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])
