]).

8. Penalties, Coaching, and Discipline

• 11 penalties for 79 yards: “Double digits is always too many. But they're coming on both sides of the ball the very first damn play of the game…” ([18:22])
• Discussing whether Ben Johnson can actually clean up these errors with such a thin roster: “If you're doing it every week and you have no choice but to play the players who are committing all these penalties, they are acceptable. They become acceptable.” ([30:39])
• Guest calls out rookie Colston Loveland for repeated false starts; illegal formations are “not on exotic formations… it’s got to stop.” ([31:21])

9. Broad Team Identity Questions

• “Blob” Team: Hosts suggest the Bears’ record flatters them and that they're just another team in the “mediocre blob” of the NFL ([05:39]).
• Guest: “This team is not good enough to win now… This team is maybe a wild card team. Maybe. Unlikely.” ([15:53])
• Reliance on turnovers is not an identity: “Turnovers… they’re really hard to replicate. In large part, luck.” ([51:08])

10. Memorable Quotes & Exchanges

• “This was certainly something less than best from the Chicago Bears and I would argue well, less than better and certainly less than good.” — Dan Bernstein ([00:39])
• “If you can't beat Tyler Huntley and a completely unimpressive Derek Henry… you’re exposed for not being as good as the turnovers make you look.” ([25:02], [51:08])
• “I wish there was something I could say right now that is replicable and it's something I know they do well… They didn't do anything well.” ([39:34], [50:58])

11. Light Moments & Signature Banter

• Lengthy tangent on the Bears’ historic kicker woes ([23:07]–[23:56]).
• Playful Halloween costume debate and lighthearted family trash talk after the hour mark ([47:03]) — “Well, that sucks to suck just like the Bears.” ([48:54])
• Running “flaccid” joke to describe the Bears’ performance and a callback to a Bulls reference, cementing the show’s mix of authenticity and irreverence ([49:47]–[51:08]).

Timestamps for Key Segments

• “Classic Bears” Regression: [02:02]
• Red Zone Failures/Settling for FGs: [02:31]
• Tyler Huntley’s Performance: [03:38]–[04:55]
• Injury Discussion/Secondary Issues: [06:56]–[10:01]
• Penalties & Coaching Issues: [18:22]–[32:16]
• Caleb Williams’ Development: [10:58]–[14:01], [34:14]
• Offensive Line Evaluation: [40:10]
• Kicker/K-ball Analysis: [19:21], [43:00]
• Team Identity & Realistic Expectations: [15:53], [51:08]
• Signature Banter/Halloween Costumes: [47:03]
• Final Summation: [50:51]–[52:10]

Overall Tone

Authentic, frustrated, and wryly humorous. The hosts combine analytical depth (“non-linear developmental progression,” “zone coverage holes,” “bread and butter plays”) with emotional candor and classic Bears gallows humor. Banter and in-jokes soften hard truths: the Bears are dangerously average, undisciplined, and losing their edge.

Takeaways for Non-Listeners

• The Bears’ 30–16 loss to Baltimore is a wake-up call: current “ink for the future” optimism masks fundamental roster flaws, persistent coaching issues, and either stagnation or regression from first-round quarterback Caleb Williams.
• Injuries are no excuse for the sheer volume of undisciplined play and lack of pass rush or offensive identity.
• Cairo Santos’ limitations exemplify a franchise allergic to progress — “cute” but ultimately losing football.
• Until Ben Johnson’s scheme connects with Williams’ execution, and until penalties and red-zone gaffes subside, the Bears are just another middling team in a bland NFL middle class.
• Final word from Bernstein: "It was soft and limp. The performance was limp. They didn't do anything well... This was definitely a setback for the Bears." ([50:58])